Solar Panels

[thebigbasicq]

Ok, I am in deeeeep trouble! Here is my question:
I have a 6V 250mA photovoltaic cell panel(solar panel). At this time of the year it is peak summer so the sun really shines very brightly. In this bright sun I get a voltage of 8V-10V on my solar panel. Is that bad? Can it damage my panel?

My second question was: What is short circuit current for a solar panel?

Thanx.

 

[johneppen]

The extra voltage is fine. All it means is that when the panel was tested at whatever temperature and brightness it gave off 6v and 250ma. It can vary greatly, due to temperature or to directness of sunlight. Solar cells actually become more efficient at colder temperatures. But don't worry about it it's normal. The short circuit current would be the 250ma....but i would say you could get more than that....maybe 300-350? check it with a multimeter.

 

[thebigbasicq]

Ok. So the extra voltage will not destroy the panel but what

about the short circuit current. What does that mean? Will the solar panel stop working if what ever load I have attached to it draws more than 250mA of current?

Secondly, I need something of a current amplifier i.e. I want to run a motor which requires 0.5A(500mA) of current but I can supply only 250mA max through my solar panel. I want to increase the current. How do I do that? I have seen some solar engines but they don't work. I already built one and tested it.

 

[Dean Huster]

Internal resistance

A solar panel, like any other source, has an internal resistance that limits how much current it can supply, even with maximum sunlight falling upon it. Higher currents are best and most efficiently achieved by using solar panels in parallel, preferably putting identical panels in parallel. The maximum current will be the sum of the maximum currents of the individual panels.

Dean

 

[thebigbasicq]

I just wanted a circuit which will store the charge until it

can deliver a current of say 1A for atleast sometime.(I am a newbie)