Tall and slim, or short and stout? (1 Viewer)

moggyg

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Sep 22, 2017
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does it make any difference?

Solar panels that is ;). I have the option of both skinny or fat for a 120W panel, does it make any difference to effective output or is it just down to the space on the top of the van?

Grazie Mille all.

Marco
 
Aug 18, 2014
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I'd fit them to the spaces available. i.e. ifbyou can put narrow ones in a space that isn't usable for anything else then at any time you want additional panels or something else fitted the larger spaces are still available.

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Alistair33

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Aug 23, 2016
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does it make any difference?

Solar panels that is ;). I have the option of both skinny or fat for a 120W panel, does it make any difference to effective output or is it just down to the space on the top of the van?

Grazie Mille all.

Marco
It all depends on weather you have anything interesting to with your life, if not then pursue his thread If you do then ..........,.
 
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Minxy

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It all depends on weather you have anything interesting to with your life, if not then pursue his thread If you do then ..........,.
You been on the raz Alistair ... I haven't a clue what you're trying to say! :D

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Minxy

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I guess that a single panel, whatever the shape, would be preferable to two panels of the same value.
Not necessarily, if you have a single panel which has a fault then you have no solar, if you have 2 and one develops a fault you still have the other panel especially if you connect them separately with their own controllers. So you should add to the equation how reliant are you on solar and that might help you decide if one or two would be better.
 
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moggyg

moggyg

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It all depends on weather you have anything interesting to with your life, if not then pursue his thread If you do then ..........,.
Thanks for the advice @Alistair33 It must be great knowing everything about everything, but for me who previously couldn't change a light bulb these things are unknown. Anyway..... Back to my interesting life.

Ciao
 
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Not necessarily, if you have a single panel which has a fault then you have no solar, if you have 2 and one develops a fault you still have the other panel especially if you connect them separately with their own controllers. So you should add to the equation how reliant are you on solar and that might help you decide if one or two would be better.
Oh Minxy Girl, so negative. I was only considering the loss of energy in the cables. However, Having two units, doubles the chance of one going awol but I like your way of thinking. Now must do something interesting like watching Mrs Jones through the net curtain.

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Minxy

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Oh Minxy Girl, so negative. I was only considering the loss of energy in the cables. However, Having two units, doubles the chance of one going awol but I like your way of thinking. Now must do something interesting like watching Mrs Jones through the net curtain.
Not negative at all, just giving an alternative 'view' on why 2 panels may be beneficial ... enjoy your curtain twitching if that's what makes you happy ... just make sure it's your net curtain you're looking through and not the ones hung in Mrs Jones' windows!:D
 
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JJ

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Thanks for the advice @Alistair33 It must be great knowing everything about everything, but for me who previously couldn't change a light bulb these things are unknown. Anyway..... Back to my interesting life.

Ciao

Please don't worry about the mean spirited post...

I strongly suspect drink and a lack of understanding of what Fun is all about has brought on a level of bitterness.

I am in favour of having several panels rather than one big one. If one gets damaged it won't affect the other(s)...

Eggs and baskets...

JJ :cool:
 
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two

Aug 4, 2011
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I was going to say that it's only the area that matters, so there's no difference if they are the same technology. However, I just remembered that the cells within a panel are linked together in strips and it's usually along the longer dimension. If one cell gets shaded in a strip, the whole strip is affected. So shading may have a greater detrimental effect on more rectangular panels than squarer ones. Therefore, I'd go for square in preference to rectangular. Motorhome roofs often have more 'long space' available than large square areas because of the skylights and other equipment placed down the centre, so any 'choice' may be decided by that.
If you get two panels, and connect them in parallel, make sure they are identical.

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Minxy

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Its a while since I've looked into the technicalities of solar panels but isn't one type less susceptible to shading than the other ... I can't quite recall!
 
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two

Aug 4, 2011
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I think they're all affected by shade, but some technologies more so than others. By-pass diodes are used to reduce the effect when it happens but I don't think any have them between every cell. The more diodes/filters, the less the impact.
Different technologies are affected by different amounts and can also absorb different ranges of the spectrum. Salesmen will pick on whatever might promote their cause while ignoring negatives. "Better" may be negligible in real terms.
 
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Sep 17, 2017
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The shading effect is pretty drastic. Even a small shadow on one corner can drastically drag down the output of a panel. So if you've got a choice of where to put the panel, consider taller things like aerials. Also, if the MH is normally parked up against the house, what's out of the shade for the most time.

You probably know, but if you want to maximise your solar usage, get an MPPT charger/controller. It means you'll get some charge even when it's cloudy or the sun is low.

If you have two panels plugged into one controller, doesn't the voltage end up being whichever is the lower of the two? Or can you solve that by going series/parallel??? I guess ideally you'd have a controller per panel, but it's just not cost effective.

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two

Aug 4, 2011
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I think shading has less impact on newer panels as more diodes are incorporated.
If you parallel two panels, you need extra diodes in the circuit to stop a shaded one from affecting a non-shaded one.
In series, you'll get higher voltage and may need a different controller.
Two controllers would provide resilience.
Cost effectiveness? I'm not sure if they pay for themselves. It's bragging (not electric) power that you're buying!
 
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