Dr Dave Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 If anyone is in the market for one of these they are TUV and EN 61215 approved. at a price of £89 + £8 delivery the best price i have found on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370577902422&category=41981&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619#ht_1016wt_932 Mine is on its way. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 That is cheap, last year they were charging a lot more, by christmas they had dropped to £99.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I've noticed several ebay sellors with similier priced panels lately. IIRC a complete kit with controller was £140, it seems to me that they are all using a similier photo, if not same make of panel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 I was looking at their "return policy" sadly my German is somewhat lacking, on the face of it a bargain though for such a large panel. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 If you have Bing on your pc, just highlight the text and then right click and choose "translate with Bing" and it will do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Looks the same as most of the cheaper imported ones. I paid £160 for one on eBay last January it has performed superbly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 The prices for solar panels has been collapsing and along with over supply to the extent many panel factories will close. Its become an extremely competive market for polysilicon solar panles and as a result monocrystal has fallen as well. Its almost worth holding on for even more fall in prices before the industry becomes balanced again and prices begin to rise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dave Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Just a quick update the price of these panels is slowly rising today they are £92.50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Dr Dave - 2012-01-20 8:47 AM Just a quick update the price of these panels is slowly rising today they are £92.50. Looks a good deal however again on ebay 80w panel with controller, cable and delivery for £130.00. Gets so confusing although the Germany supplied unit does specify what standards the unit is manufactured to whereas UK does not????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 http://www.towsure.com/product/80WP_Solar_Panel_80_Watt Is this rip off Britain then, answers on a postcard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dave Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 1footinthegrave - 2012-01-20 11:16 AM http://www.towsure.com/product/80WP_Solar_Panel_80_Watt Is this rip off Britain then, answers on a postcard. I think you might be right. However in fairness you do get a 'free' test meter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autocruising Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I wonder where Towsure get their advert from if you visit the premises there is hardly anything in the shop it looks a dump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain_Biker Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 I assume with the ebay model, you still need to buy a control box?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dave Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Mountain_Biker - 2012-01-20 8:37 PM I assume with the ebay model, you still need to buy a control box?? Yes a suitable one on ebay is £11.40 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160586998200&category=41981&_trksid=p5197.c0.m619#ht_5364wt_982 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 No. If you read my post, "on ebay 80w panel with controller, cable and delivery for £130.00" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130534583715?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dave Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 H Guys A quick update the solar panel has arrived in 5 days from Germany and looks very good quality. Type No is tsm80w/d 3%. Just got to put it on now! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Tuckley Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Really interested in one of these panels to use on the rallies this year. Problem is though I am ok with mechanical devices, I am stupid when it comes to anything electrical. I was hoping to buy a complete kit which I just had to maybe clip two wires onto the service battery when on site. Looking at the posts on here it looks like I need to buy the panel, a regulator and a lead extension. Can you people who know of these things please tell me:- A) Is there anything more to buy? B) If I buy the panel and the regulator from the sites that Dr. Dave has recommended, are they easily put together and is it quite straightforward as to which wires connect to where on the panel and regulator? Apologise for being so stupid with electrics but I am sure one of you kind people enlighten me. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyreman Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Geoff,if your looking for a well priced kit check out ebay item number 300654254852.....80w panel,regulator and cable for £130 plus £5 post and packing,you`ll have to buy some sikaflex,mounting brackets and a water proof gland to run the cable through and that should be you sorted,i ordered mine a couple of days ago....just have to build up courage to drill a hole in my roof !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I think you mean ebay item 300654254842 not 300654254852. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I don't want to start a war, but after looking extensively on the net ( ignoring Towsure ) similar spec kit is around £500, even a charge controller can cost the same as these complete kits. I for one will be very interested in feedback from the folk who buy the Ebay ones as having now decided to keep my current van a while, would like this kind of upgrade. The thought that nags at me is the old saying............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Doesn't appear to be much wrong with these cheap panels, a few of us on the forum have fitted them over the last year or two not heard any complaints yet. Very pleased with mine it's performance is better than it's specification. Can't answer for the charge controllers as I splashed out over 60 quid on a Schaudt as it plugged straight into my Elektroblock & charges both van & engine batteries without any additional wiring, also the model Elektroblock I have does not like charge controllers connected direct to the battery it stops them charging from the mains (not that I have plugged into the mains since fitting the panel a year ago). A cheap controller probably OK for most but if you do a lot of off hook-up winter camping probably worth shelling out for good one so you can wring every bit of available power from the panel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyreman Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Thanks Brambles....thats the the one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dave Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Geoff Tuckley - 2012-01-27 2:00 PM Really interested in one of these panels to use on the rallies this year. Problem is though I am ok with mechanical devices, I am stupid when it comes to anything electrical. I was hoping to buy a complete kit which I just had to maybe clip two wires onto the service battery when on site. Looking at the posts on here it looks like I need to buy the panel, a regulator and a lead extension. Can you people who know of these things please tell me:- A) Is there anything more to buy? B) If I buy the panel and the regulator from the sites that Dr. Dave has recommended, are they easily put together and is it quite straightforward as to which wires connect to where on the panel and regulator? Apologise for being so stupid with electrics but I am sure one of you kind people enlighten me. Thanks Hi Geoff I did not intend to recommend any particular supplier the original post was just for information as I considered it a good price but others seem to have other ideas but in honesty they are all good prices. I gather from your post that you will just be connecting the solar panel on an ad hock basis when on site and not installing it permanently on your van. If this is so I don't think the controller that I have purchased is the best one for you, as the battery has to be connected to the controller (regulator) first before the solar panel is connected. However if you can make sure this is always the way it is done it should work o/k, (the reason for this is that the controller its an auto voltage detect type and if it is not connected to the battery first it does not know if its connected to a 12 or 24 volt system) or you could simply order a 12v only controller .The solar panel only comes with very short leads so these will have to be extended using suitable cable this cable then goes to the controller, the connections are clearly marked on all the controllers that I have seen (make sure the polarity is correct). Then the two leads from the controller go to the battery (again ensure polarity is correct) almost all regulators have a load connection but this will be ignored in this basic configuration. What I have done is to remove the solar mc4 connectors from the solar panel and extend the leads by soldering and heat-shrinking to protect the joint using 2.5mm twin core cable and routed this cable to the solar panel input terminals of the controller. Then run 2 x 4mm) cable to the leisure batteries from the controller ‘battery output terminals’ and fuse the circuit in the positive (+) lead as close to the leisure batteries as possible with a 10 Amp blade type fuse. As voltage drop on 12 volt systems is an issue use heavy duty cable 4mm or better from the solar controller to the battery or locate the solar controller as near to the leisure battery as you can. This is to ensure the voltage presented at the ‘battery output terminals’ of the controller is as near as possible to the actual battery voltage, because any voltage drop in this cable would mean the voltage at the battery output terminals of the controller would be slightly higher than the actual battery voltage reducing the charge the controller will provide. However as solar panels themselves can produce more voltage than is required to charge the battery any voltage drop in the cable from the solar panel to the controller will not cause an issue providing that suitable cable is used. For mounting the solar panel onto the roof I will use some aerodynamic brackets stuck on with sikaflex however as my m/h has had a solar panel on before the cable through the roof is already there ‘PHEW’ but if you have to drill your roof you would need a waterproof entry box that again is stuck on with sikaflex and made waterproof. Also I will be using trunking on the roof to protect the cable from uv light. I did not connect the solar system to the CBE control box that is fitted to my m/h because this will only allow the battery to be charged when the system is powered on and I wanted the batteries to be topped up even if the Van control unit is switched off I hope this casts some light on what is required. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Excellent posting Dave, however "Also I will be using trunking on the roof to protect the cable from uv light" It will take how many years,20+++++ to degenerate the cable by UV light and at under 20 volts is not going to be a danger or a problem. Yes fit trunking if you want to make it look tidy but it is only an additional unnecessary cost and complication for the inexperienced Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dave Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 sshortcircuit - 2012-01-28 11:27 PM Excellent posting Dave, however "Also I will be using trunking on the roof to protect the cable from uv light" It will take how many years,20+++++ to degenerate the cable by UV light and at under 20 volts is not going to be a danger or a problem. Yes fit trunking if you want to make it look tidy but it is only an additional unnecessary cost and complication for the inexperienced Cost ? Complication? 5 quid for the trunking peel off the backing and stick it on. Probably the cheapest and simplest bit of the job and i hope i last 20++++ years to see it do its job but the red wine will probably have seen me off by then . Point taken but when you have spent £100 plus to do the job don't spoil the ship etc .Trunking will stop the cable degrading and also to stop it flapping about i think its probably worth it. Don't you? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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