Solar Panels - Expensive v Cheap

[Irish Rover]

I'm planning to upgrade the solar on my power catamaran and I've been looking at the options. I have plenty of space on the flybridge hardtop. On my previous boat I had installed 2 x 400W Sunpower Maxeon panels and they were excellent. I've looked at buying the same again and they're around €900 each here in Türkiye. There are loads of panels available at a fraction of that cost. Without looking at the cheapest I had a look at Arcelik panels - Arcelik would be the premier Turkish brand for white goods. I can buy 545W panels for €120 each - these are rated vmax 42.13v, imax 12.96A.
Is there any benefit in buying the more expensive panels.

 

[noelex]

The major benefit of more expensive panels is that they are more efficient, usually enabling more watts to be fitted. However, if you have plenty of shade free space this advantage is negated.

Watt for watt, more efficient panels also typically have better low light performance, but the difference is not great. More expensive panels, particularly those using Maxeon cells, also are reported to have a longer life and slower deterioration in performance than cheaper cells, but few boat owners are likely to keep their boats long enough to experience a significant difference.

 

[William_H]

Here in Oz solar PV panels used for domestic installations are remarkably cheap. From China or Germany they I believe have the latest most efficient cells. Built in a rigid ali frame. The price you quote seems crazy to me. They are quite large and are 40v panels so need MPPT controller. I have not tried to price an individual panel as they advertise complete system like 1 panels or more with inverter. (at present something like 40% of all houises in West oz have solar PV) However less efficient second hand panels are crazy cheap like 25squid each for 200w. Yes new latest panels may be 50% more efficient. So suggest you seek domestic system installers in Turkeye. Buying Solar? Don't Pay 'BMW' Prices For A 'Kia'! Note there is some government rebate involved in pricing. $2 oz dollars equals one UK pound. ol'will

 

[B27]

The large high performing modern panels are being made and sold in very big numbers which is why they are cheap.
Smaller panels tend to be more expensive per watt, because they are selling into a smaller market.

900 euros for a panel is a joke unless you want it qualified to go on a satellite or something.

 

[shanemax]

£1 per watt is what you should be looking for. Thats basically what i paid and mine are 5-8 years old and still going strong.

 

[ctva]

The major benefit of more expensive panels is that they are more efficient, …

The usual 100w panels that you get for £100 are what i have. What is the difference in efficiency and is it really worth the more than 2x cost?

 

[dukeofted]

Why pay more? LONGi Solar Hi-MO 5m 410WP Full Black PV Module LR5-54HPB-410M

 

[noelex]

The usual 100w panels that you get for £100 are what i have. What is the difference in efficiency and is it really worth the more than 2x cost?

Retail solar panel efficiency varies between about 14% to a maximum of around 24%.

If the efficiency of the solar panel you are looking at buying is not listed it is easily calculated using the formula:

% efficiency = panel power (W) /area (in m²) x10

The big advantage of high efficiency panels is that you can fit more watts in the same area, but whether this is worth the usually considerably extra cost will depend on your circumstances.

We cruise full time on our yacht and with no generator nearly all our available electrical power comes from solar. On a monohull with limited shade free area for solar panels, in our case it was sensible purchasing reasonably high efficiency panels. This enables us to do things like cook, run a watermaker and heat shower water with electricity, providing the solar insolation is reasonable. The OP’s case is quite different and cheaper panels may suit his circumstances better.

 

[noelex]

Why pay more? LONGi Solar Hi-MO 5m 410WP Full Black PV Module LR5-54HPB-410M

If you are looking for larger solar panels they are a bargain . There is a mistake in the claimed NOCT power output, but this is just a transcription error.

Very cheap solar panels are sometimes available, but check the details such as the delivery cost, especially when the advertised price is exceptionally low.

 

[B27]

The going rate for commercial grade solar panels is under £100 for a >400W panel.
That's a price for a member of the public buying a single panel at a trade counter, inc VAT.
These work out at over 22% efficiency. That's if you calculate the efficiency using the whole panel area, including the frame, not just the 'cell' area.
It can be completely false to assume a more expensive panel will be better in any way.

When you're considering £15 flexible panels on ebay, it's a different matter, there is lot of low performing stuff on there, I've got one which is about 5% efficient, but it has its uses, albeit not on my boat.

 

[wingcommander]

I have just today took delivery of a 130w flexible eco worthy at £75.99 uk amazon.
I allready have two flexible on guardrails. Very lightweight, performance great ( fridge on permanently when onboard )
I do reinforce the panels with split plastic conduit pipe and 4x 90 degree elbows. Keeps weight to a minimum and makes handling much easier. I will be doing the same to this additional roaming panel ,will upload a photo if anyone interested.

Edit wrong price initially

 

[Irish Rover]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. €900 for a panel is indeed crazy, but that's the reality if you want to buy premium branded, imported products in Türkiye. I think the same panel would be less than half that cost in UK or Ireland. I will probably go with the Arcelik panels once I check 2 of them will fit on the hardtop.

 

[Sea Change]

I've always bought the cheapest panels I could find, and never had any problems with them.
One of these panels recently departed the boat during a cat 4 hurricane, but a friend found it in the yard and is using it. Pretty remarkable really.

 

[noelex]

Solar panels are very inexpensive these days. When considering which panels to purchase, it is helpful to focus on the total cost of the installation rather than just the cost of the panels.

Systems need solar controllers, cable and accessories such as circuit breakers, switches, lugs, cable glands etc. The mounting structures for the panels are another sometimes very major cost if stainless steel structures need to be fabricated.

Solar panels that are significantly more expensive for a relatively small increase in output sound like a poor deal when considered in isolation, but when the total cost of installation is considered in some cases (certainly not all) they make sense. I don’t think this applies in the OP’s case, but it is an important principle to keep in mind.

 

[Neeves]

Here in Oz solar PV panels used for domestic installations are remarkably cheap.

Domestic solar panels can be large, or even huge, compared to panels for boats. Domestic panels are designed to fit on the roof, which is normally flat, or on a frame holding multiple panels. Domestic panels are relatively easy to install, ignoring any complexity of wiring or the difficulty and expense of buying/installing the components.

I have plenty of space on the flybridge hardtop. On my previous boat I had installed 2 x 400W Sunpower Maxeon panels and they were excellent.
Is there any benefit in buying the more expensive panels.

Boats seldom have large flat surfaces, some boats have large complex curved surfaces (catamaran saloon roofs) and adding a large rigid domestic panel means that if you need to access the roof on a boat with a mast: to complete a simple task, tidying up a sail or, more complex, adding a third reef - basically - its impossible.

Smaller panels might be more expensive but are more easily incorporated into the restrictions imposed by a boat.

Jonathan

 

[PaulRainbow]

Domestic solar panels can be large, or even huge, compared to panels for boats. Domestic panels are designed to fit on the roof, which is normally flat, or on a frame holding multiple panels. Domestic panels are relatively easy to install, ignoring any complexity of wiring or the difficulty and expense of buying/installing the components.


Boats seldom have large flat surfaces, some boats have large complex curved surfaces (catamaran saloon roofs) and adding a large rigid domestic panel means that if you need to access the roof on a boat with a mast: to complete a simple task, tidying up a sail or, more complex, adding a third reef - basically - its impossible.

Smaller panels might be more expensive but are more easily incorporated into the restrictions imposed by a boat.

Jonathan

Lots of domestic sized panels around here. The three boats to my port side all have them.

 

[Sea Change]

Lots of domestic sized panels around here. The three boats to my port side all have them.

I had two on a 39ft mono.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I had two on a 39ft mono.

I'm about to fit some on my own boat.

 

[Neeves]

I'm about to fit some on my own boat.

Lots of domestic sized panels around here. The three boats to my port side all have them.

"Standard residential solar panels contain 60 solar cells (or 120 half-cut solar cells) and typically generate anywhere from 350W to 500W of electricity. The size of these panels can range from 1.6m tall x 1.0m wide, to 1.7m tall x 1.0m wide.

Most residential solar panels are 1.7m tall x 1.0m wide (or 1.7 m2), with a maximum power output of around 330W."


There are always exceptions but unless you build a solar arch, at some cost, a 1.6m x 1.0m wide inflexible panel is difficult to fit on the average boat. For those with deeper pockets and bigger yachts it will undoubtedly be easier.

330w will hardly allow anyone to to live off grid.


It would be interesting to see images of domestic solar panels on boats and how the panels are used. They apparently are common place - so photographs should be easy and may motivate others to follow.

Jonathan

 

[PaulRainbow]

"Standard residential solar panels contain 60 solar cells (or 120 half-cut solar cells) and typically generate anywhere from 350W to 500W of electricity. The size of these panels can range from 1.6m tall x 1.0m wide, to 1.7m tall x 1.0m wide.

Most residential solar panels are 1.7m tall x 1.0m wide (or 1.7 m2), with a maximum power output of around 330W."

Those figures are wrong, no doubt out of date. Domestic panels have higher outputs than 330w.

There are always exceptions but unless you build a solar arch, at some cost, a 1.6m x 1.0m wide inflexible panel is difficult to fit on the average boat. For those with deeper pockets and bigger yachts it will undoubtedly be easier.

330w will hardly allow anyone to to live off grid.

Not everyone wants/needs to live off grid. But i lived aboard my previous boat with 200w of solar and didn't need shore power during the Summer.

I'm about to fit some domestic panels to my current boat, which will give me 900w of solar.

It would be interesting to see images of domestic solar panels on boats and how the panels are used. They apparently are common place - so photographs should be easy and may motivate others to follow.

Jonathan

Try Google.