solar panels
- Thread starter Lwwilltravel
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- hilo
Lwwilltravel
Senior Member
ok thanks . I am looking to add 2 panels and our older 23 C had a controller at the switches at he refrigerator but this camper does not. I will tell my mechanic .
In my opinion, a 15 Watt panel is mostly "cosmetic". In use, it will rarely deliver more than 7 Watts due to the inefficiencies of solar panels and the design of that particular panel and the included controller. It MIGHT, just barely, maintain the charge on lead-acid batteries when they are not in use. (It overcomes the self-discharge that lead-acid batteries have.) But, it won't do anything more.
If you are adding solar panels, I assume they would be at least 100 Watts each. They should not be connected to the little 15 Watt panel and you should look into directing their output into an MPPT controller, rather than a PWM controller if you want the best charging from them.
- Jack
If you are adding solar panels, I assume they would be at least 100 Watts each. They should not be connected to the little 15 Watt panel and you should look into directing their output into an MPPT controller, rather than a PWM controller if you want the best charging from them.
- Jack
Lwwilltravel
Senior Member
ok sounds good information. The controller is where Brainagee said it is and we tested it and without any sun it showed producing but I forget exactly what it was but I think was just a little over 5 watts. So we will more than likely put 3 on the roof and a controller that we would be able to see the battery charged at what level and the panels producing whatever.
For what it's worth, I know that little panel you have is a polycrystalline panel, and the controller is a PWM type. Both are cheaper and less efficient than monocrystalline panels and MPPT controllers. In addition, polycrystalline panels are larger, and don't last as long as monocrystalline panels.
- Jack
- Jack
Lwwilltravel
Senior Member
good to know and either I will forget it or maybe see if can get 2 panels like it might be the way to go as not really not looking to use it to control the electric usage such as boon docking and that would give me 45 watts instead of 15 watts.. this link tells the specs and difference and also mentions they both last about the same = 25 years. https://a1solarstore.com/blog/monoc...C-DkMdr4TReIuKcc4e51JtXCXU_aFjwBoCAyIQAvD_BwE
shop panels within above link https://a1solarstore.com/solar-panels.html
shop panels within above link https://a1solarstore.com/solar-panels.html
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