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Offline WhyKickAmooCow

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Solar Panel
« on: December 14, 2011, 04:57:07 PM »
Hi, I'm in the hunt for any direction in regards to what kind of solar panel to buy,
I currently have a 40ltr Engel and a few led lights running of my 125 amp agm battery, any advise as to whats a good size panel and why I shouldn't buy  one off ebay.
I may look at getting a second battery in the future so take that into account and I also want to fix it to my roof rack so also do I need a sealed charge regulator, And if any one has bought a cheap one off ebay what should I be looking for.  :cheers:
« Last Edit: December 14, 2011, 05:09:31 PM by WhyKickAmooCow »
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Offline Mace

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Re: Solar Panel
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2011, 05:28:26 PM »
Go for 80w minimum, check out Mandrakes website, he's doing great deals on them at the mo
(if any left in stock)

 :cheers:
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Offline speewa158

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Re: Solar Panel
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2011, 05:54:33 PM »
WKAMC talk to Mandrake re solar , check it out in Showroom or PM him direct . If you go cheap on Evilbay then you do get what you pay for & you will pay for it in the long run  :cheers:
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Offline graham

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Re: Solar Panel
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2011, 07:42:28 PM »
x 2 brother a very good & honest man to deal with cheers Graham
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Offline Rumpig

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Re: Solar Panel
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2011, 09:46:23 PM »
Quote from: WhyKickAmooCow on December 14, 2011, 04:57:07 PM
and I also want to fix it to my roof rack
if your planning on mounting it across ways/ side to side on the roofrack, you will be limited in which size you can get to fit up there. i have a 100 series Landcruiser with a solar panel mounted on my roofrack, 80Watt was as big as i could go without the panel sticking out past my rack. ultimately i would have liked a 120Watt, but they are just to wide and i would have cleaned it up on a tree eventually whilst out 4wding.
cheers.
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Offline Muso

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Re: Solar Panel
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2011, 04:54:27 AM »
I have a similar setup. 120w portable (10m cable) solar panels, 50L waeco, 2 strip lights and a few "toys" off usb charging. I have no other charging methods and we almost never use 240v. The panels charge my battery, even in some shade, and I've never had any problems charging the 120A AGM.

The longest camp was for 5 days, and I am convinced that your panels are only as good as the regulator (buy the best you can afford)
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Cheers Glenn

Offline earle

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Re: Solar Panel
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2011, 08:52:30 AM »
Earlier in the year I purchased two 95 watt panels and mounted then on the roof rack of my canopy. http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=16766.msg255529#msg255529

We have 130Ah battery, 50L waeco, water pump and led lights. Rather than mount the regulator with the panels mine is in the camper and is the brains of the electrical system. You'll also have less problems with voltage drop over longer cables if the regulator is closer to the battery rather than closer to the panels. As with some others already posted I have a 10m cable so that I can have the camper in the shade and the car and panels in the sun, but still be connected.

190w of panels may be overkill but it means less mucking around repositioning panels throughout the day trying to squeeze the maximum amp hours out of them.

Mandrake is selling Steca regulators at a great price at the moment, highly recommended.
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Offline WhyKickAmooCow

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Re: Solar Panel
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2011, 06:20:21 PM »
Thanks guy's got onto the guys from mandrakes and now have my panel. they put me in the right direction. Cheers :cheers:
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