Fleible Solar Panels

Oct 6, 2013
19
Beneteau 37 PE Annapolis
Expect to install 2 x 100w panels on aft bimini w/ zippers.
Per e-marine Solbian 100w are $1200/ panel, Shine (made
in China) are $300/ panel. I guess a no brainer, but any
experience w/ the Shine panels?
 
Aug 1, 2013
61
Hunter 240 Muskegon, MI
Depending on how flexible you really need things to be (i.e. roll up or just bend a bit), Renogy has a 100W panel for a bit less than that. There were some other reviews on here of their panels that were pretty good. I plan to get the non-flexible 50W one for my boat pretty soon.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,722
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
You tend to get what you pay for...

You need to be careful with knock off semiflexible panels as you never know what you get. The Chinese are most often buying the cells that don't pass inspection or are considered "A" grade. To the naked eye the product is a great look-a-like but under closer inspection you can see why they are not "performs-like"...

This is a severe level of microcracking of the cells on a brand new, just out of the box, Chinese knock-off panel... The polymers used in the Chinese panels are also not the same, so how long they will hold up to UV is another question mark? The inventor of these panels still has a patent on the technology, which the Chinese ignored.. Yep cheaper because they stole the technology (did not have to do the actual R&D), or tried to interpret it, but look-a-like is not always the same thing... Caveat emptor....

eMarine is a reputable company and I am surprised to see them selling these panels. They are all made by the same factory/company in China which has about 12 names, or "shells" they hide behind, and then those 12 +/- shells sell to about 40 different re-branders..

If eMarine is willing to stand behind the panel then it might be an okay deal if they push you off to the manufacturer good luck...

 
Oct 6, 2013
19
Beneteau 37 PE Annapolis
Thanks for your response Maine Sail! I thk w/ a new boat I will play it safe &
spend the money for Solbian Flexible Panels.
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,125
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Why would a new boat have anything to do with it? It's the same wallet: yours. If you want to waste $300, it's only your money... :)
 

4arch

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Jun 29, 2010
101
Beneteau Oceanis 400 Baltimore
Or if you want to save money you can stick to the tried and true rigid panels. Yes they're more weight, harder to install, and don't always add to the aesthetics of a boat, but there are some amazingly great deals on high quality rigid panels out there.
 
May 18, 2009
71
Beneteau First 38 Portland
I just installed two 85w rigid panels on my bimini and they work fine. I paid $143 for each on eBay. My bimini already had arches above the canvas for mounting, so it was trivial to mount them using standard bimini fittings. They are invisible from aboard the boat, and don't interfere with anything. I could have bumped up another size or two, but mounting gets tougher. Keeping them out of the shadow of the boom is important for performance.
 
Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
Amazon has some great buys on rigid solar panels. An 80w w/ controller for a couple hundred for example. Chief