Cheap Solar Panels- will they work if properly installed?

[Madehn]

A friend once told me. But the best equipment once and you will very rarely be disappointed. Buy cheap equipment multiple times and your life will be one long strung out disappointment. I’ve tried both. He was right.

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by Madehn

A friend once told me. Buy the best equipment once and you will very rarely be disappointed. Buy cheap equipment multiple times and your life will be one long strung out disappointment. I’ve tried both. He was right.

A corollary: Always ask yourself if you can afford to save all that money…

Cheers, Bill

[MWGDVC]

Worked in a shop as a teenager. Had a sign reading "The bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten."

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by hlev00

Your first link let to a 400W panel at the top so that threw some.

The second link, I believe, is for a $19 controller, not $19 100W panel. Look to the right where you select the option.

"If it seems too good to be true, it probably isn't."

I went through the same thought processes you have gone through.
BUT it has been marked down from $29 to $19. Is it a discontinued line?

They give complete specifications not just for the PWM Controller as well as the Monocrystalline solar panel


Condition
Brand New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging ...

Brand
Mopower

Power Source
Solar

Type
Solar Panel

Features
All Daylight Conditions, Foldable, Portable, USB Port

Voltage
18-29 V

Power
151-200 W

MPN
a9355348022315

Wattage
151-200 W

Colour
Black,Silver

Product Line
solar panels

Custom Bundle
No

Material
Reinforced Glass

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by coopec43

They are only claiming 200W. They are a very reputable company.
If I could get a 100W panel for $19 it would be a good buy.

I've only just started looking. Space is the limiting factor - apart from cost!

They're the size of an A3 piece of paper, and weigh less than a kilo. If they gave 100W then a fantastic deal. They'll certainly charge a couple of phones, a GoPro and a drone.

Must be tariff free in to Oz, otherwise they'd be approx. $120 each. Is it not obvious to everyone now that Chinese firms stuck with what was to have been US destined stock that they'll not be able to ship/sell now, are going to be dumping their stuff anywhere else in the world that they can? Destination Australia!

Suggest buy a couple and give them a try. Let's face it, what else can you get for a yacht for under $100? So nothing to loose. But do please let us know your experience.

[coopec43]

The panel is

Cell Tech: Mono-Si Module Application Class:A TUV Certification:Yes
Open Size: 770*650*30mm



770mm that equals 30 inch
650mm that equals 25 inch
30mm that equals a little over one inch


Anyhow I've just ordered one.....



THREAD CLOSED!

[Nicholson58]

Truly get what you pay for.

Ours are Sanyo 220 H, now nearly 12 years old and still meeting new specs. They were rated +18% efficiency. You can do better now. Ours have three internal diodes to minimize shading effects. I consider this critical especially where you get even the smallest shading. Shadow from a stay will drop output drastically. Get the highest open circuit voltage and use an MPPT controller. This will harvest power even at less than great days. Ours are 54 VDC. Use oversized wire gage to minimize voltage loss.

In my opinion the space available is always too small and the need too great to compromise on cost alone. We have total 985 watts in two farms. We rarely need the generator.

[Wandering1]

Our panels are 4x 180w panels. We have them mounted in series pairs. We have 360W mounted on the port guardrail and 360W mounted on the starboard guardrail. Each pair has its own Victron mppt solar controller. In addition, we have 3x100w 36v panels wired in parallel on the hardtop with a single Victron mppt solar controller. All panels are framed glass panels.
The guardrail mounted panels are tiltable. These out perform the flat panels Watt for Watt by about 25%

[wgerstmyer]

These won’t even be 200w.

[barnakiel]

Our 440W is about 2m2 and I think this is generally what commercial grade 440W bank is these days.


Price about 100 USD here (bought in bulk), I got it at USD 50 from installer's oversupply.


Like you have them on your deck will not work well. Better way is to hang them on the rails where there is less shading. Shading (and wrong angle) are big deraters.


cheers,
b.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Our 440W is about 2m2 and I think this is generally what commercial grade 440W bank is these days.


Price about 100 USD here (bought in bulk), I got it at USD 50 from installer's oversupply.

Like you have them on your deck will not work well. Better way is to hang them on the rails where there is less shading. Shading (and wrong angle) are big deraters.


cheers,
b.

I agree they would not work well on the deck. That is why I am mounting them on top of the stanchions.

COMMENT #1
"I want to install more solar panels but of course the cheapest way possible. I am surprised at the cost variance of the panels. These panels are very inexpensive but will they work? I plan to install them on a sturdy frame between the stanchion and the "push pit" (near the dinghy)

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Madehn

A friend once told me. But the best equipment once and you will very rarely be disappointed. Buy cheap equipment multiple times and your life will be one long strung out disappointment. I’ve tried both. He was right.

That's OK if you have the money to buy the best! Most of my cars in my lifetime have been secondhand and I've never been disappointed.

In this case if the panels are duds I've wasted ......$76 (That won't break me)

[Fore and Aft]

Coopec have you looked on Facebook market place. There seems to be a fair few new solar panels at cheap prices.

Cheers

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Coopec have you looked on Facebook market place. There seems to be a fair few new solar panels at cheap prices.

Cheers

Thanks for that: I should check there more often.

I expect to get this el cheapo within the next week. If I don't think it will do the job I'll certainly check FaceBook Market place.

The seller has a 99%+ approval rating and the panel has been marked down from $29 to $19. Why? They claim to have sold something like 40,000 of them.

Time will tell! '
Cheers

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by coopec43

Thanks for that: I should check there more often.

I expect to get this el cheapo within the next week. If I don't think it will do the job I'll certainly check FaceBook Market place.

The seller has a 99%+ approval rating and the panel has been marked down from $29 to $19. Why? They claim to have sold something like 40,000 of them.

Time will tell! '
Cheers

So you are paying $76 for a $19 panel? This thread is becoming twilight zone