Flexible Solar Panels?

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

Anyone have any experience with flexible/roll up solar panels? (I used search. Rigid and fold up only)

I found these people:

http://www.multipoweredproducts.com....2d-GSSP62.html

Their flexible panels are made of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). They claim efficiency of 10.5% -11% from production cells.

Experience?
Opinions?
Other suppliers, manufacturers, etc?

[sunchaser Member Find all posts View Profile Close sunchaser]

Hi Beach,

The panels look good quality, compact and made to military specs but the highest wattage panel is 64watts which only puts out 3 amps in perfect conditions. It would be fine for smaller appliances like lap tops etc but to run a fridge 40l or larger you'll struggle. There's always cloud around and for $1200 I'd want a few more amps. There's plenty of good quality german made folding panel kits out there for around the $400-$600 mark
What appliances do you need to run?

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

The ones that I have researched so far get good wraps, but as you say the capacity is on the low side and they are very expensive.

The reason for the roll up type panel is the need for them to be transported in a helicopter. I would be using them to recharge a battery not actually run a device.

Having said that - the battery I have just purchased (Lithium LiFePO4) has a recommended charge rate of 15amps. So it seems I'm in for a bit of a wait before roll up solar panels are a viable option.

Do you have a link or info to the German made fold up kits you mention?

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

I'm sure in another 12-24 months this will be the way of the future!

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

I'm sure in another 12-24 months this will be the way of the future!

I reckon you're right. Development is moving very fast.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

yeah, it is crazy what other stuff is out there at the moment. Ive just bought a household panel for on top of my trailer and one of these regulators

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/271215060...84.m1439.l2649

Regulator was $54 delivered from china and works an absolute treat. tells me load being used in amps when switches, fridge etc is turned on, can also turn it on and off from the regulator. Also tells me temp in my toolbox which houses batteries, amps beign put in by the solar, voltage remaining, percentage remaining and other things.

absolutely unreal.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

there is a bit more on what Ive done here if that helps.

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...el-Prado/page5

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

yeah, it is crazy what other stuff is out there at the moment. Ive just bought a household panel for on top of my trailer and one of these regulators

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/271215060...84.m1439.l2649

Regulator was $54 delivered from china and works an absolute treat. tells me load being used in amps when switches, fridge etc is turned on, can also turn it on and off from the regulator. Also tells me temp in my toolbox which houses batteries, amps beign put in by the solar, voltage remaining, percentage remaining and other things.

absolutely unreal.

Thank you.

You just saved me a bunch of leg work.

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

Thank you.

You just saved me a bunch of leg work.

no dramas mate, trust me ive done hours of leg work! some people say mad not to buy an aussie one but truth of the matter is somethign that does this much will be up near or over $500 in aus so it is hard to justify when this is $54 including free delivery. Very simple unit, positive and negative wires go to the battery, positive and negative wires go direct to a panel and positive and negative wires to whatever you are powering go to the load seciton on the regulator. A mate has just bought a 200 watt panel off ebay for under $200 delivered which is a good price. Just make sure if you do you buy a monocrystalline panel not a polycrystalline. Basically the mono panels work better in the shade and when sun isn't directly on them so are better for camping and most purposes.

Hope this helps

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

yeah, it is crazy what other stuff is out there at the moment. Ive just bought a household panel for on top of my trailer and one of these regulators

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/271215060...84.m1439.l2649

Regulator was $54 delivered from china and works an absolute treat. tells me load being used in amps when switches, fridge etc is turned on, can also turn it on and off from the regulator. Also tells me temp in my toolbox which houses batteries, amps beign put in by the solar, voltage remaining, percentage remaining and other things.

absolutely unreal.

Think I'll buy that one also for my Solar Panel to replace my existing one. The mppt that came with mine (below) is very basic and I'm unsure what it's rated at. This one that you've purchased has a lot more smarts on it which is what I'm after, together with the USB plug which is neat... Cheers for the link

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

no dramas Craig, they are quite a lot bigger than the regulator on your panels so not sure if you could mount in place of the current one and still have your panels fold up (if it is a foldable kit you have).

An alternative could be to connect it via and anderson and have it mounted inside your car or somewhere out of the weather as it is not waterproof. They really are great with all the functions they tell you about the status of the battery and also charging.

it will take up to 380 watts of solar so plenty of room for expansion if i need to add another panel as mine is currently 140 watt

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

Can you please PM (or post up) the L x W x D of this unit when you can please?

edit - Never mind, found it on the ebay page (90mmx 188mm x 48mm)

[prado2004 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close prado2004]

Can you please PM (or post up) the L x W x D of this unit when you can please?

edit - Never mind, found it on the ebay page (90mmx 188mm x 48mm)

ill check it tonight for you mate and post a photo of how mines setup in the toolbox with the batteries

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

no dramas mate, trust me ive done hours of leg work! some people say mad not to buy an aussie one but truth of the matter is somethign that does this much will be up near or over $500 in aus so it is hard to justify when this is $54 including free delivery. Very simple unit, positive and negative wires go to the battery, positive and negative wires go direct to a panel and positive and negative wires to whatever you are powering go to the load seciton on the regulator. A mate has just bought a 200 watt panel off ebay for under $200 delivered which is a good price. Just make sure if you do you buy a monocrystalline panel not a polycrystalline. Basically the mono panels work better in the shade and when sun isn't directly on them so are better for camping and most purposes.

Hope this helps

I don't suppose you have a link where I could buy mono crystalline folding panels? Once again I have looked a lot but it's hard to know which way to jump.

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

I don't suppose you have a link where I could buy mono crystalline folding panels? Once again I have looked a lot but it's hard to know which way to jump.

FWIW, this is the seller I purchased my 120W folding panel with mppt from (was $170 free shipping when I bought mine) . http://stores.ebay.com.au/Bit-Deals/...=p4634.c0.m322