Buying solar panels

Submitted: Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 14:29

ThreadID: 64427 Views:6150 Replies:7 FollowUps:9

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Solar Power

This article covers every aspect of solar and its design and installation in RVs (camper trailers, caravans and motor homes). It shows how much power solar panels really produce,

Member - DOZER

Gday
Looking through the latest Repco cattle dog, i see they have 80 watt solar panels with a controller for $999.
They are a suitcase style setup....wondering if anyone else more astute in the theory of solar than i... has looked at them to gauge if they are good quality and price...would be used to keep a 95 a/h battery happy over a weeks camp with a 12 volt fridge that consumes 2.5 amps.
Andrew

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Reply By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 15:13

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 15:13

It is the Projecta SPP80K.

Have a closer look at it before buying one.

http://www.projecta.com.au/catalogue/cid/17/asset_id/152

There are many others that are far better quality and supplied with heavy duty cable, regulator and bag.

Regards

Derek.

AnswerID: 340627

Reply By: Ozboc - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 15:45

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 15:45

I have similar solar panel , i hook it up to my second battery in the 4x4 and have the wacco 80 ltr fridge running in the back of the nissan when parked

it adds a little extra help but not enough to run the fridge and charge it also - i am told i need MIn 160 w for my needs -- with this panel and connected to my second battery - my error light comes on after 2 days in the hot summer on the beach - so not sure about a week or more with this small panel

Hope this is of some help

Boc

AnswerID: 340631

Reply By: Member - DOZER- Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 20:10

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 20:10

Thanks for your responses guys. I usually get 2 days maybe 3 from a normal starting battery, have just bought a 95 a/h deep cycle dual purpose calcium battery and would like to look after it by minimising how far i run it down....we usually go for a drive every few days, which helps, i was amazed at how much difference a small 20W panel made to the voltage of a mates battery, at this point, i must say that reading about voltages in the solar article above has shown me i was probably looking at surface charge thinking the battery was better off than it actually was....lol....can you point me in the right direction Derek??
Andrew

AnswerID: 340667

Follow Up By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 20:20

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 20:20

Hi Andrew

What fridge do you have and what temperature do you run it at ?

Is the new battery an addition or a replacement ?

Regards

Derek.

FollowupID: 608322

Follow Up By: Member - DOZER- Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 21:11

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 21:11

Derek, i will send you a PM, have been looking through your store.
When i go to your profile, i dont get the usual...send a MM prompt
Andrew

FollowupID: 608332

Reply By: Member - Gaz@Gove (NT) - Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 23:15

Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 at 23:15

Dozer, I've got a PRIMUS 80w suitcase setup with case,regulator etc, and its enough to keep us camping indefinitely,(40l engel,lights and sink pump) with the odd daytrip etc. We have 2 100w batteries in the camper.

Mmmmmmmm, now where do we go next?

Lifetime Member
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AnswerID: 340698

Reply By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Sunday, Dec 21, 2008 at 01:14

Sunday, Dec 21, 2008 at 01:14

An 80 Watt SHARP Panel features the following:

* Photovoltaic module with bypass diode minimises the power drop caused by shade
* Textured cell surface to reduce the reflection of sunlight and Back Surface Field structure to improve cell conversion efficiency: 14.11%
* White tempered glass, EVA resin and a weatherproof film, plus aluminium frame for extended outdoor use
* Nominal 12 volt output for battery charging applications

Add a Quality Steca 10 Amp Solar regulator with LCD screen = ~$950 (total package just add cable)

It's a no brainer, I know which one I would buy :-))

(I would increase also the battery capacity)

Mainey . . .

AnswerID: 340707

Follow Up By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:20

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 22:20

By white you mean clear ?

FollowupID: 608615

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:13

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:13

Derek,
No, white does not mean 'clear'
'White' actually means "white tempered glass"

The picture in the LINK is of a multi-crystalline silicon solar panel, not the same as described in the 'blurb'
LINK: SHARP Solar panel information

Below is the close comparison of the two different technologies, one being 'clear' the other 'white' glass.
Image Could Not Be FoundMainey . . .

FollowupID: 608629

Follow Up By: ABR - SIDEWINDER - Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:35

Monday, Dec 22, 2008 at 23:35

So by white you refer to non reflective.

FollowupID: 608634

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 00:03

Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008 at 00:03

Derek,
SHARP call it "White tempered glass" in their Link I have supplied
Yes, it's a non-reflective surface, that can be clearly seen in the two Solar panel surfaces I have posted above.
But I'm sure you already knew that too :)

Mainey . . .

FollowupID: 608641

Follow Up By: Nikkilinks - Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 at 03:11

Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 at 03:11

Mainey, I am new to the world of solar power, it's like living in a cave all my life and coming out for the first time in 90yrs to see a tree, don't know what it is and too old to learn, but if you tell me which one is good for food, I'll stand under it for the rest of my life. So, please advise, if I want to disconnect from city power to use a solar power system with all the regular comforts but can't afford to spend a ton (I've seen one system online for 16,000+),what can I do and what do I need.

FollowupID: 611343

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 at 09:35

Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 at 09:35

Nikkilinks,
You ask-> " if I want to disconnect from city power to use a solar power system with all the regular comforts but can't afford to spend a ton .... what can I do and what do I need "

If I understand you want to power your 'urban residence' I'm sure you will get no change from $16k, but even then it may not be possible to run all the products you use now anyway, because some will be extreme power guzzlers, as manufacturers in past years didn't make their products capable of running *efficiently* on Solar power.

Another problem you may have in the 'city' is the (lack of) area capable of placing the solar panels to gain optimum sunshine hours with-out shade and therefore performance from the panels is limited.

However, if you can specify the actual power consumption figures for each of your present electrical products, the system requirements you will require to run them can then be worked out !

Mainey . . .

FollowupID: 611362

Follow Up By: Nikkilinks - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 03:14

Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 03:14

Currently, I'd be happy if I can go to my go to my light switch and turn it on knowing that it's practically free.I live on an island, along the Tropic of Cancer, my home is single story 60x45 ft (built when money was no object,after kids things changed ALOT). My yard space is limited.I have posted the specs of the appliances I'd like to run under thread 64878, if its not too much trouble maybe you can have a look. I really would appreciate your advice.

FollowupID: 611472

Reply By: Robin Miller - Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 at 07:47

Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 at 07:47

Hi Dozer

That would do the job for you but I think there are better options for your senario.

Mine is not dissimilar and I just run the car for an extra 1/2 hour a day and charge the batteries as required.

Costs roughly a dollar or two and at that rate it will take a long time to consume $999 .

Mind you its fun playing with that stuff , we had someone with new similar setup at our recent week long camp.
It kept him occupied throughout the day as his leads were only 10m long and he had to keep moving the car to keep the panel in the sun and then being out in the open it almost got run over by another car.

Everytime he moved the car we got him to keep engine running for a few minutes - I didn't have the heart to tell him that by my calcs he put more energy back into his batteries with the car than with his nice new Xmas present.

AnswerID: 343523