Difference Between 12v and 24v and 36V Solar Panels
The use of solar panels has increased significantly compared to earlier times. The main reason for this is the rise in electricity bills. Electricity rates have increased compared to before, prompting everyone to try to reduce their electricity bills. Additionally, in areas where there is no access to grid electricity, solar panels are needed to generate power.
In this post, we will explain the difference between 12v and 24v solar panels and where each type of solar panel should be used. First, you need to decide whether you want to install solar panels on your existing inverter or set up a new solar system.
If you want to add solar panels to your existing normal inverter, you will need a solar charge controller, which you should choose based on your battery type. After that, you can select the appropriate solar panels. We will provide you with some examples to help you understand the difference between 12v and 24v solar panels.
What is 12v Solar Panel
“In the market, you will come across various types of solar panels with different numbers of cells, such as 36 cells, 60 cells, 72 cells, and 144 cells. Among these panels, the ones with 36 cells are referred to as 12v solar panels.
However, it’s important to note that the VOC (Voltage Open Circuit) of these panels is approximately 22v. You can use these panels with a battery-based solar inverter or a solar charge controller. 36-cell solar panels typically have a capacity of around 175 watts.
Moving on, there are 48-cell solar panels with a VOC ranging from approximately 22v to 33v. These panels are also considered as 12-volt solar panels. Their capacity can be up to around 220 watts.
If you intend to use these panels with any solar inverter or solar charge controller, it’s important that the solar charge controller or solar inverter supports the VOC range of the solar panels. Only then will you be able to use these panels effectively with a solar charge controller or solar inverter.
What is 24v Solar Panel
60-cell solar panels available in the market are known as 24v solar panels, with a VOC of approximately 33v. These solar panels can have a capacity of up to around 270 watts. They can be used with a two-battery PWM solar charge controller or a PWM solar inverter.
If you intend to use them with a single battery, you would need an MPPT solar charge controller or inverter that supports a VOC of at least 45V.
If you wish to use the 60-cell solar panels, it is recommended to do so with a PWM-type solar charge controller or solar inverter. This is because their VOC is around 33v, making them better suited for PWM-type inverters or controllers. The use of 60-cell panels is typically suitable for systems with at least two batteries.
What is 36V Solar Panel
In addition to the information about 36-cell and 60-cell solar panels mentioned earlier, you can also find 72-cell solar panels in the market.
These panels are often referred to as 36v solar panels, although some of them can still be 24v panels with a VOC of around 45v. If you opt for polycrystalline solar panels, their VOC is approximately 44v, while monocrystalline solar panels have a VOC of around 47v.
To use 72-cell solar panels, you would need a solar charge controller or solar inverter that supports a minimum of 90v VOC. If you intend to connect a 45v VOC solar panel to a single battery using a regular inverter, you can consider using the Ashapower Neon 80 MPPT solar charge controller.
Always use 72-cell solar panels with an MPPT-type solar charge controller or solar inverter, as using them with a PWM-type controller or inverter might not provide optimal benefits due to their higher VOC. MPPT controllers or inverters can efficiently handle the higher voltage from these panels, resulting in faster battery charging.
Which solar panel should Buy
Above, you have been provided information about various types of solar panels. If you want to install solar panels up to 500w on an existing system, you will need a PWM-type solar charge controller, and you would use either 36-cell or 60-cell panels.
If you intend to install more than 1 kW of solar panels, you will need an MPPT-type solar charge controller, and you would use 72-cell solar panels. Within the category of 72-cell panels, you can find panels with capacities of up to 380w. The larger the solar panel capacity you choose, the more cost-effective it becomes for you.
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Can you mix 12v and 24v solar panels
You can connect any small or large solar panels together. To do this, you only need to ensure that the VOC (Voltage Open Circuit) of all the solar panels matches. Only then can you fully benefit from all the solar panels.
For Example, if you have two 12v solar panels with a VOC of 22V each & one 24v solar panel with a VOC of 45V.
you would first connect the two 12v panels in series, resulting in a combined VOC of 44V.
Then, you would connect this set of two panels in parallel with the 24v solar panel. This way, you can connect different-sized solar panels together.