Starting to think about solar...

Photomom
Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
Instead of one big solar panel (that would be heavy and an expensive loss if it were to go bad) I wonder if these would be a good choice. They are light, I could start with a couple of them and add one or two more later, and if one dies it wouldn’t be a huge loss. I assume you could connect them in parallel to get 100 or more watts. 
https://www.renogy.com/renogy-50w-mini-eclipse-monocrystalline-solar-panel/

Thoughts?
John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York

Comments

  • pthomas745
    pthomas745 Administrator, Moderator Posts: 4,594
    I think Jenn Grover has those panels. 

    I have just one 100 watt flexible panel. Weighs just 4 pounds and stores anywhere I want.  I'm not sure I would want to chase around multiple panels, but that is just me.  Those Renogy's do look nice, though.

    And, sadly, due to the tariff situation all these panels have gotten a bit spendy.


    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,422
    Photomom said:
    Instead of one big solar panel (that would be heavy and an expensive loss if it were to go bad) I wonder if these would be a good choice. They are light, I could start with a couple of them and add one or two more later, and if one dies it wouldn’t be a huge loss. I assume you could connect them in parallel to get 100 or more watts. 
    https://www.renogy.com/renogy-50w-mini-eclipse-monocrystalline-solar-panel/

    Thoughts?
    I just picked up 4, recently. Hoping to test this weekend. Will give you some feedback I will also be taking them with me in Sept  I am planning on all dry camping and boondocking.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,422
    I am likely going to connect 2 in series, and then the 2 sets in parallel.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    pthomas745 said:
    I think Jenn Grover has those panels. 

    I have just one 100 watt flexible panel. Weighs just 4 pounds and stores anywhere I want.  I'm not sure I would want to chase around multiple panels, but that is just me.  Those Renogy's do look nice, though.

    And, sadly, due to the tariff situation all these panels have gotten a bit spendy.


    My feeling is a flexible panel just isn’t going to have the mechanical robustness of a fixed panel. I’ve heard of a couple of them going bad, most likely at an internal connection.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    jkjenn said:
    I am likely going to connect 2 in series, and then the 2 sets in parallel.
    Is that to run your ARB on 24 volts?
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,422
    Photomom said:
    jkjenn said:
    I am likely going to connect 2 in series, and then the 2 sets in parallel.
    Is that to run your ARB on 24 volts?
    No, 200w to replace my flexible.   Although, I am going to retest my flexible panels to make sure they really are bad.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,422
    Partial cloud cover


    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,035
    @jkjenn, is that the flexible panels above?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,422
    Sharon_is_SAM said:
    @jkjenn, is that the flexible panels above?
    No, the 4, 50w Renogy hard panels.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,422
    pthomas745 said:
    I think Jenn Grover has those panels. 

    I have just one 100 watt flexible panel. Weighs just 4 pounds and stores anywhere I want.  I'm not sure I would want to chase around multiple panels, but that is just me.  Those Renogy's do look nice, though.

    And, sadly, due to the tariff situation all these panels have gotten a bit spendy.


    I have been watching these panels and not really seen much of a difference in price. Companies , like Renogy, are starting to roll out their next gen panels, which are a little more, but this customary until they have recouped R&D. The HQST panel I bought is $20 cheaper now than when I bought it 2 years ago.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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