Solar Panel - any recommendations for durability?

[magdalena]

Dear Liveaboards,

I am about to replace the solar panels on Magdalena for the second time. I was wondering if any of you could recommend a semi flexible solar panel that will last more than a few years.

For the record...

Spectra 20W Semi Flexible Panel, cost £144, installed March 2007, had failed by April 2009, due to plastic covering round connecting wire peeling away from panel, probably due to being flexed to (and possibly slightly beyond) the limit specified.

Merlin Solarplex Marine Professional 12V 40 (labelled Luxor LX40-P) Semi Flexible panel, cost £431, installed July 2009, failed by April 2015 due to top surface delaminating and salt water getting to the metal ribbons crossing the panel.

Can anyone recommend a semi flexible panel that has lasted longer than this. I always thought they would be a bit more fit and forget...

Thank you in anticipation.

Kind regards,

Robin Hartley
Magdalena
(currently ashore on Scottish West Coast)

 

[macd]

Robin: I regret that my experience of semi-flex panels is at least as bad as yours. My experience of rigids is the complete opposite. To use your phrase, apart from washing they pretty-well are 'fit and forget'.

Sorry that this doesn't answer your question, but it certainly answered mine...:ambivalence:

 

[charles_reed]

Look away from semi-flexible panels if you wish for durability.
The best appear to have a half-life of 3 years, compared to 25 for rigid panels.

"Printed" solar panels are in the pipeline from the USA, Sunshine Solar appear to be importing some - but their only advantage is low cost - which appears not to be being fully passed on.

 

[magdalena]

Update: The Merlin panels have continued to delaminate, and I thought they were knackered. But it turns out that there is another protective layer below the top one and above the connecting wires and semiconductor. I had to remove the small plastic box where the wires connect, remove the top laminate layer around there, and resolder the connecting wires directly on to the panel. Then covered that area with sikaflex. They look terrible as the laminate slowly peels off, but are giving a decent output again. Presumably at some point in the not too distant future the entire top layer will have gone, and they will look quite good again. Phoenix panels...

 

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

I personally think paying the absolutely ridiculous prices asked for "Marine" solar panels is crazy....the pair of 100w semi flexible ones on my cabin roof which admittedly performed great have only lasted 2 years here in the Algarve but then again they were only £120 each...for a similar marine one I was quoted £650 at SIBS...this year I am thinking of "splashing out" on these ones..they seem to have a much better top covering which is what deteriorates and peels on my cheap ones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301276302...49&var=600307644006&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Just to add that I also have two 100w rigids mounted on an aft gantry which I purchased at the same time and they were equally cheap...approx. £145 if my memory is correct and after two years they are as good as new !!

 

[KellysEye]

I was looking at solar panels for our house what became apparent was the longest lasting are German and the ones that last the least time are Chinese. I assume it would be the same for rigid boat solar panels. From the post flexible ones don't seem to last long so is it possible for you to fit rigid ones?

 

[nortada]

Have had rigid German panels on boat for 13 years still working well.

 

[charles_reed]

Apart from a pair of semi flexible panels bought from Marlec - all my panels (starting 2008) were bought through Dulas Ltd who are "green" energy consultants.
http://www.dulas.org.uk/renewable-energy-consultancy/

Their price for Kyocera panels, at that time, was about 65% that of any others on the market. Though that range has long since superseded by more recent models, the first pair of panels they supplied are still producing to 95% of their original output - the semi-flexible (as Marlec advised would happen) have dropped to about 55%.
It seems to be generally accepted, in the industry, that semi-flexible panels have neither the output or longevity of glass panels.

 

[Ric]

I have have had Solara semi-flexible panels on my coachroof for fourteen years. One failed after seven years when I dropped a pair of pliers on it from the top of the mast. The others have all lasted between ten and twelve years.

 

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lensun-20...hash=item2c8929c51f:m:m5k7PmYt4PHcAZbOjg51Brg
just to say I have just received my 2 new 100w panels (£209.00 each) from this company and the quality of the panel itself is extremely impressive... a vast improvement on the old panels I am replacing. The construction is in a different league and in my humble opinion should give a very long lifespan... I have no affiliation with the company, just wanted to report on my initial findings..

 

[Mistroma]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lensun-20...hash=item2c8929c51f:m:m5k7PmYt4PHcAZbOjg51Brg
just to say I have just received my 2 new 100w panels (£209.00 each) from this company and the quality of the panel itself is extremely impressive... a vast improvement on the old panels I am replacing. The construction is in a different league and in my humble opinion should give a very long lifespan... I have no affiliation with the company, just wanted to report on my initial findings..

I found them to be very helpful and suggested link to a Spanish stockist when UK stock wasn't available. I bought one but it failed after only 5 weeks and dealer didn't want to know. Lensun sent a replacement to South of France immediately and said they'd improved the design.

The original had very fine connections between the cells but the new ones have much wider connections. I opened the junction box on the original and can confirm everything was well potted to keep out water.

I was worried about flexing as my panel is mounted on a bimini so also tested the old one to destruction by bending it by flipping it up and down whilst holding the ends. I did manage to break a cell in the middle but it did take a fair amount of flexing and certainly more than LenSun say it is designed to take.

Pretty hopeful it will last a while but not as long as my existing rigid panels. I intend to fit some Aluminium strips to stiffen the centre section on the bimini. It would be fine taking up a permanent curve on deck.

 

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

I found them to be very helpful and suggested link to a Spanish stockist when UK stock wasn't available. I bought one but it failed after only 5 weeks and dealer didn't want to know. Lensun sent a replacement to South of France immediately and said they'd improved the design.

The original had very fine connections between the cells but the new ones have much wider connections. I opened the junction box on the original and can confirm everything was well potted to keep out water.

I was worried about flexing as my panel is mounted on a bimini so also tested the old one to destruction by bending it by flipping it up and down whilst holding the ends. I did manage to break a cell in the middle but it did take a fair amount of flexing and certainly more than LenSun say it is designed to take.

Pretty hopeful it will last a while but not as long as my existing rigid panels. I intend to fit some Aluminium strips to stiffen the centre section on the bimini. It would be fine taking up a permanent curve on deck.

Glad to hear you echo the findings on the quality of these new design panels...also as you say the company themselves were indeed extremely helpful.... 'Abby', the girl at Lensun was superb with her correspondence.. My panels are going on our saloon roof (Catamaran) so we do have an advantage, these along with our 2 rigid panels should keep us going for many years to come..