How To Test A Solar Panel If It Works

If you re not sure how well your solar panels are working take our six simple steps to do a quick health check of your system.

How to test a solar panel if it works.

A standard solar panel also known as a solar module consists of a layer of silicon cells a metal frame a glass casing and various wiring to allow current to flow from the silicon cells silicon atomic 14 on the periodic table is a nonmetal with conductive properties that allow it to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity. Solar pv systems can chug away quietly for years without an issue but the figures above show it s not unusual for an unknown problem to cost you money. 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.

As most solar panels are 12 volts the solar panel test methods are basically the same. Set the meter to above 200 vcd to ensure you get the most accurate reading possible. Troubleshooting a solar pv system below i will describe basic steps in troubleshooting a pv array. E marine walks you through testing a solar panel s output to make sure it s performing correctly.

Don t rely on your electricity bill. Touch the multi meter s red positive lead to your solar panel s positive wire. Quality solar panels are built and guaranteed to produce power for 25 years for that reason it s most likely that a problem is caused by a defect in system. Simply touch the solar panel leads with the multi meter probes matching their corresponding polarity red to red black to black.

But don t get stuck on this detail. How do solar panels work to generate electricity. When it s overcast your solar panels will likely operate at 10 to 25 of their rated capacity. Common issues are zero power and low voltage output.

This article describes how you can troubleshoot a solar system in basic steps. 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. Some exceptions may apply based on panel type. What matters is how much sun your home gets year round.