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LA505 vs LA520 16 of 19 identical Swap Change panels

TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520

TCL Zhonghuan
HSM-BD60-LA505
505 Wp 22.80 % Back Contact
Open panel page Datasheet PDF
VS
TCL Zhonghuan
HSM-BD60-LA520
520 Wp 23.50 % Back Contact
Open panel page Datasheet PDF
The verdict

LA520 leads on the differences that matter

The largest is module efficiency: 0.70 pp more efficient. 16 of 19 comparable parameters are identical.

See all 3 differences
How alike are they
16 of 19 comparable
parameters are identical
identical differs
01

What actually differs

3 of 19 parameters
Parameter LA505 LA520 Difference
Module efficiency 22.80 % 23.50 % 0.70 pp more efficient
Power density 227.9 Wp/m² 234.7 Wp/m² 6.8 Wp/m² higher
Rated power 505 Wp 520 Wp 15 W more power
02

What it means on a roof

Thirty years of production
Each panel's own declared degradation curve, at 1,200 kWh/kWp a year
Same temp coeff. for both panels (-0.260 %/°C), so a warmer roof scales both curves by the same factor: the totals fall together and neither panel gains on the other.
LA505
17,076 kWh
LA520
17,583 kWh
Lifetime gap
507 kWh
Output when it is hot
Rated power carried across the range a module actually sees
Scenario LA505 LA520
Standard test conditions 25 °C 100.0% of rated power 505 W 520 W
Cool, bright day 40 °C 96.1% of rated power 485 W 500 W
Typical summer roof 55 °C 92.2% of rated power 466 W 479 W
Hot roof 70 °C 88.3% of rated power 446 W 459 W
03

Full specification

Parameter LA505 LA520 Difference
Power and efficiency
Rated power 505 Wp 520 Wp +15 W for LA520
Module efficiency 22.80 % 23.50 % +0.70 pp for LA520
Power density 227.9 Wp/m² 234.7 Wp/m² +6.8 Wp/m² for LA520
Open-circuit voltage 45.12 V 45.42 V Effectively the same
Voltage at max power 38.00 V 38.30 V Effectively the same
Short-circuit current 14.11 A 14.29 A Effectively the same
Current at max power 13.30 A 13.58 A Effectively the same
Temperature
Temperature coefficient -0.260 %/°C -0.260 %/°C Same
Mechanical
Dimensions 1954x1134x30 mm 1954x1134x30 mm Same
Module area 2.216 m² 2.216 m² Same
Weight 23.5 kg 23.5 kg Same
Weight per kWp 46.5 kg/kWp 45.2 kg/kWp Effectively the same
Warranty and degradation
Product warranty 25 yrs 25 yrs Same
Performance warranty 30 yrs 30 yrs Same
Annual degradation 0.35 %/yr 0.35 %/yr Same
Technology
Cell technology Back Contact Back Contact Same
Cell type Monocrystalline Monocrystalline Same
Cell count 120 120 Same
Bifacial No No Same
04

Against the whole database

14,005 panels
Efficiency
#2,714 vs #716
LA520 leads by 1,998 places
Power density
#2,788 vs #854
LA520 leads by 1,934 places
Heat behaviour
#511 vs #511
Tied - the same position in the database
Weight
#1,199 vs #635
LA520 leads by 564 places
Warranty
#21 vs #21
Tied - the same position in the database
Overall
#3,916 vs #2,566
LA520 leads by 1,350 places
05

More useful comparisons

Open the full database
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA510
One difference: module efficiency
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-ND66-GK725 (IEC1500V)
16 differences, the largest is rated power
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-ND66-GK725
17 differences, the largest is rated power
Same manufacturer
TCL Zhonghuan
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-ND66-GK720 (IEC1500V)
16 differences, the largest is rated power
06

Written summary

07

Questions about this pairing

Which panel is better: TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 or TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520?
According to our database: TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520 has higher module efficiency (23.50% vs 22.80%). See the full spec comparison and 30-year energy simulation above for a complete picture.
What is the efficiency of TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 and TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520?
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 has a module efficiency of 22.80%, while TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520 is 23.50%. Higher efficiency means more electricity from the same roof area - useful when space is limited.
What cell technology does TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 use vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520?
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 uses Back Contact cells; TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520 uses Back Contact. Modern n-type technologies (TOPCon, HJT, BC) typically deliver higher efficiency and lower degradation compared to older PERC (p-type) cells.
What is the warranty on TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 and TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520?
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505 has a 30 years power warranty; TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520 has a 30 years power warranty. The power warranty guarantees a minimum percentage of rated output at the end of the warranty period (typically 80-87%). Product (materials) warranties are usually shorter.

Shop prices: See 25 TCL Zhonghuan offers

Every figure here is from the manufacturers' own datasheets - a dash means the value is not published, never an estimate. The thirty-year projection and the temperature scenarios are calculations from those figures, and each states its assumption above.