Thoughts on this solar panel?

[Cheli]

I know on the top of my want list for my van is a solar system, second to a bed I guess.

I want to get the basic system set up and I know I can add to it later.  I read Bob's blog about solar set up and it was super helpful.  So I found this on Home Depot's website.  It seems pricey but I don't know what the norm is.  It's a 165-Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel for 12-Volt Charging and says it's simple to install with a quick connect.  I think it's a good starting point and maybe add a second one later?  From what I've read so far on solar, I'll need more that 165w but it seems like a good start.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Nature-P...ar-Panel-for-12-Volt-Charging-50162/206345539

I might be putting the cart before the horse here because I don't have a van yet so I don't know the dimensions of a van roof but this doesn't seem overly big according to the dimensions.

But since I'm just starting my research to set up a solar system this looks good as far as ease of setup and warranty.  Is it way too pricey though?

Thanks. 

 

[Cheli]

Oh and I was thinking my budget for solar would be around $2k for the entire set up including panels, batteries, inverter etc. Is that reasonable?

 

[wagoneer]

wow that is way overpriced in my opinion I bought a Kyocera 150 for $140 bucks. You can do better

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

That's way high. I'd stick to buying from a place that deals with solar only. There's been some good recommendations on places, i think one is even in Quartzite.

 

[mayble]

I'm planning to start with the 100w Renogy suitcase (currently $279 on Amazon, yesterday it was $350!), figuring I can "plug and play" for now and then if/when the opportunity arises I can use the panels as part of a larger, permanent system.
There are certainly cheaper options out there but I really like the flexibility and simplicity of that setup.

 

[Cheli]

I'm glad I asked. Yeah I know there is a place in Quartzite but was thinking of getting the solar setup before I started building everything else inside, just thought it would be easier. Maybe I'll wait for Quartzite.

Thanks guys!

 

[AngryVanMan]

Hi Cheli,

I always use these guys to ball park pricing on solar equipment, I'm sure lots on the site are familiar with them (maybe they are the Quartzsite guys, they are close by).  As you can see from that page, the average price for smaller ~150 watt panels is about $2 per watt.  The large panels (270W+) get as cheap as $0.86 per watt - so you can buy a large panel for the same price* as a small one.  *The shipping is what gets people, those large panels are truck freight only due to their dimensions.  If you can find something in the $2/watt range, that's a fair price on a new panel. 

The panel you linked is about $4.24 per watt, which I would say qualifies as highway robbery.

I am partial to Morningstar controllers in small systems, their SunSaver MPPT is not the cheapest controller, but people have used them with great success over the years - it runs $225 or so for up to 200 watts of panels.

High quality 6V deep cycle golf cart (T-105RE) batteries run about $350/pair these days.  They usually give the best bang for the buck, but need watered occasionally and should be vented.  If you can take care of a house plant you can take care of these.

One often overlooked item is a battery monitor, I highly recommend the Trimetric which runs about $150 + $30 dollars for a shunt. It will keep very close tabs on your battery and give you good, solid numbers on your charge levels.  I would buy a cheap Chinese charge controller before I would leave this out of a system I build, I like them that much!

For a bog standard small system, $300 panel + $225 charge controller + $350 batteries + $180 monitoring totals $1055.  You'll need wire and fuses I usually budget $200 in small systems, and most are going to want some kind of inverter, which could run from $150 for an inexpensive 300 watt pure sine wave job, to over $2000 alone for a high end Magnum 2000 watt behemoth! 

Point of all this, basically you should be able to get started for well under $2K, even when using very high end components.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm glad I asked.  Yeah I know there is a place in Quartzite but was thinking of getting the solar setup before I started building everything else inside, just thought it would be easier.  Maybe I'll wait for Quartzite.

Thanks guys!

You could do all of the internal stuff - the inverter, charge controller, battery monitor, run all the wires, fuses, etc.  and just add the panels when you get somewhere you can buy them without the massive freight charge.  The rest of the stuff shouldn't be too expensive to ship via UPS.

I agree with AngryVanMan, Northern Arizona Wind and Sun is a great supplier.   I bought most of my stuff from them.  But once you find brands and part numbers there, check them on Amazon to see if you can do better.

 

[rvpopeye]

I'm on the "That's a lot for just a 165w panel" bus.
And you should be able to get what you need for half your budget !

 

[xxtra_strength]

Hi Cheli,
First you need to figure out what you're going to be running in your van. Then build your system around the items that will be needing the power. I'm using these panel from this site www.hqsolarpower.com, and they're great.

 

[GotSmart]

If I could charge that much, I would be rich!

First, find the right van, and design the solar around the roof area.  

Figure out what you want to run, and how much battery you can have.  

Then the rest can be designed.

Solar prices are declining, wait to buy until you are ready to install.  You will have a lot of help at the winter RTR.  If you know what you want by then, it can be delivered from Renogy or N. AZ Wind & Sun by one of the tribe.  

Read some of the solar installs on the forum, then ask more questions.  

I have 200W, panels,  448 AH battery, and about $700 invested in my system so far. I need to spend another $700 to get it where I can run a freezer and everything else.

 

[akrvbob]

Cheli, my one concern is that you find a great high top van but it has one of the very convoluted roofs, then you could be stuck with a panel you can't figure out how to mount. I know you want to get going, but I think you might want to wait on solar till you have the van.
Bob

 

[sushidog]

If you find you need more solar than the roof area allows there are unique and interesting ways of mounting them if you think outside the box, so to speak. I saw one RV that had double stacked his solar panels, mounting the top panel with some sliding drawer brackets so he could simply slide it out when parked to double his output with minimal roof space.

There are others who side mount their panels, which are hinged at the top. When stopped, you raise them and use a pole to hold them up. In this configuration they can act as an awning too. Another advantage of this set-up is you can angle them into the sun to collect more sunlight than a flat mount panel, especially in winter when the sun is lower on the horizon and at northern latitudes.

Here's an example on a large RV. Of course you can do this on a much smaller "van sized" scale with one large panel.

Here's another source for cheap solar panels, as low as 28 cents/watt! http://sunelec.com/ For example, you can but a Suniva, 325 watt panel (high voltage so you will need an MPPT controller) with a 25 year warranty for only $156. That's only 48 cents/watt! If you want to stick to a 12v panel they are 96 cents/watt from 100-200 watts. Though you save by buying a PMW controller, if you need over 200 watts of power the money you save on the high voltage, house type panels will pay for the better controller, plus high voltage panels it will work better on low light, overcast days and allow you to use lighter gauge wiring saving even more money. With your budget, I'd go with a high voltage/MPPT configuration. Power is addictive. The more you have, the more uses for it you will find.

There are many thoughts in the battery department too, from a couple of cheap GC-2 (golf cart batteries) at Sams club for about $85 ea. to high end sealed, maintenance free Trojans or equiv. for 4-5 times the price per amp/hr of storage. If you are flush with funds, and want the absolute best, lithium batteries are available. While lighter and better performing than lead acids by far, they will break the bank of most of us.

Inverters vary widely in price too, depending on quality of construction and whether or not you need a MSW or a true sine wave inverter. Since it sounds like you have some time before you need to make a purchase, it's best to book up on solar systems before you decide what's best for your unique situation. There are many experts and self styled experts online who you can learn from. Just remember to get the latest and most up to date info available, as technology advances rapidly in this field. What was sound advise 5-6 years ago is obsolete info today, as prices drop and better products are available.

Just a thought.

Chip

 

[Almost There]

Ha, and you think those are overpriced!!

I found 100 watt panels in Canadian Tire (big box nationwide store) yesterday - $529.95 a piece PLUS 13% sales tax.

 

[AngryVanMan]

[img=128x79]http://i68.tinypic.com/29kut8o.jpg[/img]
Here's an example on a large RV. Of course you can do this on a much smaller "van sized" scale with one large panel.

Whoa, now that picture gives me a very post-apocalyptic feel the way it was taken.  Sort of looks like something you'd see in Star Wars, very nice!

The real travesty on panel pricing is a lot of those highly overpriced panels are Asian imports, just like the cheapest panels on the market.  They usually come with the same certification claims and warranties as the established, long-running companies, but the difference is some of them could be one tariff modification from evaporating overnight.  When the tariffs passed in 2012, Chinese companies began to disappear, and Taiwanese and Thai companies sprang up.  It is something to consider; but also note that the warranty might not extend to mobile installations on some of this equipment, and could be void anyway if you didn't buy from an authorized distributor.  To be clear, I haven't seen anything wrong with the general quality of Asian panels, except the flexible ones that had to be recalled last year.  Lots of people are using them all over the world.

 

[Canine]

Cheli,I would follow Bob's advice and wait till you get a vehicle to buy panels.Prices are dropping again you will probably save some money.100 watt panels on ebay are as low as $94 with free shipping.Prices are also falling on controllers.

 

[Cheli]

Cheli, my one concern is that you find a great high top van but it has one of the very convoluted roofs, then you could be stuck with a panel you can't figure out how to mount. I know you want to get going, but I think you might want to wait on solar till you have the van.
Bob

Cheli,I would follow Bob's advice and wait till you get a vehicle to buy panels.Prices are dropping again you will probably save some money.100 watt panels on ebay are as low as $94 with free shipping.Prices are also falling on controllers.

Yes you are both right, thanks for getting me back on track. There are a lot of things in my van that will depend on what van I get. So yes, I'm going to pull back a bit and wait until I get that first.