FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Bachelor of Engineering Technology

(Energy & Environment) with Honours

Lab
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System
01
BTV4703
Solar Energy System
Objectives

By the end of this lab, students should be able to:

1. To understand the basic circuit of a photovoltaic system.

2. To differentiate between series and parallel arrangement of pv panel
connection.
3. To determine the advantages and disadvantages in every circuit setup.

Lecturer’s Name : Dr. Amir bin Abdul Razak

20 Student names
Student
Section Group
ID
WAN NUR FATHIYAH BT PAUZI TC16002 01G 1
RAIHAN SYAHIRAH BINTI RAMLI TC16044 01G 1
MUHAMMAD AMIR HIZBULLAH BIN
TC16051 01G 1
SEZALI
INTRODUCTION
A photovoltaic system, also PV system or solar power system, is a power system
designed to supply usable solar power by means of photovoltaic. Recently, solar energy has
given more and more attention, it is a clean and renewable energy sources. The Photovoltaic
(PV) cells are attained to convert solar energy from the sunlight directly to electrical energy.
This energy can be utilized in many applications, like lighting, heating and performing different
devices. The sun powered cell is containing semiconductor physical which utilizing the
photovoltaic impact. At the point when the daylight is opposite to exterior of the PV sun
powered board, can acquire higher efficient system; therefore, maximum potential electrical
energy can be established. Many experimentations have been done to boost the efficiency of
the solar cell. Few decades ago, solar cell modules have been created and have been invented
by arranging in series to optimize the output voltage.
Solar tracking system categorizes as a control system that consists of sensors to detect
either the sunlight is upright to the PV panel or not, and a controller that deliver signals to one
or more actuator for changing the panel to the maximum targeted position. Nowadays dual axis
solar tracker mechanism gained interest in R&D field due to the evidence of gain at the
efficiency of the PV panel. Presently the researchers practicing the usage of dc-dc support
converter to coordinate the yield voltage as well as boost the lower voltage from system of
photovoltaic. The purpose of using dc-dc boost converter is to boost low output voltage to high
output voltage and also avoids the reverse current flow by blocking diode.
Furthermore, the Pulse-width Modulation (PWM) approach is also providing by
researchers to regulate the dc-dc support converter. The Extreme Power Point Tracking or
MPPT method obtains maximum extreme potential force from sun oriented boards. An
intelligent controller is required to support the proficiency of the control framework of PV
together with mechanical model of tracking structure. One of the MPPT method is fuzzy logic
controller which is very reliable for photovoltaic array because fuzzy logic technique is
promoted better and rapid tracking effectiveness for different optimal operating points. It
supports to record optimum power under weather surroundings changing and gain great
strength plus feedback amount is big. Progressively, data acquisition (DAQ) is process of
recording or storing the data of output voltage from solar panel to compare with different
weather conditions.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
1. Solar power simulator.
2. PV-Exp Simulation Board
3. 12V photovoltaic panel (2 units)
4. PWM solar controller
5. 12V/7.0Ah lead acid battery (2 units)
6. 12V inverter
7. 24V inverter
8. Connection wires
9. Loads (LED lamp, portable fan)
10. Multimeter

PROCEDURE
Experiment A: Basic Photovoltaic Setup.

1. Setup every component into the PV-Exp Simulation Board accordingly based on the
label on the board.
2. Connect all the components on the board by using the connection wires by following
the same colour to a 12V invertor.
3. Connect a photovoltaic panel to the PV-Exp Simulation Board and expose toward the
solar power simulators. Input means between the pv panel and the solar charging
controller while output mean between the solar charging controller and the storage
battery.
4. Switch-on the solar power simulator no 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 to the full power.
5. Try to connect any 12V load on the inverter.
6. Measure the input and output of current and voltage inside the circuit accordingly by
using a multimeter and record the reading.

Experiment B: Effect of Two PV Panel on a 12V Storage Battery.

1. Switch-off all the solar power simulators.

2. Install another photovoltaic panel into the circuit by series the photovoltaic panel to
the existing photovoltaic panel.
3. Switch on the solar power simulator no 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 to the full power.
4. Try to connect any suitable load from the inverter.
 5. Measure the input and output of current and voltage inside the circuit by using a
multimeter and record the reading. Input means between the pv panels and the solar
charging controller while output mean between the solar charging controller and the
storage battery.
6. Repeat step 1 until step 5 by changing the series photovoltaic panels to parallel
arrangement.

Experiment C: Effect of Two PV Panels on couple 12V Storage Battery.

1. Switch-off the solar power simulator and disconnect all of the wires from the
components on the PV-Exp Simulation Board.
2. Make a series connection to the couple 12V batteries by using a jumper wire to make
it 24V storage battery.
3. Connect all of the components on the PV-Exp Simulation Board to a 24V inverter.
4. Install two photovoltaic panels in parallel arrangement into the system.
5. Switch on the solar power simulator no 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8 to the full power.
6. Try to connect any suitable load from the inverter.
7. Measure the input and output of current and voltage inside the circuit by using a
multimeter record the reading. Input means between the pv panels and the solar
charging controller while output mean between the solar charging controller and the
storage batteries.
8. Switch-off the solar power simulator and change the arrangement of photovoltaic
panels from parallel to series arrangement.
9. Repeat step 5 to step 7 by changing the series photovoltaic panels to parallel
arrangement.

RESULTS
Distance PV panel from the solar power simulator: 0.5 m (Keep this constant)

Storage Input Input Output Output

PV Panel
Capacity Load Used Voltage Current Voltage Current
Arrangement
(V) (V) (mA) (V) (mA)
Single PV
12 12V LED bulb 12.3 0.37 12.3 0.70
Panel
In Series 12 12V LED bulb 12.3 0.43 12.3 0.67
In Parallel 12 12V LED bulb 12.7 0.82 12.8 0.72
In Series 24 12V LED bulb 24.9 0.38 24.9 1.24
In Parallel 24 12V LED bulb 6 0.40 17.3 1.28
QUESTIONS

1. Compare the output current from Part B with the Part C.

The best output current in Part A is 0.72 mA while in the Part C the best output current
is 1.28 mA. Both parts shown that pv panels in parallel arrangement give more output
current compare to in series arrangement. The higher the output current means the faster
the system can charge the batteries. To conclude, parallel arrangement is the best way
to use for two pv panel in a system.
2. Compare the input voltage between Part A, B and C.
The best input voltage in Part A, B and C are 12.3 V, 12.7 and 24.9 respectively. For a
12V system the input and output voltage are the for single pv panel and two pv panels
in series arrangement while in the Part C the input voltage is 24.9 V. This showed that
the value of the voltage is higher in series compared to the parallel. The result could
said that series arrangement is the best way to connect pv panel if system want to use
the voltage directly.
3. What is the difference between 12V and 24V solar panel?
The difference between the 12 V and 24 V is that 1 solar panel produces 12 volt and
another solar panel produces 24 V. It can be easily differentiated by counting the
number of solar cells. 12 V solar panel will have 24 solar cells. As, 1 solar cell produces
0.5 V. Then, 24 solar cells x 0.5 V = 12 V. For 24 V of solar panel 48 solar cells x 0.5
V = 24 V are being produced.
DISCUSSION
1. When would it be useful to connect the photovoltaic cells in series?
The photovoltaic cells in series will be useful in order to increase the total system
voltage. Solar panels in series are generally used when you have a grid connected
inverter or charge controller that requires 24 volts or more. To series wire the panels
together you connect the positive terminal to the negative terminal of each panel until
you are left with a single positive and negative connection.
2. When would it be useful to connect the photovoltaic cells in parallel?
Connecting solar panels together in parallel is used to boost the total system current and
is the reverse of the series connection. By parallel wiring panels you connect all the
positive terminals together (positive to positive) and all of the negative terminals
together (negative to negative) until you are left with a single positive and negative
connection to attach to your regulator and batteries.