Multimeter?

[MrPG]

Is this good enough for most requirements on a van?
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-dc-digital-multimeter-600v/793rt
I’m new to this and trying to learn so please keep it simple

Thanks

Paul

 

[L' Hobo]

Thanks. I’ve ordered the one recommended. Hopefully I can find the issue. Fixing it will be another thing

If you can report back after you have tried it a few times it would be appreciated.

 

[MrPG]

If you can report back after you have tried it a few times it would be appreciated.

Will do

 

[fishplug]

OCV? Open Circuit Voltage?

Yes

It should be listed somewhere in the specs for the panel. Sometimes it will be listed as VOC but it's the same thing..

 

[MrPG]

Yes

It should be listed somewhere in the specs for the panel. Sometimes it will be listed as VOC but it's the same thing..

fishplug Thanks for your help.
Here is the label from the panel.

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[Sewdhull]

My advice would be get a clamp DC ammeter. The clamp is just super useful if you need an extra hand. Amazon are a reasonable source for such things. They are rarer than an AC ammeter which would only be useful for hanging the thing by to get the extra hand.

That said the posted Meter will do all you would normally need.

 

[MrPG]

My advice would be get a clamp DC ammeter. The clamp is just super useful if you need an extra hand. Amazon are a reasonable source for such things. They are rarer than an AC ammeter which would only be useful for hanging the thing by to get the extra hand.

That said the posted Meter will do all you would normally need.

Yes I’ve bought the one recommended in post#10. Should be here tomorrow.

 

[oldiesontour]

On the cheaper ones the DC scale is just voltage. The clamp is just for AC

My sub £20 does 600ampp AC and DC ...the trick is to read and understand the description fully...some not so cheap will say AC/DC amps ..but the small print will say the clamp is AC 300amp DC is 10 amp probes only

 

[pappajohn]

Thanks. The first thing I want to test is a second solar regulator, connections and the solar panel to make sure it’s working.

What are the extra benefits of a clamp meter?

Thanks

Paul

To test amps flowing along a wire you need to cut/disconnect the wire and add the meter inline to read amps. (It could be done with a shunt but this is the simple explanation.
With a clamp meter there's no need to cut any wire providing it's a single wire. If a twin wire (neg and pos together) a clamp won't work.

 

[Sewdhull]

Clamp ammeters have a much wider measurement range, and there isn't another way to measure higher amperages, like past 20 ish amps without dedicated shunts wired in like pappajohn says.

But you can measure the voltages with any meter, it wont tell you how its charging tho.

Incase you are interested the clamp measures a magnetic field caused by the flow of current and coverts that into a current reading.

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[MrPG]

Clamp ammeters have a much wider measurement range, and there isn't another way to measure higher amperages, like past 20 ish amps without dedicated shunts wired in like pappajohn says.

But you can measure the voltages with any meter, it wont tell you how its charging tho.

Incase you are interested the clamp measures a magnetic field caused by the flow of current and coverts that into a current reading.

Thanks, I’ll spend some time learning how to use and read it then see what I can find.

 

[fishplug]

Here is the label from the panel.

Thank you.

I was just being overly cautious with my question but both the max volts and amps that your panel will put out are well within the range that the Votronic will cope with.

There's no way that panel will have damaged the controller.

Will be interested to see how you get on tomorrow and if my hunch that it's most probably a mechanical connection somewhere proves to be correct (other potential points of failure exist )

 

[ChrisL]

Thanks, I’ll spend some time learning how to use and read it then see what I can find.

You may find this review useful. Just tap watch on YouTube.

 

[Raul]

So I plugged in the directional panel, covered the roof panel with card and angled the directional panel to the low sun.
Nothing from it, the NDS display showing 0.0Aand still the regulator blinks at me.

Check polarity of the panel is right before you plug the panel to the controller. The controller at this point should be powered up by the battery, before you connect the solar input.
Reverse polarity from the panel can damage the controller. Reverse polarity from battery can destroy the controller if does not have a external fuse.

 

[MrPG]

Check polarity of the panel is right before you plug the panel to the controller. The controller at this point should be powered up by the battery, before you connect the solar input.
Reverse polarity from the panel can damage the controller. Reverse polarity from battery can destroy the controller if does not have an external fuse.

Thanks Raul I think I understand.
I’ll check as much as I can tomorrow.

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[1967bowesj]

My sub £20 does 600ampp AC and DC ...the trick is to read and understand the description fully...some not so cheap will say AC/DC amps ..but the small print will say the clamp is AC 300amp DC is 10 amp probes only

Link to the ali express one might help peeps that are looking but not sure what to buy?

 

[fishplug]

Funnily enough I had a look there earlier.

There are some really cheap ones which don't have the DC part on the clamp but there are others like this one that look like they're probably similar to what oldiesontour bought.

Note to future viewers of this thread - AliExpress links tend to die pretty quickly but you may find something based on the item description:

"ANENG PN106 AC/DC Clamp Meter 600A Current Voltage High Precision 4000 Counts Digital Multimeter Tester Tool for Electrician"

 

[Raul]

Here is a meter tried and tested by me on various jobs, including building batteries. Pretty accurate down to 0.001v reading and spot on the resistance calibration. Amps are reasonably good, and the battery life is fantastic, as I never needed to change in the past 2 years. I shelved two LAP meters, one is going in the bin as the measurements are all over the place, despite changing to fresh batteries. The LAP clamp meter still good, only nigle, it resets and you have to re select dc-ac volts and amps. I got my multifunction meter calibrated last week, and I will be checking this baby meter with the multifunction meter for reference.

https://www.bimblesolar.com/clamp-meter-ac-dc

 

[NR]

Thanks. The first thing I want to test is a second solar regulator, connections and the solar panel to make sure it’s working.

What are the extra benefits of a clamp meter?

Thanks

Paul

Hi, very easy to measure current without disconnecting the circuit.

 

[GoCoeGo]

My note taking went wild with this thread. lots of good info to remember, and use. Thank you all.

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[MrPG]

Dull as dullsville here today and Amazon are promising delivery by 10pm.
If it arrives before then I’ll have a play and learn how to use it.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Dull as dullsville here today and Amazon are promising delivery by 10pm.
If it arrives before then I’ll have a play and learn how to use it.

I've never had a morning delivery from amazon, they also hide at the end of the street until they see me go out

 

[Sasbo]

I've never had a morning delivery from amazon, they also hide at the end of the street until they see me go out

Ordered stuff yesterday evening around 7pm, Amazon delivered 5 mins ago

 

[MrPG]

Many thanks to all for the help and advice.
The clamp multimeter as recommended arrived yesterday after sunset so spent the evening watching some videos, trying to learn some terminology (I’m a novice and first time user) and even read the instructions!

Onto this morning.
Managed to check the volts and amps on the 60w plug in panel using the probes.

Zeroed first.

So it looks like it’s working?
The sun is very low and weak. Even though, the NDS display was showing that the 160w roof panel was giving 1.5A
Decided to check this by testing its Votronic controller using the clamp and the meter confirmed the NDS readout which gave me some confidence.

Pulled the 20A fuse from the secondary Votronic controller and the flashing MPP went off (took this as a sign the fuse was working?) Tested the fuse using the continuity setting. It beeped so all seems ok with the fuse.

Plugged the 60W panel into the ‘fly leads’ and using the clamp meter tested directly before the controller.

Zeroed first.

MPP light is still flashing every two seconds which indicates night time or not enough power.
Question is. Is the panel not powerful enough to kickstart the controller into action? I’ve tried it in France in July and it didn’t work then.

Any thoughts for a novice?

Thanks.

Paul.

 

[Lenny HB]

I think you are getting confused you can only measure current using the clamp on that meter.

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[ChrisL]

I think you are getting confused you can only measure current using the clamp on that meter.

In the last large photo he is using the clamp and is getting a reading of .202 amps DC.

 

[fishplug]

Assuming the 20.13v reading was from the solar panel + & - then yes, the panel is working.

The 0.202 A reading is presumably the panel going in to the MPPT controller (or is it coming out of it?)

Another thing just dawned on me which is that if the battery is full (or nearly full) then the controller won't be charging it because there's nothing to charge....

You need a partially depleted battery in order to see a charge going into it.

 

[Lenny HB]

In the last large photo he is using the clamp and is getting a reading of .202 amps DC.

Strange those last two photos weren't there when I looked at the post maybe he edited it.

 

[MrPG]

Strange those last two photos weren't there when I looked at the post maybe he edited it.

Hi Lenny HB no editing I uploaded everything at the same time.

 

[MrPG]

SOC was 95%.
But if the roof panel is pulling that 1.5A goes in first as the higher value?
But when I covered the roof panel the MPP still flashed?

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[Richard n Ann]

Many thanks to all for the help and advice.
The clamp multimeter as recommended arrived yesterday after sunset so spent the evening watching some videos, trying to learn some terminology (I’m a novice and first time user) and even read the instructions!

Onto this morning.
Managed to check the volts and amps on the 60w plug in panel using the probes.
View attachment 1000983

View attachment 1000984
Zeroed first.
View attachment 1000985
So it looks like it’s working?
The sun is very low and weak. Even though, the NDS display was showing that the 160w roof panel was giving 1.5A
Decided to check this by testing its Votronic controller using the clamp and the meter confirmed the NDS readout which gave me some confidence.

Pulled the 20A fuse from the secondary Votronic controller and the flashing MPP went off (took this as a sign the fuse was working?) Tested the fuse using the continuity setting. It beeped so all seems ok with the fuse.

Plugged the 60W panel into the ‘fly leads’ and using the clamp meter tested directly before the controller.

Zeroed first.
View attachment 1000991
View attachment 1000993
MPP light is still flashing every two seconds which indicates night time or not enough power.
Question is. Is the panel not powerful enough to kickstart the controller into action? I’ve tried it in France in July and it didn’t work then.

Any thoughts for a novice?

Thanks.

Paul.

View attachment 1000992

I'd have thought the votronic controller would have stopped flashing with the 0.202 amps charge.

Leave the main solar off tonight and try 60w panel again tomorrow, angle the panel up at the sun for maximum current flow and the controller flash should stop.