Part 4/7:
Realizing a weak connection might be the culprit, Paul suspects the soldered alligator clip. Upon testing, he confirms that a faulty clip was causing the voltage drop. Replacing it with a new, properly soldered clip restores the voltage to just over 30 volts. Despite this, he notes he cannot replicate the previous high of 38.9 volts, speculating that environmental factors, such as ground moisture or atmospheric conditions, might influence results.
With the hardware issue resolved, Paul moves forward with his primary focus: assessing the effect of saltwater on the circuit's voltage. He adds a bucket of salty water to the ground setup, anticipating it might improve conductivity and thus boost voltage.