I have installed 4 Hyperion 400 W panels (500w bifacial) on an EG4 Brightmount rack from Signature Solar, and I'm only getting less than 200 watts from each. I have these 4 in series and when I measure them end to end I get 129-132 volts VOC. This drops to about 120v to the MPPT in the EG4 6000 XP. That inverter wants to see at least 140V. My Solar Assistant says it sees about 700 watts for the string. These are south facing and I have tried an angle of about 32 deg and then about 28 deg with no improvement. Anyone else using these and seeing this? I'm going to take one of the panels off and play with the angle and see if that matters. Can someone recommend another brand from Signature Solar where you have measured some good output?
Disappointing output from Hyperion panels
- Thread starter tombo06
- Start date
sunshine_eggo
Happy Breffast!
The brand is fine. The string Voc is too low for your MPPT. Add a 5th panel and hold onto your socks!
sunshine_eggo
Happy Breffast!
You are missing the point. This is not a hardware problem. You have made a design error. You are not feeding the equipment per its specification. It will not operate in MPPT mode below 120V. Period. It doesn't matter what brand you put on there. If you only give it ~129-132Voc, you're going to get crap performance.
You could put 4 of my 330W panels on it, and they'd run circles around what you're getting... yes... with 280W total less rated output, they would stomp the Hyperions. Is it because they're so much better? Nope. They're 72 cell panels supplying 182Voc and 144Vmp allowing the unit to operate in MPPT mode from 120V to 385V.
Your panels will only output 400W at about 104V. The unit can't operate at that level. IMHO, you're pretty lucky to be getting 700W out of them.
The 6000XP has a nominal MPPT input voltage of 320 volts. Even when you meet the minimum of 120 volts, the loss in boosting that up to 320 volts will hurt your performance quite a lot.
The goal is to give the inverter strings which come close to the nominal MPPT volts for highest efficiency.
Your panels are very likely not broken or under performing, your setup is.
Mike C.
The goal is to give the inverter strings which come close to the nominal MPPT volts for highest efficiency.
Your panels are very likely not broken or under performing, your setup is.
Mike C.
hwy17
Anti-Solar Enthusiast
To help explain, your panels have an output curve, but your string voltage and your MPPT voltages are not aligned so your MPPT cannot get to all the power.
This is not a solar output curve, but just for illustration, imagine you are stuck in the right hand orange section. The range of your MPPT does not extend down far enough to extract the peak output from the panels.
If you add more panels in series you can move the whole curve to the right, moving the peak output into the range where your MPPT can get it.
The alternative is to use a different lower voltage charge controller with a lower range that does overlap with the peak output of the solar array that you have now.
This is not a solar output curve, but just for illustration, imagine you are stuck in the right hand orange section. The range of your MPPT does not extend down far enough to extract the peak output from the panels.
If you add more panels in series you can move the whole curve to the right, moving the peak output into the range where your MPPT can get it.
The alternative is to use a different lower voltage charge controller with a lower range that does overlap with the peak output of the solar array that you have now.
sunshine_eggo
Happy Breffast!
@tombo06
To build on the above, these are the power curves for your panels:
The red line indicates the maximum power point for each level of irradiance. For simplicity, just look at the 1000W/m^2 line (top). In your situation this occurs at about 104V. Unfortunately, because of limitations of the MPPT, you are forcing the panels to work in the yellow region where power drops off very quickly.
To build on the above, these are the power curves for your panels:
The red line indicates the maximum power point for each level of irradiance. For simplicity, just look at the 1000W/m^2 line (top). In your situation this occurs at about 104V. Unfortunately, because of limitations of the MPPT, you are forcing the panels to work in the yellow region where power drops off very quickly.
Bluedog225
Texas
Where are you seeing 104V in that chart?
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
It’s 4 in series so 140/4=35v per panel
sunshine_eggo
Happy Breffast!
That chart is intended to demonstrate how rapidly power falls off when you operate between Vmp and Voc.
He's measuring 129-132Voc. Hot panels have reduced Voc just like cold panel have increased Voc. Vmp is approximately 80% of Voc. .8*130V=104V.
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Indeed. Which puts him in the 32-33V per panel range, which is in the yellow section of your curve above. I think we're in violent agreement that he's not making enough voltage to operate his MPPT inputs.
Yes very common and great comments above. If you want good output when sun comes up and irradiance is weak, you should start with a voc of 220VDC with these panels. Anything less and you'll be losing an hour in morning and afternoon.
So would start with 6 panels minimum with the hyperions.
Other higher voltage panels can create a decent voltage with less panels but the panels you have are better because you string more together without exceeding input voltage rating on controller.
So would start with 6 panels minimum with the hyperions.
Other higher voltage panels can create a decent voltage with less panels but the panels you have are better because you string more together without exceeding input voltage rating on controller.
I installed 6 of the Hyperion 400w panels, and routinely get 2000w at my inverter. The panels aren't optimally mounted, so I expected some loss there. I've had them up for a few months and overall pleased with them.
Posted a video just now to help with this. How to calculate minimum maximum and temp coef string voltage:
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
Excellent video.
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