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Troubleshooting Solar Panel


blythecooper

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Blade fuses can be checked with the multimeter on the resistance, or ohms setting, 200 ohms should be fine for this. A value of 0, or an ohm or two says it is good. An infinite or very high resistance says it is blown. Touch the probes together to see what a very low resistance does to the meter. Remove the fuse and put the proddy things on each side of the fuse. You can also usually see a blown fuse of this type just by looking at the metal link inside. The value of the fuse will be moulded in to the plastic. If blown, can you tell us what value it was?

Jen

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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After checking the panel voltage, there is a magic new light on the mppt controller! Absorbtion. Battery monitor readings also showing around 51w and 3.68a. Looking good, right?? Can't take photos because my battery is too low on my phone..

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Just now, blythecooper said:

After checking the panel voltage, there is a magic new light on the mppt controller! Absorbtion. Battery monitor readings also showing around 51w and 3.68a. Looking good, right?? Can't take photos because my battery is too low on my phone..

Sounds like a dodgy mc4 connection. 

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Glad to hear it is working. It could just have been some corrosion inside the mc4 connector. The act of breaking it to measure the panel voltage cleaned it up enough to get a connection again when reassembled. Keep an eye on the controller to check that it doesn't come back. Something that was recommended to me to use on connectors outside and in engine rooms is contralube contact grease. This helps prevent corrosion and weird niggling electrical faults.

Jen

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2 hours ago, blythecooper said:

38.4 on the multimeter from panel connections 

Ok, fuses next 

 

Yep this high voltage reading illustrates the panel is working but not connected to a load. 

 

Well done for fixing it by actually asking good questions and following the posted advice. Many don’t and you’ve no idea how pleasing it is to successfully guide someone to fixing it themselves!!! 

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I'll endorse Mikes comments. You've don't better than I could have. I'm lousy at following instructions. 

 

Over the next two/three days I should have everything together to install my two new panels. Controller already wired up and connected. 

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9 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

I'll endorse Mikes comments. You've don't better than I could have. I'm lousy at following instructions. 

 

Over the next two/three days I should have everything together to install my two new panels. Controller already wired up and connected. 

That's pretty good going! If I bump into you again I will request an explanation of how you wired it up- I'm still not a huge amount wiser about my setup.

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9 minutes ago, blythecooper said:

 I'm still not a huge amount wiser about my setup.

The sunshine is connected to the panel(sometimes) 

 

The panel is connected to the switch/fuse. 

 

The switch /fuse is connected to the regulator. 

 

The regulator is connected to the fuse thing. 

 

The fuse thing is connected to ya batteries 

 

And that how you get "free" electric. 

:)

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23 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

The sunshine is connected to the panel(sometimes) 

 

The panel is connected to the switch/fuse. 

 

The switch /fuse is connected to the regulator. 

 

The regulator is connected to the fuse thing. 

 

The fuse thing is connected to ya batteries 

 

And that how you get "free" electric. 

:)

Sounds easy.

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58 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

The sunshine is connected to the panel(sometimes) 

 

The panel is connected to the switch/fuse. 

 

The switch /fuse is connected to the regulator. 

 

The regulator is connected to the fuse thing. 

 

The fuse thing is connected to ya batteries 

Now hear de name of de Lord

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1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

I'll endorse Mikes comments. You've don't better than I could have. I'm lousy at following instructions. 

 

Over the next two/three days I should have everything together to install my two new panels. Controller already wired up and connected. 

Well done you, sorry I wasnt around to help.

22 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

Good point. Identifying the Victron MPPT would go a long way to figuring out what is wrong. The solar panel itself is highly UNlikely to be at fault, even though I am advising testing it first. This is really to positively rule it out before moving on to the more likely stuff. 

I agree with you on most solar panels, however, semi flexible stick on panels are far more likely to have issues than any other part of the installation.

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4 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Well done you, sorry I wasnt around to help.

I agree with you on most solar panels, however, semi flexible stick on panels are far more likely to have issues than any other part of the installation.

 

Ah but I happened to know the OP does not have stick-on panels....

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1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Ah but I happened to know the OP does not have stick-on panels....

That is good info to know:D

 

semi flex panels are the worst to install as (especially in a linked panel array) you dont know which one may be faulty without isolating them, and some installers dont use proper connectors, but crimp connections so you have to break into connections to isolate individual panels.Then you have to test each pane to find the faulty panell, the press test each solder connection on each cell in the faulty panel to find out whether you can repair it or have to replace). Then repair involves opening up panel with forensic scalpel(or stanley knife), re-soldering faulty join, and sticking plastic patch back on with sealant.

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1 hour ago, rusty69 said:

The sunshine is connected to the panel(sometimes) 

 

The panel is connected to the switch/fuse. 

 

The switch /fuse is connected to the regulator. 

the regulator takes 200watts of power at a useless voltage of 38v and magically changes it to about 200watts of power at a useful voltage of about 13v

The regulator is connected to the fuse thing. 

 

The fuse thing is connected to ya batteries 

 

And that how you get "free" electric. 

:)

 

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1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

 

Well done for fixing it by actually asking good questions and following the posted advice. Many don’t and you’ve no idea how pleasing it is to successfully guide someone to fixing it themselves!!! 

so true.  the most welcome newbie is the one who asks for help and is prepared to answer questions in order to identify the circumstances, and then is prepared to give it a go - that's how most of us learned about boats and things.

 

the least welcome is the one who asks for help but gets in a hissy fit when folk ask him/her to provide all the relevant details of a poorly defined problem.

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  • 1 month later...

To resurrect this post...

 

My solar stopped working again shortly after I posted this, but I've been cruising daily so it hasn't been an issue. I've finally arrived at my mooring (hooray!) and now need to sort solar.

 

I bought new mc4 connectors and have just replaced them, and am getting nothing through. I didn't use any 'proper' connector tools, just my normal wire crimper. Is there something that the mc4 connector tool does to connect the system together than would stop it from working otherwise? Previously unplugging the mc4 connectors and plugging them back in worked, so I am still hoping it is the connectors and myself that are at fault! One of the connectors I removed was quite rusted, the other fine visually.

I have tested the blade fuse and it's fine

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23 minutes ago, blythecooper said:

To resurrect this post...

 

My solar stopped working again shortly after I posted this, but I've been cruising daily so it hasn't been an issue. I've finally arrived at my mooring (hooray!) and now need to sort solar.

 

I bought new mc4 connectors and have just replaced them, and am getting nothing through. I didn't use any 'proper' connector tools, just my normal wire crimper. Is there something that the mc4 connector tool does to connect the system together than would stop it from working otherwise? Previously unplugging the mc4 connectors and plugging them back in worked, so I am still hoping it is the connectors and myself that are at fault! One of the connectors I removed was quite rusted, the other fine visually.

I have tested the blade fuse and it's fine

I treated myself to a mc4 crimper, they use to be expensive but can be had nowadays for circa £10 from ebay, perfectly adequate for light use. 

I would recommend using a correct crimper as it is very easy to make a bad connection otherwise. 

 

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5 minutes ago, blythecooper said:

Darn. So the problem is somewhere between the connectors and the MPPT... I don't think there are any other connectors along the way, so could the wire be the culprit?

More than likely. If you can, check the continuity with a meter. 

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