Built A tiny home, but it has solar issues

[bcroe]

Would this work, I checked the specs and it claims to measure up to 400amp ac And the Manual says AC/DC measure, I know it’s incredibly cheap but sometimes it’s all you need. I’m not buying a Klein Tools from HD, those are marked up beyond belief!

The $15 meter in your link only clamps on for AC current measurements. For PV solar a
DC clamp on is required, a completely adequate meter might be $50. A clamp on is
immediately useful around an array, where all the wiring is sealed up against weather.
In a hurry it will show where power is flowing, and where it is not. I do not pull out a
voltmeter until I must find a weak panel in a low performance string. Bruce Roe

[SunEagle]

Would this work, I checked the specs and it claims to measure up to 400amp ac And the Manual says AC/DC measure, I know it’s incredibly cheap but sometimes it’s all you need. I’m not buying a Klein Tools from HD, those are marked up beyond belief!

https://www.harborfreight.com/digita...ter-96308.html

If you look at the details that meter is only rated for AC currents not DC.

I purchased a Uni-T UT202A meter for under $30 on amazon. It works just fine on my solar equipment.

[The_realTW]

Would this work, I checked the specs and it claims to measure up to 400amp ac And the Manual says AC/DC measure, I know it’s incredibly cheap but sometimes it’s all you need. I’m not buying a Klein Tools from HD, those are marked up beyond belief!

https://www.harborfreight.com/digital-clamp-meter-96308.html

[The_realTW]

582CAD5E-D538-48BA-9093-7F0067C39E50.jpeg

This will help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh6hzMb69gY&t=116s

Be careful, at that price it may be AC only.

the video was really helpful, looks like I can measure across the MC4 leads coming from the panels , so I do not have to move them. Also as for the meters I found some on Amazon, I’m not doing this professionally so I won’t be buying the Fluke, although yes I know they make good meters!

I think one of the top two would be a nice addition to the tools I have.

I also could probably just buy one at Home Depot, I plan on doing the tests tomorrow and even Amazon is not that fast.

I’ll report back then on my results, the sun comes back tomorrow!

[sdold]

Also I’ll do the tests but a lil more instructions will be needed, I understand electricity and whatnot , but those exact tests are not familiar to me.

This will help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh6hzMb69gY&t=116s

I know the meter you refer to , it’s at home depot for like 50 bucks, a bit pricey but if you say i need it.

Be careful, at that price it may be AC only.

[The_realTW]

At mid day with full sun and flat (horizontal) orientation, I'd expect around 34V and 5A into an MPPT charge controller with discharged batteries, assuming nothing is shading any part of the panel. If I wasn't getting that, I'd do an open circuit voltage test to see if it matches the spec, and a short circuit current test of the panel with an ammeter across the panel output wiring, looking for at least 5A or more depending on panel orientation. I'd throw a blanket over the panel when connecting/disconnecting the ammeter wires to protect the MC4 contacts from arcing and pitting.

Edit: If you're doing much of this it would be useful to have a clamp-on DC-capable current meter.

i understand some of that, I never get 34volts ever! Most is like 20, also I have a bypass fuse on the SCC that allows me to effectively put the panel to sleep , I always pull that when disconnecting MC4 plugs, that way the system is not under load.

I know the meter you refer to , it’s at home depot for like 50 bucks, a bit pricey but if you say i need it.

Also I’ll do the tests but a lil more instructions will be needed, I understand electricity and whatnot , but those exact tests are not familiar to me.

[sdold]

At mid day with full sun and flat (horizontal) orientation, I'd expect around 34V and 5A into an MPPT charge controller with discharged batteries, assuming nothing is shading any part of the panel. If I wasn't getting that, I'd do an open circuit voltage test to see if it matches the spec, and a short circuit current test of the panel with an ammeter across the panel output wiring, looking for at least 5A or more depending on panel orientation. I'd throw a blanket over the panel when connecting/disconnecting the ammeter wires to protect the MC4 contacts from arcing and pitting.

Edit: If you're doing much of this it would be useful to have a clamp-on DC-capable current meter.

[The_realTW]

I would still try to positively verify the polarity of all connections and panel outputs. Also sounds like you have two very different panels wired in parallel. Can you give us the specs of both panels?

Are all connections in your system clean and tight? Where possible check to see if all connections are warm/hot to the touch around mid day.

I’m not sure how I would be able to check the main panel as it is cemented to the roof with some goo, if I could check it at the splitter side that would be easier. Is there a test I can run with my meter?

as for panel identification I suggest you read this thread a little bit more, not being condescending, however all the details have clearly been written out including links to their spec sheets, where I could identify. I again appreciate the help it I highly doubt the polarity issue as those connectors simply will not connect any other way, they physically will not go into the splitter any other way but the correct one.

also if someone could please answer try question of how many watts “should I see” on the MPPT readout, it would help greatly.

thanks everyone!

[littleharbor]

hey there thanks for responding

to answer your question the main panel and the smaller panel run into a splitter, from what I understand it’s not possible to wire them wrong as they are “dummy proof”, that is to say you cannot plug them in wrong. Also let’s say that your right and it is a panel configuration issue, that would have been located when I ran the “single panel” test. Doesn’t matter which panel is hooked up or if it’s both, still only 9-10 watts. Honestly can anyone tell me what I “should be” receiving at the SCC?

it’s supposed to storm here tomorrow and I’ll be able to update with good photos of al the components (if the site lets me)

I would still try to positively verify the polarity of all connections and panel outputs. Also sounds like you have two very different panels wired in parallel. Can you give us the specs of both panels?

Are all connections in your system clean and tight? Where possible check to see if all connections are warm/hot to the touch around mid day.

[The_realTW]

You may have a problem with your panel wiring. You have two very different panels. How are they wired? Could you have reversed the polarity when connecting them?

hey there thanks for responding

to answer your question the main panel and the smaller panel run into a splitter, from what I understand it’s not possible to wire them wrong as they are “dummy proof”, that is to say you cannot plug them in wrong. Also let’s say that your right and it is a panel configuration issue, that would have been located when I ran the “single panel” test. Doesn’t matter which panel is hooked up or if it’s both, still only 9-10 watts. Honestly can anyone tell me what I “should be” receiving at the SCC?

it’s supposed to storm here tomorrow and I’ll be able to update with good photos of al the components (if the site lets me)

[littleharbor]

You may have a problem with your panel wiring. You have two very different panels. How are they wired? Could you have reversed the polarity when connecting them?

[The_realTW]

Sorry everybody I messed up I said 9 to 10 A but the issue isn't amperage it’s wattage I guess I’m gonna have to revisit this when I can look at it more

[The_realTW]

CFC192F2-D2C9-45AB-92C6-AAFC51E2EA79.jpegSo I guess the panel is not supposed to be giving 9-10 amps, so at least that part is normal, I would like to know how many “watts” it’s giving back, unless watt-volt/amp happens at the panel and in that case volts/amps is all we will see on the MPPT

[The_realTW]

OK I’m updating this with some new information I went on top of the roof it’s approximately 1715 so the sun is definitely on the panels but probably not at its peak right now I disconnected the baby panel also known as the “helper“ panel 100 W and then just ran the Solar down to the MPPT controller on the main Trina 320 W panel, I saw between 15 and 20 V but again the fluctuation between the nine and 10 A continued I then disconnected the main panel and only hooked up the “helper“ panel I noticed the 9 to 10 amp fluctuation as usual however I did notice the voltage was not as high as the main panel operating somewhere around 13 to 17 V again I don’t know what this proves if anything but so far that’s what I’ve done. My sincere hope is that someone on this form steps and that’s done the stuff before and starts talking to me so we can run some significant tests we have really bad weather moving in here in the next couple days so my window to do so I was running out.

One final thing I noticed on the train at 320 W panel there is three solar modules connectors only two of them are being used my guess is it would be for a different voltage shut up that I would use the other panel connector, to clarify what I’m speaking of underneath the panel there are three black boxes one of them has the positive cable going to the NPPT controller the other one has the negative cable I don’t know what the one in the middle is it’s not hooked up to anything with any wires coming from it.

that’s most likely all the tests I’ll be able to run today but tomorrow I have one more day of good weather if there’s any certain tests or diagnostics anybody can think of I should run so we can figure out why I’m only getting 9 A and 17 to 20 V off about three 420 watt setup.

finally, keep in mind while I know a lot more about Solar than I used to I don’t profess to be a genius I will rely heavily on what you guys can tell me and then I will go ahead and implement what you tell me so we can learn together.

Tonight I’m also going to try to upload those photos again of the complete set up explaining each component component individually I didn’t have luck the past couple weeks and it cooked took me approximately an hour and a half to get them all set up only to find out I couldn’t upload them so I will try again tonight one more time from my laptop.

[The_realTW]

Update: located the manual finally at the following link, I went through every setting step by step, found some interesting things, this does appear to be a true MPPT controller, however I’ll let you look it over.

I noticed my power generation per a given day is less then my power consumption, which is not all that surprising, but needless to say I’m more curious why my charging current is only 0.78 amps!

the mystery continues....

https://www.solardepo.com/image/catalog/datasheets/srne_ml4860.pdf