Projecta folding solar panel

Thanks for the info Jim.
How long have you had the panel?
Hardkorr seem to be at a good price point.
William

Had it about 2 years, and have nothing but praise for the unit. Also have an older Project 80w panel , which was OK, but the HK set up is the bees knees as far as I'm concerned.
You'll be quite surprised at how robust the HK unit is ......... very strong and protected.

And ...... it's on sale at the moment !!

Cheers
Jim

I have a 200W Hard Korr blanket with the regulator removed. When I need a boost I run it in parallel with the 160W panel into my MPPT controller. Can't fault it.

Hi Jim,
Thank you for your comments.
I ordered the Hardkorr 150W panel.
It met all my criteria and has a 3 year warranty.
The Projecta only has a 1 year warranty.
I hope never to need to use the warranty but you never know
William

I’m sure you will be happy with it.

Cheers
Jim

I have 2 panels totally 210w on the roof already.
Just after something light weight to supplement them if needed.
William

Having the supplementary portable is good strategy in my view…can move it around early and late in the day, to pick up that extra sun that the fixed units can miss.

Hi something I found out after having solar since 1992 that having permanent solar panels and plenty of it has stopped the need to replace batteries. The main reason being they are kept charged,one over point I have noticed is that experienced traveler don’t use portable panels and don’t worry about shade,regards.

Further to my above…possibly should have been clear that I have 240w of fixed panels on the van. The portable is used in support of those fixed.

I have a similar setup for the last couple of years with the combined panel output going through a projecta regulator and am very happy with it
I prefer this system as it allows the camper to be parked in the shade with the panels out in the sun pushing in 12-18 amps

Yep, I second this suggestion. I bought 2 flexible lightweight 100W panels from Jaycar. I made a light frame with 10mm x 10mm U section ally extrusion for each to make them less floppy and able to take a couple of props to angle them to the sun.

Keep in mind the longevity of flexible panels is showing to be around half that of rigid panels... even the high end (Maxeon, etc.).

Cheers,

Mark

G'day swampy.
I panel of 120w 1 of 90.
2 gel 100ah batteries.
Dometic 3 way fridge. 164 L.
The lights in the van are led.
Small inverter (300 w) for running the vast satellite box.
William

William.
Do you really mean a Dometic 3 way fridge??? ie, gas, 12v, 240v AC, surely not on your system!
210 total solar is really about 150w in normal terms. If it averages that much.

Yep.
Dometic 3 way.
Before leaving home 240v to bring the temps down, 12v when traveling, on gas when on site.
William.

William
Doesn't your alternator charge the van battery and run fridge while travelling? Of course there is lots of ways to arrange the charging and fridge 12v supply.
I fitted a VSR to my fridge and it cuts off to protect van battery voltage level and any other battery connected from vehicle.

Sorry,
Correction. It's a Thetford fridge
William

Hi guy's, I watched a youtube vid posted by a Solar tech guy from the USA, He mentioned that if you are running different sized panels in parallel, as most of us do( in Parallel), you keep the same Voltage but the Watt out put decreases to the lowest one, IF THIS IS FACT ?? then you William may be only running a 90w system. NEEDS SOME ONE THAT REALLY KNOWS to verifier. Jeff

There was no indication that the voltages were different, only the individual power. Retreating to the lowest voltage is an over simplification. It's a bit more complex than that.

Jeff.
With panels of different sizes/wattages but same voltage under the same radiant situation, I think the energy/amps add together with panels in parallel. I have three cheap panels in parallel and they do add up and are close to fully running a 3 way fridge via reg and battery, while travelling.

.
It is NOT FACT Jeff.
If several energy sources of the same voltage are connected in parallel to a load, they will each contribute their in proportion to their rated current. This applies to solar panels as with any source.
Note that it only holds if they are of the SAME voltage. If their voltages differ then their contribution will differ. If the voltage of any contributor is low enough then it may fail to contribute at all.
Certainly, the "Watt out put" will never "decrease to the lowest one". But with a voltage insufficiency, the output power may be no more than the larger one.

A problem in contribution may occur if any given panel in a parallel configuration has been inappropriately voltage rated by the manufacturer.

Hi Guy's He did not say the voltages were different,(in this scenario) but if the individual panels power (amps) are,then they decrease to the lowest output,and I got it wrong for Williams system would be 2x90amp =180amp not the 210amp (120 + 90amp) he has on the roof. Like I said in above post NEEDS A EXPERT to verify or debunk this, other wise all we get is options and what we think we know. Jeff

.
Jeff,

Firstly, you said that it "Needs some one that really knows to verify". I responded as I consider that I am "someone who really knows" because I am an experienced and qualified Electrical Engineer and I have experience with solar systems.
It is possible that you have misunderstood what your "Solar tech guy from the USA" said but if you quoted him correctly then he is wrong.
I answered you in the context of panels with the SAME voltage, but added an explanation of what would happen if they were not of the same voltage.

Your mathematics for William's system are wrong. His system is 120Watt + 90Watt = 210 Watt NOT "2x90amp" as you have put.

Let me give you an illustration using batteries instead of solar panels...... If you connect a 12v 100Ah battery in parallel with another battery of 12v 80Ah you will have a capacity of 12v 180Ah. I'm sure that would make sense to you and it is the same for solar panels or any other source of electrical energy.

Jeff,
Is this the video you were referring to? If so, I think you may have misinterpreted what he said
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jejro4zkl8I

Hi Guy's, That's great Allan that your an expert we can now trust what you say, your post said nothing about you being an Elec engineer. I do understand about Batteries in parallel but not being an electrician I am not sure about solar, oms law etc. I was once taught a lesson by Red Ark when I thought I could run 2 battery chargers into the one battery bank, Phil that is the video I am referring to,I did misinterpret what he said, watching it again he is talking about wiring 2 strings in series and then in parallel into the controller at the end of his video. Jeff

.
Not keen on being classed an "expert" Jeff,....... they never make mistakes. lol
That guy in the video seems to know his stuff but, as he warns, he does go fast and can take a bit to keep up with.
Wiring solar panels in combination series and parallel does need care even where they are all of the same specification and can be plain tricky when of varying specs. Best not to go there!

Hi Allan,Yeah it takes me a while to comprehend exactly what he is saying I've watched that video a few times now, at ~the 6:22 min mark he talks about running a 600w array in SERIES with mismatched panels, 2 panels 200w, 25v, 8amp and 2 x 100w,20v,5amp then using watts law explains how the AMP ratting drops to the lowest common denominator of 5amp, meaning the 600w array only operates @ 75% capacity 90v x 5amp = 450amp going into the controller. I dont know how many people run their solar systems in series on campers/caravans etc. but the ones that do and use mismatched panels may need to be aware of this, can you verify if this is correct. Jeff

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Yes Jeff, he is correct. As the current must pass through all cells, the limiting factor is the lowest rated which in his model is 5 Amps. Hence that is the greatest current available notwithstanding that two of the panels are capable of delivering 8 Amps.

You could see an analogy in a metal chain. This too is a series assembly. If two of the links were rated at 8 tonnes and the other two at 5 tonnes, then the greatest load that could safely be applied to the chain would be 5 Tonnes. Equal to the 'weakest link' eh?

A GOOD brand solar blanket of high watts are very expensive. Jeff

The expected 100W ,maximum EVER output, cut it back by at least 25% for a day to day realistic value.
Watts of panel is one thing, but wiring, and regulator type/performance has a lot to do with the actual captured energy in the battery. A lesser quality panel with proper wiring and MPPT reg will surpass a better panel with PWM and average wiring.

RMD - for sure. The amount of power that will reach the battery will be lower and affected by all sorts of things. I wanted to point out a fairly simple way to check if the solar panel seller is telling the truth or not.

Since I wrote the initial comment years ago I've seen others recommend 200W per m2. Anywhere around 170-200 is probably realistic.

William.
Does that mean there are no other valid options?

What make of MPPT do you intend buying William. :)
Dave.