What is a half cell solar panel?

Half-Cell v. Full-Cell Solar Panels In the past year or so many manufacturers have transitioned to half-cell solar panel production to increase power output (sometimes also called “Split Cell” technology). This means that commercial panels now have 144 cells instead of 72.

What are half-cut and split-cell solar panels?

These panels are known as both half-cut and split-cell solar panels. Luckily, explaining what half-cut solar cells are doesn’t involve complex scientific explanations involving quantum mechanics. They are literally normal solar cells that have been cut in half.

Can a half-cut/split-cell solar panel improve shade tolerance?

To make the most of a half-cut/split-cell solar panel’s improved shade tolerance you need to use an inverter with ‘Global Maximum Tracking’ MPPTs, so they don’t get stuck on the wrong power curve maximum.

How does a half-cut solar panel work?

Half-cut panel shade behaviour Instead of having 3 cell-strings like a standard solar panel, the half-cut panel has 6 cell strings making it a 6 string panel. One small spot of shade on a half-cut panel makes things interesting.

What happens if a solar panel is shaded?

When one solar cell in a panel cell string is shaded, all the preceding unshaded cells can dump the energy they produce into the first shaded shaded cell as heat. This creates a hot spot that can potentially damage the solar panel if it lasts for a long time.

Are half cut solar panels better than standard solar panels?

An additional benefit is half cut panels resist the effects of shade better than standard solar panels. This isn’t directly due to the cells being cut in half but because of the way they are wired together.