Solar Panels w/Amp Gauges

[CoCoKnots]

Thanks HelloSailor,
Yes... You're right. I did replace them & the new ones are doing the same thing.
I'm sure i am doing something incorrectly... i just don't know what ???

[CoCoKnots]

Ah Ha... Thanks Skip,
I'm sure the controller is bad, so I got a new one.
I'm just hoping the solar panels are still good. Can they produce volts & not amps?
Is that possible?

[CoCoKnots]

I'm trying to avoid doing any damage to the new controller as that is the most expensive element at this point... Unless the solar panels could be bad... I don't know.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

skip-
You can buy an inline analog ammeter that reads up to 60A, maybe 70A. I've met them. On multi-meters...yes, 2A is the common limit and 10A the common max. While some will go higher, most will very quickly blow an internal fuse (that can't be replaced locally) under any real load. Probably cheaper simpler to buy the new inline analog ammeter.

Certainly high amp meters are available but I'm guessing the OP is using a model with limited amp capability.

I do know about the internal fuse. My flukes use some odd ball fuse that I have to special order from a galaxy far, far away. Guess how I know about this fuse.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by CoCoKnots

I'm trying to avoid doing any damage to the new controller as that is the most expensive element at this point... Unless the solar panels could be bad... I don't know.

If you are reading 16-17 Volts at the solar panels I think this is unlikely to damage the controller. This is certainly within the voltage rating of the controller. As long as the controller is not connected to the batteries and you connect the panels incorrectly I think it very unlikely the controller could be damaged at this step.

I also cannot see how the controller would be damaged connecting it to the batteries unless something really weird is going on like AC in the DC system. Even a dead short in the wires from the controller to the battery should have some sort of fuse or protection circuit to avoid blowing the controller.

These days most electrical gadgets, especially for 12V DC system have reverse polarity protection (they don't blow up if you hook them wires up backwards).

[CoCoKnots]

That's my next step then... I'm burned out for today...Need a break.
I'll probably be back on here tomorrow.
Thanks again guys.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by CoCoKnots

Ah Ha... Thanks Skip,
I'm sure the controller is bad, so I got a new one.
I'm just hoping the solar panels are still good. Can they produce volts & not amps?
Is that possible?

It is possible to get volts and not amps in a circuit BUT not 100% if that is the case with solar panels. But one example, you can test a wire at a light fixture that shows 12 Volts with the light off or the bulb removed but put the bulb in and turn it on and get no amps. If you check the voltage when you turn on the switch you will see it has dropped from 12V to about nothing. Happens if you have a bad wire or corroded connection. Some volts will appear until you try to draw some power then nothing.

Back to the water example. Say you have a very tiny little pipe 1/64" diameter. The end of the pipe is sealed and you connect a high pressure water source to that hose. You might see 100 psi (voltage) on a pressure gauge but if you open the pipe to fill a 100 gallon tank you won't get much water (amps) out of the pipe.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I'm thinking like skip: Pilot error. If these are self-contained amp meters that don't use an external shunt, are you hooking them up inline, in series with the circuit? Or hooking them up "across" the lines, the same as a voltmeter?

It would be odd for two to both fail at the same time, easy to forget how to reinstall them.

Analog meters? digital? Details might help.

Hello Sailor,

I'm not familiar with the failure modes of solar panels. Is it possible to see voltage on the output with no power behind it? This of course is assuming good connections in the external wiring so not a power loss in a connection or loose wire.

[Jim Cate]

This may be a silly question, but you say that you have not hooked up the wires to the controller. So, are the panels connected to the batteries some other way? If they are not connected to the batteries, there will be no current flow in the circuit.

Please don't be insulted if the question seems impertinent, but I suspect a simple problem is at the heart of the matter!

Cheers,

Jim

[goboatingnow]

Lads the water analogy will only go so far

The OP sounds like he has standard moving iron amp meters, very common.

You need to break in to the panel positive and wire in series , which I beleive you have

Note you have to have the panels actually connected to something and the something needs to be drawing power otherwise you'll see voltage and no current

Dave

[CoCoKnots]

Thanks Jim & Go Boating Now,

All of you guys are a great help. This is making a lot more since to me now,
Tomorrow I clearly have a few things to check out.

Cal

[Teknav]

Is it possible that CoCo tried to measure the current by setting the AMP selector, but connecting the leads to the circuit as if he was measuring the voltage, instead of a series connection?; this would damage the meter! I'm just trying to figure out how exactly he connected the leads to measure amperage.

Mauritz

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Lads the water analogy will only go so far

Yes, I've tried to extend it to include loads, resistance and such before and it gets complicated and less easy to understand. However, for someone with no electrical background or concept of volts and amps I have found no better way to explain the basics.

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

The OP sounds like he has standard moving iron amp meters, very common.

You need to break in to the panel positive and wire in series , which I beleive you have

I think yes on both points.

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Note you have to have the panels actually connected to something and the something needs to be drawing power otherwise you'll see voltage and no current

Dave

This is my best guess at the moment. From what I understand the circuit is disconnected so no current.

[Minggat]

I feel like I may be poking myself in the eye here, but I had a similar problem. Someone came aboard as crew and went through the manual. Mine was a setup problem. I felt pretty stupid for not being able to understand the manual myself.

Hope you get to feel as stupid as I did and that the problem goes away.

[foggysail]

Have you looked for a blown fuse?