Best solar panels

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Want to add another solar panel and wire it into my existing wiring have updated the control unit to except it thinking of fitting 140 panel thanks
 
405watt panel for £70. City Electrical.
Might need it's own controller as higher voltage I think but looks a bargain if not too heavy.
 
If you are going to connect in Parallel with exsisting pane, for minium loss the on load voltage needs to be close the exsisting panel on load voltage best if within ½v.
 
Eurener 440W All Black N-Type Mono (Ultra Premium) Just bought this one to squeeze in between two Skylights at a width of 1040mm will fit a treat, paired with a victron MPPT 100/30:unsure:(y)
 
Sorry to partially hijack but for late May bak holiday I'm fitting solar to our van and was going to buy a ~200w panel from the likes of Renogy and they're £130 ish. Reading this thread it seems that's a poor option??

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herald_400rl said:
Sorry to partially hijack but for late May bak holiday I'm fitting solar to our van and was going to buy a ~200w panel from the likes of Renogy and they're £130 ish. Reading this thread it seems that's a poor option??
Click to expand...
Renogy are not cheap for panels...I have Renogy B2B mppt but thought their panels took expensive...I bought from eBay for last and present van..seller offers various sizes..
Obviously you may get cheaper elsewhere if collecting( mine 440w have been outputting very close to their rated output for the last few weeks..in Spain at present
 
oldiesontour said:
Renogy are not cheap for panels...I have Renogy B2B mppt but thought their panels took expensive...I bought from eBay for last and present van..seller offers various sizes..
Obviously you may get cheaper elsewhere if collecting( mine 440w have been outputting very close to their rated output for the last few weeks..in Spain at present
Click to expand...
That's interesting, I don't need this amount of solar but looking at the specs I could get 2 of those panels on the roof.
 
The joker said:
Eurener 440W All Black N-Type Mono (Ultra Premium) Just bought this one to squeeze in between two Skylights at a width of 1040mm will fit a treat, paired with a victron MPPT 100/30:unsure:(y)
Click to expand...
Photonomy 700w panels. I've not yet any personal experience of them but I'm considering them.
 
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herald_400rl said:
Sorry to partially hijack but for late May bak holiday I'm fitting solar to our van and was going to buy a ~200w panel from the likes of Renogy and they're £130 ish. Reading this thread it seems that's a poor option??
Click to expand...

Are you refrecing price ??
I was lucky to get a deal on ebay of 2 x 170w Ecoworthy panels for £112 (y)

I'm happy with mine and i know quite a few other funster have same brand.. Current 200w (195) are £72 on ebay.
There are bi=facial and " allegedly" pick up some power from the rear of the panel via reflections.

If it was me and your doing the job, fit as much as you can depending on space and budget.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32425122...pid=5339023013&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1

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tonka said:
Are you refrecing price ??
I was lucky to get a deal on ebay of 2 x 170w Ecoworthy panels for £112 (y)

I'm happy with mine and i know quite a few other funster have same brand.. Current 200w (195) are £72 on ebay.
There are bi=facial and " allegedly" pick up some power from the rear of the panel via reflections.

If it was me and your doing the job, fit as much as you can depending on space and budget.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32425122...pid=5339023013&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
Click to expand...
Just used their websites, at the point I'm putting a loose plan together of what's needed and then working out budget and sizing for battery replacements as the current lead acid is in the engine compartment so very size limited and will need to be re-housed.
Those prices are more interesting, could potentially do 4 of those vs 2 x 400 watters.

Either way I'll be getting the 100/50 mppt.
 
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herald_400rl said:
Just used their websites, at the point I'm putting a loose plan together of what's needed and then working out budget and sizing for battery replacements as the current lead acid is in the engine compartment so very size limited and will need to be re-housed.
Those prices are more interesting, could potentially do 4 of those vs 2 x 400 watters.

Either way I'll be getting the 100/50 mppt.
Click to expand...
If you're starting from scratch the Renogy B2B (30 or 50a) with mppt and starter battery charging is easy to fit not as expensive as others very reliable and compact...self build batteries are now cheaper than ever and the same BMS as used by major importers is readily available circa £750 will give you Bluetooth lipo 300ah+ with heater,B2B ,mppt,400w solar Bluetooth shunt starter battery solar charging
 
oldiesontour said:
If you're starting from scratch the Renogy B2B (30 or 50a) with mppt and starter battery charging is easy to fit not as expensive as others very reliable and compact...self build batteries are now cheaper than ever and the same BMS as used by major importers is readily available circa £750 will give you Bluetooth lipo 300ah+ with heater,B2B ,mppt,400w solar Bluetooth shunt starter battery solar charging
Click to expand...
The issue we have with a b2b is we maybe have 30a available from the alternator, but more likely 15-20. I loosely know someone with a clamp measurer thing (probably not the technical name) which I'm hoping they'll lend me so I can power everything on and check. If lights, blowers, etc. Are on full then the belt can slip a bit and squeak as it is and we have no split charge currently, so I'd be reluctant to add any b2b at all.

I'm looking at the ecoworthy batteries 280ah, victron 100/50mppt, aiming for 400w solar but with what's in this thread maybe 800, a 20a onboard charger. Can't see the need fora shunt if the battery has Bluetooth?
 
herald_400rl said:
The issue we have with a b2b is we maybe have 30a available from the alternator, but more likely 15-20. I loosely know someone with a clamp measurer thing (probably not the technical name) which I'm hoping they'll lend me so I can power everything on and check. If lights, blowers, etc. Are on full then the belt can slip a bit and squeak as it is and we have no split charge currently, so I'd be reluctant to add any b2b at all.

I'm looking at the ecoworthy batteries 280ah, victron 100/50mppt, aiming for 400w solar but with what's in this thread maybe 800, a 20a onboard charger. Can't see the need fora shunt if the battery has Bluetooth?
Click to expand...
The BMS only gives an idea of battery state as even the better ones don't see small current often uptp 1ah my 2 are 320 ah each self built with the same BMS as fogstar use and heaters over a period the % charge can drift obviously the the smaller the battery the greater the % drift I have 100a mains charger just in case but doubt it will be used except maybe at a long meet with bad weather ( if I think I may need it I have a small Genny I take hence the 100a charger so the noise is short lived.( My lipo4 s were under £300 each and perform without fault balance is usually within 2 or 3 ma.I would recommend buying a DC clamp meter mine was under £20 and is accurate and well built.
 
oldiesontour said:
The BMS only gives an idea of battery state as even the better ones don't see small current often uptp 1ah my 2 are 320 ah each self built with the same BMS as fogstar use and heaters over a period the % charge can drift obviously the the smaller the battery the greater the % drift I have 100a mains charger just in case but doubt it will be used except maybe at a long meet with bad weather ( if I think I may need it I have a small Genny I take hence the 100a charger so the noise is short lived.( My lipo4 s were under £300 each and perform without fault balance is usually within 2 or 3 ma.I would recommend buying a DC clamp meter mine was under £20 and is accurate and well built.
Click to expand...
Would you mind if I shot you a pm for some more info on the batteries you built?

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The joker said:
https://midsummerwholesale.co.uk/buy/eurener/Eurener-440w-ultra. Got it from this place good delivery and price but probably could get cheaper from other places cost me £190 delivered:giggle:(y) out of stock at the moment though:( I had to wait kept checking the website and waited for stock to come in, waited about three weeks but no guarantee they will get more stock when I originally asked:unsure:
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Can I ask please, are these the same panels you would mount on a domestic or commercial property roof?
Do the solar panels for automotive applications need to be 12v specific.........or not?

The link shows voltages ranging from 39.6 to 46.3v. Obviously, it's the correctly rated solar controller which must reduce the input voltages down to nearer 12v

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
JockandRita said:
Can I ask please, are these the same panels you would mount on a domestic or commercial property roof?
Do the solar panels for automotive applications need to be 12v specific.........or not?

The link shows voltages ranging from 39.6 to 46.3v. Obviously, it's the correctly rated solar controller which must reduce the input voltages down to nearer 12v

Cheers,

Jock. :)
Click to expand...
1. Yes they are. 2. The controller deals with what comes in as the victron mppt converts what the solar panel produces, So as long as the spec of the solar panels is with in the range of the mppt, mine for example is 100/30 so volts first and amps second. The output of the mppt is either 12v or 24v dependent on what system it is connected to. Also the wattage is a limiting factor with mine being 440w. As I understand and hopefully won't be corrected to much🤞🤞As I'm pretty new to all this malarky:unsure::unsure::giggle:

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The joker said:
1. Yes they are. 2. The controller deals with what comes in as the victron mppt converts what the solar panel produces, So as long as the spec of the solar panels is with in the range of the mppt, mine for example is 100/30 so volts first and amps second. The output of the mppt is either 12v or 24v dependent on what system it is connected to. Also the wattage is a limiting factor with mine being 440w. As I understand and hopefully won't be corrected to much🤞🤞As I'm pretty new to all this malarky:unsure::unsure::giggle:
Click to expand...
Thanks for the explanation, and good luck with your installation. (y)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 

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