Can somebody please tell me how to check if a solar panel is working and/or how much it is producing using a multi meter?
blaze said
09:49 PM Sep 13, 2011
gave you an answer tezza in the main page I think it was, hunt that up or if you cant find it let me know cheers blaze
DeBe said
10:06 PM Sep 13, 2011
Set multi meter to Amps scale & fit in series with the positive lead going to the battery from the solar regulator. It should show some sort of current going into the battery.
BobnBev said
09:52 PM Sep 22, 2011
Good photo Daryl, did you hard wire your MM. for use on the amps . Never thought of that, much easer with plugs like that. Another project for my MM..
DeBe said
08:58 AM Sep 23, 2011
Yes its hard wired as the leads are too light to carry 10A (This meter is not to be used on mains voltage as there would be a risk of shock) It was a $5 multimeter from Cheap as chips, i bought 4 of them at the time & acuracy is comarable to my expensive multimeter.
03_troopy said
12:57 PM Sep 23, 2011
I see the anologue voltmeter has been rescaled too. I used to do that when building test equipment too. We used to get stacks of old meter movements and when we needed one to fit to a project, just replace the shunt resistor with a different sized one then cal it and print up a new face card.
DeBe said
07:16 PM Sep 23, 2011
Got the analogue meter from a scrap yard for free. It was a 250Amp meter from a telephone exchange battery charger. Amazing whats thrown out these days.
PeterD said
10:45 PM Sep 23, 2011
DeBe, did that meter come with its external shunt or is it a type with very heavy terminals on the back?
DeBe said
10:33 AM Sep 24, 2011
Hi Peter, it had an external shunt which unfortunately went to scrap. I wasnt quick enough!
Can somebody please tell me how to check if a solar panel is working and/or how much it is producing using a multi meter?
cheers
blaze
Another project for my MM..
Yes its hard wired as the leads are too light to carry 10A (This meter is not to be used on mains voltage as there would be a risk of shock) It was a $5 multimeter from Cheap as chips, i bought 4 of them at the time & acuracy is comarable to my expensive multimeter.
I see the anologue voltmeter has been rescaled too. I used to do that when building test equipment too. We used to get stacks of old meter movements and when we needed one to fit to a project, just replace the shunt resistor with a different sized one then cal it and print up a new face card.
Got the analogue meter from a scrap yard for free. It was a 250Amp meter from a telephone exchange battery charger. Amazing whats thrown out these days.
Hi Peter, it had an external shunt which unfortunately went to scrap. I wasnt quick enough!