Solar panels: Are cheap ones cheerful?

[JumbleDuck]

I finally got to measure up the hatch garage for a new solar panel yesterday. The available space is 685mm x 635mm, which gives me quite a range of options ...

• Sunware 36W at £380 from Force 4 (http://www.force4.co.uk/5743/Sunware-Solar-Panel-36W.html)
• Spectralite 30W at £190 from SeaTeach (http://www.seateach.com/SpectraLite-Solar-Panels.htm)
• Lensun 50W at £110 from Some Bloke on eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10W-20W-3...olar-panel-perfect-for-boat-car-/380687876587)
• No-brand 50W at £100 from Another Bloke on ebay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50w-12v-S...nel-with-5-Metres-Two-Core-Cable/271403002660)

plus various other eBay options, all at similar prices.

I'd be very interested to hear about anyone's experiences with these, particularly the ones at the cheaper end. I wouldn't expect them to last as long as the expensive ones, but I'd like a reasonable life out of whatever I fit. There is not chance that I'd ever want to stand on the hatch garage; I am also thinking of fitting one to the coach roof which would have to be reasonably robust.

The above are all semi-flexible by the way. I could also think about fitting a rigid one to the hatch garage, which as far as I can see brings the price down a bit without making a huge difference to the output.

 

[nigelmercier]

I have no experience of any of these, but my choice would be the Lensun.

 

[michael_w]

Not the semi flexible Spectralite, if they are the same ones sold by Marlec.

Rated output decidedly optimistic. The connector block corroded away and the panel itself delaminated after two years. Marlec's response was "What do you expect? Can we sell you some more". Grr!

 

[sailorman]

Not the semi flexible Spectralite, if they are the same ones sold by Marlec.

Rated output decidedly optimistic. The connector block corroded away and the panel itself delaminated after two years. Marlec's response was "What do you expect? Can we sell you some more". Grr!

So would you use Marlec again

 

[BruceDanforth]

The cheap panels all seem to have a small number of large cells. Are they selling you a 50Watt panel or a 50'W' panel? Does it give those watts in the UK or in a desert somewhere in the middle east?

I went for a couple of factory refurb Nasa panels I got for a good price but it is too soon to see how good they will be. I was going to mount them straight on the lid of my engine well but sailing the other day I became aware of how much shadow there is around the cockpit so I'm having a rethink.

 

[michael_w]

So would you use Marlec again

"You can't be serious!" Especially after the bearings on my POS Rutland 913 have failed after 3 years...

 

[sailorman]

"You can't be serious!" Especially after the bearings on my POS Rutland 913 have failed after 3 years...

I take it its No then

 

[Koeketiene]

Solar panels: Are cheap ones cheerful?

We went for 4 of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100W-Watt...950620?pt=UK_Gadgets&var=&hash=item58a0167ddc

Only had them for 5 months - but batteries are always fully charged when we get back to the boat.
After a day of heavy use (autopilot and fridge) the bank was down to 70%. Secured alongside and had dinner & a pint.
When we left for home 2 hours later I was surprised to see that the batteries were once again fully charged.

 

[SandraMennem]

We fitted two Sunware units about 7 years ago (bought from Marlec) and after about 3 years they started to de-laminate, and are still doing so. However, they appear to be still producing a decent charge. My husband's opinion of these units is that they are overpriced for what they are.

One year ago, we added two more big, rigid panels, purchased from Sunshine Solar Ltd (www.sunshinesolar.co.uk) and they shipped them, the cables and regulator out to the Med. The prices then, and still, appear to very competitive and the guys know what they are talking about. So far, they are providing an outstanding supply with no quality issues at all.

Hope this helps.

 

[JumbleDuck]

We went for 4 of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100W-Watt...950620?pt=UK_Gadgets&var=&hash=item58a0167ddc

Only had them for 5 months - but batteries are always fully charged when we get back to the boat.

The Biard ones seem to get quite good reviews, and they are amazingly cheap for 100W, but alas they are much too big for the space I have.

 

[Pete7]

We have a 45w Solara semi flexible panel on the hatch which thankfully came cheap off ebay second hand as I couldn't afford the £500 new price. The other two panels are both rigid no name mono crystalline panels at a fraction of the price and work just as well. El cheapo panels for me please.

Pete

 

[joha]

Barden Batteries do a Victron blue solar 80 watt for £128 qud rigid mind you. Have one works great! They also do semi flexible ones to. I looked at the ones Force 4 and Marine superstore sell and think that they are well over priced for what you get in my opinion.

J

 

[JumbleDuck]

Many thanks, all. I have bought a 50W, £100 one from eBay and will experiment with it. Since that's around 14% of the Sunware cost, per watt, I am willing to cut it a reasonable amount of slack as far as longevity and performance go.

 

[Digger F]

I have tried panels from Maplin and they seemed to keep a couple of 110 amp batts well topped up even though they were running a long "electric fence." Since then I have them topping up my boat batts. , stated output is 15 watts, bough at half price in one of their "Special Offers"

 

[Colvic Watson]

We bought two 80watt rigid ebay specials last spring and we've been 'off grid' ever since. We have a coin metered mains point for occasional power tools but even in December the batteries were full each time we came back. A few days at anchor in the summer and the batteries needed a feed but it's really only the fridge and about 40amps a day of iPad charging that does the damage.

 

[JumbleDuck]

We bought two 80watt rigid ebay specials last spring and we've been 'off grid' ever since. We have a coin metered mains point for occasional power tools but even in December the batteries were full each time we came back. A few days at anchor in the summer and the batteries needed a feed but it's really only the fridge and about 40amps a day of iPad charging that does the damage.

I run the boat on pretty minimal electricity: no fridge, no Eberspächer, no plotter. occasional GPS use, occasional radio use, tiller pilot for motoring only and this year I plan to move over to all LED lighting. I'm hoping that with somewhere between 50 and 100 eBay watts of solar (depending on how much I feel like spending) I'll be able to cut engine runs almost completely. We shall see.

 

[aquaplane]

I put a 40w rigid panel from a bloke on Ebay on the Centaur last year, just to defeat the self discharge, but was quite pleased with nit over the summer, With the mounting kit and a controller it came out at £130, quite a bit above the base price.

Funnily enough, it has been carp in the Scottish winter, more and better daylight needed. I should have removed the batteries to coddle them at home.

 

[William_H]

Many thanks, all. I have bought a 50W, £100 one from eBay and will experiment with it. Since that's around 14% of the Sunware cost, per watt, I am willing to cut it a reasonable amount of slack as far as longevity and performance go.

Good luck with that new cheap panel. I must say I would do the same thing. In my experience it is water proofing around the edges that determine the life of a panel. olewill

 

[JumbleDuck]

Good luck with that new cheap panel. I must say I would do the same thing. In my experience it is water proofing around the edges that determine the life of a panel. olewill

That is what has failed on my current panel, which is a Spectra-type (but not, from the size, a Spectra) one, with slightly ribbed top. I've been watching slow ingress for a year, and now that winter's over the top panel has separated enough that the interconnect at one end has started corroding. When the new one arrives I'll be looking at it carefully t see if there is any scope for improving the sealing round the edges.

 

[nigelmercier]

... When the new one arrives I'll be looking at it carefully t see if there is any scope for improving the sealing round the edges.

Did you go for the £100 or the £110 one?