Testing problems - please help

[moggy1968]

long lead, yes, you can do that, I've done it before to try and trace faults. If it's a connection problem you will have no voltage either.

I have also had a couple of faulty DC isolators. make sure it is functioning correctly. test the voltage coming out of the isolator. Also check you have wired that isolator correctly. I know that sounds stupid but they do vary. Also make sure your DC cables are correctly inserted into the isolator. We got caught like this one time when the lad had pinched the insulation putting the DC into the terminal on the outlet side.

 

[WRDEnergy]

Can you post the stats of the panel.

stats are :

Hyuandi s250mg
250W
Vmpp 30.5w
Impp 8.2A
Voc 37.5w
Isc 8.7A

long lead, yes, you can do that, I've done it before to try and trace faults. If it's a connection problem you will have no voltage either.

I have also had a couple of faulty DC isolators. make sure it is functioning correctly. test the voltage coming out of the isolator. Also check you have wired that isolator correctly. I know that sounds stupid but they do vary. Also make sure your DC cables are correctly inserted into the isolator. We got caught like this one time when the lad had pinched the insulation putting the DC into the terminal on the outlet side.

Isolator seems to be fine I am starting to think now that the problem must be when I short circuit at my end.... the connections I made there must have been bad (I hope anyway as easy problem to fix) I will have to wait till tomorrow to replace them but that's the only think I can think of as I have voltage again now

 

[moggy1968]

have you connected to the inverter yet?
I know you should test first but if you connect up (you know your polarity is ok) the inverter will give you a current rating. bit naughty but not really a drama.

 

[solarsavings]

Iradiance levels where fine I was getting around 700w/m2 at the time.
.

Seems high to me at this time of year.( it's been really bright here today yet only managed around 500Wm2

At the risk of pointing out the obvious if your lux reading is wrong............... it could explain the lack of amps

 

[dansk]

I was going to say the same, highest sort of readings for Isc ive been getting is between 1 and 2 sometimes less.

 

[WRDEnergy]

Should I not be getting some amp's though ? I have 2 separate radiance testers and was getting around 700w/m2 on both.

i mean it was a really nice clear day no shading at all on any of the panels getting about 300 volts can i really expect to get an amp level to low to read ? perhaps I am missing something but just does not seem right. This is only my second install though so I can admit mistakes are still there to be made and lessons still to learn I really do love everyone's help here as well such a great place !

I guess I could give a go tomorrow plugging into the inverter and see if that shows anything.

 

[moggy1968]

the rights or wrongs of the irradience readings are irrelevant in this case, it should still be reading higher than what you are getting. The worst I have had at about 1530 in december is about 0.1A so your readinga are definately too low

 

[WRDEnergy]

I got it working in the end !

I just had bad MC4 connections after the isolator when I was short circuiting them (my friend did that part and just used a normal crimp rather than a mc4 crimp and the metal terminals would not go in side the plastic correctly) thank you all for your help and suggestions I am glad I now have it working !

 

[screwdriver]

schoolboy error.... Never done it honest!!!!!

 

[moggy1968]

nah, me neither ;0)