I'm relatively new to solar and I've got two 100-watt solar panels connected to my Jackery Explorer 1500. I recently purchased some 16-foot solar panel cables from Amazon, but I'm only seeing about 6-8 watts of power from each of my panels, which seems off. To troubleshoot, I tested a 100-watt foldable panel and it works like a charm. I'm wondering if the issue lies with the new cables since I just bought them separately. Can anyone help me figure out what's going on or suggest anything I should try? I don't own a multimeter to do further testing. Here's the link to the cords I bought: [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLGNN233?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLGNN233?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title)
5 Answers
One more thing to consider: Are your panels set up correctly? They should be pointed directly south and angled according to your latitude for the best performance. And please, grab a multimeter—we can't troubleshoot effectively without some solid data!
Just confirming, your foldable panel works fine but the two new panels are underperforming? Also, are the sizes/areas of the new panels comparable to the foldable one?
You're definitely going to need a multimeter for proper troubleshooting. It's a must-have for working with solar setups! You might want to check the cable for continuity to ensure there are no breaks or faults in it. That could easily be causing the low wattage you're observing.
Is there any chance that part of your panels is shaded, even a little bit? Shade can drastically reduce the efficiency of solar panels. Make sure they're getting direct sunlight! Also, check the positioning; are they angled correctly towards the sun?
Just a thought, but could the Jackery be fully charged already? That might explain the low output if the battery isn't accepting more energy.