I am definitely planning a quick and simple Mcguiver array with the panels. I like your idea but could you elaborate a bit on the concept of
"overpanelled" please.
Over-panel means you put more power on the controller than it can use. Most MPPT tolerate this just fine and pull only what they can. PWM must NOT be over-paneled.
By connecting arrays of different orientations in parallel you lower the peak power, but you spread your harvest more evenly over the day.
This means that the MPPT is less likely to waste available power at any given time because the arrays that aren't optimally oriented at the moment will produce less power/current than the more optimal arrays.
When this is done, each of the separate array voltages needs to be the same, but the number of parallel series strings may be different
You could orient your 8 185W panels thusly:
2S East
2S2P South
2S West
And have each of those groups wired in parallel to each other. You could get away with a cheaper controller and spread out your harvest over a longer portion of the day.
A 2S4P South array would harvest more than the above, but it would require a MPPT capable of handling the maximum output of the array, i.e., a 100A controller, to ensure you don't lose any available power.
However, a 60A MPPT would probably be a little over-paneled, but since the E and W arrays will be at max when the other is at min, you don't need as much MPPT current to capture what the panels give you at any given moment.