superboots
Well-Known Member
I see several new makes of solar panel - all made in China - are being listed on Ebay at reduced prices compared with better known brands but can anyone report on performance and durability?
chinese ade solar panels - any experience
- Thread starter superboots
- Start date
Joe
Well-Known Member
Solar panels
I would be very careful with things coming out of China at the moment
Cheap is what you get
Joe
I would be very careful with things coming out of China at the moment
Cheap is what you get
Joe
claudio
Well-Known Member
Avoid unless you're thinking of replacing them often.
Usually reject cells are utilised. Lots of junk coming out of China at the moment. Ask how long the warranty is (how will they honour it) and can they match 10 or 20 year warranty. Stick with the recognised quality brands. Buy cheap, buy often.
Usually reject cells are utilised. Lots of junk coming out of China at the moment. Ask how long the warranty is (how will they honour it) and can they match 10 or 20 year warranty. Stick with the recognised quality brands. Buy cheap, buy often.
grievesie
Well-Known Member
Chinese solar panels
Just to give a balanced view based on experience. I bought a Chinese made polycrystaline 20W solar panel from UK supplier on Ebay for £50 about 18 months ago and it has worked fine trickle charging my 2 batteries (140 amps total). It's very well made but is of the rigid type with a chunky alloy frame so may not suit everyone - I just put it on the cockpit seat when leaving the boat rather than have it permanantly fitted. I use a simple 5 amp regulator (German made!) supplied by Brocotts (also on E-bay for about £11). The price was so far below the recognised brands at that time that I thought it was worth a try and was pleasantly suprised. I would say that 18 months on, with China now being the worlds biggest producer of solar panels, most of the panels being sold on Ebay are probably OK - though I would always use a UK supplier in case of problems.
Just to give a balanced view based on experience. I bought a Chinese made polycrystaline 20W solar panel from UK supplier on Ebay for £50 about 18 months ago and it has worked fine trickle charging my 2 batteries (140 amps total). It's very well made but is of the rigid type with a chunky alloy frame so may not suit everyone - I just put it on the cockpit seat when leaving the boat rather than have it permanantly fitted. I use a simple 5 amp regulator (German made!) supplied by Brocotts (also on E-bay for about £11). The price was so far below the recognised brands at that time that I thought it was worth a try and was pleasantly suprised. I would say that 18 months on, with China now being the worlds biggest producer of solar panels, most of the panels being sold on Ebay are probably OK - though I would always use a UK supplier in case of problems.
pappaecho
Well-Known Member
80% of the worlds solar panel materials are made in China, so almost without exception if you have solar panels its solar absorber plate was made in China. I have 4 such panels which though sold for boats are used in a housing application and have been fine for the last 4 years.
If the plates on Ebay are "cheap", perhaps the non Ebay ones are over expensive?
If the plates on Ebay are "cheap", perhaps the non Ebay ones are over expensive?
charles_reed
Well-Known Member
I'd support that last sentiment having bought 2 Kyocera 54 watt panels for just under £400 by hunting around.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I laugh at some comments about chinese gear ....
The fact is that many 'well-known' brands of various products havre contracts with superior Chinese factories. Producing the 'quality' articles that some here say you should go for. Funny thing is though - that it is not unknown for that same factory to have a 'night-shift' come on and change labels on the SAME production line.
I've been told this by various Senior Exec's in companys that have this very thing happen to them. One was a well known Mobile Phone company who have not only their phones but also batteries made in China .... It was not so long ago they had a campaign to try and get people to send in their 'chinese copy' battery for a free replacement 'original' ... a campaign to convince public there was a difference. Fact was - there was no difference for above reason. That was told to me by the R&D manager involved in it !
Why wouldn't the Company then cancel the contract ? Simple maths really ... they charge high "Quality price" ... chinese copy doesn't, but manufacturing costs are so low that Company accepts the dent in sales ... as people are sure they MUST buy Original Badged product.
The R&D guy actually went on to say ... only when the sales plummet enough will they stop the Chinese act ... then and only then may you get a real genuine branded product !!
The fact is that many 'well-known' brands of various products havre contracts with superior Chinese factories. Producing the 'quality' articles that some here say you should go for. Funny thing is though - that it is not unknown for that same factory to have a 'night-shift' come on and change labels on the SAME production line.
I've been told this by various Senior Exec's in companys that have this very thing happen to them. One was a well known Mobile Phone company who have not only their phones but also batteries made in China .... It was not so long ago they had a campaign to try and get people to send in their 'chinese copy' battery for a free replacement 'original' ... a campaign to convince public there was a difference. Fact was - there was no difference for above reason. That was told to me by the R&D manager involved in it !
Why wouldn't the Company then cancel the contract ? Simple maths really ... they charge high "Quality price" ... chinese copy doesn't, but manufacturing costs are so low that Company accepts the dent in sales ... as people are sure they MUST buy Original Badged product.
The R&D guy actually went on to say ... only when the sales plummet enough will they stop the Chinese act ... then and only then may you get a real genuine branded product !!
claudio
Well-Known Member
It depends on what type of sailing you do as to whether you find Chinese product acceptable. If you have easy access to spares, its probably not much of a problem.
There is a huge variation of quality in manufactured products. A lot of product is indeed manufactured in China, however the level of quality control is much different when parts are supplied to a major manufacturer. Let's say that the parts that the 'quality manufacturer' reject go back to China and are resold using other channels including ebay. So it is true that they may come from the same factory, but they are most likely not the same grade of product. There are always exceptions however.
There is a huge variation of quality in manufactured products. A lot of product is indeed manufactured in China, however the level of quality control is much different when parts are supplied to a major manufacturer. Let's say that the parts that the 'quality manufacturer' reject go back to China and are resold using other channels including ebay. So it is true that they may come from the same factory, but they are most likely not the same grade of product. There are always exceptions however.
