Hello to you that clicked in this topic by curiosity or interest.
i'm 19 years old currently studying renewable energies, i'm new to arduino world, i know couple basic stuff like voltages, current, resistance, and some laws and effects they have. Well, i have an arduino Sainsmart UNO R3 board, and i got hanging around 4 solar panels each one rated at 2v and maximum Short circuit current 0.045A, that gives a 0.09 power at perpendicular to sun radiation exposure, this is a polycristalline silicon panel, with an efficiency of 4.5%. All i want is to manage to use this as a radiation sensor measuring voltage or current, without burining my arduino out, i have already burned an original arduino before putting 12v from a gadget transformer in Vin, there i saw how easily arduino can damage. i am here posting asking help how should i connect this mini solar panel and use it as a sensor.
for those who are not aware of solar panels funcion, basically research the photovoltaic effect, and also the output power of the panel depends very much on the radiation and angle when its exposed. so lets say i put it flat on the groud and the sun is in winter at noon, where the sun is at the lowes angle in a noon time. the power output will be very very low.
having explained this, i want to manage this, in order to put it side by side or a industrial scale solar panel of 270 watts (also Poly-Si), and manage to use the arduino to record and power generated by the panels without using complex and expensive power meters, this way, paired up with a HC-05 bleutooth module, i can also have real-time data to my phone or tablet or computer.
if there is a post related to this, or the same as this, please apologise me, the internet is too big and we cannot always find everything just like that right? i apologise for that.
if not, i would be very very much apreciated if someone can help me wire this mini panel without damaging my Arduino.
