Replacing a damaged panel

Q&A and troubleshooting
, , , , ,
1

Hi All
Firstly I have to warn you I’m a non-technical Victron system owner so apologies in advance if my questions are dumb.
I have a Victron system with

  • 6 x Eurener MEPV 375-B 375w panels
  • Quattro 12/5000/220-2x75,
  • SmartSolar MPPT VE.Can 150/85 rev2
  • REC BMS Battery Montor
  • Cerbo GX

One panel was fatally damaged in high winds and needs to be replaced. But it appears Eurener have stopped making these.

So I’m looking for advice on what panel I can replace it with and where I might source it? The panels and fitments are positioned so that I need to have a panel with identical dimensions. And I would like it to look visually similar to the remaining 5.

2

Needle in a haystack…

But it would probably help if you’d post all data of such a panel here.

3

These are the details from the product label:

Model MEPV 375-B
Max. system voltage 1500 V

Maximum power intensity - Imp 10,95 A|

|Short circuit current - Isc 11,46 A

|Maximum power voltage - mp 34,28 V|

|Open circuit voltage - Voc 41,50 V

|Maximum power - Pmax 375 W|

|Standard test conditions: AM = 1,5 E = 1000 W/m? Tc|

4

And the size ?

5
  • Dimensions: 1755 x 1038 x 35mm
6

Size is not so relevant - as long as you can physically mount the panel where you want.

What is important:
Modules / Strings in parallel: Open circuit voltage match within 5%.
This means that the Voc and preferably also the Vmp voltages need to be close.

Modules in series: Isc needs to be matched, again +/- 5%.
Plenty of modules out there.

7

To determine whether my panels are wired in parallel or in series, can I assume if the panels are currently generating power with one panel missing that they must be wired in parallel?

8

You have / had six modules, so likely either wired in three strings of 2 or 2 strings of 3.
Are you producing 1/2 or 2/3rds of the expected power?
so either way, you will need to match both Voc and Isc to 5% to get a working substitute.
Alternatively, if you can’t match the voltage and current, then an additional solar controller can be added and the system reconfigured slightly.