Flexible Solar Panels, any bought off ebay?

PaulRichardson

Hi Guys,

I need solar panels for my camper, but they have to be flexible (no flat roof left).

Has anyone bought flexible panels off ebay? and were they any good?

Regards,

Paul
 

molly 2

That is a very good quistion I have just bought a 100 w flexible from Amazon £149 so not the cheapest ,the one I picked was a branded panel not an unbranded Chinese panel .I searched y tube and found a good review for the panel i bought .cheap is not cheap if it's crap . flexible don't have the longevity of ridged panels.also flexible panels with sunpower cells are more efficient
 
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yorkshireCPLE

We bought from Ebay.

We bought this kit from Ebay Item number 142458182320 We bought it last April and it works great.. Well when we have the sun that is lol.. We were parked up next to a friend who has a 250w rigid panel and same controller, it was sunny but low as it was about 3 weeks ago. but we compared input amps and we were pulling in exactly half of what he was getting. So not bad really. Mine 140 semi flex and his 250 rigid.

I was quite happy with that. Through the summer when the sun was higher we had no problems with power, this time of year is a bit different, I'm going to invest in another 140 panel to join this one sometime.

Also about 4 years ago I bought a Baired 100w panel semi flex and it's still working great on my old van. it keeps the battery up and the battery was bought in 2011. This van is only used once or twice a week and is never plugged into the mains for charge. Granted it doesn't have much to run. Mainly the heater Eberspacher D2 and the lighting which isn't led.

So all in all I quite like the semi flex panels.
 

PaulRichardson

That is a very good quistion I have just bought a 100 w flexible from Amazon £149 so not the cheapest ,the one I picked was a branded panel not an unbranded Chinese panel .I searched y tube and found a good review for the panel i bought .cheap is not cheap if it's crap . flexible don't have the longevity of ridged panels.also flexible panels with sunpower cells are more efficient

Hi there,
Thanks for your reply.
Is this the panel you bought?
Solar Panel ALLPOWERS 100W 18V 12V Flexible SunPower Solar Charger Module with MC4 for RV, Boat, Cabin, Tent, Car, Trailer, or Any Other Irregular Surface: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
Did you get your controller from the same seller?
I was planning on sticking my panel to the roof using Sikaflex 512 what fixing method did you go for?
Regards,
Paul
 

PaulRichardson

We bought this kit from Ebay Item number 142458182320 We bought it last April and it works great.. Well when we have the sun that is lol.. We were parked up next to a friend who has a 250w rigid panel and same controller, it was sunny but low as it was about 3 weeks ago. but we compared input amps and we were pulling in exactly half of what he was getting. So not bad really. Mine 140 semi flex and his 250 rigid.

I was quite happy with that. Through the summer when the sun was higher we had no problems with power, this time of year is a bit different, I'm going to invest in another 140 panel to join this one sometime.

Also about 4 years ago I bought a Baired 100w panel semi flex and it's still working great on my old van. it keeps the battery up and the battery was bought in 2011. This van is only used once or twice a week and is never plugged into the mains for charge. Granted it doesn't have much to run. Mainly the heater Eberspacher D2 and the lighting which isn't led.

So all in all I quite like the semi flex panels.

Hi there,
Thanks for your reply.
Found your item on ebay, (thanks for the item number) but it's a bit too long for my van, I'll take a look at the rest of their range and see if they have a shorter on.
Most important thing is you like flexible panels, and they appear to work OK, with a long life.
Regards,
Paul
 

molly 2

Hi there,
Thanks for your reply.
Is this the panel you bought?
Solar Panel ALLPOWERS 100W 18V 12V Flexible SunPower Solar Charger Module with MC4 for RV, Boat, Cabin, Tent, Car, Trailer, or Any Other Irregular Surface: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
Did you get your controller from the same seller?
I was planning on sticking my panel to the roof using Sikaflex 512 what fixing method did you go for?
Regards,
Paul
. Yes you are spot on I can't comment on the panel as it has not arrived ,I do not need a controller as it is built in to the PSU , mppt controller are more efficient but some of the cheape pwm units have a lcd screen that tell you how many amps you have used and how many you have harvested very handy . Would fit with a bead of sikaflex round the edge and a couple f runs of double sided tape in the middle to stop it rattling on the roof .I would not put sikaflex in the middle of the panel as you may have to remove it one day . Bazz
 

chrismilo

I bought 2 x 150 watt Explorer German ones from alpha batteries got my WC discount at the same time bought my batteries 18 months ago
 

PaulRichardson

. Yes you are spot on I can't comment on the panel as it has not arrived ,I do not need a controller as it is built in to the PSU , mppt controller are more efficient but some of the cheape pwm units have a lcd screen that tell you how many amps you have used and how many you have harvested very handy . Would fit with a bead of sikaflex round the edge and a couple f runs of double sided tape in the middle to stop it rattling on the roof .I would not put sikaflex in the middle of the panel as you may have to remove it one day . Bazz

Hi Bazz,

Thanks for your advice regarding fixing but mine is going to go in a vulnerable position and I think it might need Sikaflex all over, to hold it in position.

It's going on the sloping roof above the windscreen, I've attached a photo so you can see what I mean.

Regards,

Paul

View attachment 60152
 

PaulRichardson

I bought 2 x 150 watt Explorer German ones from alpha batteries got my WC discount at the same time bought my batteries 18 months ago

Hi Chris,

Are your panels flexible? I can only find rigid ones on the Alpha Batteries web site (prices look good though).

Regards,

Paul
 

molly 2

Hi Bazz,

Thanks for your advice regarding fixing but mine is going to go in a vulnerable position and I think it might need Sikaflex all over, to hold it in position.

It's going on the sloping roof above the windscreen, I've attached a photo so you can see what I mean.

Regards,

Paul

View attachment 60152
. Sikaflex take a long time to set so you will have to support the panel in place until set ,you could use fixing holes and screws or secure with duct tape . however you fit it be aware that you may have to remove it sometime .
 

Owlhouse

Not a fan...

I am not a fan of flexible panels unless they have adequate ventilation. Maybe not in the UK but they do suffer from overheating if there is no airflow under it. To convert sunlight into electricity they will produce heat and if you have stuck it to your roof it could be a problem, especially so in Southern Europe. Also, if it does fail it may present an issue to remove it.
On the plus side they are quite a bit lighter and obviously can follow contours.
 

Les Haro

Hi Bazz,

Thanks for your advice regarding fixing but mine is going to go in a vulnerable position and I think it might need Sikaflex all over, to hold it in position.

It's going on the sloping roof above the windscreen, I've attached a photo so you can see what I mean.

Regards,

Paul

View attachment 60152

Looks as though you will attain almost optimal angle as well, park up south facing and you will be generating spare lecky.
 

Deleted member 2473

above the windscreen

Stone chips mite be a problem. For £150 .
 

molly 2

If you buy of eBay check the location, if from China or Honkong they can take several weeks to arrive.if you want the best check out lensun .
 
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hairydog

If you buy of eBay check the location, if from China or Honkong they can take several weeks to arrive.if you want the best check out lensun .
Because of the high import tariff on solar panels, few are sold from China on eBay.
 

hairydog

Hi Caz,
That's two votes for Biard Panels, and the prices aren't bad.
They do a 100w panel which might fit my space, need to measure up very carefully.
Regards,
Paul
We have two Biard 100 rigid panels (off-grid but not on a vehicle) which are fine and were very cheap. The brand is just a made up Far Eastern label, but they have worked well for a few years. I expect their semi-flexible would be good too.
However, the carriers that delivered ours were useless. Several times they claimed to have tried to deliver when they'd been nowhere near. The panels arrived intact, but my concern with flexible is that they are damaged invisibly during delivery and installation.
This installation looks to be bending the panels at least as much as the maximum, so you'd not want them bashed beforehand.
 

maja07

Spacers

To avoid overheating would mounting the flexible panels on thick rubber washers as spacers (perhaps a couple glued in the middle too) work maybe ? I like the idea of the thinness and lightness of the flexi's.
Maja
 

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