Influencer I
Indeed they do. Only issue is that it's $1.50 more to get the suitcase without the charge controller.
Solar Panel Open Discussion/Debate/Review
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I like the idea of not mounting the solar to your truck. I like to park in the shade and have my panels in the sun. I could have saved about $20 dollars on my Renogy Eclipse folding panel by buying it without the controller. I have an MPPT controller on my solar generator already, but I decided to get the cheapy controller in case I want to quickly throw the panel on my rig's battery.
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Makes all the sense in the world. Might be okay in the middle of the desert in the winter time but that's about it. What I like about my Harbor freight is that it is four separate panels. If I want to use only one I can and along with a battery will run the ref. and small things like telephones or iPads.
Renogy sells one without the controller. Or at least they used to. Worst case remove it and make a back up portable setup. Then you can share you solar with someone else if need be. Some photos of my setup with a different controller are here, Solar
The concept is the same though...
Member I
you can continue to push a product all you want to sway individuals, you may gain a few, but most folks will shop for a product that has reliable customer service, longevity of time in business. & a strong following from a great reputation. Price isn't always the deciding factor.
Is this directed at anyone in particular?
Feel free to clarify. I have recommended Renogy because I have been happy with its product. It was not the cheapest and support has been good. The original poster asked for opinions and is receiving them. So I’m not sure who you are upset with.
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Who are you referring to Don ? I see many posts and many brands and I don't see anyone pushing anything except their opinion about something they have had a good experience with. I disagree that even half the people in this country buy the quality merchandise even when they are warned. I buy what I can afford and I'm sure you do the same ! Secondly, not all of us are as deeply involved in electronics as you seem to be. I for one do not want or need the equipment you have on your rig. I hope I never do.
Lanlubber
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Sounds like a dictator to me. My way or no way attitude. Sorry Don but your comment dosent look to good in print !
Member I
NO it was not directed to anyone in particular, simply saying that you can push a product all you want, many people will choose for themselves what they feel is the right product that fits them. You can take my post any way you feel to, me dictate, no . I buy what fits me & IMO I do don't rely on you tube as the answers nor my deciding factor in a product. I ask many people who use the product & if they are quite pleased & would buy it again. Lanlubber don"t be so thin skin, & you shouldn't be putting words in to my mouth. You've made comment to me in the same manner on ebay fridges all because I posted "save your money & by a reputable fridge." Whether you agree or not what I say it isn't in mean spirited way towards any one. That isn't my nature to disrespect people. So cool off & re-gather your thoughts.
Member I
1Louder, I recommend Renogy myself this is my 2nd go around with them. I am not upset, never was. I think the fact why some are a bit bent @ me is that I believe in the ol' saying "buy once cry once" . I mention that saying on a fridge post & you would of thought I open the gates of hell. I had a few came at me implying "I" was a hater. I never gave any sort of notion I was hating or bashing the fridge thread.
I research product that I'm looking at, then I talk with others about it, especially on another forum. I'm open minded & I get well honest answers & lots of data which I go off. I save my money & make the purchases I need. It's that simple, fridges........ I like Engel, own 2 of them, I like VMax Batteries, had great success with them. It's what fits my needs & wallet. I am no electronic's expert as some one mention. I learn how to do my 12v. wiring by reading, researching & talking with others, just like the solar system I chosen, twice. My builds on both trailer are highly detailed that come from my career as a owner of a business in custom firearm industry for 20 plus yrs. Now that I am retired I am having the time to do more what the wife & I do to enjoy what I built. Again if I was upset, believe me people would know. Like I said I do not make it a habit to disrespect people or knock what they own.
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Your entitled to your opinion the same as me. You come off sounding like a car salesman pushing your products. There was no one on this thread pushing anything except information that you obviously didn't like or agree with.
I don't have thin skin Don, I'm not angry or need to gather my thoughts, but you do. I did not put any words in your mouth, you own them all yourself. I don't believe you are mean spirited, I do think you think your just giving advise while poopooing the equipment we are discussing as junk or unproven by one of your sources. It dosent come off as helpful information to me. We all know you have one of the finest rigs in OB community, and that you are proud of your accomplishments. We would all love to have your rig if we could afford it, but we will get there when we get there. We don't all have your standards of quality or need them. I'm cool, if I said something that offended you on the refer thread, I was just giving my opinion and meant no ill will. I didn't feel your opinions were helpful on that thread either since your conversation was negative, and know it all on that thread as well.
Lanlubber
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Moving on and back to the OP's original intent.....
I got an $89 100 watt single pnl, was recommended by a young dude on the Tube who was recommended by others and I am thrilled with it. made me a nice long cable and with the built in MPPT controller in my Flexopower batteries, bam all set. I just lean it against something (building a stand for it) and good to go.
I am not cheap but I aint got no extra cash either......
Jim
I got an $89 100 watt single pnl, was recommended by a young dude on the Tube who was recommended by others and I am thrilled with it. made me a nice long cable and with the built in MPPT controller in my Flexopower batteries, bam all set. I just lean it against something (building a stand for it) and good to go.
I am not cheap but I aint got no extra cash either......
Jim
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The name of the game is to get something where there isn't any. Anything is better than nothing and we all have to start somewhere. Good job ! Lanlubber
Expedition Master III
Micheal of SEEK ADVENTURE made the same discovery. That being, that the cheap panel outperformed the more expensive one. He was very surprised by that outcome. Any panel that meets or exceeds it's design specifications, i would think, would be a good thing.
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HA! WIll of the Tube is the guy I watch, great easy to understand videos on solar, he is how I found that an $89 richsolar pnl will do great for me.......
Jim
Jim
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Thank you for this bit of info. I appreciate any info I can pick up on uTube videos. It allows me to make my own decisions about what tp buy. I have looked at more than 60 videos on the solar subject, some are made by people who know what they are talking about and some can barely use their recording instrument and you don't learn anything from them. Will's videos are an excellent source of info and I have watched many.
Lanlubber
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I have a question about solar panels and charge controllers. Some one in this thread had mentioned something about buying additional panels that came with the charge control in the kit. He said the controller you don't need for your panels could be used to share your solar with others, as just one way of using it. Now the question. I read or saw a video somewhere that said if I have a 100w solar panel and a 10a controller I couldn't add additional solar panels without upping the size of my original charge controller or buy a separate controller for the added panels. I bought my kit based on the add that said I could add extra solar panels to the original kit and that the charge controller was adequate for extra panels. I'd love to know which story is accurate. I'm going to rely on any OB member to answer my question as I know some of you know the answer. I don't know and never will without Heeeelllp !! Lanlubber
Enthusiast III
Look up the rating of your solar panel. One such rating is output Amps. If your new panel outputs enough Amps such that the sum from your old panel and your new panel is more than 10 Amps, you need a new controller. My experience is that most 100 W panels will output around 5.5 Amps. Thus two panels would output 11 Amps, which would trigger a 10 Amp charge controller's protection circuit. If you want to add a panel, you'll need a smaller wattage "12 volt" panel (a 50 Watt panel will put out about 2.75 Amps). Or you need a new charge controller.
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Thank you sir, I think you answered my question very nicely. Now I have another one. I only have the one 100w solar panels (4 - 25w'ers) with the 10a charge controller presently, and I am using two batteries and I have plenty of power for my camping rig. When at home I would like to use my system for some remote buildings I have that are powerless currently. I want to triple my solar panels to a 300w service. Should I add two more 10a charge controllers or one 20a charge controller, or should I just buy one 30a controller for the complete 300w system ? I would buy the solar panels separately, not as a kit, so they wouldn't come with controllers like my kit did. The new panels I will buy will be a single 100w panel unlike the kit solar system that has 4 - 25w panels. Can you give me any help here on this dilemma ? Any better ideas are welcome.
My thought are that putting a solar system in the storage-work shop buildings would be less expensive than hiring an electrician to install service to my buildings, mainly because they want to install a circuit breaker box to my building and 100 feet of underground cable from my existing house service. There was a time I would have rented a ditch digger and done it all myself but those days are long gone.
