Ok, I went off.the deep end?
Bought 3 used 37watt uni-solar panels and a blue sky 2000e controller for the hefty price of $400,
They were being listed as 75w panels, they are not
The tested open circuit voltage was 21+, short circuit amps 2.9
I tested each panel multiple times tilted into the sun and laying flat on the ground , got the same readings each way, that was the deciding factor, they appear to put out full power while laying flat, I will try to mount them tomorrow before it gets hot, right now 104°F
I will use the existing wiring until I buy & install the new wire
* This post was
edited 09/27/10 01:35pm by MrWizard *
Options, always have options, and the journey goes much smoother ....
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Maybe 75W was all the previous owner could muster most of the time...
Let us know how it works laying flat. I guess you are going to mount these on top of the trailer ???
I want to do the same thing sometime soon. I just want to trickle charge my battery bank during the daylight hours...
Im thinking you did good...
My Posts are IMHO based on my experiences - PM me Roy and Carolyn
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Yes they will be mounted on the MH roof
The blue sky controller looks like it's built to be bullet proof and at 25amps plenty large capacity so I can add more panels in the future,
These are extremely light maybe 10# or so apiece, NO glass sheild, there is some kind of thin plastic? Covering that has a few scratches, Ive got to be careful about tree branches
For tree branch protection, perhaps you can use something like chicken wire fencing over them supported by a light wooden frame of some sort? Or a better version of that. Not much shading would happen with that anyway.
Our Dometic air conditioner shroud has no back wire grate covering, so the fins of the a/c were getting bent with tree branches. (you need a "fin comb" to fix them I am told) I saw some trailers with the same shroud but with an extra wire grating to protect the fins so I got some of that at Home Depot and snipped to size and added that to the back of the shroud.
So I am wondering if the same idea could be applied to your solar panels.
* This post was
edited 09/25/10 06:21pm by BFL13 *
Uni-Solar panels are deposited directly onto the metal--that is why there is no glass. They also work with more than one frequency of light, so they will put some power out even when it is raining. (I was getting 2.9 amps today in moderate rain).
Although they are shade tolerant I would NOT put anything over them and especially not chicken wire that would cause minor shading to the entire panel.
Uni-solar never made a 75 watt panel. The did make 64 and 62 watt as well as 42 and 21 watt (rare to see 21 watters). I suspect you have the 42 watt units.
Their current production is 144 watt and 68 watt units, but not on a metal panel. They also sell a "solar shingle".
I paid $5.50 per watt for mine, so you got a *deal* imho. (Well done).
* This post was
edited 09/25/10 09:46pm by pianotuna *
Got them mounted on the roof, still using the old controller and charge wiring, was working under a big shade tree , Will try to get an amps reading today
Connected them to each other and to the pre-existing 90w of panels, using 12ga red & black power cord
I did take some pix, will get them posted later today
Theoretically we now have about 210 watts of solar, in reality it will be maybe half of that until I renovate the wiring
Yeah, like pianotuna said, those Uni-solars appear to be quite the ticket! I've even heard of them putting out like 11V in moonlight!
And I think they might have individual diodes which ensures they will still put out much of their rated power even if a portion of the panel is shaded.
Those ain't no 2 bucks a watt types! Looks like you stole that system! Way to go!!!
Cheers,
Kendall
1986 Winnebago Chieftain 22RC
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