How To Test Solar Panel Batteries

Below i will describe basic steps in troubleshooting a pv array.

How to test solar panel batteries.

Testing your solar panel is easy. Solar panel voltage controller input controller output and battery voltage. If the light is working the problem you have is with the battery and the battery is likely dead. Common issues are zero power and low voltage output.

Solar panel open circuit voltage i e. One of the advantages of a flooded lead acid battery is the ability to quickly determine the battery s state of charge. As most solar panels are 12 volts the solar panel test methods are basically the same. Voltage drops in the positive line.

To test solar panel amperage output put your solar panel in direct sunlight set your multi meter to the dc amps setting. Quality solar panels are built and guaranteed to produce power for 25 years. Switched multimeter this type of multimeter manually switches between the ranges to get the most accurate reading. You will want to ensure that you place the positive to positive and negative to negative when attaching your multimeter to the connection on the back of your solar panel.

Using a hydrometer is still the quickest and simplest way to determine the state of charge of the flooded lead acid batteries in your solar battery system. Including the solar panels. If you need a multimeter you can get the innova 3320 auto ranging digital multimeter here htt. Simply touch the solar panel leads with the multi meter probes matching their corresponding polarity red to red black to black.

There are two types of multimeters. Knowing when the solar light batteries are officially dead can be tricky. Open circuit voltage can vary depending on your solar panel but the readings we are usually looking for are in the range of 15 to 23v. Some exceptions may apply based on panel type.

For that reason it s most likely that a problem is caused by a defect in system. Panel disconnected from the controller. Using a multimeter to test a solar panel. After all it could be any number of other things.

This article describes how you can troubleshoot a solar system in basic steps. Set the meter to above 200 vcd to ensure you get the most accurate reading possible. Voltage drops in the negative line. Troubleshooting a solar pv system.

To ensure that you don t blow your device s fuse set the maximum amperage sensitivity to well above your expected reading.