I recently bought two 100 watt solar panels from Harbor Freight and connected them using a Y cord. While testing them out by plugging them into my power bank, I noticed that I'm only getting 150 watts output in full sunlight. Each panel is supposed to produce 100 watts under optimal conditions, so I'm confused about where the extra 50 watts are going. Any thoughts on why this is happening?
4 Answers
A lot of folks forget that panels often don’t meet their full rating unless it's the perfect scenario. Consider the angle of the sun and maybe the weather conditions you're dealing with. It's possible that under real-world conditions, you might not see that full 100 watts from each—just keep that in mind!
Have you checked the amperage limit on your power bank? Sometimes, the bank's capacity can limit how much the panels can actually contribute. Just something to consider!
Nope, that shouldn't be the issue.
Just a general rule of thumb: many solar panels produce about 75% of their rated output under typical conditions. If you're looking for more power, maybe consider upgrading to a larger single panel. That might solve the issue for you!
Got it, sounds like I should just go for a bigger panel.
It sounds like you're doing okay! Solar panels usually only hit their rated output under perfect conditions. So, getting 150 watts out of 200 is actually quite decent. Also, check your power bank's specs; it might only draw up to 150 watts depending on its current state and input voltage. Don't stress too much about the loss!
Thanks for the insight!
Yeah, I think I've got enough sun angle to pull in 100 watts from each panel on their own.