METERS & TOOLS mentioned in this video (affiliate links) Multimeter - amzn.to/3S1jJRl Clamp meter - amzn.to/47nmfW9 DC power meter *without* MC4 connectors - amzn.to/48CKbG3 MC4 crimper kit - amzn.to/3H2q74m DC power meter *with* MC4 connectors - amzn.to/3THiJTm
@Alladin-n5j
15 күн бұрын
Early Spring and mid Autumn max power from a solar panel
@Laughlin007
Ай бұрын
Thank you for making this video. I have two 8 year old 250 watt panels on my RV and they are only putting out about 7 amps which is about half of what they used to produce. The problems are they are securely mounted on the roof and the wiring is underneath the panels so testing them individually will not be easy. Even getting on the roof isn't as easy as it was 8 years ago.
@chrisford2906
4 ай бұрын
Great straight forward, understandable and clear explanation. Thanks Alex.
@00000theoffical
9 ай бұрын
Had no idea who solar panels worked this really helped me :)
@footprinthero
9 ай бұрын
Awesome!
@projet2907
5 ай бұрын
Thank you, very well made and helpful
@barrysmith7376
2 ай бұрын
Thanks. I have similar renogy panel to replace a cheap one on the van. Testing before fitting I find good voc over 24v,but I can't find a current, zero. Checked as you did and also with meter in series connected to controller. Still zero?
@barbaragraves7446
Ай бұрын
Is it possible for a panel to short out under full sun? My panel on the RV started to give output only early morning & dropped to 0.0 v out when the sun got higher. This was measured at the MC4 terminals on the panel itself. 4 year old flexible 100w panel
@onemandrone
2 ай бұрын
Hello, great information. I have two leisure batteries 12V 130AH 130 AH, what MPPT size would i need please?
@babuanwars
6 ай бұрын
Thanks for the nice demonstration.....
@khalidalsulaiti7707
8 ай бұрын
Great easy way to test your solar panel, mine is 170w 10 months old at the beginning it produced 7-8 amps, suddenly after few months it went down to 2-3 amps with load on and while charging the half drained battery. Open circuit voltage was 23v but when connected to controller it’s shows 16v. Wondering why the current is reduced?
@footprinthero
8 ай бұрын
Open circuit voltage will always be higher than the voltage when the panel is connected to your system, so that's normal to see a drop in voltage like that when connected. The drop in current is concerning. Did you test the panel's short circuit current (Isc) with a multimeter?
@khalidalsulaiti7707
8 ай бұрын
@@footprinthero I did short circuit the panel and got 6 amps on clamp multimeter reading and 22voc , connected back to the controller and got 2.4a at 16.2v, checked the cables resistance and seems fine.
@footprinthero
8 ай бұрын
Strange... perhaps your charge controller got damaged somehow. At this point I think it'd be worth trying out a different one and seeing if that solves the issue.
@everydaysolar
9 ай бұрын
Great video! I love those little power meters. Just wish I could find an inexpensive one that could measures over 150V.
@footprinthero
9 ай бұрын
You and me both!
@davidajayi9968
Ай бұрын
Most meters measure over 1000v even d smaller ones about 1000
@pauloeyi
7 ай бұрын
Thanks for the video I follow your video instructions and The isc rating was 11.89ah and when I tested it I got 19.5ah which is higher
@ianm5249
9 ай бұрын
When you connected the wattmeter to the controller, was the controller connected to the battery?
@footprinthero
8 ай бұрын
yes
@ezekielchery6892
5 ай бұрын
Can I connect the positive and negative solar panels ends together and use my DC clamp meter to read amperage?
@user-lr9oe7ql2r
Ай бұрын
😊😊
@user-lr9oe7ql2r
Ай бұрын
😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
@mariusneumayer4419
Ай бұрын
SOLAR TRICKLE CHARGER: Does anyone know how you check to see if they are working? Some have LED some don't have. I have 2 voltmeters (DC etc), but I get no reading no matter how I tried. I know voltmeter should do it...But how ? I have many batteries, lawnmower, bike, RV, Portable Solar Generator, spare batteries, cars etc. PLEASE HELP
@gumpster6
8 ай бұрын
You could have connected the MC4 connectors together on that second panel and measured with the clamp meter. That way you can measure the Isc and don't need all the other equipment.
@footprinthero
8 ай бұрын
Yes that's another way to measure Isc besides the multimeter method I cover. By 'other equipment' I assume you're referring to how I tested the current when the panel was connected to the system? For that was actually testing Imp rather than Isc.
@gumpster6
8 ай бұрын
@@footprinthero Yes, for testing Isc... nothing is quicker/easier than just connecting the MC4 connectors together and measuring with a clamp meter. Testing the Imp can be trickier as you need a load that can pull full power reliably. You did a good job of showing different methods.
@sanjaycolaco
8 ай бұрын
Thanks for sharing this video. It was helpful.
@footprinthero
8 ай бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
@Buffy-88
5 ай бұрын
I have a vitoman 220 watt solar, I had it in full sun at 22c and the input was 150 watts. Is that normal? Should it be higher? Does anyone know?
@EricOnYouTube
24 күн бұрын
But what is the math to determine if I my plans are any good? Thx
@ApkanUduak
9 ай бұрын
My Inverter machine got burnt, what is the cause for that?
@footprinthero
9 ай бұрын
My guess would be it got overloaded - i.e. you pulled more watts from it than it's rated for
@Andrew-ki5jz
8 ай бұрын
I've thumbs up and subscribe, very good clear instructions for me to test my panels as they are not producing anything through winter months, the inverter is just draining the batteries slowly but surly ,so summer job to check if they are all good, if they are all well i not sure my next step as no power being made i may add small wind turbine get through winter months, thanks from Scotland
@footprinthero
8 ай бұрын
Thank you! Best of luck with the troubleshooting
@jessicaalvarez273
9 ай бұрын
This video is so helpful!
@footprinthero
9 ай бұрын
Glad to hear that!
@EzeStephen-zd6gd
7 ай бұрын
Hi my name Stephan i want to know how to test a solar panel
@familydenhaag9860
5 ай бұрын
Thanks, i learnt something new
@anthonyhitchings1051
9 ай бұрын
Excellent video, thanks
@footprinthero
9 ай бұрын
You are welcome!
@nicobaicu
4 ай бұрын
amazing, thanks!
@husanboydilshodov555
9 ай бұрын
How many it takes for whole house?
@footprinthero
9 ай бұрын
Quite a few! Depends largely on your monthly energy consumption and your roof's suitability. There are solar calculators out there that will estimate what size system you need based on your roof
@Suppercamper
7 ай бұрын
Great video, very helpful.
@footprinthero
6 ай бұрын
Glad to hear it!
@suleimanmuhammedhady1198
9 ай бұрын
Can a bad solar panel drain your battery
@footprinthero
9 ай бұрын
Hmm no never had that happen to me or heard of that happening. Charge controllers use a little bit of power, so they can drain your battery slowly over time if your solar panel isn't getting any sun for a long stretch. Like if your panels are covered in snow for days or weeks at a time then the charge controller could drain the battery a bit during that stretch.
@piotrek29798
5 ай бұрын
If someone were looking how to lower wattage of solar panels just cover part of its surface, 200w to 180w, 10% of the panel *But it will probably be lower anyway, depends on environment.
@ericpilcher7578
2 ай бұрын
Also instead of using a DC meter you could Multiply the voltage by the amps and that’s usally the wattage
@peteridowu829
Ай бұрын
My solar panels measure overload while testing for voltage at peak sunlight
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