Solar panel - no amps

[gatherer]

I've got three solar panels. Two of them produce typical amps at 18v. When I add the third panel, it reads 13v and 0.0 amps. Is there anything a DIYer can do about it or is my third panel destined for the landfill?

 

[Trebor English]

Most panels have a little box on the back containing a couple of diodes.  You could open that and see if only one half of the panel is open, there's a dead diode, or maybe a broken wire.  If you are series connecting them you can have 18, 18, and 9, total 45.  The MPPT can use the additional 9 volts just as well as if you intended to have 45 volts.

 

[tx2sturgis]

 If you are series connecting them you can have 18, 18, and 9, total 45.  The MPPT can use the additional 9 volts just as well as if you intended to have 45 volts.

Disagree. The OP should not add a defective panel in a series string because 0.0 amps output means it is not flowing any current, or very minimal, below the threshold of measurement. Output of the entire array will most likely drop off significantly.

The faulty panel might be repairable if it is a rigid panel, but if it is a flexible panel it might be looking for a landfill as we speak.

 

[gatherer]

Turns out it was a bad diode. Thanks guys!