2 x 200W Solar Panels - What Regulator? (1 Viewer)

[StitchUp]

Other than a couple of trips away with The Funsters which we thoroughly enjoyed, this Summer was very much a non-event for us :Sad:

Anyway, a couple of months back I purchased 2 x 200W solar panels and I have all the fitting stuf I need EXCEPT the regulator.

Can anyone recommend a good regulator suitable for 400W of power?

Cheers

John

 

[Techno]

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[vwalan]

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i use these .would cover 400wt easy

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[pappajohn]

I would go for the MPPT which Andy (techno100) linked to....far superior to the PWM ones

 

[vwalan]

i wouldnt but i might buy another panel with the hundred quid difference.you could buy a 80w panel and a smaller reg for hundred quid .

 

[pappajohn]

you get what you pay for Alan.

would you buy a car with drum brakes all round and no power steering ?

PWM is so 'last year' mate

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[Techno]

£37 for summat that cost £2 in China
OR
£149 or less for summat made in China that would cost double that via a dealer here.
If I'd invested in 400watts I wouldn't use a tupeny hapeny unit that is half inch thick oh:
Also I've looked on the back of that 30amp unit and its clearly marked 300watt max

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[vwalan]

well mine arent . and since when as 300wat been 30amp.
i have heard of problems with mppt regs even having to reboard or do something to them .
i have used these regs alot and never had a problem .
same goes with do you have mono or poly panels . having had both i cant tell the differance . i have italian poly and indian bp .panels all poly at the moment . have had mono . have some on my sons camper . all work . i just find that the price of the mppt is excesive.
pays your money takes your chance. good job we all think differently . no hard feelings .

 

[Techno]

It's a good basic reg for a single panel and indeed I got it from the same seller with an 80 watt unit.
As for mono and poly I've tried them side by side here and a 100 watt poly just about matches an 80 watt mono on a bright day, less favourable in not so sunny weather.

As for the accuracy of their regulator? they spell voltage voiltage and solar sloar

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[vwalan]

hi pappa ,yes i would and do . nice vw beetle . or early type 3 notchback .ideal . i have never had a problem with drum brakes or in fact power steering or lack of . my lt hasnt got power steering . or any of the vw vans i have had . .mind handy on the big trucks .

 

[pappajohn]

£37 for summat that cost £2 in China
OR
£149 or less for summat made in China that would cost double that via a dealer here.
If I'd invested in 400watts I wouldn't use a tupeny hapeny unit that is half inch thick oh:
Also I've looked on the back of that 30amp unit and its clearly marked 300watt max

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as i said Andy, you get what you pay for.

this is my controller (not bought by me i might add) and cost around £400 controlling a single (for now) 170w panel

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[philk]

solar and regs

As a slight aside,

I can buy a complete set up for a house at £2500, cost to importer. Are the panels the same i.e. useable in leisure terms or are they different?

Phil

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[Techno]

Higher voltage

 

[philk]

solar

cheers Andy

 

[Techno]

Typical domestic panel and spec Phil near 60 volt open circuit
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[vwalan]

looking on my bp panel specs an 80watt mono puts out 4.7amp . the poly puts out 4.5 amp.
not alot of difference really.
but these days lots of panels are so cheap .dont know why every camper hasnt got a roof full . wonder how cheap they will get to. almost give away prices these days and still dropping .

 

[Techno]

Turn down the Sun and the mono performs better by a bigger margin
Poly works better or at its best in hot climates like Australia
http://energyinformative.org/best-solar-panel-monocrystalline-polycrystalline-thin-film/

 

[vwalan]

may be right . i must say i hardly really see the difference . mind as i say i have poly on the trailer very rarely have a shortage of power .
but arent the prices dropping .
my first mono panels were over 400 quid . later paid 200 for the first three poly in morocco thought it was cheap.
later paid less for the bp panels here in cornwall . now they are so cheap its a joke .
my son uses the mono on his van .
i used to bring panels back from morocco . later it was better to buy here or direct .
now panels have dried up a bit in morocco .most have mains leccy in their houses .
be interesting to see how cheap they will go.

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[Techno]

Yes the prices have fallen the last two winters and at the lowest ever now
The first panels I fitted for a customer just over a year ago where £149 each and the same from the same seller are now £74.95 Both of those are September prices

 

[vwalan]

used to help pay the diesel cost going away at one time. wish battery prices could come down an equivalent price . be nice.
just looked the first mono panels i bought were shell solara made in hamburg . mind its hard to read the label now . i have one by the garage use it as a battery charger.

 

[scotjimland]

looking on my bp panel specs an 80watt mono puts out 4.7amp . the poly puts out 4.5 amp.
not alot of difference really.
but these days lots of panels are so cheap .[HI]dont know why every camper hasnt got a roof full [/HI]. wonder how cheap they will get to. almost give away prices these days and still dropping .

payload .. ??

many campers have a miserly payload .. I would go as far to say some are not fit for purpose, not only that, this would affect the handling by raising the centre of gravity..

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[Jim]

payload .. ??

many campers have a miserly payload .. I would go as far to say some are not fit for purpose, not only that, this would affect the handling by raising the centre of gravity..

Payload is a problem for many. The flexible 120w panels weigh less than 1.5kg, except they are still well over £3 a watt. When these come down in price, and they will, then payload certainly won't be an issue.

 

[scotjimland]

Payload is a problem for many. The flexible 120w panels weigh less than 1.5kg, except they are still well over £3 a watt. When these come down in price, and they will, then payload certainly won't be an issue.

yes indeed Jim..
and perhaps in the not too distant future whole roof sections will be manufactured as a solar panel ..

 

[vwalan]

yes .it was said with a tongue in cheek attitude.
for years i have been of the beleif that most m,homes should not be built on anything with less than a 5ton gvw. .weekend campers or small m,homes arent really in need of alot of power in my experiances . we can manage well with no tv washing machines etc for a few days .
the pricer of solar is so cheap at the moment and dropping that the carrying of a genny comes under doubt . certainly as far as payload . even a small light weight arent light .
as for low light issuse,s well most are used in summer really . certainly solar works if you go south in winter. ,
have fun . think solar is another aframe,gas ,refillable bottle story really . smile its candid camera .

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[Wildman]

Flexible panels are great but have one massive drawback, that of heat. Try touching the back of a normal solar panel on a hot day, but be careful not to burn yourself.

 

[Taran_Las]

Turn down the Sun and the mono performs better by a bigger margin
Poly works better or at its best in hot climates like Australia
http://energyinformative.org/best-solar-panel-monocrystalline-polycrystalline-thin-film/

Andy,

Having read the link you provided it would appear Mono is the preferred solution for efficiency, however, the following statements causes me some concern:

If the panel is partially covered with shade, dirt or snow, [HI]the entire circuit is broken[/HI]. If you are not using micro-inverters, this could mean that the entire array with solar panels takes a big hit performance-wise.


Is this true? - Will the amperage substantially decrease?

Monocrystalline solar panels are more efficient in cold weather, but as the temperature increases, the electrical conversion rates goes down.

Will this make much of a difference if the furthest I will travel is to the south of France?

What size cable is best over a 5-6 metre distance?

A very interesting thread (sorry to hijack your thread Ariel Atom man)

Thanks for any answers/information you can provide.:thumb:

Phil.

 

[Techno]

It means that they perform better than poly in WINTER sun which is also when we tend to be more dependent on batteries.
Yes a leaf on a panel will reduce output by devastating amounts say 90% if a figure must be used.
I make sure mine are kept clear but I have 4 so debris on 1 or 2 is not a disaster.
I prefer to fit 2 80's as the best bang for buck rather than one big panel.
Cable size is always bigger is better

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[pappajohn]

the few poly panels i have seen are only weatherproof...meaning mist, fog and possibly light showers.....not waterproof.

 

[Techno]

I don't believe they are any more or less weather proof than mono, the construction is the same Eva sandwich

 

[StitchUp]

I must admit I'm surprised at how heavy these solar panels are. I know the ones I have are quite large but I think they're in the region of 30lbs each! And these will be stuck with SikaFlex only!

Hmmmmmm

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