That was a neat minimalist install though Wayne, failure or not.
Solar Panel fail
- Thread starter Creamytash
- Start date
It looked great, but with only 0.01v, not so good!That was a neat minimalist install though Wayne, failure or not.
Aussiemick, Salty Spuds and DXX and others thank you all for your contributions. Aussiemick, I see the pic you posted of the aerodinamic panel brackets. DXX, the colour of the pop top toof is Cherry Red mate. I have been looking at a Renogy 200w Shadowfox rigid panel. I am feeding a 110ah lifepo4. With a 200W panel I won't have to spend another £120 uprating my Victron 100/20 to a 100/30 contoller. I want to leave the bonded 250w panel in place on the roof rather than slice it off and leave an unsightly mess on top.
I left my old panel on and had the new rigid fitted over the top, just make sure you have the width on the new one to cover the old.
Drive Wayne, the panel I am looking at(200w Renogy shadowfox) is a bit smaller than the one bonded to the roof at the mo. It's narrower by 23mm and shorter by 328mm. The bonded panel is 1,530mm x 990mm. I am hoping that I can line the back of the new panel up with the old, have 12mm of the old showing either side under the new and 328 of the old showing at the front. These bits showing at the side and front I am hoping to dress and cover with some plastic aerodinamic brackets. To get a panel big enough to completely cover the old one I would need to go up to a 300w or 350w at a greater cost, then would need to spend another £120 ish to uprate the Victron control unit. I then need to find a firm to fit it all for me.
How are you fixing the new panel?
Unless you can find anywhere closer, I would have a word with Neil at Tamworth Transporters, they will 'see you right'!
There was an element of making things look right when they fitted mine, feeding new solar cable through was a job I really didn't want to do! They found a way.
Brackets with stainless bolts into panel and through the pop top, sealed to be water tight.
Yes thanks, I have them in mind from your earlier post, just waiting to get back to normal after New Year and I will make contact.
Are you drilling through the existing failed panel or do your brackets miss it? Point I’m trying to make is, I’d remove the old panel rather than try to fix through it, as much as a PITA the job is, it’s doable. If you’re spanning the old panel, then not so much an issue. You can remove the old panel and apply a piece of vinyl wrap to cover the “scar”.
I would have to put bolts through the old panel. I get what you are saying but why could I not bolt through the old bonded panel, what pit falls are you seeing that I haven't considered please mate.
Depending on how well the old panel is sealed to the roof, you may have problems sealing the holes. If there's a void between the old panel and the roof, you seal the bracket to the top of the old panel, but the underside may not be sealed to the roof = leak. Water will find a way. I'd be happier sealing the brackets directly to the roof.
Yes Yes, now I see what you mean and it's a very valid point. I will have to give it a deal of thought - water WILL find it's way in through the smallest pin hole. Thank you, I hadn't considered that, assuming that the old panel is well boned down would be MY error.
Thanks
CT.
I am taking in all of these incoming generouse tips and advice and will use them to the full when I make a start on buying and fitting a new panel. I don't have any plans to use the van at the mo, so this perios of crap weather will serve as a period where I can research, plan, harvest tips and advice, price up and cost out the job - then committ and complete.
CT
I (also) have a faulty flexi panel & Victron 100/20 MPPT, so limited to a 280w panel @ 14v. If I fitted a bigger panel, say 350w, am I correct in thinking all that will happen is when the 350w reaches peak output, the MPPT will just max out at 20A output, but otherwise be fine? On less sunny periods the bigger panel will help me achieve the 20A output sooner?
Also cant decide between rigid or another flexible, so good to follow this thread. Thanks
Also cant decide between rigid or another flexible, so good to follow this thread. Thanks
Here's a screen shot from my Cerbo back in August. I have a Victron 270 watt rigid which hit its limits on a few occasions over the summer. 274 watts was the maximum, peaking at 20A.
That's using a 100/20, I bought a 100/30 to see if it would give me a little more, but physically it wouldn't fit where I needed it to.
That's using a 100/20, I bought a 100/30 to see if it would give me a little more, but physically it wouldn't fit where I needed it to.
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Thank you. Yes I have the exact same issue. The 100/30 is quite larger.
