# Forum Home Renovation Solar Electrical Systems  staggered PV panels?

## Steffen595

our roof has a funny shape, so I cannot put 10 panels into one space, rather have to stagger them, each north facing bit gets 3 or 5. How does it work out with the installation? Are the panels connected in parallel? Would some panels drag the others down, but it seems they will get sun at the same time (no overshading)?

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## Smurf

Connection is normally in series or, if you have a large number, multiple groups ("strings") each connected in series. 
Provided that they all face the same way and there is no shade on any of them then it's not a problem having them spread over different sections of roof. But you don't want some facing NW and NE unless you're running a separate string for each and the inverter has a separate MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) for each. And it's not practical to have less than 5 or 6 panels per string with most inverters. 
So, no problem assuming all the roof faces you will be using do face the same way.

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## Bloss

No technical problem regardless of how many panels face how many directions - but the cost of the solution might make it prohibitive! Like most things there is what you can do and then what is cost effective to do. But any competent installer/ designer will quickly tell you what's possible (and affordable).

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## johnc

Ours is a 3kw staggered installation of 16 panels in two groups of eight. It made no difference in price but they had to be facing same way and for reasons explained and went in one ear and out the other had to be wired in equal banks probably something to do with the inverter. Both groups face north on the same angle.

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## Steffen595

will be facing same way, but house is T-shaped plus another dome/pyramid, so will be 3 stacks.

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