cheap 'lensun' solar panels???

contessaman

contessaman

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Just been looking at these:

http://www.lensunhk.com/50w-mono-flexible-solar-panel-12v-p-101.html

any experience or opinions?


cheap chinese solar panels shipped from a uk warehouse (allegedly).
price is reasonable enough, seems to be a semi flexible type based on aluminium backing and a resin covering.

I could just sikaflex the whole damn thing to the slightly curved top of my coachroof. no holes. that way if (when?) it dies the boat isnt scarred for life.

I wonder how the chinese claimed outputs compare to a more expensive brand? that said, these are so cheap , one could go for an 80 or 100watt panel and that surely would kick out a fair few amps even in overcast conditions....
 
Csail said:
Been down this route.....get a real one.
Click to expand...

that bad huh!? can you reccommend a good 'real' one?

I certainly remember my dad having a really expensive one on his boat. it was 30 watts but it seemed to put that out in almost any weather, where as I suppose these cheap ones only come close to claimed outputs when they are exactly incident to the brightest midday sun.
 
I have exactly the same only 40W, bought from Lensun from ebay. It's absolutely fine but I did wish they'd used more substantial wires and I also felt the need to put a big blob of sikaflex around where the wires leave the diode. It's on top of the hatch garage and happily sits there all the time no matter what the conditions. Batteries (2 x 110AH) are currently fully charged at 15.6 volts, that's with the 40W and another 20W framed panel. It is a thin sheet of aluminium with the PV cells on top and a clear coating on top of that. Each panel has its own PWM regulator, also from ebay about £12 each...
 
hey guys thanks. perhaps they aren't so bad. I wouldnt expect it to last decades at that price. I can see from the picture what you describe as flimsy wire out of the diode. just loose red and black flex. Would be best to rob the thick PVC insulation off some mains flex and slide it over and do as you say with a blob of sikaflex. Round mains insulation would be easier to seal through a deck gland too.

BTW those that have used them, how did you mount them? glued with mastic or did you screw with the mounting holes in corner?

also, sounds like you ordered through ebay. seems like the way forward at you one has a bit of buyer protection.

I did see the ad strip that someone mentioned on the lensun website. fake rolex's and sunglasses. 'tis a little off putting. Will have a look at their ebay feedback.

some of you mention ebay charge regulators? again have these proved okay? can they be trusted?
 
Contessaman

I fixed my semi-flexible with S/S bolts through the mounting grommets. Figured that even a slight air gap would improve cooling and increase output. The bolt holes are easily fillable if the panel needs to be removed. I used a £10 regulator from eBay - seemed to do the job. The reassuring green LED always welcomed me on board showing the panel had done it's job. This was the one I used http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...=RZmRTuqYIMy88gP0_szjDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CGYQ8wIwAA . The panel was from Seateach.
 
ghostlymoron said:
I fixed my semi-flexible with S/S bolts through the mounting grommets. Figured that even a slight air gap would improve cooling and increase output. The bolt holes are easily fillable if the panel needs to be removed. I used a £10 regulator from eBay - seemed to do the job. The reassuring green LED always welcomed me on board showing the panel had done it's job. This was the one I used http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...=RZmRTuqYIMy88gP0_szjDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CGYQ8wIwAA . The panel was from Seateach.
Click to expand...

Like wise fitted a semiflexible ( Spectralite ) panel from Seateach. Only a small one so no regulator required.

(Was worried about there being no support under the centre of the panel... so put several small dollops of silicone under it covered with bits of thin polythene to support it without sticking it down)

The M149 regulator is only a cut out device not a regulator in the true sense of the word.
A PWM regulator would perhaps be better or a MPPT regulator to get the maximum out of the solar panel when required.
Lot's more dosh though. :)

.
 
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I bought a rigid 80 watt off Ebay in Jan this year. Cost £149 including delivery. Works perfectly.
As almost all silicon for solar panels comes from China anyway, I dont think it matters as long as it is put together properly
 
I bought a rigid 80 watt off Ebay in Jan this year. Cost £149 including delivery. Works perfectly.
Click to expand...
But will it still be working perfectly in 10 years time?
 
VicS said:
But will it still be working perfectly in 10 years time?
Click to expand...

doubt it, but on the other hand £14.90 a year ain't a bad way of looking at it. then when some baffoon (that would be me) drops a winch handle or similar projectile on it after a year its not quite the end of the world.

I hear what you are saying though. If the output drops to 25% of rated after say 24 months then why bother. but if it degraded linearly to say 50% over 10 years then you chuck it, well, hey, thats ok. just get an 80 watt one if you need 40.
 
I have bought and fitted one of these from Lensun. While the quality of the product is not exactly top-notch I wouldn't expect that for the bargin-basement price. Output is slightly better than advertised on my fixed pannel. The connection box is not exactly waterporoof but lots of sealent sorted that.

It's done one season and 300 miles so far and I have no complaints.

If I chuck it in a skip in 3-5 years I'll still be happy with the purchase.
 
contessaman said:
some of you mention ebay charge regulators? again have these proved okay? can they be trusted?
Click to expand...

There are lots of them at around £10. They were originally intended as controllers for solar powered street lights. They work fine as charge limiters to restrict the charge voltage to 13.8v. (Disregard their claims of 14.6vboost charge....it lasts for less than 30minutes). The trouble is this will severely restrict the rate at which your battery is recharged, so you need to override it manually until the battery is reasonably charged.

They do have interesting 'light control' functions which can be usefully employed for the anchor light :)

Vic
 
I have a couple of Chinese panels I bought off eBay. Half the price of the name brand with the same guarantee and not surprisingly look identical to the name brand.
 
VicMallows said:
There are lots of them at around £10. They were originally intended as controllers for solar powered street lights. They work fine as charge limiters to restrict the charge voltage to 13.8v. (Disregard their claims of 14.6vboost charge....it lasts for less than 30minutes). The trouble is this will severely restrict the rate at which your battery is recharged, so you need to override it manually until the battery is reasonably charged.

They do have interesting 'light control' functions which can be usefully employed for the anchor light :)

Vic
Click to expand...

Yes these are the regulators I have, haven't used the light control function but I end up with batteries showing 15.6 volts (measured with digital multimeter) by the time the controllers are flashing to indicate full charge...
 
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