Panel light keeps burning out?

[captainward]

I bought some 12 volt panel lights and hooked one up to the incoming solar panel main feed line but so I could see I was getting some voltage on the panels, but the light burned out after a day or so.
I am getting 25 amps at noon off the five 100 watt panels during the winter.

So where can I buy panel lights that will stand up to 30 amps at 12 volts?

"forget the roof solar installation"     youtube video.

[Bruce S]

Might just be the incoming getting above the highest rating of the 12V light itself.
Can you or do you have a way to tell what the voltage is at max input?
I know a plain 1157 auto bulb will handle almost 14.6Vdc and it's getting really bright and hot then too.
Cheers;
Bruce S

[Mary B]

If those are 12 volt panels they are likely putting out around 18 volts in full sun, way to much for a 12 volt light.

[madlabs]

Captain,

You don't need lights that can handle 25 amps. The lights will only pull as much current as they need. The issue here is volts. On the panel somewhere it should list the "VOC", which is Volts Open Circuit. This mean when unloaded in full sun the panels will rise to this voltage. With just a small load they will get close to VOC. To be sure, you either need lights that can handle the VOC or a volatge regulator that will limit the voltage to an acceptable range.

Jonathan

[tanner0441]

Hi

You could feed the lamp with a 7812 voltage regulator mounted on a heat sink, they will give 12 volts out for anything up to 27 volts input. I personally would rather put a meter in the circuit you could then see just what the voltage is. One of my charge controllers has two LEDs one of which comes on when the voltage from the panels exceeds the battery voltage.

A bulb across a solar panel is doomed to failure especially if you have a charge controller in the circuit.

Brian