Solar panel output

[weeds]

It was a last minute decision this morning to grab one of my solar panels for our trip Thought I would check it check it at our first overnight stop, two make sure it works as been sitting in the garage for a while.

It's now putting out 16+volts.

The regulator is one of the small ones that sit in the j-box on the back of the solar panel.

It's a plastronic PR1210 installed as instructed from a 12v shop.

From memory.....a year or two ago it used to put out 14v.

I googled the install instructions and it says to wire it differently.

Why am I getting 16v now and nothing has changed apart from fitting an Anderson plug

I have connected to the car yet as I'm not keen with 16v

Panel is a 65w unisolar, 3-4amp output

[dswatts]

Is it 16 volt while connected to the battery?

[Blknight.aus]

16v would be normal open circuit voltage for an old scholl regulator.

old school regulators work similarly to the regulator in an alternator in that if they dont see a sense voltage they just up the voltage. The difference is that the solar regulators are usually looking for resistance and once they have that they will begin to regulate.

If you're buying a solar setup and dont have a battery to hook it to to test the charging voltage just use a light bulb, as a general rule I use 10% of the rated wattage of the panel when it comes to picking the bulb size.

With the bulb wired on check the voltage. it should be no more than about 14.5v across the bulb.

[weeds]

Is it 16 volt while connected to the battery?

Not yet, just thought I would ask the question first.

Dave's answer makes sense now

Cheers

Oh the joys of first day on the road