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paulz
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2026 03:20pm
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You’re not supposed to mix different panels they say, as voltages vary. My main panels behind the cabin are at about 90 volts (3 in series) so I put the 12 shop panels in series giving me about 70. The 4 hf panels in series are about 60 and the others about the same. Panel voltage on the Victron is below 50 so it seems to work. Later this year when the sun hits the main panels it may goof up.
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travellerw
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jan 2026 10:55pm
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The Victon's are pretty resilient... BUT they can be damaged by overvoltage (like any controller). If its just a little over, they will throw and error and disconnected. However, a big voltage spike will damage them!
Be careful as you don't want to purchase another one!
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Steve_S
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jan 2026 07:46am
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A bit of YES & NO.. Every SCC has Voltage/Watts/Amp limits and you cannot exceed those limits. It is far more efficient to have arrays using identical panels because the law of averages applies when it comes to the collective performance.
You CAN mix panels provided the conditions are met and it won't fry your gear BUT the performance will vertainly not be optimal and in fact may be wasteful, especially if the panels are different technologies. IE HJIT panels are great in sunny & shady locales because even a partly shaded panel will output power because the segments are isolated. Older panels like my CSP 260's won't produce anything if a part is shaded because the cells are basically "daisy chained". Think old style xmas lights, one bulb burns out the entire string goes dead. New LED ones can have a bulb fail but the string goes on.
My new QCELL panels can be 50% covered, either from side or top to bottom and the panel will still output a relative percentage per how much is exposed to sun.
Mixing panels has other effects because each panel will only output & handle (within the string) certain V/W/A limits which CAN be exceeded causing damage to that panel affecting the entire string. I have panels that will output different voltages: QCell 395 max at 49V and CSP-260's max at 37V for example.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jan 2026 09:28am
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Thanks guys, good interesting stuff. What I will do is move all these misc panels over to my old Epever Tracer which is still on the wall, no problem frying that. The sun is just barely clearing the hill and trees at this point.
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