Which Solar Panel Brands Are Considered The Best?

[YPSILANTI]

Which solar panelsbrands are considered as being the best for marine application in terms of quality, performance, output and value for money.

I am aware of the many posts on the subject but am interested in the latest technology. Thank you.

[john61ct]

Better IMO to ask for those with **known** longevity, requires very tight build quality, scrapping seconds (or selling on to lower tier vendos).

Latest tech not so good if they only last a year or two, better to wait for the pioneers to collect the arrows in the back.

[noelex 77]

For rigid panels, Sunpower have high efficiency and a good reputation.

However, most of the name brands are very reliable and likely to outlast any other equipment on your yacht.

The efficiency can be easily calculated and compared, but often it is more critical matching the size of the panel to the space you have available.

[fabricator-ken]

Kyocera genuine 25 year guarantee. Not cheap Chinese

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by fabricator-ken

Kyocera genuine 25 year guarantee. Not cheap Chinese

The limited warranty on the output (80%) is 25 years, on the manufacturing defects is 10 years, prorated. Defects caused by use on mobile device or vessel are excluded.

[YPSILANTI]

Thanks for the useful replies. So far Im researching Solara, Sunpower, Sunbeam and Kyocera. Any others?

[noelex 77]

The Kyocera panels are well made and have a proven history that shows they are durable and trouble free in the marine environment. Solar power is by far the most reliable means of producing power on a yacht and the Kyocera panels seem especially good in this regard.

The only drawback is the Kyocera panels are mostly around 14% efficient. I don't think they produce any high effeciency panels. This was very good a few years ago, but panels are now available with efficiencies of 21% and higher. Watt for watt in terms of production the extra panel efficiency is of little consequence. So a 100w 21% effecient will produce the same power as a 100w 14% effecient panel all other things being equal. In practice, the high efficiency panels also tend to produce a little more power under low light and hot conditions, but the main advantage is that we can get more rated wattage in the same area.

To put some numbers on the difference, for the same area, a 21% efficient panel will be rated at 50% more watts than a panel that is 14% efficient. Given the limited space available on most boats this is a significant help.

On my existing boat I fitted Kyocera panels, the best available when they were purchased. On my new boat I will fitting Sunpower panels, which I think are now the best. One interesting dilemma is that the Kyocera panels on my current yacht are still functioning perfectly and are likely to continue to do so for another couple of decades, but they could be upgraded to gain 50% more power in the same space.

[philipmclaren1]

I got BP as they have been used to power offshore equipment for years.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by philipmclaren1

I got BP as they have been used to power offshore equipment for years.

I had some BP panels on a previous yacht. These were fitted in the very early days of solar panels becoming available to consumers. They were well made. Extraordinarily expensive by today's standards, but that applied to all brands back then.

BP don't seem to produce many panels these days.

[philipmclaren1]

I have a friend that fitted BP Solar to his Catamaran, they have now been on for 14 years and are still fully functional. I may add that he has lived on board for the last 14 and they have had to power his battery's for daily use.
He uses Rolls battery's which he changes every 10 years.
He has covered 35,000 miles with this set up with no problems.

[Sandero]

I have 2 Siemens.. which are over 25 yrs and still working... not high output bit sufficient for my needs over the years. Don't even know if they still make panels.

[jdazey]

I just replaced 6 Siemens 75 watt with 6 Renogy 100w. The choice was forced by the space. The Renogys are the same dimensions as the Siemens. The Siemens were still working, but at diminished capacity.

Cheers,

[jcapo]

I have 6 Kyocera panels that are going into their 8th year now. Didn't have as many choices in 2010 as we do now.

[LoudMusic]

Is there any value in having a mix of panel types? Maybe a couple that can produce a lot of power in high sun conditions but maybe aren't good in low sun conditions, along with a couple lower output panels that can still produce usable amounts of power even when there isn't much sun? Does such a dichotomy even exist, or do they (modern panels) essentially all have similar power curves just with different maximums?

[thinwater]

The more important trend is that rigid panels are nearly always durable (even cheap panels have very low failure rates) and flexible panels are not (even slight flexing and the most expensive fail).