As most solar panels are 12 volts the solar panel test methods are basically the same.
How to measure solar panel with multimeter.
To test solar panel voltage output put your solar panel in direct sunlight set your multi meter to the volts setting and.
Make sure that you are measuring at the suitable voltage level for a solar panel.
Next you need to set your digital multimeter to amps settings dc after that you will need to set your multimeter to the highest amperage sensitivity to avoid blowing the digital multimeter s fuse.
The hioki ir4053 insulation resistance meter provides a solution by taking into consideration that very energy into the calculation of resistance to deliver the correct insulation resistance value of pv panels ensuring safety both during measurement and handling of the pv panels upon proper testing.
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.
Set the meter to above 200 vcd to ensure you get the most accurate reading possible.
You want to choose a voltage range capable of displaying the maximum possible voltage of the panel in open circuit this means that if you have a panel rated for 20 volts you should set the multi meter to read up to 200 volts to ensure that you receive an accurate reading.
Once you have made all the measurements use the following formula to calculate the output.
The digital multimeter is used to measure dv voltage.
Tilt the solar panel in order for your solar panel to have full sunlight exposure.
Then touch the multi meter s black negative lead to your solar panel s negative wire.
To test a 18v solar panel voltage output directly put your solar panel in direct sunlight set your multi meter to the dc volts setting.
Results typical 12v nominal panel.
Some exceptions may apply based on panel type.
Simply touch the solar panel leads with the multi meter probes matching their corresponding polarity red to red black to black.
Connect the positive lead of the multimeter to the positive wire or terminal of the solar panel and the negative lead of the multimeter to the negative wire or terminal of the solar panel.
The multimeter will now show the open circuit voltage of the solar panel.
Have the panel disconnected from the regulator and the multimeter set to measure dc voltage this isusually shown as v on the multimeter.
These three steps should help you figure out the solar panel output and whether or not it will be sufficient for your home or office.
Measure at higher volts than what your panel is approved for.
After you have discovered the connections ensure that your solar panel is receiving full sunlight.
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.
