Solar String Sizing Calculator
Work out how many panels can go in series on a string — within the inverter's MPPT window and under the maximum system voltage — using temperature-corrected module voltages.
- Cold mornings raise a module's open-circuit voltage, so the coldest expected temperature sets the maximum panels you can safely put in series.
- Hot afternoons lower the operating (Vmp) voltage, so the hottest expected temperature sets the minimum string length to stay within the inverter's MPPT window.
- The result is a recommended range of modules per string — an estimate to sanity-check a design, not a substitute for a licensed system designer.
Min per string
3modules
Max per string
11modules
Cold Voc / module
53.5V
Hot Vmp / module
36.5V
A module's voltage moves with temperature. The colder it gets, the higher the open-circuit voltage (Voc) climbs — so the maximum string length is set by the coldest moment, when Voc peaks:
Voc(cold) = Voc × (1 + β × (T_cold − 25)), where β is the temperature coefficient of Voc (negative, in %/°C).
- Maximum modulesis the largest count whose cold-temperature string voltage stays under both the inverter's maximum system voltage and its MPPT ceiling —
floor(V_max ÷ Voc(cold)). - Minimum moduleskeeps the hot-day operating voltage (Vmp) above the inverter's MPPT floor —
ceil(MPPT_min ÷ Vmp(hot)).
This tool applies the Voc coefficient to both Voc and Vmp as a conservative approximation; for exact MPPT tracking, consult the datasheet's Vmp or Pmax coefficient. Maximum-voltage limits follow AS/NZS 5033 in Australia. Always confirm a final design with a licensed system designer.
Estimates only — for guidance, not a quote or engineering specification. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere; the maths runs entirely in your browser.
Frequently asked
- Is this calculator free to use?
- Yes. The string sizing calculator is free and needs no sign-up. It runs entirely in your browser.
- Is my data stored or sent anywhere?
- No. The calculator runs in your browser and stores nothing. The figures you enter are not saved or sent anywhere.
- Which temperature coefficient does it use?
- It applies the module's temperature coefficient of Voc to both the open-circuit and operating voltages — a conservative, common approximation. For precise MPPT tracking, also check the datasheet's Vmp or Pmax coefficient. The result is an estimate, not a substitute for a licensed designer.
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