Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello...I am measuring voltage change in a solar cell with temperature change. I also need to measure open circuit current. The voltage is fine, however, I'm not sure if I'm reading the current correctly. Over the range of the temperature change (about 40*f to 76*f) I don't see any real change in current. Is this correct or am I using the multi meter wrong?

Hi truacaldwell,

Are you doing this project? https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... re#summary

If you're using the multimeter correctly then you might not see much of a variation in current, but since power = voltage * current, then if the voltage is changing, the power is still changing.

Note that you are measuring the short circuit current, not the open circuit current. Open circuit current is zero because current cannot flow through an open circuit. What multimeter dial setting are you using to measure current?