Solar String Sizing Calculator

Enter your panel's Voc, panels per string, and record low temperature to check your string voltage against your controller's max input.

⏱ ~20 sec🧮 Series strings🔒 No signup

Result

456 V cold Voc
Worst-case string voltage
StatusWithin limit
Margin44 V

Cold weather raises panel voltage — this is the calculation installers use to avoid frying an inverter on the coldest morning of the year, not just average conditions.

Ad placeholder — in-content responsive unit

Why cold weather is the danger zone for string voltage

Cold Voc = Voc × [1 + (0.29%/°F below 77°F rated temp)] × panels in series

Solar panel voltage rises as temperature drops, the opposite of what most people expect — a string that's safely within range on a warm afternoon can exceed an inverter's maximum input voltage on a freezing morning and trip a fault, or worse, cause damage. This check uses your site's record low temperature, not just STC ratings, to size the string safely for the coldest realistic day.

Frequently asked questions

Why does colder weather increase panel voltage?

Solar cells are semiconductors whose voltage output rises as temperature falls, roughly the inverse of how their current behaves — it's a physical property of the cell, not a malfunction.

What happens if my string voltage exceeds the inverter's max?

Most inverters and charge controllers will fault out or shut down for protection, and in the worst case sustained overvoltage can damage the input circuitry — always keep a safety margin, not just barely under the limit.

Next step

Related tools