MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: tryagain on November 15, 2016, 10:35:29 AM
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Supercheap have a 25% off store wide deal today for online orders. This means that their 150w solar blanket which is good value at $$499rrp and currently on sale for $399 is available today for $299, I have one already and am generally happy with it. There are a couple of threads on myswag about them if you want more info but are seriously cheap at this price.
edit code for the additional 25% is 25OFF
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Thanks for the heads up I had been looking at these - Have just purchased, collected and set up in the back yard testing right now
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Thanks mate, pick ours up in the morning .. :cheers:
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Thanks for the heads up I had been looking at these - Have just purchased, collected and set up in the back yard testing right now
Have the controllers improved these days?
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Have the controllers improved these days?
Nope - does not seems like it. Plugged it in and the battery was up and down between 13.6 and 15.5 volts. Removed immediately and put the panel directly into the ctek 250s Dual solar input. Much nicer output.
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In my case the controller went straight to High Voltage (not Charging) when I bypassed controller. I was not impressed with output (too low). Full sun in Darwin. Didn't match my 80 watt panel. No support system; it just flops around. Took it back within 3 hours of purchase.
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Have the controllers improved these days?
Should probably have clarified that panels are pretty good but the regulator isn't . Pretty sure it was covered in the other threads.
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Thanks I've wanted one for a while and that's reasonable coin. What reg is a suitable improvement for this?
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Thanks I've wanted one for a while and that's reasonable coin. What reg is a suitable improvement for this?
This is what I got https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Tracer-2210A-EPsloar-20A-MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controller-12V-24V-LCD-Diaplay-EPEVER-Regulator-with-MT50/32546652770.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.0.CSTaH2 (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Tracer-2210A-EPsloar-20A-MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controller-12V-24V-LCD-Diaplay-EPEVER-Regulator-with-MT50/32546652770.html?spm=2114.13010608.0.0.CSTaH2) I am sure others will have other suggestions, you can also get a reasonable PWM controller for pretty cheap so the first question you probably want to ask yourself is PWM or MPPT.
There are also plenty of so-called MPPT controllers that are quite cheap but they are fake. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbmaG4f8f_w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbmaG4f8f_w)
Here is a review of the one I have https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTBrktPQdCM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTBrktPQdCM)
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Supercheap have a 25% off store wide deal today for online orders. This means that their 150w solar blanket which is good value at $$499rrp and currently on sale for $399 is available today for $299, I have one already and am generally happy with it. There are a couple of threads on myswag about them if you want more info but are seriously cheap at this price.
edit code for the additional 25% is 25OFF
Time for an update :
Well after gathering dust since November, I dragged these out of the box and gave them a run .. Small car calcium battery about 400 CCA sitting outside for 5 months in the weather, At start 12.8 V [ Runs the kids splash pool bilge pump shower ] ..
Hooked up the panel in full sun, laid flat on the ground and its putting in 13.8 to 15.4 V's in a cycle unloaded and up to 8 amps on those watt meter thingo's and a steady 13.6 V to 14.4 V cycle when a load is on the battery [ Bilge pump approx 5 amps ] But showing charge and High voltage lights lit on the regulator [ might need to change out the reg ] ..
So I'm thinking for the size and weight of the panels thats not too bad and should hold the spare truck battery nicely for the 50lt Waeco [ so as we dont have to run the truck a 3 times a day if not driving ] this coming holidays on Fraser .
Also putting out about 12.8 V's in clouded conditions .
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should hold the spare truck battery nicely for the 50lt Waeco [ so as we dont have to run the truck a 3 times a day if not driving ] this coming holidays on Fraser .
I have a different brand 40l fridge & know nought about Waeco but does a decent battery need that sort of input for a fridge that size.
Just a question, as we're looking at getting folding solar panels & was thinking 80w would do.
Steve
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I'm about the same when it comes to electrickery Steffo, I figure that the fridge could pull 5 amps all day if it needed and I wanted to stay put for three or so days, if the panel was putting in 8 amps and the battery would be at near full charge going into the night.
The spare 800 CCA battery powers our fridge for approx 30 hrs without being charged, So I just went with the O'l big is good, But bigger and more is better, way of thinking .. Going to ad a dedicated small freezer at some time too, But would get another 150W panel / bigger battery etc to ad .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ho8di4ywQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ho8di4ywQ) ;D ;D
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Thanks Edz.
Fair enough with the future freezer & the bigger output too. I had a bloke at Fraser measure what my fridge drew with a yoke type thingy & it was +/- 2.5 amps & the solar blanket I was looking at put out 4-5 so thought I was covered.
Steve
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I'm about the same when it comes to electrickery Steffo, I figure that the fridge could pull 5 amps all day if it needed and I wanted to stay put for three or so days, if the panel was putting in 8 amps and the battery would be at near full charge going into the night.
The spare 800 CCA battery powers our fridge for approx 30 hrs without being charged, So I just went with the O'l big is good, But bigger and more is better, way of thinking .. Going to ad a dedicated small freezer at some time too, But would get another 150W panel / bigger battery etc to ad .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ho8di4ywQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ho8di4ywQ) ;D ;D
The blanket will only put out max power in bright cool conditions, your not going to get 8A from sunrise to sunset, say you get 60Ah, if your fridge draws 6A and runs 50% duty cycle that's 72Ah a day your using.
If the weather is hot and your running it as a freezer your consumption is going to be a lot higher, you really need two of the blankets to keep afloat and in cloudy conditions you will still have problems.
It will vary though on your setup and how you use it.
Example, my waeco 40Ltr running as a freezer with a 100W blanket, blanket just covers the load if you have nice cool sunny days.
Waecoe 80Ltr fridge freezer in van, 230W just covers usage on good days.
I would keep an eye on the regulators voltage, unless they have improved them the voltage used to climb alarmingly
high over time.
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Thanks HB.
If need be I could always roof mount and link in our existing 180 W folding panels on the camper [ bit heavy and bulky ] to the 150 W blanket for the freezer [ Looking at an Engel 21 lt apparently they only draw 2.5 amps max ] + the 150 W back up for the trucks fridge Should give me some options .
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If you find the regulator is suss and you need to buy another see the posts on using a MPPT and series panels, it might work
for you.
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Just on a side note... I got 2 of these @ $299 each.......and in full sun, I am getting over 9 amps / blanket coming out....(with a different regulator).
I found out from a SupaCheap store Mgr that I know, these are actually Projecta Panels re-badged.
So I think they are great value for money..yeah they don't stand up neatly, but they take up very little room, and I put them on a car or the ground and I get great input..
Mark VS
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Are you talking solar blanket or folding panel?
The supercheap blankets are different to the Projecta ones, I have both and the Projecta units are much better quality in my opinion.
The supercheap ones are still good value for money on special.
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Are you talking solar blanket or folding panel?
The supercheap blankets are different to the Projecta ones, I have both and the Projecta units are much better quality in my opinion.
The supercheap ones are still good value for money on special.
I am talking about the blanket....the blankets are different but I understand the panels in the blanket are Projecta...
Mark VS
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They might be at that, I just had a look and the patterning is very similar but not identical,
Projecta would just be the distributor so probably is true.
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Just wondering if anyone has tried any of these or has a view on the quality etc ?
https://outbaxcamping.com.au/camping-equipment/solar-panels/folding-solar-panels
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When I got Around to trying mine the regulator was Suss as suspected. Before changing it I noticed supercheap have changed out the reg so I updated mind :laugh:
Here some pics of the reg looks a better unit
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When I got Around to trying mine the regulator was Suss as suspected. Before changing it I noticed supercheap have changed out the reg so I updated mind :laugh:
so was the performance of the panels OK?
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so was the performance of the panels OK?
Yeah they were fine . Just the original regulator had a fit without a load on it clicking and banging. I'll try this one later. Only small thing but they don't provide plugs anymore so need to wire the regulator or make your one plug leads which is easy enough
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Our local only has the original style regulators as a replacement, I'll be looking at spending a bit extra on a name branded one .
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Our local only has the original style regulators as a replacement, I'll be looking at spending a bit extra on a name branded one .
You should start seeing them come into the rest of the stores over the next week or two.
Apparently they are made by Narva...
Bill
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You should start seeing them come into the rest of the stores over the next week or two.
Apparently they are made by Narva...
Bill
interesting...
narva make the whole kit, or just the regulator?
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You should start seeing them come into the rest of the stores over the next week or two.
Apparently they are made by Narva...
Bill
Somebody else had said the panels were made by Projecta, but a quick Google tells me Projecta and Narva are both owned by the same parent company Brown and Watson.
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Somebody else had said the panels were made by Projecta, but a quick Google tells me Projecta and Narva are both owned by the same parent company Brown and Watson.
I was a bit surprised to see just how many manufacturers of the same product are owned by the same parent company...
Bill
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Your right there Bill.
It's like holding up a corner of some netting and tracing where the strands go.
With the way they have structured themselves It's very difficult.
And they even have competition between divisions of their own company/group.
Ray's Outdoors and BCF are an excellent example.