Low-cost solar cell measurement unit with multiplexer for R&D
Budget: $750 – $1,500 USD
I'm in need of a design to measure current-voltage characteristics of multiple solar cells, with minimal cost for the hardware. The system should have the following properties:
- Measure the I-V characteristics of numerous (up to 64) solar cells operating in the 4th quadrant at fixed time intervals (e.g., measure each of them once every 1 hour).
- Max current is 180 mA. Max voltage is 3.5V.
- Have 1x low-cost source-measure unit to make the measurement (to be found and proposed by the designer), which should be connected to a multiplexer (also to be designed) to scan through different cells.
- The system to be connected to a computer and be controllable through a GUI (e.g., LabView or equivalent) on which the user should be able to select options such as the cell slots that should be measured, at which interval the measurements should be conducted etc.
- The measurement results to be automatically saved to a directory, and also outputted in a figure in the GUI.
- All components of the system to be selected by the designer.
- Measure the I-V characteristics of numerous (up to 64) solar cells operating in the 4th quadrant at fixed time intervals (e.g., measure each of them once every 1 hour).
- Max current is 180 mA. Max voltage is 3.5V.
- Have 1x low-cost source-measure unit to make the measurement (to be found and proposed by the designer), which should be connected to a multiplexer (also to be designed) to scan through different cells.
- The system to be connected to a computer and be controllable through a GUI (e.g., LabView or equivalent) on which the user should be able to select options such as the cell slots that should be measured, at which interval the measurements should be conducted etc.
- The measurement results to be automatically saved to a directory, and also outputted in a figure in the GUI.
- All components of the system to be selected by the designer.