Black Friday at SolarBlvd

[JiminDenver]

Got the sneak peek email from SolarBlvd.com with this years Black Friday sales. There is no link to leave now but I can give you the highlights.

Mex, those 136w strips are $79

12v panels for under a buck a watt. Used 120w for $90

$15 off the 120w and 160w portables.

24v panels

225w $135
230w $138
235w $141
240w $170
250w $175

Must be nice to live close enough to pick up.

[Acampingwewillg]

Thank you for that additional info.....that was basically my idea, trying to utilize the minimal area's of my roof while getting the most Solar vs cost. Thanks again....

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Swine Social Security Check. The timing, Monday and Wednesday coming, could not be worse. I'm going to go soak my head...

[BFL13]

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
I also drove over today to begin my adventure into Solar....but
here's a quick question....the price on a 230 watt 24 volt panel was/is 135.00, the 120 watt 12v panel was/is 115.00 sooooo on my roof I don't really have room for the larger 24 volt panels but if one could combine a single 230 watt 24v panel with additional 12v panels run in series. is that workable? To make my question easier, I have one spot on my roof where I could fit a larger panel, as in 1.....I could probably put up to 6 additional 12v panels(3 sets run in series) and then all together. Any feed back on that configuration and if doable, what charge controller would one use.

If not this year maybe next year when I've figured all this out.

Lots of options. They all work, so it is just a matter of cost and convenience, etc.

You can have the 24v panel and its MPPT controller as well as the 12v panels and their PWM controller. Put the two controllers set to the same voltage on the battery bank and they will add their amps.

If you put the 12s in series among themselves and then put that in parallel with the 24, the MPPT controller would get confused unless the two sets happened to have the same Vmp, so that is why to have two controllers.

You could put the 12s in series with an MPPT controller and use two of those but it costs more and you don't get much gain over PWM with 12s in parallel, which is why one MPPT and one PWM since the PWM costs much less than the MPPT.

You can have all sorts of combinations that might be the least cost depending on sales at the time, but it will take more wiring. Wiring is fairly trivial in the big picture if you are doing this yourself.

You have to be comfortable with being a little unconventional to do some mix and match combos if you want to get the most solar your roof can take in the various clear spots it has.

[Acampingwewillg]

I had that inclination but thought I'd ask just the same....thank you for the quick response. Guess I'll put it off till next year or their next sale on 12v panels.

[JiminDenver]

You would need to stick to 12v panels if areas will only take those. With 24v panels and MPPT the Voc needs to match up.

[Acampingwewillg]

I also drove over today to begin my adventure into Solar....but
here's a quick question....the price on a 230 watt 24 volt panel was/is 135.00, the 120 watt 12v panel was/is 115.00 sooooo on my roof I don't really have room for the larger 24 volt panels but if one could combine a single 230 watt 24v panel with additional 12v panels run in series. is that workable? To make my question easier, I have one spot on my roof where I could fit a larger panel, as in 1.....I could probably put up to 6 additional 12v panels(3 sets run in series) and then all together. Any feed back on that configuration and if doable, what charge controller would one use.

If not this year maybe next year when I've figured all this out.

[JiminDenver]

Good catch thank you. Fixed.

It's not like I can complain about the deals I find here in Denver, The $175 plus shipping for the 250w panel will get me a 300w Poly locally. The only thing that makes the smaller panel less expensive is that it can be run with a $102 20 amp MPPT controller, the 300w can't.

Any one of those 24v panels can be run with the Eco-w for a slightly more than a dollar a watt cost, just add wire. The MS 15a MPPT is twice the cost for all the features, you might see clipping on the larger panels but the over paneling would benefit you early on. Still not a bad cost to watt ratio for panel and controller.

I don't really believe in the cost comparisons between 12v and 24v unless both fit your needs and rooftop. Still lower 12v panel prices and MUCH lower PWM controller prices bring that gap together.

[Acampingwewillg]

Ummmm were down in the general area now and I was just telling the wife I wanted to drive the 35 miles and get started with with my solar project. Now that I hear their having a Black Friday event.....I may have to get serious about this. Thank you for the info.

On edit....Im more interested in the 12 volt panels because of their smaller footprint.....just checked the WEBsite but may just take a drive over their on next Friday.

[CA_Traveler]

Jim Typo The 230W is $138!

Starts 11/28. Yes not real close but was traveling through LA so... Called ahead and ordered and no tax or S&H just an extra 15 miles. Drove around back with the toad, they helped load the panels and we were off.

138/230 = $0.60/watt

MPPT solar just keeps getting better cost wise!