Page 1 of 1

Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2022 10:35 am
by afairaizl
I have seen several of the solar panels used based on gallery shots and electrical layout discussions. What is the best currently available, most efficient, and largest output panel found so far that will successfully fit within the ~18"x30" companionway hood space? I have found 50 watt units from Sunpower, Renogy and the like that are a bit too square to fit in the space - such as 26x22" or 26x20". It looks like the next viable option drops down to 25 watt units. I will sort out the charge controller option once I've got the sun conversion taken care of.

Update: I found a 30 watt ETFE monocrystalline flexible panel that is 27"x14.5". Since that will likely provide 1.5 amp charge max,I went with a 10 amp mppt charge controller that is ip67 rated.

Re: Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Wed Apr 13, 2022 8:51 pm
by slash2
Where did you find that panel? Looks like it would be a good fit.

Re: Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2022 9:28 am
by afairaizl
Steve,

I was holding off on sharing that since I'm taking a gamble here with the panel and was going to complete some due diligence. The price was right and the shipping was fast coming from china since it was going through UPS as opposed to other carriers. I've bought quite a bit of gear for ham radio and other electronics projects through aliexpress and had good luck so far. Shipping and wait times are the gamble here particularly with covid lockdowns again there. Ratings on the panel might be inflated but I'll do my own real world tests when it arrives.

365mm x 680mm with mc4 connectors

Brand Name: BOGUANG
Origin: CN(Origin)
Foldable Solar Panel: No
Number of Panels: 1
Flexible Solar Panel: Yes
Type: Solar Panel
Nominal Capacity: 30w
Size: 680*365*3mm
Model Number: ETFE solar panel
is_customized: Yes
Number of Cells: 36
Material: Mono-crystalline Silicon
Certification: CE
Certification: FCC
Certification: RoHS
Max. Power: 30w

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001 ... 1802xvC70c

Re: Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2022 12:32 pm
by slash2
Thanks for taking the gamble for us! Let us know how they work out.

Re: Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 1:53 pm
by afairaizl
It should be arriving today, that's a new record for me when I ordered on the 9th:

04/18/2022
9:01 A.M. Out for Delivery
Stratham, NH, United States

04/11/2022
11:55 A.M. Label Created
Hong Kong

Re: Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 9:40 am
by afairaizl
It arrived after the sun was behind the house and we're dealing with rainy weather for the next couple of days. That said, the fit is good and takes easily to the curve of the hood. Feels sturdy and I'll check the power output when I can as the sun is available.

Re: Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2022 1:17 pm
by afairaizl
Had a few mins of sun peeking through the clouds - quick test by throwing it on a battery pack/generator gave me 27-30 watts consistently and it peaked at about 33-34 watts for the solar input with fully clear sky. At $67.02 USD shipped to my door within 9 days, I'd declare it a win. We'll see how it does with longevity.

Re: Solar panel resources

PostPosted: Sun Nov 13, 2022 10:15 am
by slash2
While waiting for epoxy to set I did some panel browsing and came up with this one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YYC35JP?re ... b_ap_share

Supposedly 50W. I did a quick test with a controller I had laying around and, with the sun behind a thin cloud I got 24W into my battery.

I was anxious to check the fit so I assembled the hood and it seems to fit the space well.

Time will tell if it’s any good.