Nevrdun
Smethport, PA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/30/2003
View Profile
|
How do I tell if my solar panel is doing its job? Thank you.
May I become the person my dog thinks I am
|
KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/16/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
Going to need a lot more information than that. What's it's job?
|
free radical
Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 02/07/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
KD4UPL wrote:Going to need a lot more information than that. What's it's job?
Generating power would be my guess ![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/rolleyes.gif "rolleyes")
OP use Voltage meter
|
Nevrdun
Smethport, PA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/30/2003
View Profile
|
05 Lance 1030 w solar panel. Panel is about 2.5’ square. I’m simply interested in knowing how to tell if it is recharging as it should. Thank you.
|
StirCrazy
Kamloops, BC, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 07/16/2003
View Profile
|
Nevrdun wrote:05 Lance 1030 w solar panel. Panel is about 2.5’ square. I’m simply interested in knowing how to tell if it is recharging as it should. Thank you.
Use a multimeter and measure the voltage at the battery when the sun is out, and you're not hooked to shore power. if it's over 13V your panel is working. a 2.5' square isn't going to be a high wattage panel but it should be good enough to keep lights going.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100
|
|
|
KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/16/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Okay, a 2.5' square panel can do some actual good. The little 12" square ones and smaller are basically worthless. Yours is good enough to keep a small change on a a small system but don't expect it to run large items.
You should have a charge controller somewhere, hopefully with a display. If there is no charge controller then it's possible the panel isn't even hooked up. If it is hooked up with no controller it could potentially overcharge your battery.
If there's no display on a controller to show watts, amps, or volts then you need a way to read battery voltage. A portable volt meter will work or you can buy a panel mount voltmeter and install it. If you have greater than about 12.7 volts your are charging the battery. A good charge would be up above 14 volts.
However, voltage is a poor way to tell what is happening. It's possible for a load to be using more power than the solar panel is producing. You could easily have low and dropping battery voltage even thought the panel is producing really well. Getting a good battery gauge with a shunt will show you amps in and out of the battery but again, a load could make it show negative even though the panel is contributing.
This is why a controller, showing actual watts or amps produced is so valuable. If your controller doesn't have a display you may be able to purchase an optional display for it.
Post back if you can find the controller and what model it is.
|
Chuck and Di
Yukon, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 09/28/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
While measuring volts may give you an indication it is doing something, it could well be delivering charge current with almost no increase in voltage. In order to know if it is doing anything useful, you need to measure the current from the panel. A clamp on amp meter is the best way to see what it is really delivering. Clamp it on the positive lead coming from the panel.
|
mellow
Salisbury, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 06/10/2014
View Profile
Offline
|
Make sure your clamp does DC.
2002 F-350 7.3 Lariat 4x4 DRW ZF6
2008 Lance 1191 - 220w of solar - Bring on the sun!
|
mellow
Salisbury, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 06/10/2014
View Profile
Offline
|
I thought a picture might help, if you have a DC clamp meter you can monitor the output to your batteries from the wire that attaches to your battery hopefully if you have enough room.
Link to pic of my setup
|
mkirsch
Rochester, NY
Senior Member
Joined: 04/09/2004
View Profile
|
Make sure you turn off all loads before trying to measure to see if the panel is working.
Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.
|
|
|
