Anderson plug oddity ...One for the electricians !!

Steve

NEVER file the contacts on an Anderson plug! They are silver plated to give a very good contact, and the wiping action as you connect and disconnect should keep them clean.

Why the voltage drop? Good question. The voltage from a solar panel will depend on the amount of sunlight and the current load. Could the variation be due to change in sunlight or shading while you were doing your measurements? Maybe a change of loading (say the fridge turned on) between your 2 measurements?

I'd be a bit concerned if you can measure 16.8V with a battery connected - that's too high for a battery.

HTH

John

Hi Steve
I'm not sure of what you are saying. But first if the pins are not dirty or burnt DO not clean them.
If they are slightly dirty gently clean them, NO FILEl.
However I am not sure of exactly how/what you are testing.
Is the 16.8v reading taken @ the plug before the regulator & is battery connected, with the reg showing cuurent ??
What was the other devise & where did you connect it ?

" When I attached another device using identical Anderson Plug "

Can we have more info....what was pugged into your solar first?

What is the open circuit voltage...nothing plugged in ?

What did you plug in next...what was the second device?

Remember volt drop is a reponse to the load or current required by the device plugged in....eg...the greater the current required the more the supply volts will fall and vice versa.

Hi Steve
First do not file pins If they are dirty gently clean them.
However I'm not sure of what you are saying.
Is the 16.8v taken before the solar reg with the battery connected & drawing current from the panel??
What is the other devise & where are you connecting it?

Steve,

Try measuring your suspect connector using the continuity setting on your multimeter, to measure any resistance that may be present.
Measure from the contact surface of the pin to the rear. You should read zero, i.e. a dead short.

If the connector/wiring joint is soldered, or poorly crimped, you may have a high resistance joint. Or perhaps just the rear of the pin is dirty or has a resin coating.


Bill.

Sorry all and thanks for the replies -Promise I won't file off the silver !!

A bit clearer for you --

I got 16.8 volts on a direct connect to the panel - nothing else attached ..

Then I connected the regulator which has the "odd" Connector attached to it .

So I measured the voltage from the back of that connector actually touching the pins with the probes and got 15.6 volts !! So there was nothing in between just connector to connector and 1 lose 1.2 volts -

I have attached another Plug and did an identical read and got 16.8 v !!

So its the pins !! Bodgy pins..

Rgds

Steve

This is totally normal.

Solar Panels are "constant-current" sources, whereas most DC sources are constant voltage.

If you connect a solar panel directly (no regulator) to a 12 volt battery its voltage will drop to 14 volts.

If you connect the same panel to a 6 volt battery its voltage will drop to 7 volts.

It will charge both batteries at the same current.