Wondering what people think of this "ShadeFix" feature that SMA seems to claim eliminates the need for panel-level optimization:
It seems a bit implausible to me. Let's say two panels in a string are shaded, so they can't pass much current; the silly little video (at the link) seems to imply that the inverter takes those two panels out of the current path. How it does that is a mystery to me.
In practice, it doesn't seem to be working for me. My grid-tie system has two strings of 8 panels each. Right now, one string is in full sunlight, and one string has two of the panels about half-shaded. The second string is producing about half the power of the first string.
Is it possible I need to update the firmware ? Right now I have firmware version 3.1.25.R.
It seems a bit implausible to me. Let's say two panels in a string are shaded, so they can't pass much current; the silly little video (at the link) seems to imply that the inverter takes those two panels out of the current path. How it does that is a mystery to me.
In practice, it doesn't seem to be working for me. My grid-tie system has two strings of 8 panels each. Right now, one string is in full sunlight, and one string has two of the panels about half-shaded. The second string is producing about half the power of the first string.
Is it possible I need to update the firmware ? Right now I have firmware version 3.1.25.R.
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