Electrical – Resistor to limit maximum voltage of solar panels

resistorssolar energy

I have two 20W solar panels (each Voc = 22.3, Isc = 1.22) in series connected directly to an axial fan driven by an EC motor (rated voltage 48V). Here the maximum operating voltage when very sunny has been about 43 V.

This configuration has worked well in the past but I need a bit more airflow. I want to add in series another panel, this one is a 10W, same voltage, about half the current.

I have read elsewhere that this not need to be a problem for the panels since the operating current will fall to that of the smallest panel. That is fine to me, at the moment I am not aiming for high efficiency. What worries me is that the EC motor might get too much voltage out of the three panels.

From the panel curves it appears that with full sun (around 1000 W/m2) the motor might get 60-62 V.

The operating voltage range of the fan according to its data sheet is 28-56 V. The rated current is 0.5 A, however when I connected the fan to 56V I measured 0.4 A.

Question

Can I connect a power resistor in series in the circuit so that with full sun the motor "sees" about 56V instead of 60-62V? Is there a way to calculate the required resistance?

Unfortunately for me the fan does not have much information on its properties to help with this.

Best Answer

First off, you can't connect unmatched panels in series. Why? Because power will be dissipated in the unmatched module. If three modules are connected in series, they need to be the same.

Secondly, if you don't have an MPPT tracker, your not using the full power of the modules. An MPPT tracker will most likely solve your problems. Why? Because the motor may not be drawing the right amount of current from the modules and if the right amount of current is not drawn, the power capability goes down.

Thirdly, V=I*R is the best way to size resistors.

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