How long does a solar collector usually stay viable? I have had one for about two years, and it seems to be dying out! Is that an average?
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Should Last Longer
It should last longer. What about the other electronics such as charger or diodes, etc?
It should last longer. What about the other electronics such as charger or diodes, etc?
collector?
This collector I use only for keeping a small 12 v battery charged! It is supposed to have a built in diode to prevent back leak! Plus, I haven't had any problems till now! My other electronics are not included in the hook up! I guess the built in diode could go bad? I had heard that collectors can wear out, but wasnt sure how long that is? I have been thinking of adding some more collectors into my set up, but their a little expensive to be replacing every few years! Generally I keep my batteries charged with my charger, and use the collector as a back up! It shows no life with a test light either! Thanks for any info,
This collector I use only for keeping a small 12 v battery charged! It is supposed to have a built in diode to prevent back leak! Plus, I haven't had any problems till now! My other electronics are not included in the hook up! I guess the built in diode could go bad? I had heard that collectors can wear out, but wasnt sure how long that is? I have been thinking of adding some more collectors into my set up, but their a little expensive to be replacing every few years! Generally I keep my batteries charged with my charger, and use the collector as a back up! It shows no life with a test light either! Thanks for any info,
15 years is whats advertised
I have been shopping for solar collectors and I am pretty sure it was estimated life of 15 years. However, if it is anything other than ideal circumstances, ie salt water,wind etc., I would hazard a guess at 8 years. That would be a good question for a pole. How long has your solar collector lasted? I hope someone answers as products change so fast in this field. Regards Bud
I have been shopping for solar collectors and I am pretty sure it was estimated life of 15 years. However, if it is anything other than ideal circumstances, ie salt water,wind etc., I would hazard a guess at 8 years. That would be a good question for a pole. How long has your solar collector lasted? I hope someone answers as products change so fast in this field. Regards Bud
Solar Collector
I've had one on a boat for 4-5 years and it seems to still work fine. It's a flexible type. You could check it by putting an ammeter in series with one of the wires on a sunny day and checking the current going into your battery. The power in Watts is the current time battery voltage (about 13 Volts).
I've had one on a boat for 4-5 years and it seems to still work fine. It's a flexible type. You could check it by putting an ammeter in series with one of the wires on a sunny day and checking the current going into your battery. The power in Watts is the current time battery voltage (about 13 Volts).
Should last a lot longer than 2 years
A typical decent quality panel should last at least 10-15 years, although after about 8-10 years you will likely notice the output starting to drop-off a bit (maybe 15-20%). If you have an ohmmeter check the panel to make sure the diode isn't blown, if it is you may be able to replace it, but if the panel is only 2 years old I'd see about warranty replacement.
A typical decent quality panel should last at least 10-15 years, although after about 8-10 years you will likely notice the output starting to drop-off a bit (maybe 15-20%). If you have an ohmmeter check the panel to make sure the diode isn't blown, if it is you may be able to replace it, but if the panel is only 2 years old I'd see about warranty replacement.
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