Solar Strategy Qs

[asherah]

I'm looking for suggested panels for quality. I'm currently looking at putting a kit together of 4 - 160w 12v Renogy Polycrystalline panels thinking this would max out the space available on our aft davit. Not sure what other panels others may suggest, looking for opinions. We will integrate this with a MagnaSine Magnum inverter/charger...we still very much qualify as real newbies!

 

[gettinthere]

I have 2 100 W Renogy panels that are doing fine so far, 2 years old.

I would suggest 2 MPPT charge controllers for redundancy. I have a pair of 2512 Blue Sky controllers for my 460 total watts of solar

 

[Southpaw]

I don’t know about longevity but I just got four of the grape 180w solar panels. I haven’t installed them yet but I figured they should be more efficient since they’re 20w more per panel in the same footprint.

 

[Gene S]

Why poly panels instead of monocrystalline ? I have Renogy panels and a MMPT controller. Works well.

 

[asherah]

thanks Gene S, was suggested that Poly's hold up to the elements a bit better. Do you agree? It would be easier for us to mount mono's...

 

[asherah]

Wha

I have 2 100 W Renogy panels that are doing fine so far, 2 years old.

I would suggest 2 MPPT charge controllers for redundancy. I have a pair of 2512 Blue Sky controllers for my 460 total watts of solar[

I have 2 100 W Renogy panels that are doing fine so far, 2 years old.

I would suggest 2 MPPT charge controllers for redundancy. I have a pair of 2512 Blue Sky controllers for my 460 total watts of solar

What do you have for the other 260w panels? Just curious~

 

[asherah]

I don’t know about longevity but I just got four of the grape 180w solar panels. I haven’t installed them yet but I figured they should be more efficient since they’re 20w more per panel in the same footprint.

The Renogy anyway jump up from 160w in size and I am concerned about fitting bigger ones from Renogy anyway

 

[asherah]

Why poly panels instead of monocrystalline ? I have Renogy panels and a MMPT controller. Works well.

see reply in separate line below ;-)

 

[Southpaw]

I can’t see why poly would hold up better than mono. You asked for suggestions on panels. Mono are more efficient so smaller footprint. If you only need 640w of solar then the 160w panels will work for you.We picked the 180w they are the same size and you get 80w more for the same space. I don’t see there being any problems with the grape solar panels they look to be well built

 

[gettinthere]

My other 2 panels are older 140 w Kyocera