MCU BASED SOLAR PANEL ENERGY MONITORING AND DEFECT DETECTION

SYSTEM

A Thesis
Presented to the Faculty of the
Information and Communications Technology Program
STI College Global City

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Science in
Computer Engineering

Danica Laurrane A. Siscar

Adrian Cyrus C. Luczon
John Kyle Baluloy
Brian B. Garcia

MARCH 2020
 ENDORSEMENT FORM FOR FINAL DEFENSE

TITLE OF RESEARCH: MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring and Defect
Detection System

NAME OF DEVELOPERS: Danica Laurrane A. Siscar

John Kyle T. Baluloy
Adrian Cyrus C. Luczon
Brian B. Garcia

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements

for the degree Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering has been examined and is
recommended for Final Defense.

ENDORSED BY:

Engr. Sherwin M. Ostria

Thesis Adviser

APPROVED FOR FINAL DEFENSE:

Engr. Sherwin M. Ostria

Thesis Coordinator

NOTED BY:

Ms. Ma. Antonia G. Mariano

Program Head

MARCH 2020
 APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis titled: MCU Based Automatic Solar Panel Defect Detector System prepared and
submitted by Danica Laurrane A. Siscar; John Kyle T. Baluloy; Adrian Cyrus C. Luczon;
and Brian B. Garcia, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of
Science in Computer Engineering, has been examined and is recommended for acceptance and
approval.

Engr. Sherwin M. Ostria

Thesis Adviser

Accepted and approved by the Thesis Review Panel in partial

fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering

Ms. Ma. Antonia G. Mariano Engr. Lilibeth Calpito

Panel Member Panel Member

Ms. Fe Dalangin
Lead Panelist

Noted:

Engr. Sherwin M. Ostria Ms. Ma. Antonia G. Mariano

Thesis Coordinator Program Head
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The developers would like to acknowledge and extend their gratitude to the following people
who provided support and inspiration:

First, to Almighty God, He is one of the reasons why the developers creating this kind of project.

To Engr. Sherwin M. Ostria, the developers Thesis Coordinator, who also our thesis adviser in
Design Project 1 and 2, who gave instructions, support and guided the developers while making
this project possible.

To all the panelists, who reviewed the proponent’s documentation and project;

To all the professors of STI College Global City in helping the developers project to be firm;

To the developer’s parents, who are continuous support and financial support to produce the
project and inspire and motivate the developers to make this project fruitful/

To our friends, who unconditionally helped us in imparting their own knowledge and
experiences in Design Project 1 and 2;

To all the authors behind the book and online article, who helped the developers to get
meaningful ideas and concepts to the project; and

To the librarian, let the developers in borrowing books that gave a great knowledge and build the
foundation of this project.
 ABSTRACT
Title of research: MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring and Defect
Detection System

Researchers: Danica Laurrane Siscar

Adrian Cyrus Luczon
John Kyle Baluloy
Brian Garcia

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering

Date of Completion: October 2019

Key words: Energy Monitoring and Defect Detection

Failure-free operation of solar panels is of fundamental importance for modern commercial solar
power plants. To achieve higher power generation efficiency and longer panel life, a simple and
reliable panel evaluation method is required. By using thermal infrared imaging, anomalies can
be detected without having to incorporate expensive electrical detection circuitry.

In this paper, we create a solar panel defect detection system, which automates the inspection
process and mitigates the need for manual panel inspection in a large solar farm. Infrared video
sequences of each array of solar panels are first collected by an infrared camera mounted to a
moving cart, which is driven from array to array in a solar farm.

This thesis study presents a design project called MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring
and Defect Detection System. The project aims to monitor and define the defect of a solar panel
using Generating Module, Converting Module, Storing Module, Monitoring Module, Warning
Module, Scanning and Detecting Module.
 PREFACE

This documentation is about the MCU–BASED SOLAR PANEL ENERGY MONITORING

AND DEFECT DETECTOR SYSTEM that contains the information about solar panels and how
it can be helpful to our environment also how the machine development is done and other
significant information. The goal of this machine is to show the energy gathered by the solar
panel and what is the defect of the solar panel. This documentation composed of chapters that
provide information about the machine at its different aspect.

CHAPTER I. This chapter covered the preliminary information that is relevant in designing the
machine. Different studies and research that is related to the machine was covered in this chapter.
This chapter includes scope and limitation that served as the guidelines for the machine
development. The machine benefits to the society, environment and to its user.

CHAPTER II. This chapter showed different areas of studies that are applied to the machine in
developing it. The contribution of each area of study to the machine is defined in this chapter.
The different mechanism of the machine the software and the hardware used by the developer to
build the machine were also defined on this chapter.

CHAPTER III. This chapter showed graphs, charts and diagrams that aids the developer as well
as reader to understand and comprehend the machine functions and operations. This chapter
showed the design of the whole system. The hardware and software that were installed on the
machine are showed and defined their uses to the machine.

CHAPTER IV. This chapter, the testing of all modules of the prototype is recorded. This also
includes results of the testing to help the developers improve the machine by comparing the
results of every testing done to the module.

CHAPTER V. This chapter is composed of conclusion, recommendations, and the summary of

the whole project. The conclusion discussed all the functions that the machine achieved and the
recommendations discussed the improvement can be done to the machine.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
Title Pages i
Endorsement Form for Proposal Defense ii
Approval Sheet iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Preface vi
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables viii
List of Figures ix
List of Appendices x
Introduction 1
Background of the problem 2
Statement of the problem 5
General Problem 5
Specific Problem 6
Overview of the current state of technology 6
Objectives of the study 7
General Objectives 7
Specific Objectives 8
Scope and limitations of the study 9
Scope 9
Limitation 10
Literature Review 12
Foreign 12
Onsite Inspection of PV Panels, Aided from Infrared Thermography in 12
Greece
Fault Inspection by Aerial Infrared Thermography in PV Plant after a 13
Meteorological Tsunami in Japan
A Crack Detection Using Image Processing 14
Local 15
Monitoring System of Solaric Corporation 15
Thermography Drone 17
Research in Solar PV Development 18
MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring and Defect Detection System 19
Overview of the project 19
Methodology 20
System design specification 22
Schematic Diagram 22
Flowchart 23
Block Diagram 25
Data Flow Diagram 26
Entity Relationship Diagram 27
Hardware/Software Requirements Hardware/Software 28
Results And Discussions 37
Introduction 37
Experiments 37
Survey Questionnaire 42
Likert’s Scale 43
Conclusion And Recommendation 50
Conclusions 50
Recommendations 51
References 52
Appendices 54
 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE Pages
1 Defect Detecting Testing 38
2 Information Collection in Testing Login and User Data Test 39
3 Information Collection in Monitoring for Row 1 Testing 39
4 Information Collection in Monitoring for Row 2 Testing 40
5 Information Collection in Defect Detection output Test 40
6 Assessing the Solar Panel Condition 41
7 4 Point Likert’s Scale Criteria 44
8 User’s Survey Results Hardware 45
9 User’s Survey Results Software 46
10 Operations and Management’s Survey Results Hardware 47
11 Operations and Management’s Survey Results Software 48
12 Despro 1 - Calendar of Activities 65
13 Despro 2 - Calendar of Activities 65
14 Despro 1 - Calendar of Activities 66
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Pages

1 Solar Panel Micro Cracks 3

2 Snail Trail Contamination 3
3 Monitoring System of Solaric Corporation 15
4 Thermography Drone 17
5 Spiral Model 20
6 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring and Defect 22
Detection Schematic Diagram
7 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring Defect Detector 23
System Flowchart for Admin
8 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring Defect Detector 24
System Flowchart for User
9 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring Defect Detector 25
System Block Diagram
10 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring and Defect 26
Detection System Data Flow Diagram
11 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring and Defect 27
Detection Entity Relationship Diagram
12 NEMA 24 STEPPER MOTOR 28
13 Linear Screw 28
14 USB Port 29
15 Step Down Regulator 29
16 Raspberry Pi 30
17 Stepper Motor Driver 30
18 ADAFRUIT 8x8 Thermal Camera 31
19 Arduino Uno 31
20 Solar Charge Controller 32
21 Rocker Switch 32
22 Li-ion Battery 33
23 LCD Screen 33
24 Digital Voltmeter Display 34
25 Solar Panel 34
26 Limit Switch 35
27 Arduino IDE 35
28 HTML Web Programming 36
29 Sketch Up 36
30 Enter Admin Password 68

31 Admin! 68
32 Database Interface 69
33 User 69
34 Row Menu 70
35 Row 1 70
36 Row 2 70
37 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring Defect Detector 72
System Prototype Design
38 MCU Based Solar Panel Energy Monitoring Defect Detector 72
System Prototype Design

LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix PAGES
A Transcript of Interview 55
B Project Involvement Form 60
C Schedule of Activities 64
D Screen Design 67
E Prototype Design 71
F User’s Manual 73
G Survey Questionnaires 81
H Source Code 87
I Datasheets 90
J Budgetary Expenses 98
K Curriculum Vitae 100

INTRODUCTION
In the 21st century, technology allowed people to think about alternative energy sources that are
cleaner and more natural. One of these alternative energy sources is solar energy, which could be
gathered by using solar cells. Solar cells initially were expensive, but nowadays they are
becoming cheaper and can be used instead of traditional energy in many countries. The main
challenge in this area is the quality of solar cells and its robustness. So, it is important to perform
an initial inspection for detecting the defects on solar cells [Singh SN, 2014].

Solar energy is created using the energy which has been generated by the sun. A solar panel can
function using the solar energy which is derived from the sun. Every solar panel contains a lot of
different silicon cells or solar cells. They are the building blocks of solar panels. The energy
from the sun is absorbed by these solar cells then it’s converted into electricity. There are
different advantages in using solar panels such as it can be used in rural or remote areas. Using
solar panels can also reduce electricity bills and have low maintenance cost. On the other hand, it
also has disadvantages such as the cost, its weather dependency, and the space they occupy.
Solar panels are important nowadays, therefore finding defects in a solar panel is a big help.

There are different methods to detect solar panel defects manually or by using testing
equipments such as a multitester. Detecting the defects can also be done by the naked eye like
looking if there are broken or chipped solar cells, scratches on the glass, solar string alignment,
fading labels and many more.

Building a solar panel system in a power plant or in a residential setting needs to have a
monitoring system so the user can track if the solar panel system is generating electricity or not.

Therefore, the smartest method of detecting defects in a solar panel is by using a machine that
can sense whether the solar panel is defected or not without human intervention and to monitor
the progress of the installed solar panel system.