Faulty solar panel or MPPT controller?

[Dellmassive]

its sounding more like a cracked bus-bar strip on the panel.

the solar cells have that very think foil like bus-bar connecting the individual cells all in series. . .

the foil strip can have a micro crack,

that can be effected with thermal expansions.


we seen it work the other way round. . .


ie power drops out when the panel gets hot.


..............



you might have to wait for a sunny day to test more thouroughly.


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[Dellmassive]

worth a quick look . .

 

[AussieMick]

Those terminals look very corroded and water damaged to me.

 

[Salty Spuds]

The diodes tested out ok this morning, and now I have just gone back out and found that I am once again seeing output from the panel at the controller. After bashing my head repeatedly into the solar panel I calmed down and checked and sure enough also see output at the panel itself.

So either the diode needed a good night's sleep and is now back on form today, or it is temperamental/on the way out. Maybe current or temperature related? I am clutching at straws.....

Classic failure. Both of my previous flexi panels failed in exactly the same way. Fine on a morning when cold, as soon as they warm up, nada! It's the difference in expansion between the panel & the substrate i.e. van roof. This is why manufacturers are now quite specific in how the panels should be bonded to the roof.
The foil busbars crack & go open circuit. The panel is knackered, bin it , replace.
I went for a rigid panel, 3rd time lucky.

 

[WillWillWill]

Points all around. Panel has stopped working again, diode is fine. So panel is fit only for the bin. Thanks to everyone who helped with this.

@Salty Spuds do you have any recommendations for a rigid panel please? The problem I am going to have is attaching it to the roof because I am going to want it in a very similar place to hide the mess that the adhesive will invariably leave when I take the old one off. My roof is an old style SCA 192 so no rear physical mounts anyway. Is it possible to bond your rigid one or did you fix it to bars or similar?



Something like this perhaps?

 

[Salty Spuds]

Points all around. Panel has stopped working again, diode is fine. So panel is fit only for the bin. Thanks to everyone who helped with this.

@Salty Spuds do you have any recommendations for a rigid panel please? The problem I am going to have is attaching it to the roof because I am going to want it in a very similar place to hide the mess that the adhesive will invariably leave when I take the old one off. My roof is an old style SCA 192 so no rear physical mounts anyway. Is it possible to bond your rigid one or did you fix it to bars or similar?

View attachment 152814

Something like this perhaps?

I’ve a thread somewhere detailing my panel replacement. A quick search should find it.

 

[WillWillWill]

Sorry, I didn’t realise it had already been covered but found and had a read through.

Only question is do you get any wind noise from the raised panel? After years of driving around with roof bars and ladders and hating every second of the whistling and whining I don’t want to put a panel up there permanently that does the same thing.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Sorry, I didn’t realise it had already been covered but found and had a read through.

Only question is do you get any wind noise from the raised panel? After years of driving around with roof bars and ladders and hating every second of the whistling and whining I don’t want to put a panel up there permanently that does the same thing.

nope, not a whisper. And I'm sensitive to rattles & squeaks too.