How To Test A 12 Volt Solar Panel

This article describes how you can troubleshoot a solar system in basic steps.

How to test a 12 volt solar panel.

How to test solar panels for volts using a digital multimeter the first thing to do is place your solar panel outside in direct sunlight. Voltages above 24 are 24 volt panels. Attach the meter to the positive and negative terminals on the solar panel and make sure the panel is properly exposed to sunlight. As most solar panels are 12 volts the solar panel test methods are basically the same.

You will want to ensure that you place the positive to positive and negative to negative when attaching your multimeter to the connection on the back of your solar panel. Measure the voltage between the ve and ve terminals by connecting the negative contact from the voltmeter to the negative on the panel and the positive contact on the voltmeter to the positive on the panel. Any voltages above 12 volt and below 24 volt for a panel that is in full sun is a 12v panel. For that reason it s most likely that a problem is caused by a defect in system.

Overall 12 per cent of the solar array voltage was lost and mostly in the solar cable. As long as the amp meter is rated higher than the solar panel you will be able to measure the output effectively. To test a 12v panel meters should always be set to the dc voltage area which usually identified by the symbol below. Next you need to set your digital multimeter to volt settings dc.

See how to test your solar panel for open voltage and current reading. Common issues are zero power and low voltage output. Angle the solar panel towards the sun. Quality solar panels are built and guaranteed to produce power for 25 years.

Set the meter to above 200 vcd to ensure you get the most accurate reading possible. Troubleshooting a solar pv system. Ensure that the multimeter is set to measure volts. I have 15 m of 6 mm2 cable.

To test solar panel amperage output put your solar panel in direct sunlight set your multi meter to the dc amps setting. Second compare solar panel measurements versus rated values. Current was 13 per cent below expected 6 7 x 2 13 4 a. Alternatively you can use a multimeter or a voltmeter to find this out.

It is always mentioned in the panel specification label usually at the back of the solar panel. Below i will describe basic steps in troubleshooting a pv array. You want to choose a voltage range capable of displaying the maximum possible voltage of the panel in open circuit that is when not connected to the battery or charge controller. Step 3 measure current.