Two arrays, east and south, one battery bank, do I use two charge controllers?

[Fingers]

Hi, I have two arrays one south and the other east, I have been told by an ebay solar panel seller "Two mppts are not necessary as long as the panels connected together do not exceed the max input spec of the charge controller."
I can't see that this would work as one array would be feeding the other when it's out of the sun, right? How would you do it?

[bcroe]

If the arrays are about the same voltage, it should work as long as neither is
completely in the dark. The one in good sun will often put out a lot more current,
but b oth will contribute at some level.

I have arrays pointing east, south, and west wired in parallel, working together
to give me a very long sun day since 2013. Bruce Roe

[SunEagle]

Although the type of CC the OP has may have different specs then yours Bruce.

So the question to the OP is what type of CC are you using?

[Fingers]

I'd have put money on the need for some electronic gadget to balance the two arrays or two mppt's.
Thank you for the info.

[Fingers]

Its an Epever 50amp 5451an. 48volt system when it's up and running. I have just bought it on line second hand, I just hope it comes with a manual (in English)

[bcroe]

I did say, arrays paralleled must be about the same voltage. I actually
go by cells, all my strings have 720 cells. I do not even know how many
different brands are out there, 2 different sizes. My clamp on ammeter
says they play well together all the time.

I do not think you can even detect instantaneous current sources, they all
melt together. MPPT here too, but into net metering inverter. Bruce Roe

[Fingers]

Parallel, I missed that bit, yes that makes more sense.
I'll have 6 south and 5 east.
Will the 34.6 volt difference matter?
Would an inline diode help, or just be an unwanted point of resistance?

• Max Current (Imp) 9.82A
• Max Voltage (Vmp) 34.6V
• Short Circuit Current (Isc) 10.51A
• Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) 42.5V

[bcroe]

Those are NOT about the same voltage strings, and not an arrangement
I would use for a single MPPT device. One fix is use 2 different MPPT
devices, another is adjust count to make them the same. Bruce Roe

[SunEagle]

I agree with Bruce. Either get a 6th panel for the string of 5, remove one of the panels from the group of 6 or get a device that has 2 different MPPT inputs. One for each string.

[Fingers]

I thought two mppt's but I didn't know if it could be done; some guy somewhere in the distant and murky past said only one input can be used on a battery bank. Hey what an education, thanks.
I've not seen an mppt with two inputs, I'm guessing that Gucci kit would be more expensive than two separate mppt's?