Please help place my panel order

[rvpopeye]

What are the dimensions of those 180w panels just out of curiosity?

 

[SoulRaven]

How did you get the 40 dollar shipping? Looking at their site it's a lot more.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

58.31"x26.22"x1.38"
When I called to order the panels, that what he told me and that's what they charged me. The shipping is based on the distance. They're in CA and I'm in AZ.

But maybe he cut me a deal because of my sexy voice?
Ted

 

[SoulRaven]

He would double it for me then. Thanks for the reply.

 

[jonsun]

meh they're the same size because they're 19vmp....sad to see them doing that. If you already have an MPPT it would be worth it. I'd rather have the 17vmp 140w ones.

 

[WalkaboutTed]

These panels will probably have a Blue Skies 3000i mppt charge controller like mine, so it should be good then, I hope.  I have the 140 watt ones on "my" van. These are for Hubby's.  Vmp=volts per mega pixel? Just joking, but I'm not quite sure what the vmp numbers mean. Bardo, can you explain for us solar impaired?  
Thanks,
Ted

 

[jonsun]

Vmp - voltage max power
Voc - volts open circuit

 

[KatBalouE350]

That is an excellent reveiw!!! Thank you much!

 

[KatBalouE350]

Bardo, why would you prefer a 17 vmps on a 140 watt over a 19 vmp on a 180 watt panel?
Also, why is it not good the 19 vmp is the same size as the17 vmp?

 

[jonsun]

because a charge controller only uses about 14.4v-14.8v so why would you buy a panel with a bunch of extra voltage? that voltage is thrown away giving you a real world 130w-140w or so panel because of it. So what the industry came up with was MPPT to make use of that extra voltage. So they sell you a panel of a given size but wire it to be more voltage than you need then calling it a 180w panel when it's really a 130w panel. then they turn around and sell you a special controller for about $200-300 extra dollars to make use of their over-volted panel they charged you too much for by means of calling something that it wasnt.

to break it down If you build a solar system with 19v+ panels you'd be very foolish not to buy a quality MPPT (outback, morningstar, etc). You thought you got a great deal on panels but what really happens is you spend way more. A couple 19v and a $350 charge controller you're looking at a 17-19amp (only at bulk) system for $600.

if you buy the 140w 17v panels and the equivelent PWM controller you're getting a 28-32a system for $600

it's confusing to someone new and that's the trick. they sell the over-volted panels and expensive controller as more efficient. Ramping the voltage up allows them to call the panel "more efficient" because of voltage drop. these 180w are claiming 20%, the renogy claims 18.X%, etc. and the controller why would you NOT buy a controller that gives 10-30% more charge! But break it down like I did and you see what's really going on.

 

[jonsun]

The arguement for the expensive route is roof space. You would get about 4-6 more amps an hour if your batteries can accpet it if you put 4 180w up there with the quality MPPT. But for me and probably most that's either way too much solar or way too little. I use a generator for bulk backup and I use a suitcase setup. I simply cant use that much on the roof...or its way too little to run heavy loads and I dont have that big of a battery bank...nor do I have plenty of money to throw around.

some people need every little bit of roof space and the most they can get out of it. For others it doesn't make sense.