Used CS6P-250PX panels 3S configuration. Max watts at peak irradiance?

[Spiffy]

I bought and am currently using 3 series connected used solar panels from Canadian Solar CS6P-250PX (37.2 VOC). When clean and at peak times they produce less than 400 watts in the sunny Southwest. I have them connected to an LV2424 with a 145 VDC and a 24V HAWK 170Ah LiFePO4 from BigBattery.com.

Are these solar panels under performing? I had expected maybe 600+.

Thanks.

 

[Bvillebob]

I have a bunch of the 250 used panels from Santan Solar, I get about 200 watts out of them in the summer. This time of year the sun is a lot lower, it's more like 150 watts just due to less sun, I'm in Oregon at 45 north and even when the sun is out it's low on the horizon this time of year.

If you're only seeing 400 watts out in the summer there's something wrong. One of the best tools I ever bought was a clamp meter for DC amps. After I put up my 40 panels I checked each panel and found 3 that were underperforming, turned out to be due to bad connections on the MC4 connectors, but I would have never been able to find the faults without that meter. They're only about $30 (be sure to get one that does DC, lots are AC only), but it's a place to start your troubleshooting and it's a tool you'll want to have in the future anyway.

 

[Spiffy]

Thanks for the response.

I was getting 550ish in the summer so maybe they're not that degraded or a faulty MC4. I have a fluke 322 but I think its only does DC voltage. Still trying to figure it all out.

 

[cwb]

I bought and am currently using 3 series connected used solar panels from Canadian Solar CS6P-250PX (37.2 VOC). When clean and at peak times they produce less than 400 watts in the sunny Southwest. I have them connected to an LV2424 with a 145 VDC and a 24V HAWK 170Ah LiFePO4 from BigBattery.com.

Are these solar panels under performing? I had expected maybe 600+.

Thanks.

Any updates on the efficiency of these panels?

Some used ones came on the market in my area and I'm considering pulling the trigger.

Any help greatly appreciated!