Comments on How to check realistic specs of small solar panel?
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How to check realistic specs of small solar panel?
I have a small solar panel rated for 6V/DC, 150mA. I know that those specs are under ideal circumstances, and I would like to do some measurements in different weather conditions to see what I can expect.
To measure voltage I can of course use a multimeter. For current, I think I know what to do, but I just wanted to check. Can I simply make a circuit like below to draw a variable current, and adjust the potentiometer to find the maximum current that can be drawn before the voltage drops significantly? Or is there a better or simpler way?
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For a "better way", research Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT.)
The solar cell will produce some number of Volts and Amps. But the amount of power (V*A, Watts) a solar cell produces is not simply "when one is at maximum."
For instance, the most current will happen when the load resistance is lowest. But the Volts will also be really low, so little power will actually be generated. Conversely, very little load will give a higher voltage, but lots of volts and little load also equals little power. A MPPT draws the optimal current at any given illumination so that the most power is delivered from the cell.
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