Best 100W flexible solar panel

[webcraft]

I'm looking for one that can be easily attached to the spray hood and equally easily removed when I want to drop the hood.

Any tips on how to attach it welcome.

Will 100W run a small compressor fridge? (We already have 55W solar)

- W

 

[LiftyK]

Once aboard, I run a small compressor fridge 24*7. A 120W portable / flexible solar panel comes out in the day to feed my 110Ah battery. Most of the time my battery monitor shows a low charging current after a morning solar top up to replace the overnight draw, The battery stays well charged (without any engine running). So you should be fine given that your capacity will be higher than mine.

 

[dunedin]

We have two Photonic Universe semi flexible 50W panels on our spray hood, attached with “industrial” (2 inch wide) Velcro.
Actually this is too strong, and needs a lot of effort to remove. Possibly better to use ties on corners, plus less strong / narrower Velcro.

 

[webcraft]

How much will a 'semi-flexible' bend? I want one big panel I can slide down one side of the spray hood or the other depending on relative sun position.

- W

 

[Ink]

Not that much.

Ink

 

[Klausen]

How much will a 'semi-flexible' bend? I want one big panel I can slide down one side of the spray hood or the other depending on relative sun position.

- W

Mine ( offgridtech) didn't like bending and/ storing, they survived only a few months. Very expensive experience!

 

[dunedin]

How much will a 'semi-flexible' bend? I want one big panel I can slide down one side of the spray hood or the other depending on relative sun position.

- W

I preferred to fit two x 50W panels in parallel, so that one is always working - and usually both.

In terms of bend, ours is about an inch max bend across about 18 inches. We have a third one tossed in the dinghy on davits - it gets very rough treatment, with fenders bashing on the way in and out of the dinghy also - and been fine so far after 5 years

 

[PTB]

This works well for us. Camping shop eyelets and nylon bolts. Quick and secure.



Dont bend them wrong way with sunside on inside of curve ,, well not Lensun ones anyway . Easy to do when moving them around.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've had two Lensuns the first fitted to the 'garage' bent about 25mm in 500 occasionally walked on. Still fine after about 5yrs when I sold the boat.
I think the amount of bend is in the fixing instructions.

 

[webcraft]

What about this one? Says it will bend up to 240 degrees.

https://amzn.to/3AOhDrZ

I have one solar panel with its own controller, should I get a more powerful controller and wire both panels into it, or get a separate controller for the new panel?

- W

 

[LadyInBed]

How much will a 'semi-flexible' bend?

As Ink says, not much.
A lot depends on the shape of your spray hood . Flat top hoods ok, round top hoods no good at all.

 

[LadyInBed]

What about this one? Says it will bend up to 240 degrees.

That's not a semi flexible! It's just what you need
Profile is Long and Narrow, it would also fit well along a guard wire.

 

[Alfie168]

I just bought the cheapest one on eBay advertised as flexible. It's lasted at least six years so far. I had to wrap the cable as it was obvious the red/black flex was not very UV stable. I think it was £25 for my mammoth 20 watt device ?

 

[thinwater]

How much will a 'semi-flexible' bend? I want one big panel I can slide down one side of the spray hood or the other depending on relative sun position.

- W

They are meant to be bent ONE TIME, and that is during installation. Repeated bending causes micro fractures and the failures you hear of. Think of it as a glass panel without the glass to protect the cells from bending.

IMO, fixed mounts make 100% more sense, because they will actually be out there. Find some deck you don't need to walk on.

 

[webcraft]

Find some deck you don't need to walk on.

Ha! Fat chance on a 30ft MAB.

The fully flexible panel I linked to above looks like the answer. There is also a 175W version I might find space for.

Separate controller to the one the existing 50W panel is using, or a single higher capacity controller?

- W

 

[Zing]

I once bought a semi flexible panel, took it out of the box and bent it to see how easily it would bend to the shape my cockpit roof. It was just a little bend and within its limits as advertised. I heard an ominous crack when I did that. Something had clearly broken inside and I returned it as faulty. I’m sure they are good, just not that flexible as people think, especially if made from crystalline silicon wafers. Some panels are made from thin film technology. Printing essentially. Less efficient, but are more robust to flexing. I have a 25 year old thin film unit still going strong from a now bust company.

 

[Dukester52]

one tip from me... make sure you get a panel with internal bypass diodes!

 

[thinwater]

Didn't know the boat size. I would still try hard to find something I could leave.

Separate controllers, since the characteristics of the panels will be different.

 

[LadyInBed]

There is also a 175W version I might find space for.

It's 5ft long! A bit unmanageable IMO.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I once bought a semi flexible panel, took it out of the box and bent it to see how easily it would bend to the shape my cockpit roof. It was just a little bend and within its limits as advertised. I heard an ominous crack when I did that. Something had clearly broken inside and I returned it as faulty. I’m sure they are good, just not that flexible as people think, especially if made from crystalline silicon wafers. Some panels are made from thin film technology. Printing essentially. Less efficient, but are more robust to flexing. I have a 25 year old thin film unit still going strong from a now bust company.

Follow the installation instructions and don't be tempted to exceed specified deflection. I've had good experience with semi flex - so much easier to find a suitable space for permanent installation.