Blocking Diodes vs. Bypass Diodes in PV Panels
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:06 pm
Troy, I saw you mention in a Youtube comment that your panels don't suffer much when one panel is blocked because they have blocking diodes. It's possible you meant bypass diodes, but blocking diodes and bypass diodes in PV panels serve two distinct purposes. Blocking diodes are connected in series with PV cells to prevent current from flowing back into them causing damage. Bypass diodes are connected in parallel with a PV cell or cells to shunt the current around it, effectively removing the blocked cell(s) from the chain like a bad Christmas bulb. Please be sure you actually have bypass diodes in your panels, and not simply blocking diodes.