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LA515 vs LA500 16 of 19 identical Swap Change panels

TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500

TCL Zhonghuan
HSM-BD60-LA515
515 Wp 23.20 % Back Contact
Open panel page Datasheet PDF
VS
TCL Zhonghuan
HSM-BD60-LA500
500 Wp 22.60 % Back Contact
Open panel page Datasheet PDF
The verdict

LA515 leads on the differences that matter

The largest is module efficiency: 0.60 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 LA515 LA500 Difference
Module efficiency 23.20 % 22.60 % 0.60 pp more efficient
Power density 232.4 Wp/m² 225.6 Wp/m² 6.8 Wp/m² higher
Rated power 515 Wp 500 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.
LA515
17,414 kWh
LA500
16,907 kWh
Lifetime gap
507 kWh
Output when it is hot
Rated power carried across the range a module actually sees
Scenario LA515 LA500
Standard test conditions 25 °C 100.0% of rated power 515 W 500 W
Cool, bright day 40 °C 96.1% of rated power 495 W 481 W
Typical summer roof 55 °C 92.2% of rated power 475 W 461 W
Hot roof 70 °C 88.3% of rated power 455 W 442 W
03

Full specification

Parameter LA515 LA500 Difference
Power and efficiency
Rated power 515 Wp 500 Wp +15 W for LA515
Module efficiency 23.20 % 22.60 % +0.60 pp for LA515
Power density 232.4 Wp/m² 225.6 Wp/m² +6.8 Wp/m² for LA515
Open-circuit voltage 45.32 V 45.02 V Effectively the same
Voltage at max power 38.20 V 37.90 V Effectively the same
Short-circuit current 14.23 A 14.05 A Effectively the same
Current at max power 13.49 A 13.20 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 45.6 kg/kWp 47.0 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
#1,306 vs #3,658
LA515 leads by 2,352 places
Power density
#1,250 vs #3,861
LA515 leads by 2,611 places
Heat behaviour
#511 vs #511
Tied - the same position in the database
Weight
#789 vs #1,450
LA515 leads by 661 places
Warranty
#21 vs #21
Tied - the same position in the database
Overall
#3,040 vs #4,316
LA515 leads by 1,276 places
05

More useful comparisons

Open the full database
Same series, other bin
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA520
One difference: module efficiency
Same series, other bin
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA510
One difference: module efficiency
Same series, other bin
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA505
3 differences, the largest is module efficiency
Same manufacturer
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TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-ND66-GK725 (IEC1500V)
14 differences, the largest is rated power
Same manufacturer
TCL Zhonghuan
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-ND66-GK725
15 differences, the largest is rated power
Same manufacturer
TCL Zhonghuan
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-ND66-GK720 (IEC1500V)
15 differences, the largest is rated power
06

Written summary

07

Questions about this pairing

Which panel is better: TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 or TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500?
According to our database: TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 has higher module efficiency (23.20% vs 22.60%). See the full spec comparison and 30-year energy simulation above for a complete picture.
What is the efficiency of TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 and TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500?
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 has a module efficiency of 23.20%, while TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500 is 22.60%. Higher efficiency means more electricity from the same roof area - useful when space is limited.
What cell technology does TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 use vs TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500?
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 uses Back Contact cells; TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500 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-LA515 and TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500?
TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA515 has a 30 years power warranty; TCL Zhonghuan HSM-BD60-LA500 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.