yeah you can glue them. they're not that bad, a little more but can pick them up reasonably on eBay just make sure you buy sun power cells as they work better. the flex ones aren't as durable as the glass ones and have been known to stop working properly after time. they have been round a long time but have gotten a lot cheaper recently. now the blankets are out as well so thats all the rage
Solar The Solar Panel Thread
- Thread starter cruza driver
- Start date
yeah you can glue them. they're not that bad, a little more but can pick them up reasonably on eBay just make sure you buy sun power cells as they work better. the flex ones aren't as durable as the glass ones and have been known to stop working properly after time. they have been round a long time but have gotten a lot cheaper recently. now the blankets are out as well so thats all the rage
Regarding the Maxray panels...I use two of them for the van and they have fantastic output. Ive had 17A out of 2x120A panels. BUT I removed their regulators and put Anderson plugs on the panels and an aftermarket 30A regulator ($36 ebay) in the van (6B&S cable between). Not much difference in weight between panel brands that Ive seen. The glass on all of them is the minimum needed to pass the standard 1m metal ball drop. The manufacturer isnt going to give you extra glass thickness for no reason.
Hi yeah agree..regulator and wiring poor but even hooked with 6mm wire in series bypassing regulator and connected to epever tracer 2210a mppt got approx 120 watts peak....thats not good from 200w..
Hit n miss maybe , ..cheers cp
Hit n miss maybe , ..cheers cp
Maybe your batteries weren't flat enough for the regulator to need to pump much out? Mine doesn't often get over 6A cause the batteries don't need it. Mainly when the fridge kicks in in the morning.
Hi dean ...no wasnt that..i had everything running in the van and batt voltage was depleting maxray giving me 120 in series.
Swapped to a domestic 195 watt panel ...gave me 175watts and battery voltage began to increase.....again..then went back on float...everything else same.
So definitely panel difference. .....maybe poor qc in manufacturing who knows and they were very heavy.
Anyway good luck if yours going well..i knew the controller attached wouldnt be mppt.
Cheers cp
Swapped to a domestic 195 watt panel ...gave me 175watts and battery voltage began to increase.....again..then went back on float...everything else same.
So definitely panel difference. .....maybe poor qc in manufacturing who knows and they were very heavy.
Anyway good luck if yours going well..i knew the controller attached wouldnt be mppt.
Cheers cp
From my experience, do not under any circumstances glue the thin panels directly to your roof.
I purchased a couple ($1000pr) and asked twice if they were ok to glue to the roof of our van. Yes, thats fine is the response both times.
Now, yes they worked ok in Tassie but hit the mainland with near on 2months of 38-42 deg weather and they fried themselves.
And abit of research on the net seems Im not the only one.
I purchased a couple ($1000pr) and asked twice if they were ok to glue to the roof of our van. Yes, thats fine is the response both times.
Now, yes they worked ok in Tassie but hit the mainland with near on 2months of 38-42 deg weather and they fried themselves.
And abit of research on the net seems Im not the only one.
yes a lot of people glue them to 10mm polycarbonate sheets to help them breath like this. in my opinion the glass ones are more durable and will last longer, they may be heavier but if permanently mounting them i always go glass panels. my flex panel is good to keep in the back of the car.
Big Mal has a 120ah Bosch Gel and I want to add another, now I know I should pair them up age, amps etc to get max performance and I was going to match it with another Bosch just not the same age but do you think I can find one around here, nearest one is about a 3 hr drive one way, just how much would it all suffer if I used another brand same amp though, I know the theory but real world doesn't always read the small print.
Be nice to just go and buy 2 new matching units but thats not going to happen.
Be nice to just go and buy 2 new matching units but thats not going to happen.
From my understanding it will be ok just not ideal....something about the newer one being more efficient so dominating the charging.
I think....but don't rely on that!
Oh @Drover sir.....guru sir...
I think....but don't rely on that!
Oh @Drover sir.....guru sir...
in theory not a good idea, but
as you say, real world didnt read the small print
same same I was told never use a Gell as a cranking battery
meh
I had to for 6 months (because I kept forgetting to get new cranker.... DOH)
did not effect either batteries
ok, they were both yellow top Optima's
can guarantee they are the same, but different dates of Manufacture
as you say, real world didnt read the small print
same same I was told never use a Gell as a cranking battery
meh
I had to for 6 months (because I kept forgetting to get new cranker.... DOH)
did not effect either batteries
ok, they were both yellow top Optima's
can guarantee they are the same, but different dates of Manufacture
Considering your previous profession my take is, the people that werent a "Sir" aint so very fond of those that were .... possibly even an insult to some being referred to as the other ???
Age shouldn't make too much difference, provided your existing one is still performing well.
If you can match the capacity and chemistry, that's the main thing to make the system most efficient
Amongst ourselves we would joke about it but in reality there are/were some brillliant people that I gladly called Sir !!!...........some Not.
(Im trying to fiegn humbleness in this pic, but I seem to have only one emotion ... sarcasm)
Sarcasm must be catching, one or two I had to refer to as "Sir" I actually spelt it "Cur".
OK - I am sure this will be covered and maybe more than once but I can not find a clear answer and everyone seems to have different views...
I have a 100ah house battery and a roof mounted 90w solar panel. If I connect a portable 80w panel with it's own regulator what happens???
will...
a) both will produce power and the combine power is fed into the battery
b) the panel which is producing the most power will produce power for the battery and the other will do nothing.
Sparky tells me option a
RV installer tells me option b
I am planning a trip to Bathurst this year, I will be taking a second portable battery (also 100ah) with me and not sure if best is to keep them connected together and run the 2 sets of panels or to separate the batteries during the day for charging with each panel charging one battery, then connect the together at the end of the day.
I have a 100ah house battery and a roof mounted 90w solar panel. If I connect a portable 80w panel with it's own regulator what happens???
will...
a) both will produce power and the combine power is fed into the battery
b) the panel which is producing the most power will produce power for the battery and the other will do nothing.
Sparky tells me option a
RV installer tells me option b
I am planning a trip to Bathurst this year, I will be taking a second portable battery (also 100ah) with me and not sure if best is to keep them connected together and run the 2 sets of panels or to separate the batteries during the day for charging with each panel charging one battery, then connect the together at the end of the day.