Analysis of series-parallel and parallel configurations for customised solar panels

This research analysed the impact of solar radiation on the electrical output of two solar panel configurations: parallel and series-parallel. The performance ratio (PR) was calculated to assess the system’s performance under this weather condition. Both configurations employed identical solar panels (rated at 3 W each), with the parallel array consisting of eight modules and the series-parallel arrangement set up as four parallel strings of two series-connected panels. Time-series data were collected for each configuration over a full day of operation, capturing solar irradiance, ambient temperature, and electrical parameters (current, voltage, and power). As solar irradiance increased, the current and power of the panels increased. PR revealed significant insights into system performance. The series-parallel configuration exhibited a higher average PR of 29% compared to the parallel setup of 8.3%, indicating better alignment with the system load or operational conditions. This study demonstrates that realtime monitoring of PR provides critical insights into the operational health and fault detection of standalone PV systems.