Solar Panel Advice

[Phil Harris]

I’ve been trying to get a good local fitter and thinking of buying attached, any reviews or recommendations greatly appreciated

 

[andys]

I've got that panel, but with the junction box on top rather than underneath. Couldn't be happier with it, never seems to drop below 40W during daylight hours, no matter how dull it is and routinely tops 200W on a sunny day

 

[Phil Harris]

I've got that panel, but with the junction box on top rather than underneath. Couldn't be happier with it, never seems to drop below 40W during daylight hours, no matter how dull it is and routinely tops 200W on a sunny day

Thanks Andy.. just need a local fitter

 

[Phil Harris]

I've got that panel, but with the junction box on top rather than underneath. Couldn't be happier with it, never seems to drop below 40W during daylight hours, no matter how dull it is and routinely tops 200W on a sunny day

Andy,

Looking at using their Votronic charge controller, what did you use ?

 

[t0mb0]

I’ve got that same panel with the votronic charge controller, it’s been excellent for us.

One thing to be aware of, the rear junction box is really quite chunky, you need to cut a pretty big hole in your roof to fit it.

 

[Phil Harris]

I’ve got that same panel with the votronic charge controller, it’s been excellent for us.

One thing to be aware of, the rear junction box is really quite chunky, you need to cut a pretty big hole in your roof to fit it.

Cheers

 

[Fish]

Personally I would avoid cutting it in.. I know it can be down and have seen it done but for me just adds another potential ingress point.
Also, if the panel fails then hoe does one change.
I know in the past photonic have had issues with the production (sweden,I think) of the underside mounted junction box. These look better(see @Deaky build thread for example.

Food for thought.

 

[Phil Harris]

Personally I would avoid cutting it in.. I know it can be down and have seen it done but for me just adds another potential ingress point.
Also, if the panel fails then hoe does one change.
I know in the past photonic have had issues with the production (sweden,I think) of the underside mounted junction box. These look better(see @Deaky build thread for example.

Food for thought.

Thanks for the advice

 

[andys]

Andy,

Looking at using their Votronic charge controller, what did you use ?

View attachment 45823

I initially used a Victron 75/10, but that proved to be a bottleneck with the panel being capable of well beyond 10A. I used it like this for a while, including use in very hot weather, and it was perfectly acceptable but later changed it for a Victron 100/20 and performance has been amazing since then. I initially had the cables go through the roof outside the canvas and then pass through holes in the canvas via glands siliconed in, but wasn’t happy with appearance, so while the canvas was off I took the opportunity to grind out semi circular channels between the metal frame and the roof and it now looks much neater. The control box and cables coming out of it are clearly visible when the roof is tilted but it doesn’t bother me, and you can’t really see with the roof down unless you’re very tall.
I do also use a Votronic trickle charger on the “Load” output of the Victron to keep the starter battery topped up. This setup has worked really well for me and I’ve stopped carrying hookup cables.

 

[t0mb0]

Personally I would avoid cutting it in.. I know it can be down and have seen it done but for me just adds another potential ingress point.
Also, if the panel fails then hoe does one change.
I know in the past photonic have had issues with the production (sweden,I think) of the underside mounted junction box. These look better(see @Deaky build thread for example.

Food for thought.

Mine’s cut in and I’m happy with it. A flat panel sikaflex’d on really shouldn’t leak any more than a cable entry point would. Changing any stuck on solar panel is going to be a PITA, rear junction or not. The hole in the roof means you would have to reinstall a panel in the same place, but given the mess sika will make of your roof anyway, this is true for any stuck-on panel anyway.

 

[Fish]

Mine’s cut in and I’m happy with it. A flat panel sikaflex’d on really shouldn’t leak any more than a cable entry point would. Changing any stuck on solar panel is going to be a PITA, rear junction or not. The hole in the roof means you would have to reinstall a panel in the same place, but given the mess sika will make of your roof anyway, this is true for any stuck-on panel anyway.

Again just MO.

 

[Phil Harris]

I initially used a Victron 75/10, but that proved to be a bottleneck with the panel being capable of well beyond 10A. I used it like this for a while, including use in very hot weather, and it was perfectly acceptable but later changed it for a Victron 100/20 and performance has been amazing since then. I initially had the cables go through the roof outside the canvas and then pass through holes in the canvas via glands siliconed in, but wasn’t happy with appearance, so while the canvas was off I took the opportunity to grind out semi circular channels between the metal frame and the roof and it now looks much neater. The control box and cables coming out of it are clearly visible when the roof is tilted but it doesn’t bother me, and you can’t really see with the roof down unless you’re very tall.
I do also use a Votronic trickle charger on the “Load” output of the Victron to keep the starter battery topped up. This setup has worked really well for me and I’ve stopped carrying hookup cables.

Thanks Andy, gone for the panel... now on the lookout for a quality fitter as I don’t have the confidence to do it myself. Hopefully as you I won’t have to rely on EHU

 

[t0mb0]

Again just MO.

I’ll admit, I was slightly nervous getting a hole cut in my roof but two years on and it’s been flawless. We do have a flat roof though, with a ridged roof you probably need a little more care with the sealing around the hole.

 

[Fish]

Tiss only two wires in two wires out of mppt..