Starting to think about solar...

Photomom · August 2018

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?

pthomas745 · August 2018

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.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=flexible+solar+panel

jkjenn · August 2018

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.

jkjenn · August 2018

I am likely going to connect 2 in series, and then the 2 sets in parallel.

Photomom · August 2018

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.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=flexible+solar+panel

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.

Photomom · August 2018

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?

jkjenn · August 2018

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.

jkjenn · August 2018

Partial cloud cover

Sharon_is_SAM · August 2018

@jkjenn, is that the flexible panels above?

jkjenn · August 2018

Sharon_is_SAM said:

@jkjenn, is that the flexible panels above?

No, the 4, 50w Renogy hard panels.

jkjenn · August 2018

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.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=flexible+solar+panel

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.

Starting to think about solar...

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