Optimizers function by electronically adjusting the power output of individual solar panels, ensuring they operate at their optimal voltage and current regardless of shading or debris. Without the use of optimizers, the current flowering through the string is controlled by the “weakest” panel, i.e. the panel with the least amount of sun. If the current output of a weak panel is too low, the MPPT circuit of the inverter would typically squeeze out the weak panel by lowing the voltage. This operation however leads to the total loss of the power of the weak panel. As an example: if there are 5 panels on a string and one panel has only 70% of the power of the other panels, the inverter would receive 400% of the power of a single strong panel by squeezing out the weak panel or 350% of the power of all 5 panels by accepting a drop of 30% of the current due to the weak panel. In this case, a smart MPPT would opt for squeezing out the weak panel. With the use of an optimizer on the weak panel, the inverter however would collect 470% of the power ot the strong panels. No power would be wasted.

This is a display of the smart phone application. The first item (left most column) is the name of the unit, the second (“a” or “m”) is for automatic or manual mode, the third column is the temperature, the fourth the panel voltage, the fifth the voltage injected into the string, the last two columns show the current of the string an the injected power.

A panel is covered partially with a blanket. The optimization is running at around 65% and the current is around 9.5A

The blanket is removed, the panel is fully exposed to the sun and the optimization climbs to 100%. Notice, that the current is also around 9.5 A as in the previous situation, but the voltage injected into the grid is now 31V instead of 21V.