Stung with solar
Submitted: Friday, Jan 03, 2020 at 16:17
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qldcamper
Has anyone else come across flexable panels with no referance to output power on them at all, only voltages.
I bought a couple advertised as 100 watt and the best i get out of them is 53 watts, both panels very close to each other.
If they were advertised as 60 watt units id be happy with them, but I need 150 watts for my requirements.
Am currently trying to negotiate with them but they are not very eager to do much. I have cut the ends off the leads for andersen style plugs so returning them probably isnt an option, but they havent even offered a refund yet.
Probably going to get stuck with them and have to buy a third panel.
Followup##
This is a follow up to a previous thread, it wont be responded to by me, it is simply a warning.
There is an online business selling traveling gear with a name similar to " outbacks" but spelled differently.
I purchased 2 flexable panels advertised as 100 watts. The panels had no reference to output on them at all in amps or watts.
Unhappy with their performance i asked them twice how they ascertained they were infact 100 watts as they advertised to which I received no answer.
All they do is say they can be returned according to their returns policy, but I had to change the plugs in order to
test them so they fell outside their returns policy.
Beware, this business is very deceptive with their advertising.
Reply By: Phil G - Friday, Jan 03, 2020 at 22:40
Friday, Jan 03, 2020 at 22:40
Yep, its easy to get stung with solar.
I've bought many 60W and 100W glass solar panels and never had a problem - always measured short circuit current and open circuit voltage in the beautiful SA sun. The glass panels have all delivered the claimed output.
So a few months ago I took a gamble and bought a 250W 3 panel folding lightweight panel - I thought no way could you get 250W out of panels that were 1580x 680 unfolded. But the panels were the only ones I could find that fitted perfectly where I wanted to store them, only weighed 7kg and were cheap at $200 so I bought them. And sure enough they only deliver 150W when tested. The seller didn't have a clue and offered a refund or compensation, but I figured that panel still fitted my requirements so I kept it. And at the recent 4wd show, I saw the same panels from a reputable company being sold as 150W - so the Ebay sellers just up the figures to get a sale.
I've also had a 100W flexible panel a few years back and it overheated and went zero output in the
Kimberley sun.
And a very good friend has replaced the 100W flexible panels twice on his $100k hybrid van. That company no longer uses flexible panels - gone back to glass.
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Reply By: Rangiephil - Saturday, Jan 04, 2020 at 13:26
Saturday, Jan 04, 2020 at 13:26
I am pretty loath to reply to this thread but I must say I have learned something.
I have a "250Watt" flexible panel to which I have added a very light frame made of 1/4 inch aluminium U channel stiffened with Sikaflex and made a stand for it. It is 1100x1000 so is most likely around 150actual watts. ( from the formula in the thread)
The main reason I bought it was so that I didn't have to take up space under my hard floor camper trailer bed like my folding 150Watt panel , and reduce the weight involved as I can lay it flat on the bed..
It fulfils my objectives
well, although I used it to replace an earlier smaller flexible panel as the earlier panel gave only about 6amps through my GSL 12amp MPPT controller.
I am currently? running a Century 100AH wet deep cycle battery and I find that the panel charges to 14.3or so then reverts to about 1 amp float, rising to say 4 amps as the Engel clicks in.( using an inline amps/volts etc meter between the controller and battery) I have found the wet battery to be a problem due to the slow take up of amps once near full charge, as you start the next day at a lower SOC than if say an AGM battery had taken charge quicker. I plan to replace the wet battery when its capacity reduces to say 60% as it will not die on me.LOL. It is at 80% after 2.5 years.
So what I am saying is that it is "horses for courses" and as long as you recognize that MOST panels are nowhere near their rated specs , it is not really a problem as there are also other issues at play such as controller, battery type, convenient size and shape.
Panels are so cheap these days that to overspec is pretty cheap.
Ironically I was initially worried that the "250watt" panel would overstress my GSL MPPT 12 amp controller, but it is unlikely that the panel will produce over 10-11 amps even with the battery under 12volts. BTW I can recommend the Australian built GSL MPPT controller and they have great service backup. You are able to call a tech and discuss your concerns.
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