Solar panels - quantity discount?

Firefox and Techno, it would be great if you wanted to post contact details for your sources for the panels too.

(I can't see how to send a PM on this site, I am probably being dumb.)
 
Techno, these look great. The only thing I'm wondering is that they are rated up to 200w max. For future proofing, if you did want to expand your bank to say 300w, would you then just eg add a second reg to accomodate the the extra? I will ask the ebay seller the same question...

Thanks a lot for the low down.
 
The panels in the picture earlier are these. A little pricey but 100mm shorter than the usual 80 watt panel and 5 metres of MC4 cable attached.
The panels I have in stock now were from the seller in Geeste Germany but listing has ended and were £129+£8 shipping so £137 very good quality but 80cm of cable.
I watch eabay constantly for the right price. The Seller in Newcastle has just dropped from a silly £179 plus P&P to £149, I don't know if it is coincidence or they read an earlier post of mine saying they were too DEAR lol

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace
 
Techno100 said:
No I said RIVETS lol No need for duck tape nor having to locate and tighten a back nut :)
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I can't find my rivet gun so I don't use them at the moment. And I wanted a large head on the bolt to clamp everything, and I also wanted to disassemble the joint if needed without drilling. Nuts are sikaflexed on the back ie captive nuts. Also, not everyone is going to have a rivet gun so buying it just for one job may not make sense, whereas everyone is likely to have a screw driver for cross head bolts.

So... that's a fair few reasons I didn't use rivets on this particular project ;) But agreed, if you are going to go round fitting them for other people, rivets are going to save time in the long run.
 
davemh said:
Techno, these look great. The only thing I'm wondering is that they are rated up to 200w max. For future proofing, if you did want to expand your bank to say 300w, would you then just eg add a second reg to accomodate the the extra? I will ask the ebay seller the same question...

Thanks a lot for the low down.
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Yes 200watt max but I find that plenty for 2x110ah batteries. It's Mppt so will prove better in the shorter days a coming.
I only run a 350 watt sterling pure sine inverter so I am well comfy on power.

Whatever you have ALWAYS charge your phone and netbook etc during the day! too late when the Sun's gone to bed lol
 
davemh said:
Firefox and Techno, it would be great if you wanted to post contact details for your sources for the panels too.

(I can't see how to send a PM on this site, I am probably being dumb.)
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I got my panel from AL8 on this forum, I think I linked his thread early on in this thread. You'll probably get your panels a bit cheaper in the bulk buy they are organising, but he is local to me in Hertfordshire so I didn't have any delivery issues or costs, and I was fairly sure about the build quality as I could inspect before I bought.

You can't send PMs unless you are a full member... I don't believe so anyway, sorry about that.
 
Well I see that Firefox has mentioned me a few times, so thank you to him.

I know everyone looks at eBay & maybe some on here think the panels I'm trying to sell are too expensive, but I'd tried to get my company interested in importing some items that might be of use to Motor-homers, but that has (at the mo) back fired.

All I would say, again, is that it is my belief that if you are 'going solar' buy the most watts that your roof & your pocket will allow.

Looking on eBay, I don't see any seller offering a 'see before you buy' or free personal delivery between Herts & Lincoln next weekend. Unfortunately, everything is now about an 80w panel at £140 on eBay that may arrive as a 50w (as posted earlier in this thread)!!

PM me or look on eBay for the 70, 90 & 140w panels, item numbers 150662500485 , 150662505759 & 150662507610

Wherever you get your panels from, unless you only go on sites with hook up, you won't regret going solar - good (wild)camping :)

A question: why don't we use wind chargers as an alternative/additional means of charging?
 
Yes I got 50's delivered instead of 80's but they were collected by ParcelForce last Friday and the correct second order is on the way. A bit of inconvenience YES but great quality value. I'm waiting for them relisting or a better deal through forum bulk buys
 
A question for those who know about solar panels in general.

How to these wear during the cold winter months, not as in their output, but more is there a chance of them cracking with sharp cold snaps?

IS it possible for them to freeze and crack etc?
Does snow damage them?
Has anyone had one damaged on their roof via brances or even stones flying up?

I'm guess not as many people use solar panels but just wondered. Should there be any precautions taken during the winter etc?
 
To A Kirk - Damage from any of those things is unlikely. It's a sheet of toughened glass. Your windscreen for example does not need frost or snow or hail protection.

To AL8 - Why don't we use wind turbines more - good question! Perhaps the answer is, for a worthwhile turbine you have to keep on setting it up and derigging it when leaving. Whereas a solar panel is just there working all the time even when travelling. I guess wind turbines are attractive for long periods of winter wilding though, with the higher winds and they work in the long nights. I don't know much about them and would be interested to see the cost per W as opposed to solar.
 
Firefox said:
To A Kirk - Damage from any of those things is unlikely. It's a sheet of toughened glass. Your windscreen for example does not need frost or snow or hail protection.

To AL8 - Why don't we use wind turbines more - good question! Perhaps the answer is, for a worthwhile turbine you have to keep on setting it up and derigging it when leaving. Whereas a solar panel is just there working all the time even when travelling. I guess wind turbines are attractive for long periods of winter wilding though, with the higher winds and they work in the long nights. I don't know much about them and would be interested to see the cost per W as opposed to solar.
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Solar panels are very strong. I had two large panels on my narrow boat, and the suppliers assured me I could walk on them!

I never did, not wishing to take the chance.

And they endured extreme heat on a steel roof, and extreme cold through winters.

It's not a problem.

I also tried a wind generator. I had an H frame constructed which was welded to the edges of the roof, and this carried a stepping point for a hinged mast. The mast was about 10 foot high, and carried a 600w output (50 amps!) generator with a 7 foot diameter propeller.

This was perhaps overkill in terms of size and output.

Did it work? Well not really. Even with a mast that tall it was difficult to find a spot on a canal with an unobstructed wind path. And you'd have the same problem with a motorhome, except you would struggle to accommodate a tall mast.

When it did work it was superb, but noisy, but solar panels are a FAR better bet. Zero maintenance, quiet, and always at work if there's a reasonable light level.
 
Firefox said:
To A Kirk - Damage from any of those things is unlikely. It's a sheet of toughened glass. Your windscreen for example does not need frost or snow or hail protection.

To AL8 - Why don't we use wind turbines more - good question! Perhaps the answer is, for a worthwhile turbine you have to keep on setting it up and derigging it when leaving. Whereas a solar panel is just there working all the time even when travelling. I guess wind turbines are attractive for long periods of winter wilding though, with the higher winds and they work in the long nights. I don't know much about them and would be interested to see the cost per W as opposed to solar.
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Wind = noise. Wind was popular on Narrowboats a while back, but you see less of the these days and more solar. NB's tend often especially when they had wind to stay put.
 
is there any reason to look at flexible solar panels? phil mentioned you liked the look of them? they seem pricey per Watt tho?
 
Techno100 said:
This is what we DONT want! muppets who think we're stupid
Motorhome Caravan or Narrow Boat 65W Solar Panel | eBay
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I always think the real culprits are the ones who buy the stuff at that kind of price! After all the seller is just an opportunist. If we are selling something we generally take as much as people will offer. There must be a few who will buy at these prices or it wouldn't be worth their while listing.

Another kind of opportunism seems to the be putting together of "kits." Take a £150 panel, add a couple of angles, some cable, a cheap regulator, and a tube of mastic and suddenly it becomes a "solar kit" costing £500 or so. I know it's attractive to buy a complete package, but be aware of the mark up some of these people are charging!
 
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