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Solar Panel Updated Prices


Alan de Enfield

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I have just received my 'Bimble Update' and thought the info may be useful for some, as we move into Summer, who are considering Solar.

No connection to Bimble except as a very happy (multiple times) customer.

Hi Alan

245W Canadian Solar Used - NOW IN STOCK - From £89 each
These great value panels are now in stock, they are selling fast so grab them while you can.
http://www.bimblesolar.com/solar/individual/canadian245w-used

270W Trina - New A Grade stock - From £133 each
A great priced new panel - Delivery Only
http://www.bimblesolar.com/solar/individual/270w-trina

150W Flexi Panels coming soon
Our 140W panels have now been upgraded to 150W and we have a batch due in June.
http://www.bimblesolar.com/solar/individual/150w-semi-flexible

300W SolarWorld back in stock - From £185
These panels are great for limited space taking up the same space as a 250W panel, perfect for vans and boats.
http://www.bimblesolar.com/solar/individual/solarworld300w

Solar Panel Comparison
We’ve created an easy solar panel comparison chart so you can compare the panels we have in stock for size and power specs to help select the ones most suitable for you.
http://www.bimblesolar.com/panelcompare

 

If this should be considered inappropriate or 'promotion' than delete it.

It is provided for information.

 

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I have a victron MPPT75/15 fitted. All wired up but no panels,yet.

i believe that the max I can put into this unit is 200w. Is this true? If I exceed the level,say 250w,will it just reject the extra or blow it to bits,so to speak?

certainly on a day like today,I regret not investing in solar.

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11 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

I have a victron MPPT75/15 fitted. All wired up but no panels,yet.

i believe that the max I can put into this unit is 200w. Is this true? If I exceed the level,say 250w,will it just reject the extra or blow it to bits,so to speak?

certainly on a day like today,I regret not investing in solar.

For £65 + P+P I'd go for one of these :

http://www.bimblesolar.com/shanghai175w

 

On a reasonable day I get a good 10 amps with my 175w panel

Edit to add picture.

 

 

15-6-16.jpg

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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6 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

These displays, when they say 10.8A, does that mean its putting 10.8A back into the battery, how does that relate to Amp hours?

It means that you are getting 10.8a at 14.6v from solar.  It may not all go to the battery as other running stuff may get it like a fridge.   So if your fridge is using 2amp, your batteries will only be getting 8.8amp.

Edited by Robbo
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5 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

These displays, when they say 10.8A, does that mean its putting 10.8A back into the battery, how does that relate to Amp hours?

It is an instantaneous reading, it will vary minute by minute as clouds pass over the sun etc etc.

Ah is amps x a number of hours.

Press a button and it tells you how many watts (Kw/h) you have produced since :

1) The system was installed

2) The last month (or any preset period)

3) The last 24 hours (or any preset period)

 

Yes - it is putting 10.8 amps into the batteries - if it did this for (say) 10 hours you would be replacing 108Ah which is above my normal daily usage

 

1 minute ago, Robbo said:

It means that you are getting 10.8a at 14.6v from solar.  It may not all go to the battery as other running stuff may get it like a fridge.   So if your fridge is using 2amp, your batteries will only be getting 8.8amp.

The bottom right hand corner of the display shows any load that is running off the solar (ie the fridge). In the picture the load is shown as 'zero'.

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6 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The bottom right hand corner of the display shows any load that is running off the solar (ie the fridge). In the picture the load is shown as 'zero'.

That figure will be what's connected to the load output of the controller, not what is connected to the boat's distribution panel, etc.

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7 hours ago, Robbo said:

That figure will be what's connected to the load output of the controller, not what is connected to the boat's distribution panel, etc.

And, usually, nothing is connected to the load output of the controller.

All the charge will be going into the batteries, then any load on the batteries will be using some/all of that power.

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7 hours ago, Richard10002 said:

And, usually, nothing is connected to the load output of the controller.

All the charge will be going into the batteries, then any load on the batteries will be using some/all of that power.

Fair point.

However, on the NB, the controller was at the 'helm station' and I had a cigarette lighter socket attached to the load output and could run a phone, GPS or VHF charger.

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8 hours ago, Richard10002 said:

And, usually, nothing is connected to the load output of the controller.

All the charge will be going into the batteries, then any load on the batteries will be using some/all of that power.

You mean like a fridge like I originally said! 

However your not technical correct as batteries can either take or give they can't do both at the same time so any load is on and taking amps the battery never sees those amps.

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If no other loads it goes to the battery.  Think of the battery when charged as a variable load, it basically takes what's left if it can.

also the other way, if the solar is giving 10a, but the loads are taking 15a, 5amp of that is coming from the battery.

Edited by Robbo
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Just now, Dave Payne said:

So if you have something running all day, say a tv left on, the batteries will never get anything from the panel?

Only if the solar output is exactly the same or less than what the TV is using, which would be rare if you have a decent solar bank and in summer.

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26 minutes ago, Robbo said:

You mean like a fridge like I originally said! 

However your not technical correct as batteries can either take or give they can't do both at the same time so any load is on and taking amps the battery never sees those amps.

May want to tweak this post then, reads to me that you are saying if something is pulling amps from the batteries then they can not take any amps from the panel.

 

Unless i misunderstand?

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1 minute ago, Dave Payne said:

May want to tweak this post then, reads to me that you are saying if something is pulling amps from the batteries then they can not take any amps from the panel.

 

Unless i misunderstand?

That is correct batteries can't give and take at the same time, they can only do one or the other.  Your panels don't just connect to the batteries they also connect to the loads as they are all on the same "backbone"

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12 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

May want to tweak this post then, reads to me that you are saying if something is pulling amps from the batteries then they can not take any amps from the panel.

 

Unless i misunderstand?

Think of your battery as a kitchen sink, the solar panel/ alternator is the tap running into the sink and the load - fridge, tv etc  -  is the plug hole outlet.  If water coming into the sink is faster than water going then out the sink (battery) will fill up (charge) if they are both the same, the sink (battery) will stay at the same level (no change to the state of charge) and if water (power) leaving the sink (battery) is faster than new stuff coming in the sink (battery) will empty (dis charge).  So even on a sunny day, if you don't have a lot of panels and you use a lot of power, then the battery may even continue to go flat.

  • Greenie 1
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36 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

so if the panel is kicking out 10a and the fridge is taking 5a what happens to the other 5a?

If your fridge is taking 5a continuously (120Ah per day) then its time to get a new fridge.

'Modern' 12v fridges will take around 30-40Ah per day which is easily replaced by a 170w panel in 3 or 4 hours (in Summer conditions)

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9 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

Think of your battery as a kitchen sink, the solar panel/ alternator is the tap running into the sink and the load - fridge, tv etc  -  is the plug hole outlet.  If water coming into the sink is faster than water going then out the sink (battery) will fill up (charge) if they are both the same, the sink (battery) will stay at the same level (no change to the state of charge) and if water (power) leaving the sink (battery) is faster than new stuff coming in the sink (battery) will empty (dis charge).  So even on a sunny day, if you don't have a lot of panels and you use a lot of power, then the battery may even continue to go flat.

Yeah i get this, but robbos post made it sound (to me anyway) like a battery will only charge or discharge, not both.

4 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

If your fridge is taking 5a continuously (120Ah per day) then its time to get a new fridge.

'Modern' 12v fridges will take around 30-40Ah per day which is easily replaced by a 170w panel in 3 or 4 hours (in Summer conditions)

They were just grab from the air numbers.

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