ebay solar panels?

I have bought several small ones for trickle charging my batteries-the first one I installed has been up and running for five years though I remain cautious about buying bigger ones.
Also suggest you check out items for sale on here -there are some nice good quality ones up for grabs at £100 each(not mine).
A smaller one of those on my old boat is still going strong after almost 20 years!
 
Hi
I bought a couple of 80W panels on Ebay 3 years ago, they worked fine for me.

The package may be a bit expensive these days, check out the separate prices on Ebay.
 
eBay feedback just confirms that item looks OK and arrived in reasonable time.

I bought an SD-Card a few years ago from someone with 100% feedback. Card was a 1GB version frigged to format as 4GB. Pretty certain every card sold was equally dodgy but buyers just slipped them into a camera or PC to check it was working. So feedback was 100%.

Being paranoid, I loaded 4GB of data and found last 3GB saved very quickly and couldn't be read back. I did get my money back but imagine most people only found the problem weeks after leaving feedback.

Panels could well be fine but feedback is of limited use regarding quality.

One thing to bear in mind is that the panels probably won't be shadow tolerant. Only way to check is to buy one and try it.

Not a huge problem if you know this is the case. I bought a new BP panel from eBay and it was fine, seems genuine but doesn't work at all if any shadow on panel. However, I knew this before buying and at 30% of list price it wasn't an issue.

PS This supplier seems to be a UK business installing panels. I bought my BP one from a similar business so better than dealing with Chinese contacts. They should be able to comment on suitability and shadow tolerance, so worth asking them for more information.
 
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The spec makes no mention of IP protection rating and shade tolerance as others have said. When installing on a boat, it's often difficult to locate in a position where its always in full sun. The semi-flex versions are much more suitable for installing on deck. The ebay ones might be OK if mounted on a gantry where they can't be trodden on.
 
I have had a 60w panel for 3 yrs now and its good.
Output still very good and not too bad shadow tollerant, it gives what it said at 3.6amp/hr when full sunshine.
I am think going to sell it as I am going for a 100w panel unless I can sort some sort of temp mount.

bob
 
Paid £150 for an 80 watt panel last year, and it is just fine, keeping 600 amp hours of batteries at about 12.5 volts in january and now closer to 12.7 volts.

Gainsayers may indicate that they are not to marine standard. Are they water proof? yes, do they work? yes

What more can I say?
 
You should be fine, I've had four solar panels from different ebay sellers (not the one you link to though) and no problems with any of them. The regulator that comes with it is a PWM not just a cut-off at a certain voltage one so that's good. Only thing I can't vouch for is the longevity of the panels that I have, though they stay out in all conditions and, as I say, no problems. Good value for money I'd say...
 
the only real thing you need to watch for on some of the cheaper panels is non tempered glass which can go opaque after a few years of use, to the best of my knowledge there are no real MARINE panels made, most have aluminium frames so dont rust
 
stevensuf said:
the only real thing you need to watch for on some of the cheaper panels is non tempered glass which can go opaque after a few years of use
Click to expand...

Why? I can certainly understand why the glass should be tempered (toughened) ... but becoming opaque would not be one of my reasons. My plain float-glass windows are as clear as they were 40years ago :confused:
 
Mistroma said:
eBay feedback just confirms that item looks OK and arrived in reasonable time.

I bought an SD-Card a few years ago from someone with 100% feedback. Card was a 1GB version frigged to format as 4GB. Pretty certain every card sold was equally dodgy but buyers just slipped them into a camera or PC to check it was working. So feedback was 100%.

Being paranoid, I loaded 4GB of data and found last 3GB saved very quickly and couldn't be read back. I did get my money back but imagine most people only found the problem weeks after leaving feedback.

Panels could well be fine but feedback is of limited use regarding quality.

One thing to bear in mind is that the panels probably won't be shadow tolerant. Only way to check is to buy one and try it.

Not a huge problem if you know this is the case. I bought a new BP panel from eBay and it was fine, seems genuine but doesn't work at all if any shadow on panel. However, I knew this before buying and at 30% of list price it wasn't an issue.

PS This supplier seems to be a UK business installing panels. I bought my BP one from a similar business so better than dealing with Chinese contacts. They should be able to comment on suitability and shadow tolerance, so worth asking them for more information.
Click to expand...

All solar panels are shadow intolerant-some just more than others.
 
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