Solar Panels- Best place to buy?

Frank, Although I understand your comment re buying a panel with no controller, (potential quality) this may restrict one's choice of good quality, cheap panels.

My folding panel was purchased from Bit Deals and came with an on board MPPT controller.
As I have a dc-dc charger with solar input in my camper, I added another circuit to the panel's junction box so I could bypass the on board controller and connect the panel's uncontrolled output directly to the D250S solar port on the camper. Obviously, the best location is as close to the batteries being charged, for optimal performance, especially if you have a longish cable length.

In this way, I can still use the panel if required to connect up to the auxiliary in the back of the vehicle or any other battery I choose and use the original circuit using it's on board controller.

This is easily achieved by adding another cable to the junction box where the two panels terminate and before the input to the on board controller which is actually not too shabby.
In this way I get the best flexibility from my 120 watt panel array without compromising output quality.
The original twin cable has a removable alligator clamp style connection and the "uncontrolled" additional circuit is terminated with an Anderson connector.

Works for me!

That's certainly a very flexible arrangement, Bill, and another option for the OP to consider.

Cheers

I use a folding 180W panel from Marsol, but bypass the regulator on the back of the panel and feed to a CTEK D250S Dual regulator alongside the 2 x 120 AH AGM batteries.....for reasons covered earlier. Works for my loads.
Marsol will work out what what will work for your loads.
Don't forget to claim your ExplorOz Member discount.

Marsol don't appear to be Business Members any longer Trevor?

Stuck the 160w panel on roof of our camper, and use the 120w folding panel, with regulator bypassed, as yours is. Seems to work okay, though we haven't used the system as much as we'd like. :-)

Bob

Noticed that also Bob, but they still have the logo on their web site....probably worth asking.
I repeated the set up in our upgrade (14ft 2000 Golf with shr/toilet) after 8mths around Aust in 2014 with a modified early Aussie Swag hard floor camper.

Trevor

Some good responses here, but I wonder if Rumpig's isn't among the best. First I'd look at your actual requirements -

Like

Do you travel most days, so the alternator can provide most charging?

How long do you want to be independent of outside charging?

Just what do you mean by a "power hungry camp", and could this be minimised?

Do you have adequate battery capacity?

How are you planning on carrying the panel/s? Roofrack? Roof of camper? Inside vehicle/camper?

All these considerations affect your needs, and hence how best they can be met and what assistance we can offer. For what it's worth, we carry two separate panels that slide into the roof rack and deliver about 150W (total). With 200Ah of storage, and assuming we use the alternator at least a couple of short days a week, our needs (lighting and charging cameras etc) are easily handled.

Cheers

John

Hi Guys

Very valid questions indeed. Just getting into solar as said. Likely to ditch what I buy now in 5 ish years, maybe a little more. So not looking for the "perfect" set up at this stage. (Don't get holidays much anymore). Just didn't want to buy crap. Think I'll either go 1 x 2 x 80w folding panel, or I might even splash out and get two. It's really just to try it out. We have two batteries in the boat (75 Ah)
One portable, 130 Ah, think I'll sit this aside with one fridge running off it connected to solar. Hoping 160 w panel in the top end would keep this going?
Three in the back of the Troopy, 3 x 75 Ah + starting battery.
Run two fridges, drink heaps of beer and live in the hottest place in Australia :-)
Total draw could be 150 Ah + per day.
So maybe, with some driving and a little generator power and 2 separate folding 160w kits would do?

Cheers

Lyndon

Lyndon, you've got some good advice on assessing needs from folks with a lot more expertise than me so I just endorse what's been said about defining the ask.

I "experimented" with a BitDeals 160w folding set up. Here's the short report. Does the job while it holds together. Wires are scrawny, clamps are average, supports are complete crap, and the controller doesn't like to get wet. Last trip the panels were propped up with a forked stick. It rained and the controller starting shoving 16+v into my batteries.

Upside. The experiment worked. Downside I've got a two year old set of panels to find a use for when I buy something decent - eg Kickass.

Cheers
Mark