question

rover avatar image
rover asked

Victron MPPT 250/60 max. Voc/V

Hi, this might be a classic beginner question.

In the Victron MPPT calculator if I select 4 panels 410w (Voc/V 44,8V and Isc/A 11,36) the suggestion is the MPPT 250/60 but if I select 5 panels the suggestion is a way bigger and more expensive hybrid device. Why doesn't the 250/60 or /70 or /85 not support 5 panels like that? Did I by any chance miss out on something important? Thanks for any comment!

Best, Ronny

MPPT SmartSolar
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2 Answers
Matthias Lange - DE avatar image
Matthias Lange - DE answered ·

The Voc will rise at lower temperatures. The Voc is at 25°C.
Depending on the panel the Voc will rise about 0,30-0,40% for each degree below 25°C.

In Winter your panels are cold, let's say 0°C than the Voc is 25 x 0,35% = 12,25% higher.

With a normal Voc of 44,8V + 12,25% you end up at 50,3Voc x 5 = more than 250V.

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seb71 avatar image
seb71 answered ·

Since you say that you are a beginner:

Just in case you are not aware, you can make for instance two strings of 4 panels each (4 panels in series) and put those two strings in parallel.

So you can't have 5 of those PV panels in series on that MPPT, but you can have 8 PV panels (just not all 8 in series).

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