eArche Semi Flex Solar Panels

[Bryn23]

Well, I've been on the hunt for some decent solar panels since i found my panel broken in the box and then i found out wasn't covered by warranty as i didn't report the breakage fast enough.

I learnt from that

So anyhow, i start to look for a quality panel and most of it was cheap rubbish, looked at the Solbain Panels, but they were more than i was prepared to pay.

In the end, i found the eArche panels that looked good, specs work well with my system and its designed for the commercial market and come with a 10 year warranty and also a 80% output 25 year output warranty.

Pricing is $525 AUD, so half the price of Solbain panels, and more than twice the price of cheap Semi flex panels over here.

Only problem is that i had to wait for them to be released, and today my panel was shipped.

I ordered a 180 watt panel with the 6mm thin aluminium frame, as i plan on sitting it on some black anodised aluminum square tube to allow a bit more air flow than if i stuck it on the rails.

It also allows me to remove it easier than direct stick, if i do have a warranty issue.




Now i haven't received them yet, and these are photos i took of the website that i order it from.

Hopefully ill see it tomorrow to test it and review it.

I'd expect the there will or is a UK dealer for these panels.

Time will tell if they are any good, but I've got more confidence in these than cheap eBay units


NEW - eArche flexible solar panels have genuine 10 year manufacturers warranty

 

[Crk]

Nice ! Im planing on doing the same .

my experience with solar is dont buy cheap get branded quality. =pricey
Same with wirein get the good stuff not worth the risk on losein power .

Where are you going to feed the wires into cab ?

5+ meters on cable you start losing power
Im close to that but still havein made up my mind on what way

I Live on the road in a old 95 hilux for 5 yrs fully kitted for livein and work ,
t6 is the New home .im in fn Queensland too.good to know someone else is playin with a t6 over here paying for the shipping costs for parts from Europe

just got my head round getting the redarc charger running all the eco alternator bs ,no need over here when got v8s rolling coal lol

 

[Bryn23]

Hey Crk, a fellow QLDer

I fed the 16 mm2 cables thought the rubber grommet behind the battery, you have to lift the cowling and you will see it.



I grabbed one of these waterproof Blue sea Safety hubs, its good up to 200 amps and it looks clean with only the one cable to the battery, but i have other items connected to the main battery, which require decent sized fuses.

I chased the wire through the grommet in flexible conduit and down the floor, under the seats and then up the pillar into the roof cavity, then along the rail, dropping into the rear quarter panel.

my run is around 8 meters, I'm good to run 10mm2 with my charger at that length, but i upsized it.

Have a look at travel volts webpage, he has photos of where the grommets are and also you can drill into the pillar and feed in behind the lower panels.

I looked at going redarc, but then ended up with a german charging system as i had the rest of their gear and it all ties into each other.

It sucks about the shipping costs from overseas, but it still works out cheaper than buying it here sometimes.

 

[Crk]

I guessed That grommet is god already running charger of breaker and uhf via

Same way i was going just not keen on wires showin on out side. Il end up getting roof bars should neaten abit
but shes too new to start drilling holes

Already had my redarc and arkpac set up bit of thinking time on getting redarc working but , going good pumpin 400wats while running just need a solar going for endless power .

Does work out even with the shipping just few parts cant be had just stupid shipping on them. got few shopping carts racked up ready forcheck out lol

Will be going to uk next year so i may have to send a small shippy back with me

Look forward on seein them panels on .

 

[Bryn23]

Yeah Crk,

You have to do a bit of searching to find good shipping, although most of the time, even with the extreme shipping costs its still cheaper than here.

you could also, look at freight forwarding all your goods from the UK, when you are over there.

 

[Bryn23]

Well, the solar panel arrived today









It seems well built, i put the voltage meter on it, so i know it works

I opened up the junction boxes to see if they were sealed, and it was

Hopefully ill get it up in the next few weeks, i plan on making a small aluminium frame (40mm x 20mm) to sit on the two middle rails that are on my Fibreglass roof and include some support in the middle of the panel to reduce any pooling of water and to allow more air under the panels.

Then ill just sikaflex the mount and if i need to remove the panel, i can just unscrew it from the mount, as it is predrilled in the solar frame and ill attach the solar panel to the mount with screws into rivnuts that will be inserted into the mount i make

It's be interesting to see what power this will produce, in the real world in the state of sunshine.

 

[DaveyB]

Well, the solar panel arrived today

View attachment 15144

View attachment 15145
View attachment 15146
View attachment 15147

View attachment 15149

It seems well built, i put the voltage meter on it, so i know it works

I opened up the junction boxes to see if they were sealed, and it was

Hopefully ill get it up in the next few weeks, i plan on making a small aluminium frame (40mm x 20mm) to sit on the two middle rails that are on my Fibreglass roof and include some support in the middle of the panel to reduce any pooling of water and to allow more air under the panels.

Then ill just sikaflex the mount and if i need to remove the panel, i can just unscrew it from the mount, as it is predrilled in the solar frame and ill attach the solar panel to the mount with screws into rivnuts that will be inserted into the mount i make

It's be interesting to see what power this will produce, in the real world in the state of sunshine.

Nice lot of Festool kit you got there buddy. Oh yeah, the solar panel looks good too.

 

[Bryn23]

lol, I have a bit invested in festool, its from my days of shopfitting and cabinetmaking.

Great tools, and I've been using them since they were Festo , i grabbed a MFT table with the CMS insert this year, great for accurate 90 degree cuts and 45's.

Hopefully ill grab the router insert for the CMS, as it would be handy instead of mostly freehand routing.