Monitoring photovoltaic panel assembly tutorial

How to monitor a PV system in real-time?

Use of a simple instrumentation method (based on Arduino and Excel) to acquire, monitor and store PV system data in real-time. This project proposes a Low-cost way of virtual instrumentation for real-time monitoring of the PV panel characteristics such as voltage, current and power.

How can a low-cost system be used to monitor PV panels?

This project proposes a Low-cost way of virtual instrumentation for real-time monitoring of the PV panel characteristics such as voltage, current and power. The system design is based on a low-cost Arduino acquisition board.

How do I measure the electrical parameters of my solar panels?

To measure the electrical parameters, we’ll use the ACS758 current sensor for accurate current readings and a voltage divider circuit for voltage measurements. Additionally, we’ll incorporate the DS18B20 temperature sensor to monitor the temperature of the solar panels or other system components.

How a microcontroller works in a PV panel?

The microcontroller of Arduino board gets the PV panel output voltage and current which are measured by sensors and then computes the output power.

How to set up a voltage divider in a solar panel?

Voltage Divider: Set up a voltage divider using two resistors in series. For measuring up to 50V, you can use a 450kΩ resistor and a 50kΩ resistor. Connect one end of the series to the solar panel’s positive terminal and the other end to GND. Then, connect the junction of the two resistors to an analog input pin (e.g., A1) on the XIAO ESP32.

How does a solar panel current sensor work?

ACS758 Current Sensor: The ACS758 measures the current flowing through the solar panel by converting the magnetic field generated by the current into a proportional output voltage. The XIAO ESP32 MCU reads this voltage and converts it into the actual current value.