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Testing Your Solar
Panels
How to test solar
panels to
make sure they're working properly.
Procedure For Testing Solar
Panels
 Properly testing your solar panels is a very
important but often overlooked procedure. You wouldn't believe how many people completely
skip testing solar panels and forget to confirm their solar power
output before installing them.
By learning how to test solar panels you can insure that you don't waste your time
installing panels that you'll have to take down and fix.
How To Test Solar Panel
Output
Testing solar panels is easy. You can test your completed 63 watt solar panel,
by using your multi-meter (like you did before with your solar cells and your
stringers).
 Testing Solar Panels For
Volts
To test solar panel voltage output, put your solar panel in
direct sunlight, set your multi-meter to the "volts" setting and...
- touch the multi-meter's (red) positive lead to your solar panel's positive wire.
- Then touch, the multi-meter's (black) negative lead to your solar panel's negative
wire.
The volt reading on your multi-meter should be close to (or just under) 60 volts. If it's
not, there is a problem with your solar panel output. Go back and check all the connections of
your solar cells and all your stringers or check for cracks in the solar cells themselves.
 Solar Panel Testing For Amps
To test solar panel amperage output, put your solar panel in direct
sunlight, set your multi-meter to the "amps" setting and...
- touch the multi-meter's (red) positive lead to your solar panel's positive wire.
- Then touch, the multi-meter's (black) negative lead to your solar panel's negative
wire.
The amp reading on your multi-meter should be close to (or just under) 3.5 amps. 3 amps is
about normal since your panel may not be currently getting maximum sunlight. If the amps are
much lower there is a problem with your solar panel output. Go back and check all the
connections of your solar cells and all your stringers or check for cracks in the solar cells
themselves.
 That's all there is to testing solar panels and making sure they work
right!
After doing your solar panel testing, you should find that the solar panel output (for
the pv panel you built on the Make Solar
Panels page) is about 18 volts and 3.5
amps.
Whenever you have these two values you can figure out the wattage by multiplying them
together.
Volts x Amps = Watts
So... 18 Volts x
3.5 Amps = 63
Watts
Click here to go back to the
Make Solar Panels section in the exact spot you left off (or just click your browser's
back button).
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