Home made HaPanels showing Volts but no s/c amps

[Gshep]

Having made a couple of 150*150 by 36 Panels one is showing volts but no S/C Amps

 

[SolarCity]

How are you measuring short circuit current?

 

[Gshep]

Re: Home made Panels showing Volts but no s/c amps

Having made a couple of 150*150 by 36 Panels one is showing volts but no S/C Amps

interesting wonder where that HaPanel came from.

UNI-T UT50A MULTIMETER

VOLTS --- LEADS INTO RED VOHMS BLACK Com 200v DC Live connection from from panel Negative connection from panel

AMPS ---- LEADS INTO RED 20A max BLACK Com 20A DC Live connection from from panel Negative connection from panel


Weather ----- OVERCAST One panel reading 17v .25amp

Kind regards George

 

[Guest111]

Hold on a minute are you connecting the meter across the pos and neg outputs from the panel when trying to measure current? If so you need to be in series with the panel and the load,at least thats how it's done with other electrics,pos from panel to pos on meter neg on meter to load,neg on panel to load,otherwise you are going to fry something.

 

[SolarCity]

To get an Isc (short circuit current) reading, you will need a clamp meter. The positive and negative leads need to be plugged/connected together and then a reading can be taken.

 

[Gshep]

well this is the way I was shown? Have just done another test on the aforementioned panel, as the sun is out, and now it reads 2.4 A Meter NOT FRIED.

at 69 I am still willing to learn something new even though I spent 53 years as an electrician and PARTLY working with DC be it on LARGE ELECTRICAL MACHINES

Regards George

 

[Gshep]

See latest post, as my meter seems to work

Regards George

 

[SolarCity]

Okay, I'm getting confused now. I thought you were saying that you were getting 0 amps?

 

[Gshep]

yes I was saying that, what I was showing that on a good panel I WAS getting amps.

So lets recap

So good panel getting Volts and Amps

what I consider a bad panel getting Volts but no Amps

as it only takes me a few hours to strip a panel what I intend to do is carry out a wee experiment

Staring with first cell and 500w halogen lamp check Volts and existence of amps.

Just had a thought I have couple SPARE cells will prove the feasibility of this idea first.

I would imagine that if you only deal with Manufactured panels you will not have come across this problem

I have Manufactured and home made

Manufactured are Grid tied

Home made Panels are on my own off grid system

Will let you know what I find

Being interested in solar, retired and 69 I decided to do the NICEIC Certification Course and received the Certificate of Competence on 31/01/13

Kind Regards George

 

[Worcester]

For a SINGLE panel you can do a Voc and an Isc test quite happily with most DIY / Maplins 10A rated meters (so long as you use the 10A shunted socket).

http://www.electriciansforums.co.uk...ing-does-everyone-really-do-2.html#post355795

 

[Gshep]

Worcester remember these are HOME MADE panels

 

[Gshep]

ok did the test on one single cell resuts below

250w halogen lamp placed at 1 meter above cell

.56 volts
.36 amps

will now strip a panel and check all cells

George

 

[solarfred]

I have been checking panels as I found a duff one. So be interesting to find out what is stopping the amps. My panel (not home made) is showing correct voc and correct isc but put it under load and the imp is only less than 50% of design so where is it breaking down? Never seen this before and no obvious outward signs. It just refuses to produce the goods.

 

[Gshep]

As mine is home made and easy to strip down will let you know what I find might be a few weeks before I cab do this as I am busy with another project WOOD TURNING .