Solar panel

[CoolArrow]

Anybody got an idea on how to trouble shoot a solar panel? My 12v camera stopped working. I put some batteries in tc and it works . My 12v battery is charging, but not sure on how I can test to see if solar panel is charging battery

[huntingfanatic]

Just put a meter on it. It should show output.

[Smart]

Do you have a volt meter?

[LloydMcCoy]

Solar panel

Digital Voltage tester. Connect leads to it and cover with ur hand. The voltage will vary with shade. Also add a diode so ur solar panel won't drain battery in the night time.

[Smart]

In full sun it should read over 12V...like 14-18 volts

[CoolArrow]

Ok. This is what I got. I put my volt meter on it under light and I read 5v on my meter. So I cover the panel and it reads 19v. Is panel shorted out or something?

[Smart]

Are you using sunlight?. Or artificial light.. Artificial light is not going to give you a true reading

[Smart]

19v covered up is odd though

[Kevin]

Is the panel also connected to the battery when you are measuring? I am wonder if you are measuring incorrectly.

Maybe this will help

http://www.solar-energy-for-homes.com/how-to-use-a-multimeter.html

[CoolArrow]

I'm testing it under my kitchen lights...it's cloudy outside no sun light.

[CoolArrow]

Is the panel also connected to the battery when you are measuring? I am wonder if you are measuring incorrectly.

Maybe this will help

http://www.solar-energy-for-homes.co...ultimeter.html

Oops. No should battery be connected to panel ?

[CoolArrow]

Sorry guys I'm more of a build something kind of guy. Not to smart when it comes to this electronic stuff

[Smart]

I'm testing it under my kitchen lights...it's cloudy outside no sun light.

Kitchen lights will have you reading less than 12 volts from my experience and are not a good test.....you will get a higher reading with clouds than your kitchen lights if it is working correctly.

No battery is needed. It will not give you a true reading.

Take your volt meter and your solar panel outside and tell us what you get. Don't cover it up.....face it towards the brightest part of the sky.

[CoolArrow]

Kitchen lights will have you reading less than 12 volts from my experience and are not a good test.....you will get a higher reading with clouds than your kitchen lights.

No battery is needed. It will not give you a true reading.

Take your volt meter and your solar panel outside and tell us what you get. Don't cover up...

Ok. Meter battery is dead need to go buy one. I'll keep jacking with this thing. Thanks for ur help bud. I'll keep y'all posted

[Gummi Bear]

19v is not unusual from a solar panel.

Mine will put out as much as 22v on a good day.

I like to run nice big panels on everything, 5w panels at minimum. The rinky dink off the shelf panels are a fraction of a watt usually.

Now, unless your panel has an internal regulator, the more intense the sunlight, the higher the voltage will be. (Not too many panels I have run across have a built in regulator)

The solution is to add a charge controller. The last one I bought was one made by Battery Tender. I got it from Batteries Plus, so it is local, and easily exchanged should I need to.

http://www.batteriesplus.com/product_search/45391-Battery-Tender-Solar-Panel-Battery-Charge-Controller-DBT021--1162.aspx

It was around $20

Over charging a battery is just as bad as undercharging it. You will ruin one in short order if you don't regulate it.

A healthy 12v battery should read between 13.6-14.4 when fully charged.