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Dead Panel?

wirock

New Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2021
Messages
29
Location
Whidbey Island, WA
I had one Rich 12v 100 watt mono panel and wanted another and bought the same thing from Amazon but the second one looks different. Anyway...

When I connected the second, I didn't see any change in amps.

So I disconnected it and with the original panel, I get:

19V, 3.8A at the charge controller

then I disconnect that panel and connect the new panel and I get

20.7v, 0.0A at the charge controller

The charge controller is connect to a battery. Both panels are side by side. Good sun.

Any suggestions? Thank you.
 
Please explain how you have the two panels connected together? Series? Parallel?
Pictures will also help
 
So I disconnected it and with the original panel, I get:

19V, 3.8A at the charge controller

then I disconnect that panel and connect the new panel and I get

20.7v, 0.0A at the charge controller
If you are only connecting 1 panel at a time then changing to the other panel right away then either the new panel is bad or has a bad connection.

Are the specs on the new panel the same as the original panel?
 
To test, I have one panel connected at a time to the Charge Controller.

Both are 12V 100W panels, both with the same model number: RS-M100

The older one:

18.2V Vmp
5.49A Imp
22.1 Voc
5.96A Isc
10A Fuse rating
1.2" taller...other than that, same dimensions

The newer one:

18.6V Vmp
5.38A Imp
22.8V Voc
5.78A Isc
15A fuse rating

everything else is the same.
 

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Odd that it gives voltage but not current.
I would only expect that if it didn't get direct sun, only indirect light.


Have an ammeter? Measure short-circuit output of panel.

Any chance it switched to float, so let the battery sit at 13.6V without putting current in?
(Swap panels back and forth a couple times, see if behavior follows panel.)
 
C
Odd that it gives voltage but not current.
I would only expect that if it didn't get direct sun, only indirect light.

Have an ammeter? Measure short-circuit output of panel.

Any chance it switched to float, so let the battery sit at 13.6V without putting current in?
(Swap panels back and forth a couple times, see if behavior follows panel.)

Thank you for the suggestions, I'll test and report back.
 
Just FYI .. apparently I made the noobie mistake of not drawing enough amps in order for it to display a difference. Once I added a larger load, I saw more appropriate result.

Thank you all o_O
 
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