The aim of this project is to design and implement a portable device to obtain C-V and P-V
characteristics curves from photovoltaic panels, with a following visualization of these. Through
a user interface designed for installation on a computer, it is possible to order the measurement
device to collect data and transmit it to the computer through USB or Bluetooth connection, obtain
the curve in a graph or save it in a file.
The data of these curves will be obtained by connecting the photovoltaic panel to a capacitor. The
charge of this element increases its resistance values. When starting this process with the capacitor
discharged, its resistance value is null and it short circuits the panel (maximum current). As the
charging process continues, the resistance increases and the current decreases, ending with current
null at the end of the charging process (equivalent to an open circuit with infinite resistance).
From this process the values of voltage and current will be measured, analogue signals that will
be converted to digital by ADC converters, each connected to a microcontroller. One of them will
be the master of the measure, order of managing and controlling the process and communication
with the computer. The other, the slave, will only be at the master’s order and will send the
collected data once the reading is finished
