That would work for the blocking diode. For the bypass diodes, the scenario would be a little different, and possibly meaningless:
Jumping the blocker would return the panels to 'normal', assuming the diode is open, and nothing else is wrong. A shorted blocking diode would not give way to the symptoms provided - The only result in that case would be drainback at night.
Jumping the bypass diodes would effectively short the section(s) of panel that it/they are associated with, bringing the output to zero, for the associated section. Might be able to unveil
functioning components this way - good sections being shorted would cause the overall output of the entire panel to drop significantly.
Jumping the 'dead' sections however wouldn't tell you much of anything, as it wouldn't reveal WHY the section is not providing output. Could be a defective string of cells, solder joints, shorted bypass diode... Here's why:
If a bypass diode is open, it will have no effect directly (when the panel is in sunlight), as it would normally be reverse biased in that situation. Shorting it would do nothing at all in this case, as to the rest of the chain, it would just be a 'shaded' section. EDIT - This didn't really look clear. What I mean is, open or 'OK', the diode would have the same effect, all else being equal (all cells in the panel are otherwise functional, and the entire panel is exposed to full sunlight).
If the bypass diode in question is shorted (internally), then jumping it would reveal nothing either. Nothing from nothing is nothing.
A damaged string of cells with a working bypass diode will just cause the entire panel to act as if the string in question is shaded.
So, the moral of the story is, to effectively troubleshoot shorted/open bypass diodes, they need to be disconnected from the panel, or at least checked with the panel in complete darkness.
Not really practical to do in many real world scenarios and implements... Though if your thing is dark rooftops (for example), and your meter has a backlight, well, by all means.
Problem here appears to be that the diodes aren't set up to ever be removable/replaceable. BIG time respect points lost for Sharp on this one, at least for me personally... but the potting was a big first clue unfortunately...
That being the case, he's kinda between a rock and a hard place.
I know one thing for sure, I never thought of it as being a problem, but I'll be checking to see what 'user' options there are in terms of what's inside the JBoxes of any new panel
I ever buy... That's handy information to know!
Sucks that the discovery in this case was due to a component failure, still yet to be determined.
Steve