Building a 40W Solar Mono-crystal PV Rig

For some time, I have wanted to actually test a photovoltaic (PV) panel.  I would like to measure the panel temperature and power output, along with how the power changes with the panel angle etc.  I needed to purchase one for my remote bush weather station project (more on this project later), so this is a great opportunity to run these tests.

Last weekend, I built a sturdy light weight aluminium frame to hold the 40W panel in place.  It's made out of 3mm and 1.6mm angled aluminium.  Most of it is just pop riveted together.  The front struts are 450mm tall and the back vertical struts are 650mm tall.  The length is 578mm.  For stability, the unit is designed to be sunk 100mm or so into the soil and I have provided storm anchoring points that will attach to some star pickets (not shown here).

Here is a demo shot of it all assembled and sunk into the garden: