Solbian Solar Panels

[Training Wheels]

Don't know how it works from China, but I bought panels from Sweden and didn't have to pay any import taxes.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by SO49

Let's say I decide to order solar panels from Lensunsolar or another brand from China how do I figure out what the import taxes will be ? I did a little research and found that import taxes on Chinese solar panels can range from 20% to 240%

Jeff

Good question. I ordered 2 100w panels from Aliexpress and I got surprised with a whopping anti-dumping fee. The first panel was free but the second one was taxed roughly 180% plus some other fees, totaling $254. This was more than the cost of both panels together. In retrospect it was naive to think I was really going to get "free shipping". I had to create a Importer ID with Homeland Security and fill out a bunch of forms about the nature of my product. Fedex was rather helpful but it involved a lot of back and forth. In the end I asked Fedex to dispute the charge for me and to my surprise it was reduced to $46. That's actually a reasonable duty to pay for importing I think, but in the end I would seriously reconsider ordering direct from China. You don't know what kind of mood DHS will be in when they levy fees or respond to your dispute. You can try calling Fedex's International Customer Account Services at 800-247-4747 for more info, but I think they mainly just pass on what DHS gives them to you.

[SO49]

OrangeCrush - thanks for that info. Import taxes have changed recently. When did you order the second solar panel?

Jeff

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by SO49

OrangeCrush - thanks for that info. Import taxes have changed recently. When did you order the second solar panel?

Jeff

I ordered both at the same time in late September; it's just that for some reason they said the first one was duty free and all the fees were applied to the second panel. If you bought more than two, I'm guessing you'd pay the anti-dumping rate on every panel after the first one. I was surprised at first to get such huge fee, and even more surprised that it was negotiable. They seem to be good panels and the price was still good, just wasn't expecting that much of a headache.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Paul L]

I've ordered flex solar panels twice off Aliexpress. The first time was 3 or 4 years ago with delivery to Virginia. I didn't pay any extra fees for 2 panels. The second time was delivery to New Zealand last year. Again no additional fees, but they did send me the wrong panels.

[OrangeCrush]

Fedex asked me a number of technical questions about the panels which I answered as best I could, but it's possible one of my responses triggered the anti-dumping fee, which was assessed a couple weeks after I had them. When it came to disputing I didn't need any explanation at all, just indicated "dispute".


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[SO49]

Just had some correspondence with Qookka. They're saying panels coated with ETFE are less flexible than PET panels (even with fiberglass backing). Seems to agree with some descriptions I've read elsewhere. Has anyone had experience with ETFE panels - do they still make sense for a bimini?

[SO49]

Been reading that you need blocking diodes in a parallel solar panel setup. Are these usually included in the junction boxes or do we add them separately? If so, how are they installed? Do they come with MC4 connectors and are just plugged in or is it a soldering job?

Jeff

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by SO49

Been reading that you need blocking diodes in a parallel solar panel setup. Are these usually included in the junction boxes or do we add them separately? If so, how are they installed? Do they come with MC4 connectors and are just plugged in or is it a soldering job?

With most parallel systems installing blocking diodes will lose more power than they will save, so I would not recommend installing them.

Most modern panels come only with bypass diodes so if you want blocking diodes you will need to add them. Soldering them into the supply wire is not difficult.

[SO49]

Hi Paul:

Can you please send me the link where you found these 120W ETFE panels - thanks, Jeff

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by SO49

Hi Paul:

Can you please send me the link where you found these 120W ETFE panels - thanks, Jeff

Go to Aliexpress.com and search etfe solar. You will find many vendors.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by SO49

Just had some correspondence with Qookka. They're saying panels coated with ETFE are less flexible than PET panels (even with fiberglass backing). Seems to agree with some descriptions I've read elsewhere. Has anyone had experience with ETFE panels - do they still make sense for a bimini?

I have a 30w ETFE panel with GRP backing on the "garage" above our sliding hatch for a year. The garage surface is gently curving hence the need for a semi flexible panel. Also the 40kg dog like to sit on it as its warm in the summer sunshine

So far so good and I am looking at more possibly on the sprayhood.

Pete

[SO49]

Can anyone comment on the 'thermostability' of ETFE solar panels with aluminum versus fiberglass backing? Apparently the panels with fiberglass backing expand in the heat of the sun while aluminum don't. How big a problem is this expansion? Will the panels still lie flat?

I was thinking it best to avoid the aluminum backed panels figuring the corners would wear holes in the bimini fabric now I'm not sure.

Jeff

[SO49]

We have three battery banks that would need to be charged by the solar panels. Our Balmar alternator charges them through a battery isolator but has a separate lead used to monitor battery voltage of the main house bank in order to control the charging cycle. Is anyone aware of a solar controller that works the same way? The Victron controllers seem to only monitor the voltage the battery connection which I don't think would not work in the case of a battery isolator.

Jeff

[SO49]

OK - so what I figured out is that I need a solar controller with a battery voltage sensing wire. That gets around any issues with the isolator. Morningstar and Outback Power make solar controllers like that but unfortunately do not make them large enough to support 600 watts of solar configured as 60 volts/10 amps from solar and 12 volts/50 amps to the batteries. Victron makes solar controllers that are plenty big but none in that range with battery voltage sensing input.

I guess I'll need to look around more.