{"id":1008,"date":"2012-02-03T16:43:59","date_gmt":"2012-02-03T07:13:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=1008"},"modified":"2025-09-04T10:07:39","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T00:37:39","slug":"how-to-read-a-solar-panel-specification-part-1-power-temperature-specs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/how-to-read-a-solar-panel-specification-part-1-power-temperature-specs\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Read A Solar Panel Specification: Part #1 Power & Temperature Specs"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Magnifying<\/a>

Discover how to read a solar panel specification<\/p><\/div>\n

Does a solar panel specification with “Max Power” rated at, say 190W, really produce a maximum power of 190W when it is on your roof in the blazing sun?<\/p>\n

Short Answer: Not on your nellie!<\/p>\n

The max power rating (in Watts) that your solar panels are rated at is the figure that everyone quotes when talking about “panel size”. If the installer or salesperson talks aout a “190W or 250W panel” they are talking about the “max power” rating of the panels. This rating is based on the power output measured from that panel under “Standard Test Conditions” (STC) that, unfortunately, are a long way from “Real World Operating Conditions”.<\/p>\n

Under these STC conditions, the solar panel is subject to a light source (technical term: irradiance) measured at 1000W per square metre. That number probably means nothing to you, so you have to take it from me that 1000W\/m\u00b2 is the equivalent of a strong sun.<\/p>\n

That in itself is not a problem, as last time I checked, the sun is pretty bloody strong in most parts of Australia. The problem is, however, that the STC power rating is based on a panel<\/strong> temperature of 25\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

Think about that for a second. The panel temperature is the temperature that the actual solar panel itself will get to when it is on your roof. This temperature is critical because all solar panels lose efficiency as they heat up.<\/p>\n

That means that the solar panel has to be no hotter than 25\u00b0C to produce its rated max power. Unfortunately a solar panel on your roof will generally be 20\u00b0 hotter than the ambient temperature (it’s a big black panel sitting on the roof – it’s gonna get hot!). That means that the ambient<\/strong> temperature for an STC test must be only a rather chilly 5\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

When was the last time you were in strong sun and the mercury was only at 5\u00b0C?<\/p>\n

Cowboy Salesman Trap #1:<\/strong> Ask him what ambient temperature the module will produce its rated power at. If he says 25\u00b0C, push him out of the door!<\/em><\/p>\n

So unless you live in a very sunny, cold place, you are never going to get the rated power out of your panels. Sorry about that.<\/p>\n

The good news is that you can quickly work out how much power you will get in the real world, if you are brave enough to look at the solar panel’s specification sheet (also known as its data sheet). All reputable solar vendors will provide this as part of the quote.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Salesman Trap #2: <\/strong>Kick him out if he can’t or won’t provide a solar panel specification sheet for your solar panel that looks something like this:<\/em><\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Here’s how to work out the real max power output of your solar panels from the solar panel specification sheet:<\/strong><\/p>\n

First look for the part of the solar panel specification sheet that contains the “Temperature Characteristics”. And look for the both the “Nominal Operating Cell Temperature”(NOCT<\/strong>) and the “Temperature Coefficient of Pmax<\/strong>“. I’ve highlighted them on this specification for a Suntech panel (STP190S-24\/Ad+):<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Temperature<\/a><\/p>\n

The NOCT is the temperature that the panel reached in the lab when subjected to 800W\/m\u00b2 of irradiance (moderate sun) at an ambient temperature of 20\u00b0C. \u00a0So it’s a much more realistic measure of the temperature that your panels are actually likely to operate at. Here you can see that our panel will get to 45\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

All solar panels reduce their power as they heat up. The “Temperature Coefficient of Pmax<\/a>” tells us how much power it loses for every\u00a0\u00b0C that the panel is hotter than 25\u00b0C (Remember that 25\u00b0C is the panel temperature that the STC power is measured at).\u00a0The Suntech panel above will lose 0.45% of its max power for every degree above 25.<\/p>\n

The NOCT has told us that the panel will typically sit at 45\u00b0C so\u00a0it is a simple sum to work out the power loss at this temperature:<\/p>\n

(45\u00b0C-25\u00b0C) x -0.45%\/\u00b0C) = 20 x -0.45% = -9%<\/strong><\/p>\n

So expect the real max power out of the panel to be 9% lower than the panel’s rated power. The Suntech\u00a0STP190S-24\/Ad+ is a 190W panel, so I would estimate its real world max power to be approximately 91% x 190W = 172.9W.<\/p>\n

This is a much better number to use for solar panel comparison<\/a> than the STC rated max power, because it takes into account the temperature performance of the panels, which is important Down Under! In fact in the USA the power we have just calculated above is on most solar panel specs and is called the PTC power <\/strong>(which stands for PVUSA Test Conditions). And even better than that, if the panel is approved for use in California, they actually measure the PTC power in a lab so that they don’t have to rely on the manufacturer’s numbers to calculate the PTC power. When they started doing this in 2009 they found that the real numbers were worse than the manufacturer’s claimed specs by an average of 6%. \u00a0Check out the comparison tool<\/a> I’ve put together that lets you compare the PTC of solar panels approved for use in Australia and<\/strong> California, if you need to compare panels before buying.<\/p>\n

If you are interested in how the Suntech panel we used for our example tested in the lab, you can see the Californian Test results here<\/a>. It actually tested to have a PTC of 171.5W, pretty damn close to the 172.9W calculated above. This goes to show how\u00a0reputable brands like Suntech are gonna give you accurate numbers, but if you are buying your no-name panel from “Dodgy Bros” you might want to take the specifications with a pinch of salt.<\/p>\n

>> Read part 2 of this post<\/a> which shows you how to interpret ‘Power Tolerance’ and ‘Efficiency’ on a solar panel specification.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Does a solar panel specification with “Max Power” rated at, say 190W, really produce a maximum power of 190W when it is on your roof in the blazing sun? Short Answer: Not on your nellie! The max power rating (in Watts) that your solar panels are rated at is the figure that everyone quotes when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[100,51,33,70],"class_list":["post-1008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-solar-panels-2","tag-noct","tag-solar-panel-tests","tag-solar-rebates","tag-temperature","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Read A Solar Panel Specification (for dummies)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how to read a solar panel specification. 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I started SolarQuotes in 2009 and the SolarQuotes blog in 2013 with the belief that it\u2019s more important to be truthful and objective than popular. My last \"real job\" was working for the CSIRO in their renewable energy division. Since 2009, I\u2019ve helped over 800,000 Aussies get quotes for solar from installers I trust. Read my full bio.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/","https:\/\/x.com\/FinnPeacock"],"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2FF2s-gg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1033,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/understanding-solar-panel-specifications-part-2-power-tolerance-efficiency\/","url_meta":{"origin":1008,"position":0},"title":"Understanding Solar Panel Specifications Part #2: Power, Tolerance & Efficiency","author":"Finn Peacock","date":"February 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"In Part\u00a0#1\u00a0I went into great detail about why the \"Max Power\" quoted on your solar panel specification sheet and the real max power you will actually get from that panel are very different numbers. I showed you how to calculate a more accurate max power by using some little known\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Panels"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Panels","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-panels-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"the 4 most important solar panel specifications","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/solar-panel-spec2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1108,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-panel-size-is-bigger-better\/","url_meta":{"origin":1008,"position":1},"title":"Solar Panel Size: Is Bigger Better?","author":"Finn Peacock","date":"February 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The Size of Solar panels is definitely increasing, there's no denying it. A couple of years ago the average solar panel was 165W.\u00a0Today the average is about 240W. The biggest one approved for installation in Australia at the time of writing is the whopping\u00a0Topsun\u00a0TS-S410. This giant amongst solar panels has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Panels"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Panels","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-panels-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"a 410W solar panel","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/big-solar-panel.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2121,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/be-careful-when-calculating-solar-panel-efficiency\/","url_meta":{"origin":1008,"position":2},"title":"Be Careful When Calculating Solar Panel Efficiency","author":"Finn Peacock","date":"December 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"One from the mailbag today that is bound to please fellow solar nerds: From Andrew in Cairns who has just had his system installed: Finn, I Finally got my 5KW system installed. \u00a0 I have a question for you if I may: If power output is calculated as: Area of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Panels"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Panels","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-panels-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Solar Panels","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Fotolia_37940794_XS.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":391,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/the-top-10-things-to-check-on-every-solar-panel-specification\/","url_meta":{"origin":1008,"position":3},"title":"Are you getting the best Solar Panels? The Top 10 Things To Check","author":"Finn Peacock","date":"January 10, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"There are a bewildering array of solar panel brands out there. How do you sort the wheat from the solar chaff? My advice is go thru the spec sheet for each panel and judge them on the following top 10 solar panel selection criteria.","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Panels"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Panels","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-panels-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"the best solar panels","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/solar-panels-in-box.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":79177,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-panel-power-tolerances\/","url_meta":{"origin":1008,"position":4},"title":"Solar Panel Power Tolerance: What’s Hidden In The Fine Print?","author":"Kim Wainwright","date":"October 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm here to help you navigate the positives and negatives of solar panel power tolerances until you can tolerate no more. Is this just another obscure term in solar technology, or is it worth paying attention to? Let me explain... Power Tolerance: A Simple Explanation Power tolerance indicates how much\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Solar Panels"","block_context":{"text":"Solar Panels","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-panels-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Solar panel power tolerance","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/solar-panel-power-tolerances.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/solar-panel-power-tolerances.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/solar-panel-power-tolerances.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/solar-panel-power-tolerances.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/solar-panel-power-tolerances.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":90423,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-panel-output-mb3138\/","url_meta":{"origin":1008,"position":5},"title":"Study Finds Solar Panel Power Output Often Less Than Promised","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"March 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Researchers at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE have revealed a recent trend of solar panel outputs often being less than nameplate rating. 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