Hi Guys,

Has anyone ever seen this before? When connected the panels looks like this but the customer says it has returned to normal when disconnected. I still waiting for the panel to be returned. 

Bowsie

My guess is that that panel is connected incorrectly. Solar panels act like infra red LEDs when reverse powered. So you will see it light up on a digital camera as they can see near infra red.

Check this youtube video, which shows the effect quite nicely.

 

 

And the second thing you can tell your client is that the array will be 40% less effective than spec. He needs to raise the panels about 200mm off the roof or the radiated heat is going to hammer output.

Who did the installation?

My guess is that this is an end panel on one array from a multiple array installation, and he cut off the supplied connectors to lengthen one leg... and got things arse about face.

Edited November 4, 20195 yr by PaulinNorthcliff

Is it possible to test panels? I need to find out if a panel or two in an array is faulty.

Also, how do I go about testing them, I don’t have the special equipment installers sometimes have.

Thank you

Edited December 17, 20195 yr by Wilfred

2 hours ago, Wilfred said:

Is it possible to test panels? I need to find out if a panel or two in an array is faulty.

Also, how do I go about testing them, I don’t have the special equipment installers sometimes have.

Thank you

It is apparently quite easy, will just take a bit of time. At least it is narrowed down already

 

If you can separate the panels (disconnect them from each other) then it is simple to measure both the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of each panel with a multimeter. This should obviously be done in full sun. Then it is simple enough to compare your measurements with the spec. of the panels to see if they are ok.

Luckily my combiner boxes on the roof are marked clearly, had a switch tripped on panel 7 and 8. Loose wiring.

Fixed everything and cleaned the panels while I was on the roof. Arrays produce much closer to each other again. Luckily it was an easy find. All panels checked and everything within specs.