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HF panels need Schottky diodes


By dnix71, Section Solar
Posted on Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 07:17:32 PM MST
if you use an mppt

I finally found some inexpensive ($15 for 20, including shipping) 3-amp 40v Schottky's on eBay. After installing my BZ mppt the performance dropped off a bunch in overcast weather (all summer if we are lucky, because of recurring droughts).

The cheap HF panels don't have blocking diodes, so when I hooked all the panels together, the shaded ones sucked up all the power.

After putting a Schottky on each panel I'm getting 25-40 watts in overcast and rain in the late afternoon. There is plenty of room inside the terminal connector box on the panel for a diode. I crimped solderless ring connectors to the diode and pop-riveted one ring to the positive feed cable connector. The other ring is screwed down with the panel's supply wire.

My panel's theorectical total is about 300, but the way they are mounted it's impossible for the sun to hit them all at once. They are on the ground and two outside walls because I rent here.

If the sun is out I can hit float at 7pm with no load in warm weather.

One of the HF panels failed. A crack in the glass kept growing until it now goes from top to bottom. If someone wants to experiment with that panel, email me dnix71 at yahoo. Since the glass isn't tempered, maybe you could cut it into smaller pieces and use those.

HF panels need Schottky diodes | 2 comments (2 topical)

Re: HF panels need Schottky diodes (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by ghurd on Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 02:27:41 PM MST

MPPT should not require blocking diodes.
Might be better off reconfiguring the Schottkys as bypass diodes?

"finally found some inexpensive..."
And I know where you could have purchased 20 x 3-Amp 60V Schottky's for $10.50.
Or 18 TO-220 x 10A 45V for $18.
Including shipping.
Without waiting.
http://ghurd.info/dc_buy.html
G-



Re: HF panels need Schottky diodes (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by dnix71 on Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 09:15:40 PM MST

I looked at the forum store and didn't find "diodes" in the search. I didn't know you had a store.

If my panels weren't shaded I wouldn't need the blockers. But there is physically no way to have them all point into the sun at the same time. I have trees in the way, and the neighbors' house as well. I can't roof mount them because I don't own the building and we have hurricane insurance rules that would require an architect or engineer to sign off on the roof mount design. You can't even replace a door or window here unless it was sold with a Miami/Dade wind certificate.

The diode made an immediate difference as I was doing the retrofit, one panel at a time. The MPPT already has a blocking diode on the output for protection at night.

I have all the panels connected parallel. If there were no shading I would double them up.

[ Parent ]



HF panels need Schottky diodes | 2 comments (2 topical)
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