Patent ID: 8407019

Claim:
A method for monitoring direct current (DC) supplied by a solar photovoltaic system including a plurality of solar panels; the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a multi-circuit direct current monitor (MCDCM) having a microprocessor and a plurality of sensors; (b) coupling each of the sensors of the MCDCM to one of the plurality of solar panels; (c) monitoring an instantaneous current value for each sensor; (d) monitoring a long average current value for each sensor; (e) with said microprocessor, comparing the instantaneous current value for each sensor against the long average current value for each respective sensor; (f) sending an output alarm if the instantaneous current value for any one of the sensors deviates from the long average current value for each respective sensor by a threshold value; (g) with said microprocessor calculating, for each of the sensors, an average current value of the long average current value of the remaining sensors; (h) with said microprocessor, comparing the long average current value for each of the sensors against the average current value of the long average current value of the remaining sensors; and (i) sending an output alarm if the long average current value for any one of the sensors deviates from the average current value of the long average current value of the remaining sensors by the threshold value.