Solar panels

Hi Daryl
I admit that I know very little about solar panels, but I know Engel have a 80 watt solar panel pack, complete with regulator, and ready to connect to your battery. They output 4.66 watts, which you may be aware that the 40 Engel only draws 2.5 amps max, so you are then putting a little in reserve into your battery and selling around the $950 mark complete with bag.

You will get a lot more replies from more knowledgeable people for sure.

Cheers

Stephen

Daryl

I have had one of these for a couple of years now and it has been great.

Kulkyne Solar Panels

Quality is good, service is good - product does what it says it does

I have been in the market for a solar panel myself and a recent post spoke about panels and pointed out this supplier

Solar Panel

I couldn't resist and made an offer of $350 delivered for a 80w setup.

It arrived yesterday and like a kid in a lolloy shop I have been running it all day today.

Temperature has been around 34 degrees and the Unit has consistently been putting out around 14 volts.

IMHO sufficient to keep my battery charged whilst the fridge keeps the VB cold.

Since I personally don't run anything directly off the panel it will suit my needs very well and at a much better price than others around.

Time will tell!!!

Hi, do these portable fold-up solar units simply connect to the battery terminals by alligator clips ? They seem a good alternative to an installed system but I guess they would be easy to steal

Of course you could check Members Rewards and find 50 watt panels for $212.50 on special at the moment with a 20 Amp reg - $525 - that leaves a few dollars to buy cables and plugs ...

Rgds

Steve -

Hi Daz

When you have all the facts, figures and prices feel free to email me for confirmation of price and quality.

Regards

Derek from ABR

Daz,
Then when you have done all the above, place some relevant information here, so it can be talked about, it may be something that makes you want to buy a generator :-)

Maîneÿ . . .

Hi All,

Myself and my partner are newbies here, but are planning for our big trip next year, so will be regulars!

I have been trying to follow the posts on solar, and still get a bit lost. I am very interested in the members offer, and we are coming to Vic next weekend, so that could be an option for us (picking up our camper trailer woop woop).

Would someone mind answering the no doubt often asked, but often answered in tech jargon Q: We are running one fridge, few lights at night, no TV, heavy on laptop usage as we are home schooling and I am a photographer, so need laptops on most hours....

I know we need solar panels, and the more W the better. We are putting in a second battery under the hood to charge as we go. Other than those things, I thought we would need cables (how long, how many), an invertor for 240V... I don't know and need some advice on what else we need, and after reading this post - there's different kinds of regulators?? I didn't even know I NEED a regulator!

Any help would be great. Mandrake, are you close to Melbourne?

Thanks, and Hi again,

Lia (and Pete).

Good morning everyone...... Here is my two cents worth on this subject, but please note that I am directing this reply to Daryl N and Lia and Pete in particular and anyone else that is interested in solar panels, but, like most of us, dont understand, or need to understand, the inner workings of them.

I went down this track about 2 or 3 years ago. We have a Trailblaza 70l fridge, Trailblaza's are probably the toughest, most reliable car fridge there is IMO, but they do like to suck power from the batteries. After many episodes of having drained batteries when we were camped up for a couple of days with no driving, I decided to invest in solar. So far I have not regretted that decision as the panel I bought has not let us down. The next big decision was which panel to buy??? My philosophy with 4wd'ing, camping and adventure type touring is simple. We go to remote locations, where a repair shop may not be close by, so I want accessories that will go the distance. In my mind, this largely equates to "You-Get-What-You-Pay-For". So based on limited knowledge of solar panels, I researched a few different items and then decided to wait until I could afford a good one.

I eventually decided on This One HERE available through ABR. Derek is an advertiser on this site and was never too busy to answer my questions by phone or email and at the time of my purchase was busy relocating his business to a new address if memory serves, yet still met us on time for us to pick up our panel. Can't recommend him highly enough. I took my panel home and set it up in the back yard, hooked up the 4by to it, and ran the fridge from "hot" (i.e. previously switched off) with a full payload of water bottles with warm water, for the next four days, monitoring the fridges performance. Usually just over 24 hours would be enough to drain my second battery, but for four days my battery was running the fridge like a champion. In that four days we did not start the engine once!

The ONLY thing I can say about the conditions is that it was NOT bright sunshine all of the time, I did use my volt meter at times to keep an eye on the battery levels, but to me the ONLY thing I needed to know was that the fridge kept operating. We have used it often and it has not let us down once.

So for me, I am not interested in the technical aspect of my panel, it's not that I'm not tech minded, I certainly am tech-minded, but the solar technicals are of no interest to me. What matters to me is "real-world" trials, which is what I have done time after time with my panel. That's what is important. Give Derek a ring, he's a good bloke who's very easy to deal with.

DISCLAIMER:
1) I have NO affiliation with Derek Bester or ABR in any way, except as a happy (multiple) customer.
2) I am not interested in replies telling me my set up is not performing the way I describe it..... I am here, you are not and it does!!
3) Likewise I am not interested in becoming involved in a shouting match with any "experts" out there, if you don't agree with my post, see my point #2 above.
4) If anyone is in the South East Qld area and wants to see my panel in action, let me know, only too happy to demonstrate it.

Cheers

Brian

Reading all the replys has gone a long way to getting me up to speed on the technical stuff which I admitt I am still stuggling with.
I guess my problem is how do you know what is a good setup. Prices are variable with the cheepest 80watt setup about 400 dollars. Most suppliers don't indicate what brand panel they are selling only the type (mono crystalline) and some provide more information that others (see below). I also suspect that the quailty of the regulator is important
Am I correct in thnking that the quality of the solar panel is the most important consideration - If so how do you tell which ones are good, and that the type of regulator is also important.
As my wife is always telling me don't buy cheep buy quality



Brand A
80W
Specifications
• High efficiency mono-crystalline cells
• Power Output : 80 Watts ± 5%
• Short Circuit Current : 5.44 amps
• Open Circuit Voltage : 21.6 volts
• Optimum Operating Current : 4.62 amps
• Optimum Power Voltage : 17.2 volts
• Weight : 9.5 kgs
• Length : 550 mm
• Width : 540 mm x 2
• Thickness : 35 mm x 2
• Specifically designed for camping solar applications
Warranty
25 Year power warranty on our own brand of Solar panels.
?
Brand B
Specifications
80 watt
monocrytalline
Rated Voltage 12V
max system voltage 1000v
Operating temperature: -40 to +80 Degree
• Cell monocrystalline silicon solar cells
• Application: DC 12V system
• max power voltage 18v
• Weight Approx 12kg
• Includes Regulator
• includes Battery lead includes alligator clips
Warranty
.
25 year Warranty on all Informon Panels

Brand 3
Specifications:
• Max. power: 100W (Peak)
• Max. power voltage: 17.2V
• Max. power current: 5.80A
• Open circuit voltage: 21.6V
• Short circuit current:6.60A
• Number of cells: 72 (2x 36/panel)
• Temperature coefficient of ISC: +0.08mA/°C
• Temperature coefficient of VOC: -0.37V/°C
• Temperature coefficient of IN: +0.08mA/°C
• Temperature coefficient of VM: -0.37V/°C
• Total Weight : 14kg
• Conversion efficiency: 15%
• Output tolerance: ±5%
• Dimensions: 770 x 539 x 106mm (Folded)
• Dimensions: 1080 x 770 x 50mm (Open)

Don't forget about your intended use of the unit too -

I used to have an 80 watt panel on the Jeep roof running an 85 aH AGM connected to a Waeco 50 Litre fridge - Up north we had 3 consecutive days over 35 degrees and the fridge was running flat out in the 50 plus degrees of the rear of the Jeep - Battery got dangerously low by end of day 3 - Fortunately for me - I had a 140 watt panel on the trailer and hooked it in to recover the battery and keep the fridge running ... So 80 watts might not be enough on its own .

There are solar calculators here which you can use to work out your requirements .

Rgds

Steve

dazza62,
am posting here because I don't wish to interupt your own thread ha ha

Can you tell me what the second 'black box' is on the panel on left, in the picture you have indicated above you use?
Image Could Not Be FoundMaîneÿ . . .

Mandrake
I truly feel sorry for you, having any post moderated because it's due to a breach of the "Advertising/Self-Promotion Rule" when it's so obviously evident your a BUSINESS MEMBER of the EO Forum.
Stick with it :-)

Maîneÿ . . .