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Solar Panels


John Barnet

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Hello all

Can anyone (from experience) recommend a solar panel kit that will keep one starter and two 110 A.H. domestics topped up.

12V system - no inverters on board. one fridge used occasionally, lighting and digital radio only appliance's.

Ideally kit comes complete with controller etc and no rocket science required to install.

cheers

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Hello all

Can anyone (from experience) recommend a solar panel kit that will keep one starter and two 110 A.H. domestics topped up.

12V system - no inverters on board. one fridge used occasionally, lighting and digital radio only appliance's.

Ideally kit comes complete with controller etc and no rocket science required to install.

cheers

 

Have you tried typing in the search box in the top right hand corner. You'll find plenty on there as this topic as been asked numerous times. Good luck! cheers.gif

Edited by Darren72
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For a 'starter' kit I would Ebay the cheapest 100/120watt 12v nominal panel and 20/30 amp solar regulator, a reel of 17.5 amp auto double cable and buy a pattress and switch and fuse to fit. To accomodate atarter and domestics you need a couple of diodes, one in each positive feed to starter/leisure.

 

Do able for about 100 squid. When it proves its worth and you have figured what to do and what you need and makes sense augment with more panels.

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I think you will get better value buying the components seperately.Worth phoning around, I picked up a Sanyo HIT250 panel for less than half price with free delivery as it was a leftover from a commercial install and had what was described as cosmetic damge. This turned out to be an almost invisible scratch on the frame. Beware of delivery charges, a lot of companies gave me cheap quotes for panels but charged £100+ for delivery as the panel had to be put on a pallet for delivery.I find 250W fine for 2x110Ah leisures + 2 starters (1 engine, 1 genny).Lucky to get halgf a kilowatt daily from late November onwatds but in summer batteries fully charged before midday. Also think of upgradeability if you buy a controller. If you go for a 100W ish panel as a starter it might be a false economy not to get a controller which could handle a larger panel/panels later on.

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Hello all

Can anyone (from experience) recommend a solar panel kit that will keep one starter and two 110 A.H. domestics topped up.

12V system - no inverters on board. one fridge used occasionally, lighting and digital radio only appliance's.

Ideally kit comes complete with controller etc and no rocket science required to install.

cheers

If it's only for winter and you have sealed batts, they should hold their charge very well without it.

 

If you want something that'll contribute a bit in summer, look for something around this size at £1/watt, eg:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321013379234

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400380302227

 

For sealed batts and summer time use a cheapy PWM regulator will do for the above, something like this, cost a bit cheaper if from Asia:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251033347608

 

If the batts are unsealed, in winter you could probably connect the panel direct. Either way don't forget to include a fuse right by the batt +ve, to protect the cabling from shorts.

 

If you're connecting panels direct without a solar controller, the camping type ones should include a blocking diode, but check no current flows INTO the panel at night time, just in case.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

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If you get the parts yourself it can work out less than £1/watt if you are good at getting bargains. This thread helped me get my kit.

 

If you get kits installed by specialists it seems difficult to get under £3/watt. This is another kit company that has been recommended on here for the 'no hassles' approach.

 

Maybe there is a middle-ground where someone in your area who has done the DIY approach can help you hit £1/watt and fit it for you in return for beers?

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If you get the parts yourself it can work out less than £1/watt if you are good at getting bargains. This thread helped me get my kit.

 

If you get kits installed by specialists it seems difficult to get under £3/watt. This is another kit company that has been recommended on here for the 'no hassles' approach.

 

Maybe there is a middle-ground where someone in your area who has done the DIY approach can help you hit £1/watt and fit it for you in return for beers?

Ha I remember that thread well.

 

Seriously though, I agree with the others, best to buy panels maybe off eBay. We got 230w panels, Hyundai for £125 each and free delivery. ( We got 3) Had to get the MPPT controller and MP4 cables separately to link the panels up but definately a hell, a HELL of a lot cheaper than buying 'kits' from so-called experts, who will often charge you a fortune and then, when you do a bit of research, you find that the cables they've given you aren't really appropriate for your panels!

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Ha I remember that thread well.

 

Seriously though, I agree with the others, best to buy panels maybe off eBay. We got 230w panels, Hyundai for £125 each and free delivery. ( We got 3) Had to get the MPPT controller and MP4 cables separately to link the panels up but definately a hell, a HELL of a lot cheaper than buying 'kits' from so-called experts, who will often charge you a fortune and then, when you do a bit of research, you find that the cables they've given you aren't really appropriate for your panels!

We are looking for a good deal re solar panels on the boat. What comes up the more you look into it is the efficiency of the panels and this varies considerably between different manufacturers. Although, looking at tables of efficiency and yield there is very little between each panel listed, there is between the top ratings and the bottom. And the more expensive does not always relate to the best output.

 

Whilst it may well be possible to buy from two or more sources if anything goes wrong there is always the chance that each supplier will blame the other. We have been quoted for a 250watt panel, a 40amp Tracer MPPT controller with separate meter, connectors, cables, fixings and delivery for £406 quid. Unless somebody comes down dramatically that is, I think, where we are going.

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Ha I remember that thread well.

 

Seriously though, I agree with the others, best to buy panels maybe off eBay. We got 230w panels, Hyundai for £125 each and free delivery. ( We got 3) Had to get the MPPT controller and MP4 cables separately to link the panels up but definately a hell, a HELL of a lot cheaper than buying 'kits' from so-called experts, who will often charge you a fortune and then, when you do a bit of research, you find that the cables they've given you aren't really appropriate for your panels!

 

hi lewis

are the hyundai panels the 30ish volt house panels?

and where did you buy the cables from?

 

looking at getting a 230w to install before summer (if we ever get one)

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We are looking for a good deal re solar panels on the boat. What comes up the more you look into it is the efficiency of the panels and this varies considerably between different manufacturers. Although, looking at tables of efficiency and yield there is very little between each panel listed, there is between the top ratings and the bottom. And the more expensive does not always relate to the best output.

 

Whilst it may well be possible to buy from two or more sources if anything goes wrong there is always the chance that each supplier will blame the other. We have been quoted for a 250watt panel, a 40amp Tracer MPPT controller with separate meter, connectors, cables, fixings and delivery for £406 quid. Unless somebody comes down dramatically that is, I think, where we are going.

 

Whilst the seller of mine was on eBay, he has a professional business installing solar panels on houses and I have full warranty details etc... Besides I think the warranties are with the manufacturers themselves if anything goes wrong with the panel.

 

I think that is a little on the expensive side especially for a Tracer MPPT controller and just one panel. What brand is the panel ??? Have you checked the efficiency for that brand? I checked quite a few different branded panels and was the happiest with the Hyundai ones which is why I got those ones in the end. The seller I bought from sold many different brands of panels so there was a choice.

 

Also, check what size cabling they are 'including' in the price and make sure its definately thick enough for your total run length. (Voltage drop over distance etc)

 

hi lewis

are the hyundai panels the 30ish volt house panels?

and where did you buy the cables from?

 

looking at getting a 230w to install before summer (if we ever get one)

They are the house panels yes. We got those simply because they're more efficient than any others on the market at the moment. Don't get 12v ones is my recommendation, they're ok but definately not as efficient as the domestic ones. Good idea to go with a high wattage panel too - again having a 230w panel is more efficient than having say, 2 x 115w panel.

 

There is a thread on here I think with the link for where I got the cables from, I'll have to look for it though! The guy was really really helpful and talked me through the different size cables, 4mm, 6mm etc and that is incredibly Important to get your cables correct as no matter how efficient the panels are, if you have cheap and inappropriate cables, you'll lose out on efficiency.

Edited by lewisericeric
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hi lewis

are the hyundai panels the 30ish volt house panels?

and where did you buy the cables from?

 

looking at getting a 230w to install before summer (if we ever get one)

I currently have stock of photovoltaic cable and connectors, the panels Lewis fitted and all the panels I fitted for boaters last year are domestic panels. The price of these plummeted when the German and UK gov cut the subsidies and the Chinese didn't stop making them. They are robust, and at either 24V or 36V , but so long as you wire the controller to the battery bank first and let it sense the 12V system, there is no problem with these higher voltages. The domestic installers tend to buy pallet loads, and offload remainder quantities following house installs as they may not use/be able to source, the same panels on the next install.

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Thanks that's what I'm hoping for as have limited roof space. Would a 30a mppt cope fine with a 230w or would a 40a give more safety margin?

The wattage seems to suggest a 30 will do but always good to check with those with experience

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Whilst the seller of mine was on eBay, he has a professional business installing solar panels on houses and I have full warranty details etc... Besides I think the warranties are with the manufacturers themselves if anything goes wrong with the panel.

 

I'm not referring to long term warranty claims, more the case of two months down the road and no power coming through. But, I would suspect that if your panel were to break down within the warranty period and your manufacturer was outside the EU and your supplier had gone bust you might well have problems getting a claim settled.

 

I think that is a little on the expensive side especially for a Tracer MPPT controller and just one panel. What brand is the panel ??? Have you checked the efficiency for that brand? I checked quite a few different branded panels and was the happiest with the Hyundai ones which is why I got those ones in the end. The seller I bought from sold many different brands of panels so there was a choice.

 

Also, check what size cabling they are 'including' in the price and make sure its definitely thick enough for your total run length. (Voltage drop over distance etc)

 

 

The panel is a Suntech, not top of the range for efficiency and yield but well up the list. I believe that the cable is 4mm (12 sq. mm) and that would appear to be well in spec.

 

There is one other consideration that we have to allow for and that is that we are CCers and have to make arrangements for canalside deliveries. One parcel with all aboard is ideal.

 

Why did you put including in inverted commas? I now the cost for it is low but all the little bits costing very little can add up.

 

I spent many years buying a variety of things for manufacturing and I know that unless you are buying something with a "cast iron" spec the cheapest may well not be in the long run.

 

Buying a solar panel set up is not like buying a new shell, or an engine or anything else in the usual run of things. Most of the "experts" you can ask for advice tend to be attached to companies trying to sell you summat and are therefore just ever so slightly biased. You takes yer pick and you pays yer money.

 

Edited to put in correct word, Ta eric

Edited by Rich
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Thanks that's what I'm hoping for as have limited roof space. Would a 30a mppt cope fine with a 230w or would a 40a give more safety margin?

The wattage seems to suggest a 30 will do but always good to check with those with experience

No probs. Say the panel is generating 230W and the batts charging full whack at 12V, the MPPT output will be 230/12 = 19A, a bit lower in practice due to controller losses.

 

A 40A controller would allow room for expansion later though. Panels can actually go a bit higher than rated power in cold temps, though being off angle to the sun makes a big reduction.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited by smileypete
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I'm not referring to long term warranty claims, more the case of two months down the road and no power coming through. But, I would suspect that if your panel were to break down within the warranty period and your manufacturer was outside the EU and your supplier had gone bust you might well have problems getting a claim settled.

 

 

 

The panel is a Suntech, not top of the range for efficiency and yield but well up the list. I believe that the cable is 4mm (12 sq. mm) and that would appear to be well in spec.

 

There is one other consideration that we have to allow for and that is that we are CCers and have to make arrangements for canalside deliveries. One parcel with all aboard is ideal.

 

Why did you put cabling in inverted commas? I now the cost for it is low but all the little bits costing very little can add up.

 

I spent many years buying a variety of things for manufacturing and I know that unless you are buying something with a "cast iron" spec the cheapest may well not be in the long run.

 

Buying a solar panel set up is not like buying a new shell, or an engine or anything else in the usual run of things. Most of the "experts" you can ask for advice tend to be attached to companies trying to sell you summat and are therefore just ever so slightly biased. You takes yer pick and you pays yer money.

 

I'm just trying to be helpful to a forum member who is looking at investing in a solar array -this is from someone who's done it already and just looking to pass on expertise/experience, that's all.

 

I didn't put the word cabling in inverted comments, but the word "including", simply because what some companies will try and sell you as a package often turns out that most of it is useless and you still have to buy extras!

 

Up to you at the end of the day what you feel most comfortable with. Good luck with setting it up and let us know how you get on with the panel once the weather improves!

 

Thanks that's what I'm hoping for as have limited roof space. Would a 30a mppt cope fine with a 230w or would a 40a give more safety margin?

The wattage seems to suggest a 30 will do but always good to check with those with experience

 

I'd think a 40 amp would be better, not for your current panel as 30 amp would be more than enough (230w divided by 12v = 19amps) but if you decide to chuck another panel in., it would then mean that you don't have the expense of having to buy another MPPT controller.

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I think you will get better value buying the components seperately.Worth phoning around, I picked up a Sanyo HIT250 panel for less than half price with free delivery as it was a leftover from a commercial install and had what was described as cosmetic damge. This turned out to be an almost invisible scratch on the frame. Beware of delivery charges, a lot of companies gave me cheap quotes for panels but charged £100+ for delivery as the panel had to be put on a pallet for delivery.I find 250W fine for 2x110Ah leisures + 2 starters (1 engine, 1 genny).Lucky to get halgf a kilowatt daily from late November onwatds but in summer batteries fully charged before midday. Also think of upgradeability if you buy a controller. If you go for a 100W ish panel as a starter it might be a false economy not to get a controller which could handle a larger panel/panels later on.

 

Thanks JDR - yours seems to be near to the rating i need given that you have the same bank. 250w seems a good starting point.

Aslo going to take on board your comments re controller.

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