Does Putting Two 6v Solar Panels In Series Create 12v

In our illustration we show two 6v batteries with 225ah wired together.

Does putting two 6v solar panels in series create 12v.

Putting panels in series makes it so the voltage of the array increases. By connecting multiple solar panels in series we increase the system voltage. Now lets look at connecting solar panels in parallel. It is therefore essential before making a parallel connection to carefully check the voltage of the solar panels.

When installing solar panels in series the voltage adds up but the current stays the same for all of the elements. In a series configuration the batteries are wired per the diagram below and the result would be a doubling of the voltage while the capacity remains the same. You can then connect each 6 volt pair in parallel with another pair to create a larger 12 24 or 48 volt battery bank. In this case it is possible to wire the two 6v panels in series and then wire the resultant array in parallel to the 12v panel.

What you are missing or not understanding is battery quality and you only want to use a single string and avoid parallel strings. This is called a series parallel configuration. This is usually used with 12v set ups. Wiring batteries in parallel.

Let s look at a numerical example. Each 6 volt battery pair operates as a single 12 volt battery. They might be for example one monocrystalline and one polycrystalline solar panel. The picture above depicts the connection of two different 12v solar panels.

There are some major benefits to connecting solar panels in series. Say you have 2 x 100 watt solar panels and a 12v battery bank. The result would be a battery bank that produces 12v and 225ah. So when connecting solar panels in series always try to keep the electrical properties of the solar panels identical to get the full benefit of the solar array.

Solar panels are connected in parallel to obtain higher output current. After these clarifications let s see how the series connection takes place. Makes no difference if comparing apples to apples quality wise. In a solar power system the higher the voltage and the lower the energy losses along the cables to know the maximum system voltage we usually just need to turn the panel and read the label where the value is reported.

For example if you installed 5 solar panels in series with each solar panel rated at 12 volts and 5 amps you d still have 5 amps but a full 60 volts. Since each panel is 12v and the battery bank you want to charge is 12v then you need to parallel your system to keep the voltage the same. However the latter type of connection is at the expense of efficiency. 100w 18vmp x 5 5a imp and 50w 18vmp x 2 77 imp designated for a solar power system of a 12v system voltage.

So if you connect two solar panels with a rated voltage of 40 volts and a rated amperage of 5 amps in series the voltage of the series would be 80 volts while the amperage would remain at 5 amps.