different watt panels, a few questions for the experts please

[inetdog]

Won't work. The 50w panels will limit the string amps to THEIR 3.4amps, wasting half the capacity of each 100W panel. Littleharbor has it right, the 2 50's in parallel, and then all in series,

Or the 50w panels will activate their bypass diodes wasting the entire 50w contributions and dropping the output by an additional ten or more watts.

[littleharbor]

MC-4 branch connecter .jpgMC-4 branch connecter .jpg Depending on their proximity to each other these will do a simple job of paralleling your 2, 50 watt panels provided they have MC-4 connecters. If they are to be separated by any distance you would need some extension cables W/ MC-4 ends too. This is assuming your panels have these type connections. They can be found online on Fleabay or Amazon

[Mike90250]

Since they all have the same Voc and Vpmax and your controller can accept up to 100v input I'd just wire them all in series. Since the 50 watt panels have a lower Isc I'd wire them in the ground end of the series.

Won't work. The 50w panels will limit the string amps to THEIR 3.4amps, wasting half the capacity of each 100W panel. Littleharbor has it right, the 2 50's in parallel, and then all in series,

[inetdog]

Since they all have the same Voc and Vpmax and your controller can accept up to 100v input I'd just wire them all in series. Since the 50 watt panels have a lower Isc I'd wire them in the ground end of the series.

The last sentence is utter nonsense. All of the elements of a series string (either individual panels or parallel pairs of panels) must conduct the same current. The current does not decrease as you move toward the ground (actually you mean minus?) end of the string.
Since the Imp of the 100W panel is exactly twice the Imp of the 50W panels you can put the two 50s in parallel and then add the two 100s in series to complete the string.
Just as stated in post #2

[John Galt 1]

Since they all have the same Voc and Vpmax and your controller can accept up to 100v input I'd just wire them all in series. Since the 50 watt panels have a lower Isc I'd wire them in the ground end of the series.

[littleharbor]

I would think you would parallel the 2, 50 watt panels, then series wire them to the 100 watt ones.

[SprinterX]

I have just purchased new SunPower flexible solar panels spec'd as follows.

2x 50w panels - Ipmax 2.78A, Vpmax 18V, Isc 3.4, Voc 21.6V

2x 100w panels - Ipmax 5.56A, Vpmax 18V, Isc 6.2, Voc 21.6V

The selection was based on available space to mount them.

My initial thinking was to wire them all up in series to my new Tracer 3210A EPsolar 30A MPPT Solar Charge Controller 12V 24V but I'm now reading I may have problems due to the different watts and currents.

Can I connect the two 50w panels in series and then wire them in parallel with the other two 100w panels?

Pros vs Cons?

Will there be any degradation in the system?

I would greatly appreciate input on making this work with the best efficiency and performance.

Thanking you all from a solar newbie.