Solar panels (again)

[winfarthing]

Well thank you to everyone for your help.

I have opted for two panels which will provide 640W and an Outback Controller. I have the option to fit one extra panel over the bimini which would lift the output to 960W and have chosen the Outback Controller that can cope with three panels.

Hopefully it will all go together over the next couple of weeks and will be interesting to see how it performs.

Interestingly the panel supplier recommended each panel be wired directly to the controller rather than using one wire to supply the output.

I am hoping these panels will provide sufficient power with only limited resort to the other sources - we shall see. I suspect the third panel will prove necessary.

Hi. Just wondering how you went on as I'm looking at a similar project. Which make of panels did you opt for and where did you get them? I'm also trying to source an arch, currently wondering if importing one from Atlantic in the US would be a plan. Any thoughts on a UK supplier would be appreciated.

 

[ip485]

Hi. Just wondering how you went on as I'm looking at a similar project. Which make of panels did you opt for and where did you get them? I'm also trying to source an arch, currently wondering if importing one from Atlantic in the US would be a plan. Any thoughts on a UK supplier would be appreciated.

I completed the project as originally set out, the controller was from Outback, the largest version to allow for an extra panel, the two panels were domestic 330w panels from Benq, and the stainless from a local fabricator who designed a custom arch with me. 660w appears to provide all the power i need albeit yet to be tested with a two week off grid cruise.

If you like i can pm you some pictures etc if you let me know.

 

[winfarthing]

Thanks, some pictures would be great. If not being too nosy, I be interested to know how much your arch was? I have asked a local fabricator but he's so busy it'll be a few weeks before he even looks at it. One from the US will be around 2K all in so looking for comparison.
Also interested in the bit about wiring each panel direct to the controller. The controller only has one input so what difference would it make if you connected them all together further back, or tried to get them all into the back of the controller. Finally, did you series or parallel? (Guess parallel from previous question). Sorry to ask so many questions but I you can't beat asking someone who has already done it.