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Solar Panel Purchase

Proper Job

By Proper Job
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Proper Job Veteran

Proper Job

Posted
Posted

I'm in the market for some solar panels

 

Around the 80 - 100W range. 2/3 off (need to double check how many will fit once I have dimensions). Plus an MPPT(?) controller (20 or 30 amp depending on panel output)

 

It's been 5 years since I bought my last lot (2 x 85W and a 20 amp controller) and I know solar technology has improved a bit, so what's best on the market in terms of type/value etc.

 

Also, on the basis that they'll not do a great deal over Winter, is now a good time to buy (cheap deals?) or hang on til spring?

 

Any good deals out there to be had?

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Phil. Gongoozler

Phil.

Posted
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Have a look at the panasonic HIT panels. Not the cheapest but far more efficient so you get more bang for your buck. As they are better than most other panels they come up smaller for similar wattage so gives you room on you roof to still walk past.

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Detling Rising Star

Detling

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Posted

I agree with leeco go for more. Work out your daily amp hour usage, double it and use that as a minimum wattage, then in summer you will get days when no other charging is required If you go for over three times daily amp hours, then even cloudy summer days will charge your battery bank. With diesel at about £1 per litre on the cut and engines using at least that per hour solar is soon paid for.

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Ssscrudddy Rising Star

Ssscrudddy

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

Cheap enough, but they only seem to sell 120W used 10 year old panels?

Just looked. They have a variety of panels

Used 120W

Used 220W

New 250W

New 250W better performance on cloudy days

New 145W better performance in low light (winter)

New 140W semi flexible

New 68W flexible

 

Bimble Solar did seem to offer the cheapest prices. My panels (which they no longer have) were £100, everyone else who did them seemed to want between £120 - £175 for the same panels. I Even saw 1 that wanted £220.

Edited by Ssscrudddy
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EEng Engager

EEng

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What sort of size are you limited to ? As in panel size ?

 

You could just fit 1 x 330W benQ (around 1550x1100mm roughly) panel thats 20% efficient and works extremely well

 

I do among other things large solar designs and commissioning but don't use any panels below 250Watts

 

Just looked at our suppliers and none of them list anything below 250Watts

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matty40s Veteran II

matty40s

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What sort of size are you limited to ? As in panel size ?

 

You could just fit 1 x 330W benQ (around 1550x1100mm roughly) panel thats 20% efficient and works extremely well

 

I do among other things large solar designs and commissioning but don't use any panels below 250Watts

 

Just looked at our suppliers and none of them list anything below 250Watts

Most boats I fit to are liveaboards, more concerned with power yield than aesthetics.

With these, 165W-250W panels are usually fitted, either fixed or tilting.

Others,prefer panels to fit the roofline profile so smaller, possibly semi flexible(Baird) or completely flexible amorphorus panels are used.

 

Some of the better known Canal installers will only use 12V x 100W panels as their customers prefer UK produced panels.

 

My view is that customers want maximum power for their buck.

 

Bimble has proved a good source of decent wattage panels, and the best value MPPT controllers that I have managed to source in the UK - you can get cheaper via Eastern supplies,but you have longer wait and possibility of customs bump (never had this happen btw) in price.

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Ricco1 Rising Star

Ricco1

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Another vote for Bimble. I bought 3 x 125w panels for around £70 each. New but discontinued stock so no warranty offered. Delivery took a little while longer than expected but otherwise no complaints. From March until the end of September I didn't run my engine once. Even on cloudy days the panels provided more than enough. I'm having to run my engine for 2 hours each day now, unfortunately.

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Proper Job Veteran

Proper Job

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Ocelot has 2 x 85W panels and that is fine in the summer. They cope with all of my power requirements (inc' fridge)

 

I have to run my genny for an hour or two per day in the winter.

 

I don't want to festoon the roof of the 'new' boat with solar panels. 200 - 300W will be fine.

 

Size is a consideration (which is why I was looking at mutiple low power ones). The panels will be fixed flat to the roof, I want to be able to walk past them with relitive ease, and they also need to be able to fit between the various vents and hatches etc

 

Thanks for the input and recomendations

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Serenity Malc Collaborator

Serenity Malc

Posted
Posted

Yello,

 

Have to agree with Phil ...... Panasonic HIT panels are very good. I use 2 x 240watts with a 60A eTracer MPPT controller. The HIT panels are mono crystalline but with some low light amorphous cells built in as well. They're approx 800 x 1600 each if I remember correctly. You need a controller that will handle 50V output though.

 

Malc.

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