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Author Topic: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings  (Read 88474 times)

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Offline sharkcaver

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #75 on: May 17, 2019, 10:17:04 AM »
Quote from: paceman on May 17, 2019, 07:06:39 AM
i'll probably end up keeping all the cables, but replace the main lead from the mat to a 50A genuine anderson and then replace all the rest of the 30A powerpoles with genuines as well...

don't plan on using the included reg at all, but handy as a backup, i guess...

Same, same, as soon as it arrives out comes the snips and soldering torch - which reminds me - I wonder how many andersons I have?. I now have a few elcheapo PWM's and I always carry one for backup. I need one if I ever want to charge the starter anyway - the aux being taken care of with the dc/dc.


Quote from: tryagain
I think that any future MySwag meetups are going to have these everywhere.

Haha, the 2020 national meet, proudly sponsored by Bunnings and Companion  :cup:
« Last Edit: May 17, 2019, 10:19:25 AM by sharkcaver »
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Offline Bird

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #76 on: May 17, 2019, 10:18:22 AM »
Chick at bunnings took 30 mins to find, the computer said there was 10 at Nunawading 10 mins ago..
... well 8 after I left.

I got 2 - I got 1 spare if anyone in Melb needs one.
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Offline paceman

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #77 on: May 17, 2019, 10:21:54 AM »
Quote from: Merts on May 17, 2019, 10:07:07 AM
Why?
The included plugs are all good quality and even 30 amp connectors are massive overkill for a mat that will poke out less than 7A maximum.

because i don't trust non-genuine anderson connectors... been burnt before...

i have the crimp tools for both sizes (30A & 50A) and spare plugs, so it won't take me long to do it, and i'll know that they won't fail in the future...

but, mainly because i can... :)
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Offline paceman

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #78 on: May 17, 2019, 10:23:49 AM »
interested to see if these go down further in price, because they are marked as clearance... ?
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Offline Bird

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #79 on: May 17, 2019, 10:34:25 AM »
Quote from: paceman
interested to see if these go down further in price, because they are marked as clearance... ?

considering they probably cost $15 out of china, there wouldnt be much profit left ;)

The Nuna store said they had them for ages, and moved none.. they had a camping display setup at the front near registers for month or so with them on display... they didnt even know they still had them until I showed the bunnings site on me phone..
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Offline Merts

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #80 on: May 17, 2019, 10:35:55 AM »
Quote from: paceman on May 17, 2019, 10:23:49 AM
interested to see if these go down further in price, because they are marked as clearance... ?

Unlikely. The way things are going Swaggers will have bought every one in stock by Monday....
 ;D
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Offline Spada

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #81 on: May 17, 2019, 10:36:18 AM »
Quote from: paceman on May 17, 2019, 10:23:49 AM
interested to see if these go down further in price, because they are marked as clearance... ?

based on how many Myswaggers have bought in the last 24h, I'd say not.
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Offline Bird

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #82 on: May 17, 2019, 10:38:49 AM »
Checking the Bunnings website, plenty of stores seem to have them in stock. Even Frankston.. LMAO

https://www.bunnings.com.au/companion-125w-solar-mat-kit_p0078047
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Offline Bird

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #83 on: May 17, 2019, 10:39:44 AM »
Quote from: Merts on May 17, 2019, 10:35:55 AM
Unlikely. The way things are going Swaggers will have bought every one in stock by Monday....
 ;D
too much paperwork on the returns from swaggers wanting to save another $10.
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Offline rockrat

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #84 on: May 17, 2019, 10:41:47 AM »
Quote from: Spada on May 17, 2019, 10:36:18 AM
based on how many Myswaggers have bought in the last 24h, I'd say not.
As the OP for this post I should send Bunnings an invoice for my marketing services.


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Offline loanrangie

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #85 on: May 17, 2019, 11:13:14 AM »
Quote from: Bird on May 17, 2019, 10:34:25 AM
considering they probably cost $15 out of china, there wouldnt be much profit left ;)

The Nuna store said they had them for ages, and moved none.. they had a camping display setup at the front near registers for month or so with them on display... they didnt even know they still had them until I showed the bunnings site on me phone..

Same here, none of the staff had any idea. I saw all the camping gear out the front just before Easter but didn't see any panels.
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Offline rockrat

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #86 on: May 17, 2019, 11:15:48 AM »
At Oxley Brisbane, they were on the end of a row near all of the solar garden lights.


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Offline tryagain

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #87 on: May 17, 2019, 11:33:14 AM »
Quote from: paceman on May 17, 2019, 10:23:49 AM
interested to see if these go down further in price, because they are marked as clearance... ?

Most clearance items they will keep making down until they are all sold, I suspect they will all sell at this price, unless you hide one in-store and wait.  ;D
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Offline corndog

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #88 on: May 17, 2019, 11:53:11 AM »
Got one last night. Is outside right now. Sunny, no clouds, connected to a flat calcium battery using the supplied charger. It's giving 13.55v at 5.71a into the battery so 77w output from the charger. Though it might have been a little better. Also plugged it into my Projecta IDC25 on solar input. Does work through it but the battery is fully charged so couldn't tell much.
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Offline tryagain

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #89 on: May 17, 2019, 12:19:13 PM »
Quote from: corndog on May 17, 2019, 11:53:11 AM
Got one last night. Is outside right now. Sunny, no clouds, connected to a flat calcium battery using the supplied charger. It's giving 13.55v at 5.71a into the battery so 77w output from the charger. Though it might have been a little better. Also plugged it into my Projecta IDC25 on solar input. Does work through it but the battery is fully charged so couldn't tell much.

Could also be high resistance in the battery if it's getting long in the tooth, run down your other battery and give it a shot through the projects. I would think it should be delivering better figures than that.
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Offline McGirr

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #90 on: May 17, 2019, 12:41:25 PM »
Grabbed 2 and will change all connectors over and make a 2 in 1 connector to run them both together.

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #91 on: May 17, 2019, 12:46:18 PM »
Grabbed one from Hawthorn store (1 more left) and got another 5% off with my Powerpass card  :cup:

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Offline corndog

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #92 on: May 17, 2019, 12:54:48 PM »
Found this in the manual.
Q; How many Amps do I get out of my 125W Solar Mat and what can I run?
A: A 125W kit can supply between 5 and 6 Amps in optimal conditions on a sunny day or for most of the sunlight hours
of the day. There are many variables, but let’s assume that we can achieve 6 to 7 sunlight hours in a day, anymore
sunlight hours would be considered a bonus.
Provided it is not too cloudy, the solar mat is moved every now and again to best track the sun’s path and the solar
mat is kept out of the shade, it is safe to assume that the solar mat can supply between 5 and 6 Amps per
charging hour.
So my 5.7a might not be that bad given the time of year. They also state their figures on 125w at 17.6v and 6.82a. Only 14v coming out of the panel into the regulator.
Even so, thinking of getting another to use separately or paralleled.
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Offline Fathom

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #93 on: May 17, 2019, 03:07:09 PM »
Was 9.. now 7 left at Bunnings Morayfield.  Qld.
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Offline Moxley

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #94 on: May 17, 2019, 03:07:10 PM »
Quote from: corndog on May 17, 2019, 12:54:48 PM
Found this in the manual.
Q; How many Amps do I get out of my 125W Solar Mat and what can I run?
A: A 125W kit can supply between 5 and 6 Amps in optimal conditions on a sunny day or for most of the sunlight hours
of the day. There are many variables, but let’s assume that we can achieve 6 to 7 sunlight hours in a day, anymore
sunlight hours would be considered a bonus.
Provided it is not too cloudy, the solar mat is moved every now and again to best track the sun’s path and the solar
mat is kept out of the shade, it is safe to assume that the solar mat can supply between 5 and 6 Amps per
charging hour.
So my 5.7a might not be that bad given the time of year. They also state their figures on 125w at 17.6v and 6.82a. Only 14v coming out of the panel into the regulator.
Even so, thinking of getting another to use separately or paralleled.

I wonder how these compare to the Kings ones.


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Offline Merts

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #95 on: May 17, 2019, 03:43:03 PM »
Quote from: paceman on May 17, 2019, 10:21:54 AM
because i don't trust non-genuine anderson connectors... been burnt before...

Fair enough.
It's worth noting that whilst the plugs on these aren't Anderson brand, they aren't non-branded generics either.
"aitm connectors" which is unsurprisingly a Chinese brand. They look and feel okay to me.
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Offline Tweekin

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #96 on: May 17, 2019, 04:58:40 PM »
Thanks for the heads up - picked on at at Chatswood in Sydney - even knocked it down to $120 ! winner
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Offline jwb

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #97 on: May 17, 2019, 07:49:49 PM »
I went onto my local BGS
 ( Compton rd Underwood) and wasn't filled with hope when told " we don't sell solar panels"!??
Next person knew where they were.
They had 2 left on the shelf after mine

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Offline filcar

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #98 on: May 17, 2019, 08:28:38 PM »
Quote from: Bird on May 17, 2019, 10:38:49 AM
Checking the Bunnings website, plenty of stores seem to have them in stock. Even Frankston.. LMAO

https://www.bunnings.com.au/companion-125w-solar-mat-kit_p0078047
No longer on the web site ...
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Offline jwb

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #99 on: May 17, 2019, 09:58:47 PM »
Get in there and have a look!

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