They are just bypass diodes. They are supposed to help during partial shading. Mine do not have that problem. If you check back my panels put out 600 watts in full sun. Now they only hit 200-225 watts in full sun. I was looking at the fronts of the panels and now have a discoloration. On some of the cells. Also I still have them in series parallel. So cells are damaged. When I have time I will check each panel in full sun. Post results when I can.
You might try WD40 to remove the cloudy discoloring on the panels. I've not tried this trick on my solar garden lights but it is supose to remove the cloudy film on plastics cause from the sun.
I just tested my panels. I have 1 dead panel 0 volts. Also all the rest in full sun are less than 60 watts a piece. At 15 VOC. So they are toast and will have to be replaced in the spring. (UPDATE 12/23/2019) 2 DEAD Panels So with (4) 100 watt panels max watts is 257. This is on a really clear day. Today is partly cloudy like most. Max watts today is 170 watts. While the roof panels at 500 watts are at 380 watts output today.
Just added this switch to my solar panels for the front of the house. Hope it helps next time. (UPDATE) So far so good. I have not lost another panel or controller. After this upgrade.
So you didn't have them protected Prior? You can never have too much protection on your Off grid stuff! Ok maybe you can have too much but not having any is asking for trouble. I have two lightning arrestors on my solar Dc side and one on the Ac side as well as breaker protection for each array and my inverter. I also have a lightening arrestor on my wind turbine even though it isn't connected directly to my system any more.
What I do when there will be lightning is disconnect my inverter from the house wiring. So my whole setup is isolated. I am not totally sure how much lightning played in my system going down. It was the panels on the front of the house. They were hooked to just one controller that arced and quit. All bypass diodes were shorted on the panels. And I have 0 Volts on (2) panels. It went from 400+ to 4 watts. The other 2 controllers and my classic had no problems. So adding the switch will isolate and stop any current flow. Hopefully that will fix it.
I just installed some more of these panels. There was a note with them. Do NOT connect these panels in Full Sun. Or risk damage to the panels. I can see this as a problem as one of my Charge Controllers. It goes from 0 watts to full power as soon as you connect them. - - -
Trouble with the flex panels. This just happened this week. (3) 100 watt panels in series with MPPT Charge Controller. Max output 58 Watts. I have to wait for full sun before I can see how much less it is putting out. I have extras if I need to change it.
Just changed the panel. Power output soon. New panel has a few bubbles and a trace almost sticking above the clear coating.
Still at 90 watts for (3) 100 Watt panels. I even tried another MPPT Controller. So in spring I will pull them all again. And put up the two from my porch roof and (2) Regular panels. Total 400 watts. (4) roof panels teasing me today 596 watts. It was a clear and dry day.
Flex panels are junk. 100 Watts only 80 watts in full sun. I replaced the 6 on the front of the house and removed the two on the porch roof. Settled and broke the porch slab. Glad to have them off the roof. Took 4 hrs and it is starting to wear on me at 62.
My 2 volt cells just shorted and popped some of the tops. Had to remove them. Woke me up the other night. One split right down the side.
