Solar Sale

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Solar Sale

Postby lrrowe » Sun Mar 26, 2017 9:59 am

While 24V may be too much for most forum users, look how the prices have fallen. $.35 a watt

https://www.solarblvd.com/products/trin ... lar-panel/

I am tempted to order 3 panels for my home solar project.

But shipping for me would be a whopping $440. But even with that high cost, the total for the package is still less then $1.00 per watt. $.86 actually.
Bob

First Post on Purchase of Trailer: http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=60722
Hot water infloor and radiator heating project:[url]http://www.tnttt.com/posting.php?mode=reply&f=54&t=62327[/

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Re: Solar Sale

Postby KennethW » Sun Mar 26, 2017 10:36 am

$440 shipping sound like a stop on a road trip. Ha Ha
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Re: Solar Sale

Postby John61CT » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:51 am

Probably same shipping cost for a full pallet, see if you can get a local group buy going?
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Re: Solar Sale

Postby John61CT » Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:55 am

Good price for semi-flexible too!

https://www.solarblvd.com/products/sola ... lar-panel/

Is Cynergy a known brand? Is this seller known to be reliable?
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Re: Solar Sale

Postby elcam84 » Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:36 pm

Solar panels are very cheap these days. Unfortunately the inverters haven't come down in price. The kicker is when you want less than a pallet of panels.

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Re: Solar Sale

Postby Esteban » Mon Mar 27, 2017 4:19 pm

elcam84 wrote:Solar panels are very cheap these days. Unfortunately the inverters haven't come down in price. The kicker is when you want less than a pallet of panels.

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Do you mean solar convertors, not inverters? Solar converter prices have come down considerably if you shop around.

I have a Grape Solar 160 watt 12 volt solar panel and plan to buy a Victron Energy Blue Solar MPPT 75/15 Solar Charge Controller for about $88.40 which works with 12 volt panels rated up to 220 watts.

Victron Energy Solar charge controllers shows their full range of converters.

A Blue Solar MPPT 75/10 will work with 12 volt panels rated up to 145 watts; which is plenty for most teardrops with a roof mounted solar panel in the 80 to 145 watt range.

I've decided to pay more for a highly efficient MPPT controller, than a lower cost less efficient PWM controller, in order to maximize the power harvested from my roof mounted solar panel. I've read that MPPT controllers are often 10 to 30% more efficient than PWM controllers.

I intend to use an AC/DC fridge freezer in my galley so having a robust solar system is important to provide (more than) enough power for boondocking conditions.
Steve - SLO, CA
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Re: Solar Sale

Postby Bearbait in NM » Thu Mar 30, 2017 11:39 am

Steve,

I agree on the comments about robust for the solar. Expandable helps as well. I built a portable system around a 135 watt panel and 80 ah battery box last season, and was surprised at how well it did with my Arb fridge, last year.

With my cargo conversion, I am running a cheap controller for now, as opposed to the two Sunsaver pwm's in my portable box. I too have made the decision to go mppt for my trailer, but think I might bite the big bullet and go with Sunsaver's newest design, which purports to support Li-Ion battery technology. I am no where near being able to buy those type of batteries yet, but hoping they may come down in cost.

At least I know for sure I want mppt, want temperature charge control, a good high amp end in case I go nutty with my panels and the Li-ion would be nice. Basically, still shopping, but trying to buy "right", for the future.

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Re: Solar Sale

Postby John61CT » Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:00 pm

Bearbait in NM wrote:Steve,
I might bite the big bullet and go with Sunsaver's newest design, which purports to support Li-Ion battery technology.

If you mean LiFePO4, all that requires is voltage adjustability, don't trust any vendors' canned lithium profile.

Key also is defining "fully charged" as when current demanded drops to X amps, you shouldn't have to rely on voltage levels + timing only.

Have a look at Trimetric monitor controlling an SC-2030, but PWM, not MPPT.

If you find a controller that will just turn off after charged, no float at all, that is ideal for LFP, please let me know.
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Re: Solar Sale

Postby Bearbait in NM » Thu Mar 30, 2017 12:41 pm

John,

Yes, I think I mean LiFePO4. Still getting my head around the technology and terminology. Thanks for the note about programmable charging. That does make sense, and many of the mppt's I have looked at discuss programming profiles. The Bogart you noted certainly gets rave reviews, and I am familiar with them through my research. I use anderson connectors for all of my dc, and I wired up a volt/amp/ah meter with andersons on both ends. This lets me plug it into any part of my solar system to see exactly what is really happening, at all ends of every wire or accessory. I'll certainly add programmable to my list of features.

I am leaning mppt as when I camp, I often have long runs of wire to get out of the trees. My plan is to add a second 135 watt panel, and my thinking is that I could benefit from switching the design (series/parallel) of the connecting, depending upon the ground situation. I'd like to keep my dc running over the ground wires to #12 or even #10. Still researching this part of my thoughts.

Thanks for the heads-up.

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Grape Solar 180 Watt Panels On Sale $199.00 - Home Depot

Postby Esteban » Sun Apr 02, 2017 2:22 pm

:thumbsup: Home Depot has Grape Solar 180 watt solar panels on sale for $199.00 through April 9, 2017.
It's a ship to store sale so there is no extra shipping cost. The solar panels are 26.57" x 58.27".

I bought a similar sized Grape Solar 160 watt panel for $229.00 from Amazon.com about a year ago to attach to the roof of my teardrop.
Steve - SLO, CA
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