Checking bypass diodes: Part 2

In the previous post on checking bypass diodes in solar panels, I described in detail which faults could occur at the bypass diodes and how to detect missing diodes. Another problem that could arise, especially after instances of overvoltage, is a short circuit via the bypass diodes. This post focuses on this fault and the […]

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Checking bypass diodes on solar panels: Part 1

Almost all solar panels include integrated bypass diodes. Crystalline panels generally have three of them, which are located in the junction box and can each bypass a third of the panel when necessary. The diodes’ main task is to protect the solar cells from overheating when partial shading occurs. When combined with the right inverter, […]

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Why would the open-circuit voltage in a solar panel string be too low?

When you measure the open-circuit voltage for all of a system’s panel strings, you should always do so with two measuring devices and compare each string to a reference string. If the difference in voltage is more than seven or eight volts, there is usually a fault somewhere, as I’ve discussed in detail in a […]

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