Solar panels parallel or series?

[Leehamrick]

Hi
I have two 235 watt panels I'm installing and I'm not sure which way to go.
Where I am setting them up I catch a little shade now and then and we do have a lot of gloomy days in the
winter. I was told that if I go with series I could use a smaller wire but when it's gloomy or if I get some shade
on one of the panels I would be better off to use a bigger wire and go with parallel.
Is this true?

[mapmaker]

Hi
I have two 235 watt panels I'm installing and I'm not sure which way to go.

Depends on many factors. What is the Voc, Vmp, and Imp of the panels? What controller? What battery voltage? How far are the panels from the controller?

How much shading? If the panels are in series and one internal string of cells in one panel is shaded, the bypass diode will conduct and the array will produce at a lower voltage. If the panels are in parallel, you may or may not get better results.

--mapmaker