What can I say? Something is permanently damaged from being too hot in the sun for too long. I still have my volts if I cool it enough but never any power. So is that damaged cells, diodes or what? I honestly have no idea but I'd dispute that it's mechanically damaged.
Having read all the solar tales of woe, I personally wouldn’t bother! Sounds to me like the best place for them is the bin.
My flexis (midsummer energy 2x50w)were second hand to me 4 years ago. They have this year started to only just give out about 50%ish of what they used to. I get about 3.5 amps max when it used to be an easy 6-7 amps. Meh they were cheap and I'll defo fit more, however I am looking at a 250w solid panel instead . Just because. Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk
Gotta be worth a go as I can't charge ithe leisure battery where I store the van , only opportunity i get to get some juice into it when I'm camping ... Didn't go overboard , bought a cheapo 200w flexible panel from the States - less than a tank of fuel ! If it doesn't work I'll bin it but I'm certainly not spunking out 4 times what I paid for a photonic universe panel ..... Yet Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
I spent out just over £150 on a 100w rigid panel, MPPT controller and fitting kit, and added a VSR and it keeps both batteries nicely charged early days to see how effective it is when camping. I can upgrade without too much hassle, except for ££s Sent from my BND-L21 using Tapatalk
I have refitted my panels, and yesterday I turned on the inverter, and opened the circuit breaker on the hookup and ran a laptop PC and a fridge all day on solar power. My semirigid panels are now sitting about 17mm above the roof, mounted mostly by gluing with Tiger Seal, on aluminium bars . So far the highest current seen is about 3.5 amps at 36 volts from the panels in series, but the battery voltage was over 12.8 most of the time, so I dont think that was flat out. Also the underside of the poptop is now only about 1 degree C hotter under the panels than where it is not covered by panels. View attachment 90818 View attachment 90819
Checked the panel today. 21v open circuit voltage (and 21v showing on the regualtor display), zero amps short circuit current measured with test meter on 10A setting. Nowt registering at the load terminals on the regulator either.
A more exclusive club is - dead but volts no amps if cooled with a bucket of water. To join, just wait a little longer.
I went the ultra cheap way in my set up. I found a cracked 240v ridged panel for £20 running about 95% Got myself a renogy mppt 20a for £60 Also found so transit roof bars on fb for £15 Not the prettiest but had over 10 amps earlier when I was running my 3way fridge
I looked at putting solar on mine a couple of years back , I’m glad I didn’t because knowing me I’d have done it on the cheap and would no doubt be regretting it now . I do still plan on getting a decent suitcase set up to bring out when I have no hook up available - (like at techenders if you don’t get there before Tuesday to bag one ) Being sort of ‘in the trade’ I hear a few horror stories about domestic setups dying ( panels) before the pay back has been achieved too... I bet there would be more awareness of this if people knew their panels were failing and those that do know didn’t keep quiet about it ..
Might be worth clipping something vertical and springy to the gutter near the cab to remind you as you are about to go under the height barrier in a carpark you used to easily fit under...
They get hot and crack the cells through thermal expansion and poor choice of materials in the panels and thicker solar cells. Or the soldering is ropey, or water gets in and they rot. The 20 watt glass fronted monocrystalline panel on my boat is over 10 years old. it cost £80. The original 10 watt RS branded polycrystalline glass fronted solar panel off my boat is at least 25 years old and it rotted with sea air but I repaired the connections and it now runs a solar powered extractor fan in the greenhouse..And has done for years..It cost about £100 when new..
Arrrrrgh! Some opinions or experience required, I’ve been fitting solar to a friends bay yesterday, Consisting of: Epever MPPT2210 controller, 100W flexible panel With 5m cables (& included was a cheaper controller) I’ve been doing a roof/interior overhaul over the last couple of weeks, so wires run and secured, leisure battery is new, just leaving the panel to secure to the roof, thought I’d test it and get it working before sticking it down...I’ve been following this thread for a while so thought I was fairly genned up.... its only 4 wires - How hard can it be? The controller display was showing the moon icon/night mode, moved the van outside thinking it might kick into action..nothing, check all connections - all good, but still nothing. Have voltage at the panel, and voltage from the battery. Swapped out the controller to the one included with the panel, same situation, no charging, and a sad face battery icon. Checked leads again etc, read controller manual 10 times, then thought I’d post here, a post some photos... as I was taking some photos I’m looking at them thinking what could someone notice? Then I noticed the voltage reading from the panels was about, -20v, and from the battery was 12.3v I’m not great with multimeters, and will use a test light more often than not. So noticing the - sign, thought perhaps the polarity of the panel wires was wrong, (think I’d read in the manual that the controller has polarity protection) And at this point I’m thinking I’ve got nothing to lose, so swapped the panel leads at the controller. - Success...I think! I think it’s working now, but the sun was going down and with the van slightly in the shade at 8pm, I seemed to be getting 14.1v or so and 0.3A, should I be expecting more output. Has the panel/controller taken a blow and been damaged. Double checked the leads from panel to controller and buzzed them out with a meter, It seems some idiot at the factory has mixed up the +ve and -ve labels on the panel. So, going to retest it today and hopefully get some better results, or have a cry later, if it seems something has been damaged. Any thoughts? A couple of pics What I’ve been looking at most of the afternoon, After where I’m at now, after swapping the panel leads
