MAPA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF EECE
INTRAMUROS, MANILA

ENERGY CONVERSION
LABORATORY
Experiment Number 1

Current-Voltage Characteristics, Power

Curve of a Solar Module
SUBMITTED BY:
CANHE, John Robert
CUETO, Philip George
DE ROXAS, John Michael
GONZAGA, Kristel Camille
MORALEJA, Daniel Bryan
RIVERA, Francis Gabriel
SANTIAGO, Rona Jaise
TORRES, Leand Troi
VILLASENOR, Jasmin

RATING

Course/Section:
EE153L / B12

Date performed: July 31, 2015

August 07, 2015

Date

Engr. Gerard Ang

Instructor
OBJECTIVES

submitted:

1. To observe the relationship of current, voltage, and power in a solar cell.

2. To determine the Current-Voltage (I-V) relationship of solar cells connected in series,
and in parallel.
3. To investigate the current and voltage output of solar cells when connected to various
loads.

Introduction

Experiment Needed

Procedures (Intelligent)
Equipment:

Solar Module
Lamp
Decade Resistor
Voltmeter
Ammeter

Place the incandescent lamp facing closely the two solar modules. This will serve as the
power source for the trainer kit that contains the decade resistor. Make sure that the
distance between the lamp and the solar modules is kept the same for the whole
experiment. In order to prevent errors due to temperature fluctuations, wait at least 1
minute after turning on the lamp.
The experiment is divided into two parts. First is to connect the solar cells in series, then
measure and recond the current and voltage delivered by the cells for the varying
resistances present in the decade resistor using an ammeter and a voltmeter. Connect
the voltmeter in parallel with the resistor and solar cells, and the ammeter in series with
the load as shown below.

This set-up will allow quick changes between resistances to facilitate variances in the
voltage across the resistor and the current flowing through it. Then, compute for the
power by multiplying the obtained values of current and voltage.
For the second part of the experiment, repeat the same procedure but this time connect
the solar cells in parallel.

For both connections, plot the Current-Voltage (I-V) curve and the Power-Voltage (P-V)
curve.

Table 1.1 Using Two Solar Modules in Series

R ()

V (V)

330

3.842
3.619

I
(mA)
0
11

100

2.737

27

33

1.079

32

10
3.3
1
0.3
0.1
0

0.35
0.131
0.058
0.033
0.026
0.023

32
32
34
34
34
34

P
(mW)
0
39.80
9
73.89
9
34.52
8
11.2
4.192
1.972
1.122
0.884
0.782

Table 1.2 Using Two Solar Modules in Parallel

R ()

V (V)

330

1.933
1.909

I
(mA)
0
5.8

100

1.854

18

33

1.607

48

10

0.693

66

3.3

0.272

68

1
0.3
0.1
0

0.118
0.069
0.052
0.08

69
70
70.5
70.5

P
(mW)
0
11.07
2
33.37
2
77.13
6
45.73
8
18.49
6
8.142
4.83
3.666
5.64

Graphs

Solar Modules in Series

Current VS Voltage

Current (mA)

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

3.5

4.5

Voltage (V)

Solar Modules in Series

Power VS Voltage

Power (mW)

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

Voltage (V)

Solar Modules in Parallel

Current VS Voltage
80
70
60
50

Current (mA)

40
30
20
10
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

2.5

Voltage (V)

Solar Modules in Parallel

Power VS Voltage
100
80
60

Power (mW)

40
20
0

0.5

Voltage (V)

1.5

Schematic Diagram (Actual Set-Up)

Figure 1.

Figure 3. Multidecade Resistor

Figure 2. Actual Experiment

Figure 4. Digital Multimeter and

Ammeter

Questions and Problems

What behavior do you expect from the current-voltage characteristic
and the power curve? Draw a sketch of the expected characteristic.

As we expected the graph would be like this because the sun or light bulbs brightness
would be constant. So we assumed their power output would be increasingly and be stable as
the light became stable.

Conclusion
A Solar (PV) Cell or a Panel / Module produces its maximum current when there
is no resistance in the circuit, i.e. when there is a short circuit between its Positive and
Negative terminals. This maximum current is known as the Short Circuit Current and is
abbreviated as Isc. When the Cell / Panel (Module) is shorted, the voltage in the circuit
is zero.
Conversely, the maximum voltage occurs when there is a break in the circuit. This is
called the Open Circuit Voltage (Voc). Under this condition, the resistance is infinitely
high and there is no current, since the circuit is incomplete. These two extremes in load
resistance, and the whole range of conditions in between them, are depicted on the I-V
Curve. Current, expressed in Amps, is on the vertical Y-axis. Voltage, in Volts, is on the
horizontal X-axis.

The power available from a photovoltaic device at any point along the curve is just
the product of Current (I) in Amps (A) and Voltage (V) in Volts (V) at that point and is
expressed in Watts. At the short circuit current point, the power output is zero, since the
voltage is zero. At the open circuit voltage point, the power output is also zero, but this
time it is because the current is zero.
Comparing the two set-up (series and parallel), as observed in the data gathered,
current and power measured in parallel connection is higher than that of the series
connection. Conversely, the voltage measured in series connection is higher than in
parallel connection.
Other conclusions may also be drawn from these set of data. As we observed, in the
table the voltage was not constant at any point while the power reached a peak. The
voltage in the resistor increased as the resistor increased was because it took a bigger
part of the voltage drop. This indicated that an internal resistance was present. The
current on the other hand, cannot be used to draw this conclusion. Using Thevenins
theory of equivalent resistance, we can conclude that the internal resistance is equal to
the resistance at the maximum power.
Since the resistance was equal to 100 ohms when at the series configuration
reached maximum power and 33 ohms for the parallel configuration, we can deduce
that the internal resistance for each panel lies between 50-65 ohms in value. This is
approximated according to the resistances relationship in either series or parallel.
Thus, the group can conclude that the main objectives of this experiment are
successfully met.