Cheap chinese solar panels

[autumnbreeze27]

Here's mine... 800W total.

Today I saw 300W with 2 panels shaded. I moved the boom over to unshade them all and saw 473W... then I cleaned them and saw 497W

I was up on the mizzen mast today and thought I'd take a picture

[mcneilms]

I'm confused. 800w panels and getting a bit less than 500?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[newhaul]

Sun not directly at a 90° angle to the panels not a big mystery to me. Also check all your connections found one of mine not completely seated. Was loosing 20% of my solar

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by mcneilms

I'm confused. 800w panels and getting a bit less than 500?


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

That's actually quite good considering how low the sun is. In the summer, he should get very close to rated power, if not all of it.

[charliehows]

nice looking boat

[Aeverett]

We're did you get them. Also were did you get those hard tops.

[autumnbreeze27]

Originally Posted by Aeverett

We're did you get them. Also were did you get those hard tops.

I got the 4 on the dodger via ebay before we sold the house, because I thought shipping would be a problem once we moved aboard. Cost $950 for 4 shipped. These panels have 9 rows of cells, versus the renology have 8. These panels are slightly larger than the renology and are attached to a thin sheet of aluminum. I have not tried them head to head, but the renology had better quality wiring. I attached a close up of both, why is it that one panel you can see the wiring on the surface? Is that an older way of doing it that is less efficient because of shading by the wiring? does anybody know what that's called?

The 4 on the bimini are the renology, plastic backed, so lighter, will likely run cooler, slightly smaller. They cost me $815 shipped for the 4.

The cabling was expensive because I had to buy it twice... got ripped off on ebay by Podiumline1226 the first time.

The pair on each side are wired in series, the rest in parallel.

[autumnbreeze27]

Forgot the pic of the panel

[autumnbreeze27]

Ooops wrong one... here it is

[autumnbreeze27]

Hard tops are custom.

[newhaul]

Just looks to be a less expensive way to wire the panels and would think due to being exposed more suseptable to dammage

[autumnbreeze27]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Just looks to be a less expensive way to wire the panels and would think due to being exposed more suseptable to dammage

I asked the guy who designed and made the top to accomodate my panels and gave the dimensions... but in the end I had to make do with what I had. I didn't think the guy would ever finish that project!

I plan on cleaning up that cabling though

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by autumnbreeze27

I asked the guy who designed and made the top to accomodate my panels and gave the dimensions... but in the end I had to make do with what I had. I didn't think the guy would ever finish that project!

I plan on cleaning up that cabling though

They do look good how long did it take him to build them?

[Rustic Charm]

What was the point of "cheap" in the heading in reference to Chineese? We're they actually cheap or was it a go at the chineese?

It's just that there are some good quality Chineese panels that are made.

[autumnbreeze27]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

What was the point of "cheap" in the heading in reference to Chineese? We're they actually cheap or was it a go at the chineese?

It's just that there are some good quality Chineese panels that are made.

No dig on the Chinese, I like them. Dig on the companies that charge 4X the price. I'd rename the thread but it's not allowed. Should be "Low cost Chinese solar panels"