Eco-Worthy 12v solar panels, Now drifting to... mono vs poly

JiminDenver wrote:
Here is a complete 200w kit for $284 including shipping. click

That one's $100 shipping for me, but a nice kit.

I'm wondering how important it is, though, to go mppt. And like BFL said, some are not too expensive, like the Eco-W's.

Here's a complete kit out of Montreal, Quebec, with free shipping in Canada:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300927635456

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solar-Panel-KIT-Panneau-Solaire-200W-200-Watt-2-100-W-mono-40A-MPPT-12V-RV-VR

$332 u.s. for poly and 40 mppt, $350 for mono... but the poly's are perhaps a little to big.

No amazing deal, but within the $2 can. / watt range.

I wish I saw deals like that more. It wouldn't be hard to whip out kits and make money.

Jim is the Craigslist king!

jrnymn7 wrote:
Well, I want both! portability and amps! :) ugh ugh ugh, more power!

These two are good for 34a anytime the sun is shining. I picked the panels up for $85 each on craigslist.

Here is a complete 200w kit for $284 including shipping. click

Well, I want both! portability and amps! :) ugh ugh ugh, more power!

These guys are in Mississauga, Ont., I boondocked and worked there for several weeks this past summer. Port Credit is real nice, and has overnight street parking right next to Lake Ontario and one of the nice waterfront parks.

Not bad, 2 - 100w's for $300 + $25 shipping. (no controller) And they would fit my storage space.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281133681365

I'm thinking maybe poly is the way to go though?

The little portables are cheaper and easier to handle than the big panel/Eco-W. They don't put out 16a either. ;)

I don't have a issue using the big panels as portables but still look forward to getting two of them on the roof where I don't have to deal with them. Being able to track the sun is addicting and is going to be hard to give up. lol

That is quite the contraption! But hey, if it works...

I looked at a couple swivel mechanisms on ebay last night. They clamp onto a 1 1/2" steel fence post, but a sturdy tripod with a few guy-wires would work well for portable set-ups.

I'm tight for storage space, and not real keen on roof mounting, so I'll likely have to pay more for two 60-80w instead of one 120-160w. But they'll be portable and easily manageable. The 100's appear to be just a little too big for where I can store them, but I'll keep looking... no rush.

jrnymn7 wrote:
Thanks BFL!

I"m only a few hours from Barrie. (I worked there for a bit last winter.) So I'll look into what they have.

??? Are there any advantages to the 24 volters, other than cost?

Not for a portable. The single 230w I have is fairly big and heavy but workable. In my case it doesn't matter. With the seasonal site, I don't have to deal with it very often. Two 120s would be much easier to man-handle and store in the rig when moving between sites.

For roof install the single 24w takes up less real estate square footage than two 12s would, but then you need one big open spot for it between vents etc up there where you might have two open but smaller spots available.

That PL30 (sp?) is the same as the Solar30 that costs less, but the PL30 has a temp comp antenna on a long wire that could be advantageous compared with the on board antenna of the Solar30.

the thing that makes the 230w and the Eco-W worth it is the low cost of the Eco-W for the required MPPT to go with the 24v panel. Most MPPTs are three times as much, which gives a price advantage to the 12s and their cheap controller as long as you can get the 12s for a low enough price. You can't plan for that since any of all that could be on sale and skew your whole calculation and plan when you spot the sale. It's crazy out there in solar land! :(

I have a pretty picture of my 230w somewhere in its contraption I twirl to face the sun during the day whenever I am passing by the thing. The 130w had a contraption too that I used sometimes, but I sold that 130 when it turned out the 230w was plenty.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27734213/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1.cfm

jrnymn7 wrote:
Thanks BFL!

I"m only a few hours from Barrie. (I worked there for a bit last winter.) So I'll look into what they have.

??? Are there any advantages to the 24 volters, other than cost?

Not for a portable. The single 230w I have is fairly big and heavy but workable. In my case it doesn't matter. With the seasonal site, I don't have to deal with it very often. Two 120s would be much easier to man-handle and store in the rig when moving between sites.

For roof install the single 24w takes up less real estate square footage than two 12s would, but then you need one big open spot for it between vents etc up there where you might have two open but smaller spots available.

That PL30 (sp?) is the same as the Solar30 that costs less, but the PL30 has a temp comp antenna on a long wire that could be advantageous compared with the on board antenna of the Solar30.

the thing that makes the 230w and the Eco-W worth it is the low cost of the Eco-W for the required MPPT to go with the 24v panel. Most MPPTs are three times as much, which gives a price advantage to the 12s and their cheap controller as long as you can get the 12s for a low enough price. You can't plan for that since any of all that could be on sale and skew your whole calculation and plan when you spot the sale. It's crazy out there in solar land! :(

I have a pretty picture of my 230w somewhere in its contraption I twirl to face the sun during the day whenever I am passing by the thing. The 130w had a contraption too that I used sometimes, but I sold that 130 when it turned out the 230w was plenty.