Solar panel measurement: Please help!!!

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  • KingChuck189
    Junior Member
    • Dec 2009
    • 1
    #1

    Solar panel measurement: Please help!!!

    Hi I'm very desperate.
    I am doing an experiment for school and I need it done by Friday.
    I need to know how to measure the solar output of a Westinghouse 4 cm x 4 cm garden path solar light. I have an Electro-Tek multimeter. How do I measure the voltage, watts, etc? PLEASE HELP!!!!
    Tags: 4x4, experiment, output, panel, solar, watts
    • Mike90250
      Moderator
      • May 2009
      • 16020
      #2
      I'll assume you are competent around electronics, and you can follow technical instructions, and know simple electronic math. ( I'm not here to teach electronics or how to operate tools )
      Open the solar light, and locate the lead wires from the panel, to the control board. Unsolder / Remove the wires from the board (mark them for re-install later)
      In bright noon sunlight, use the voltmeter to measure the PV output voltage, then set the meter to measure amps, and measure the amps from the PV cell. (no batteries needed at all - keep them away from the meter) With your Volts & Amps readings, you can calculate watts. ( volts x amps = watts )
      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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