Solar AGAIN

Amorphous panels are said to be the most efficient, but they're also the most expensive. If you have plenty of space I'd bang on a few more panels.

G'day Shane

Hard Korr offer some decent gear, usually at a reasonable price.

https://hardkorr.com/au/product/170w-fixed-solar-panel/

They give the figures that they expect and most seem pretty happy with them. I have the 150W fold up blanket which works very well.

Cheers
Jim

Shane
The Victron works well but you may not see the max of panel ability, as current on an app, unless the batteries are down a fair bit and the voltage difference of reg and battery are very different, it is definitely operating on MPPT mode, AND you are looking at that particular time. I have a few cheap panels and all seem to be able to develop much more than 50% current of stated ability in a short circuit test. My fixed system with a Renogy 40 amp and BT app has recorded 477watts from 500w of house solar panels, two in series there. It must have been a short term event though as most is around 340w with normal use and normal recorded maximums. On the ute I have 3 cheap panels, which in theory are quite a bit more than the 25a DCDC unit can handle as input wattage, I took a chance and have three panels in parallel. It seems their total never gets to the 25A input max. Couldn't do series connected as input voltage is limited to 27V. Always go on the actual size of the cell area and not the frame dimensions of the panel when calculating solar. As I see it, If I get more than 60% of stated in a short circuit test then ok with the cost of the cheap panels.

Collyn Rivers, in one of his well-regarded articles on Solar for RVs, said a good rule of thumb is expect about 70% of the claimed wattage for most solar panels.

Thanks guys,
It sounds like what I’ve got probably aren’t doing too bad. And I do have plenty of space , so I’ll just fill it up I think.
I’d be pissed off if I spent a heap more on presumed “better “ panels and didn’t get much better performance.
As RMD said if they’re not tracking the sun , they won’t get optimum much or any of the day.
Cheers
Shane

A good rule of thumb with any solar in real world is to de rate the genuine max wattage to just 60% to take into account all the losses like heat (panels get very warm in summer) winter (suns Ray's dont strike direct earth but much more of an angle), imperfect leg positioning angle, faint clouds, mppt losses, etc etc.

Most cheap panels are usually false advertised like so many things were there are no rules. Trying to determine the actual wattage based on area is only a rough guess due to the fact you need the conversion efficiency (usually 17%) and the sellers of cheap stuff just like.

Long story short put up with the cheapest or buy quality brands from reputable sellers.
Mono vs poly glass it dont make that big of a diff with top brands, but usually the best mono is 19-21% efficient, any higher is lies.
And finally forget those semi flex panels they are notorious for dropping output over time. Glass and alloy all the way!

A good start to knowing if you are getting a reasonable panel is to look at the ratings on the back of the panel.
Most of the cheapies these days have nothing related to power output, just voltages.
They are ordered this way so the sellers can say whatever they want.
Also neither the packaging or panel show any reference to the manufacturer.
This is because the manufacturer wants no responsibility for the claims made by the sellers.