got tired of testing flexible panels

whatsa · Member

got tired of testing flexible panels

bristte · Veteran Member

I've also become wary of semi-soft, folding panels after a couple of failures. Some of the cheaper ones don't give a decent output from new, but my experience with better ones that even if they start out well enough, they decline over time. I suspect the repeated folding and unfolding doesn't help, although it may also be the different solar array material in semi-soft panels. I've just ordered a rigid one.

Whenarewethere · Guru

If a panel is advertising more than 170 watts per sq metre avoid it like the plague. In reality if you got 130 watts per square metre you will be extremely lucky.

Some information on my setup:

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65231112/custom-6x20-watts-solar-setup-with-mppt/

whatsa · Member

Yes its a issue

The atem(200) was 1sq metre and 60w output and weighs 5.7 kg

The renogy was 6kg and output 95w super hot at 2pm ... peaks at 110w

Plus I could buy 3x 100w renogy for the cost of one atem.

Funny thing is they are the same size and weight to store (atem folds)... I just cannot find a good reason for these flexibles as a portable choice.

-- Edited by whatsa on Sunday 19th of March 2023 05:20:42 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

Apart that they barely produce any power & have a very short life, their other failing is that they are flexible.

How to solve that problem!

normal_Flexible Solar Solution_043320.jpg

Breeze · Member

Only two brands of flexible solar panels worth buying, the eArc by Sunman and Renogy.
Almost sure the Renogy are made by Sunman.
They are both EFTE covering with dimpled surface which harvests more sun.
The surface covering makes up for their lower effeciency.

whatsa · Member

So to close this out

I ended up with a 30amp renogy controller

and 3 x 100w panels for a 21 amp charge rate

I can go to 4 and run them serial or paired parrallel

I have 24metres of extension cable so enough to camp in a nice shady spot and have a good setup for solar

I used 2 cheap laundry carts to make the panel legs (about $10 a panel and very light weight)

Eaglemax · Guru

With weight and cooling in mind I've mounted flexible panels onto 10mm coreflute and glued onto the roof. Consulted sikadlex technical and from memory used 252 as the adhesive.

Dick0 · Guru

Eaglemax wrote:
With weight and cooling in mind I've mounted flexible panels onto 10mm coreflute and glued onto the roof. Consulted sikadlex technical and from memory used 252 as the adhesive.

Any chance of some pics?

JonP · Member

In our household we have three vehicles fitted out with renogy solar which have all worked out well charging three DCS lithium batteries. Ive recently seen people have been having issues with these batteries when running them under Bonet as starter batteries. I was keen to try Solbian solar but the price is simply to high at over 3 x that of renogy.