In the solar panel specification sheet, it provides us a lot of information about the parameters of solar panel operation. So that we can choose or install the solar system. Besides that, the specification sheet of the solar panel will also tell us about the efficiency of the solar panel in generating electricity, its working condition in different temperatures, size, wind load, snow load and so on. All this information is necessary for a solar panel to perform well. In this article, we will take you along to read the solar panel specifications.

Solar panel Size and weight:

Generally speaking, the length of solar panels is between 1m and 2.2m, and the width is between 1m and 1.5m. The exact size of the solar panel may also vary depending on the brand or the power of the solar panel. For the weight of solar panels, it is usually between 10kg and 35kg, some larger solar panels for industrial use may be heavier.

Standard test conditions:

It mainly refers to the test standards of solar panels under certain laboratory conditions, which include a temperature of 25°C (77°F), a light intensity of 1000W/m2 and an atmospheric density of 1.5, among others.

Normal Operating Cell Temperature (NOCT):

It is the temperature that the solar panel reaches in an open-circuit state under specific conditions. These specific conditions include an experimental temperature of 20°C, a light intensity of 800 W/m2, and a wind speed of 1 m/s. You can get a more accurate idea of the working condition of the solar panel by using the normal working cell temperature. For solar panels with lower normal working cell temperature, the better the performance of the solar panel.

Open Circuit Voltage (Voc);

For the open circuit voltage of the solar panel, it mainly refers to the amount of voltage when there is no load in the circuit connected to the solar energy. You can use a multimeter or voltmeter to test the open-circuit voltage of the solar panel in real applications. This data is important as it represents the maximum voltage that the solar panel can produce under normal operating conditions. The open-circuit voltage of the solar panels allows you to determine the number of solar panels connected to the inverter.

Short Circuit Current (Isc):

It is the measurement of the current generated when the positive and negative terminals of the solar panel are connected. The short-circuit current can indicate the maximum output current of the solar panel under certain conditions and can be used to determine the amount of current the solar panel can supply to the load. Often, short-circuit current is also required to determine the power of the inverter connected to the solar panel.

Point of maximum power (Pmax):

It is the maximum power output of the solar panel, you can multiply the voltage by the current to get the maximum power point of the solar panel. When the ambient temperature and light intensity of the solar panel changes, the maximum power point of the solar panel will also change.

Voltage at Maximum Power Point (Vmpp):

When the solar panel is at the maximum power point, the voltage that the solar panel has is the maximum power point voltage. It can indicate the maximum voltage that can be connected to the solar panel when it is running at maximum power. When the voltage of the load exceeds the maximum power point voltage, it can easily cause damage to the solar panel.

 Maximum Power Point Current (Impp):

It is the current required to connect the solar panel to the MPPT under standard test conditions. When the intensity of light shining on the solar panel changes, the maximum power point current will also change.

Power Tolerance:

The power tolerance of the solar panel refers to the normal fluctuation range of the output power of the solar panel, which is generally in the range of -0.3% to +0.3%, and the fluctuation of the output power of the solar panel within this range is normal. The power tolerance is mainly due to the solar panels in different environments, the production process differences on the power of the solar panels. With the power tolerance of solar panels, solar panels can ensure the basic performance and provide stable power support for users.

Solar Panel efficiency (%):

The module efficiency of solar panels can also be said to be the photoelectric conversion efficiency of solar panels, the general efficiency of solar panels between 15% and 22%, for different types of solar panels, the efficiency of solar panels will also be different. But mainly monocrystalline silicon solar panels are more efficient. The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach 25%. This indicator is important for some users who have limited installation area.

Temperature coefficient (%/°C):

The main manufacturing material of solar panels is semiconductor silicon. When the temperature changes, the output power of the solar panel will change accordingly. The degree of this change is determined by the temperature coefficient, and most solar panels today have a temperature coefficient between -0.3%/°C and -0.5%/°C. The temperature coefficient of a solar panel is -0.3%/°C to -0.5%/°C. Of course, the closer the temperature coefficient of the solar panel is to zero, the better, which means that the solar panel is less affected by the temperature.

Maximum Static Load:

It is the maximum weight of a static object that can be applied to the solar panel under certain conditions. This is mainly related to the bonding technique between the aluminum frame and the cells of the solar panel. It is a criterion to check the working condition of the solar panel. The heavier the object on the surface of the solar panel, the greater the impact on the solar panel during the power generation process.

Snow Load:

It refers to the maximum pressure that the solar panel can withstand given by snow. Generally solar panels have snow load, especially in areas with more snow in winter, it ensures that the solar panels work properly in extreme weather. For different types of solar panels, its snow load is also different, but some high quality solar panels snow load can reach 5400Pascal.

Wind load:

When the wind passes over the solar panel, it creates different wind speeds on both sides of the solar panel, which causes pressure on the solar panel. When you are installing solar panels in a high wind area, you need to pay special attention to the wind load of the solar panels as well, in order to ensure the stability of the solar panels.

Solar panel Warranty:

In the solar industry generally provide 12 years product warranty and 25 years performance warranty, for some brands, such as Trinasolar, JA, etc., they will provide 25 years product repair and performance warranty, some brands can even provide consumers with 30 years warranty.

Certification of solar panels:

Solar panels can be transported around the world for use, but in order for local people to recognize the solar panels need some certifications, these certifications include China’s Golden Sun certification, European Union’s CE certification, TUV/VDE certification, MCS certification, Canada’s CSA certification, U.S. ETL certification, UL certification, Australia’s SAA certification, and so on.

Solar panel Brand:

Nowadays, solar panels are mainly divided into Tier 1 brands and second-class brands. The primary brands of solar panels are JinkoSolar, Longi, Trina, Canadian solar and so on. The secondary brands of solar panels are Astronergy, Suntech and so on. For the secondary brands, their prices will be relatively cheaper, but the performance and quality of the solar panels may be flawed.

Solar Manufacturer:

In the present solar panel market, China is the largest manufacturer of solar panels in the world with 39,000 MW of PV capacity. Apart from this, Germany, Japan, Italy and USA are also important manufacturers of solar panels. All these countries have made comparative advances in solar technology.