Thread: When is a mono really a poly - solar panels

My reality has been challenged. I thought Monocrystalline solar panels were dark blue not the same colour and Polycrystalline were black with their corners of each cell often cropped.

So why do I see lots of black panels with the corners of the cells cropped for sale as Monocrystalline?

For mono the crystals are bigger and harder to make so the panels are more expensive. Better in the heat, faster drop off in overcast and shade.

Poly have lots of small crystals, cheep to make, better in overcast and shade, not so good in the midday heat.

Help, I want to buy some panels and my brain is confused.

Colour is not a reliable guide. If the individual cells are square with the corners cut off, they are probably monocrystalline, made from a round crystal (or polycrystalline or amorphous, made to look that way!). Apart from that the appearance is not even an approximate guide.

John