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#1 |
Six Point
Join Date: Oct 2012
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I have some solar chargers on my feeders that are getting up there in age, roughly 8 years old. Some are starting to get clouded over look but really nothing that looks like corrosion. Is there a way to test the solar chargers to see if they remain fully functioning? Or do I basically just put new batteries in alll my feeders then monitor battery life to see if the chargers are doing their job? Thanks in advance for your responses.
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#2 |
Six Point
Join Date: Oct 2016
Hunt In: The water
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I believe you can hook them up to a voltage meter on a real sunny day And see if it's puting out 12 volts
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#3 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Houston, TX
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Yep, hook them up to a voltage meter and see what they are putting out. Also, shade/tree limbs, etc obviously hurt the output of the solar panel.
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#4 |
Pope & Young
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Kerrville, Texas
Hunt In: Terrell and Val Verde County
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I use a volt meter and check mine every year. It should read more than 12 volts if its putting out correctly.
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#5 |
Pope & Young
![]() Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Victoria, TX
Hunt In: Victoria county
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Testing the voltage will not tell you if they are good. You need to test the amps and that should be done with the sun hitting directly on the solar panel. 12V solar panels for feeders should be putting out between 90 and 150ma.
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#6 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Houston , Texas
Hunt In: All over
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My 12volt solar chargers usually read around 15volts in full sun on volt meter. I have never checked the ma output.
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#7 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: El Campo, TX
Hunt In: Kinney Co.TX
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That sounds like a really good panel. The ones I've tested are putting out 60mA.
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#8 |
Pope & Young
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tomball, TX
Hunt In: Mills County
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Most deer feeder panels are in the 1-2 watt range. Although, I have seen some higher, but not many.
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#9 |
Pope & Young
![]() Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Victoria, TX
Hunt In: Victoria county
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#10 |
Pope & Young
![]() Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Victoria, TX
Hunt In: Victoria county
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Just to state it again, just because your voltage is over 12V, it doesn't mean it is working properly. The only way to be sure is to check the amps it's putting out. I've tested many 12V solar panels that would test between 17V-20V yet they were not putting out near the amps they should and thus they were bad. For example in your case, your panel could be putting out 15+ volts but may only be putting out 10ma when it should be putting out 60+ma. That constitutes a bad solar panel.
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#11 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: El Campo, TX
Hunt In: Kinney Co.TX
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You're probably correct but most I've bought don't advertise the mA output. So, what's a good brand or manufacturer of a 1.5 watt panel, if you know?
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#12 | |
Ten Point
Join Date: Sep 2009
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#13 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Euless
Hunt In: Young County and anywhere else I can
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I've never thought to test the amperage output. However, I have found voltage output to be a good proxy for whether they work or not. If full, direct sunlight a 6v panel should be putting out about 9 volts while a 12 volt panel should be putting out about 15v. Even in indirect sunlight those numbers should be about 7 and 13 volts. If you aren't getting those numbers, chunk the panel and get a new one.
LWD |
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#14 |
Pope & Young
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: North Texas
Hunt In: Haskell County, TX
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As stated above you have to be putting out enough current to charge the battery. Voltage output is irrelevant.
You need a battery that is a bit drained and then put your meter in series with the + lead of your panel to the + terminal of your battery to test current output. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro |
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#15 |
Six Point
Join Date: Oct 2012
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thanks for all the replies guys. this site is very helpful while lowering my self-esteem at the same time...
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#16 |
Eight Point
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beeville, Tx
Hunt In: Bee County
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This is a post I saved from last October but, haven't got around to trying it yet. Hope it helps!
Solar panel test The only real way to test a solar panel is to see how much current (amps) it is putting in the battery. The little digital multimeters from Harbor Freight work well for this. Set the meter to the 200 milliamp scale. Connect the meter as shown below. Most of the feeder solar panels (6"x6") put out between 2 and 10 milliamps depending on which way they are facing, cloud conditions, etc. Larger panels will put out more current. I have one from Northern Tool that puts out around 200 milliamps. Once you complete the test MAKE SURE you switch the meter back to the volts scale. Trying to measure volts with the meter set to current will fry your meter. Don't ask how I know this. |
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#17 |
Eight Point
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beeville, Tx
Hunt In: Bee County
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Solar panel test
The only real way to test a solar panel is to see how much current (amps) it is putting in the battery. The little digital multimeters from Harbor Freight work well for this. Set the meter to the 200 milliamp scale. Connect the meter as shown below. Most of the feeder solar panels (6"x6") put out between 2 and 10 milliamps depending on which way they are facing, cloud conditions, etc. Larger panels will put out more current. I have one from Northern Tool that puts out around 200 milliamps. Once you complete the test MAKE SURE you switch the meter back to the volts scale. Trying to measure volts with the meter set to current will fry your meter. Don't ask how I know this. |
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#18 |
Eight Point
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beeville, Tx
Hunt In: Bee County
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Sorry but can't get image to copy
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#19 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Euless
Hunt In: Young County and anywhere else I can
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Connect your multimeter to the solar panel outputs to test it. You don't want a battery connected to it.
LWD |
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#20 | |||
Pope & Young
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: North Texas
Hunt In: Haskell County, TX
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Quote:
Both of these methods only tests for voltage, not current and is not the correct way to test whether the panel is charging properly. On a DC voltage circuit you have to place the meter in series between the charging source and the load to test for current. Quote:
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro |
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#21 | |
Pope & Young
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Kerrville, Texas
Hunt In: Terrell and Val Verde County
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I do this first when I have a battery that won't keep a charge. |
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#22 | |
Ten Point
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: weatherford,tx
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#23 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Montgomery, TX
Hunt In: Edwards Co
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As stated by others, the only way to evaluate a solar panel is the measure the current (ma) output to the battery. I only wish I could convince several members on our lease of this.
What I find is the feeder solar panels usually only put out a few ma which is sufficient to keep the battery at full charge. Last edited by kmitchl; 08-01-2017 at 12:57 PM. |
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#24 |
Pope & Young
![]() Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sunnyvale
Hunt In: San Saba
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The real question (to me anyway) is what amperage is sufficient to keep a battery charged? I understand that it depends on usage, age of battery, etc.
Here's another question related to this thread: What brand/style battery works best for a 6 volt feeder in everyone's opinion? |
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#25 | |
Pope & Young
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: North Texas
Hunt In: Haskell County, TX
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That depends on how much current you are using. Generally just for a feeder that throws twice a day 60-100ma should be more than sufficient. I don't know that any one brand is better than the other. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro |
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#26 |
Six Point
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Aha!!! I have been having trouble with a feeder forever. I kept checking like I was told and the solar panel was well over 12 volts. I checked the amps on it today and it showed a whopping 1 ma. Tried a new solar panel and it maxed out at 82 ma.
I am saving the old one for a training tool at the lease. lol. One question for you who know stuff. Where do you get your spade lug connectors. The ones I. Get at home depot or Auto Zone are not consistent. Some are sloppy loose and some are a struggle to put on or take off. Sent from my LG-K550 using Tapatalk |
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#27 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Houston, TX
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I use the yellow male connectors from any auto parts store
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#28 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Richmond, Texas
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Yep, here is my same results testing my Solar panel. Voltage, very little amps. I have pictures in this thread that may help someone else trouble shoot these issues
http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...d.php?t=158031 Ranchdog |
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#29 | |
Ten Point
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Montgomery, TX
Hunt In: Edwards Co
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I doesn't take a lot of amps from a solar panel to keep a battery topped off. Spinning for 10 seconds twice a day at a current of 3 amps would require Spin time = 10 *2/60/60 = .0055 hours/day Spin time * Amps per spin = 3*.0055 = 0.0166 amp hours = 16.6 ma-hours. So a solar panel charging at about 2 ma for 8-9 hours would be enough to keep the battery topped off. This neglects the current required to operate the clock, however, this is usually very small in comparison to that required to run the spinner motor. |
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#30 |
Ten Point
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Richmond, Texas
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The pic below and is how you test a solar panel and what a Good solar panel test like (amperage not voltage)
First make sure your meter measures DC mA (Direct Current milli Amperes) usually they go up to 400 ma on one switch setting and 1.0 A on another setting. So make sure your on the correct mA setting on your meter. In this photo the meter is set on mA (max for my meter is 200 mA). A solar panel like we use on our feeders usually max out around 60-70mA but check your panel. So hook the meter up in Series (inline as shown below) You will need a good battery, not a completely dead one that won't take a charge. So you can see that the solar panel is putting out 69.2 mA. The voltage was 18 Volts I measured but don't show here but will below on the bad one. But as you will see in the next set of pictures / description what a bad solar panel looks like. Now what a bad solar panel looks like. In the picture below I simply measure the voltage and I get 17.69 volts. So you would think it is working. HOWERVER, in the second picture where I measure the current notice that it is not putting out but 0.6 mA. It is bad and will not charge your battery. It should be putting out around 60-70 mA. Here is the 0.6 mA. This is not working and is a bad solar panel. Throw it in the trash. You should be getting around 60 mA in FULL SUN. On a cloudy day it might drop down or if your battery is really charged. This test was done at the same time as the good solar panel in the above posting less the 1 minute apart so the sun was basically the same intensity. Good Luck, Ranchdog |
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#31 |
Pope & Young
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Hunt County, Texas
Hunt In: NW of Dallas
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Great info!!
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