160 Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel $115

INDEED!... my box arrived intact as did the panel. Looks great....$115 for 160W still don't know how they can do it but if this works I will be cooking. I have Yakima tracks and have the 4 slide in flat nuts... just need to buy same thread bolts and lock washers. Speaking of which... how does one tighten up the bolts under there? will be a squeeze. I see you removed the MC4 connectors. I have a set of M & F cord plugs from FWC... I haven't bought the wire to go through the camper from where the roof wire comes out (in the Eagle 2011) under the cabinet where the water tank access is. I wall mounted a plug 4 years ago and ran the wires across the water tank area to my batteries (under couch). I forgot what wire size to use. The roof access box down to the water tank is hard wired so will use same size I suppose. Any advice on wiring the plug at panel...length of cord? ETC.
I currently have a portable 90 watt (on a tripod stand) I will remove the 6L and replace with the 20L. Sunsaver (morningstar). I am building a rustic cabin in the woods and will use that panel there with the 6L.
I can't imagine needing more the 160 watts ... I got by fine on the 90 (we have a Ingle fridge and LED lights)
Thanks for the photos and Fluke #'s....i use one too. (nice pile of cord wood)
 
My replacement panel arrived yesterday, after my first arrived shattered. I will be installing on the roof (no racks which means I have to screw into the roof. I'm cringing) along with a Morningstar SunSaver 20 controller. My ATC Cougar is prewired for solar at the roof, with what appears to be a single, 14 gauge wire. I'm a little stumped when it comes to attaching the panel to the Truck wiring. Am I correct in thinking I can maybe reuse one of the MC4s from the old panel and crimp that to the 14gauge on the roof? And take the MC4 off the negative on the oanel and wire that directly to the roof?
 
Buckland I removed nothing. The 160 watt panels has the MC4's, The 2 smaller panels just have junction boxes. Those pics were taken shortly after Fedex dropped them off. I opened the junction boxes to access the terminals with a meter to make sure all of them worked.

Horsehoe I would buy the needed MC4 cable connectors and the tool to attach them.
 
14 ga. is way, way way, too small for solar charging. Something is not right there, contact ATC as they're too savvy to make that sort of mistake.
 
I thought that seemed strange too. Then I came across a thread somewhere (which of course i can't find now) that mentioned 14 gauge and I figured it must be correct. I'll check with ATC. Thanks.
 
This is what I have coming through the roof...
56d9076848f1fc86b8104c18b41a2697.jpg
 
Warning. Old thread revival! Ha. But for just reason. Wanting a "one year update" from those that bought the Solar Blvd "Solar Cynergy 160watt" panels. They are on sale again (but are sold out so I missed it), but this is the panel I plan to use when available (sale or not) because the 58" length spans the factory-installed roof tracks.

Any updates on durability? Any clever mounting recommendations? Thinking this install will be simplified by the fact that it spans the width of the tracks and so won't have to run angle/square tube to span and mount. Will just mount directly to the track. Also considering one of the tilting mounts, but might hold off on that. Just seems like that install would also be simplified because the side mounts for a tilt mount could be connected directly to the track since the panel edge falls very close to aligning with the track.

Thanks in advance for any Solar Cynergy updates (any wattage).
 
Just road cross country the up to AK. Two weeks on the road (we've had the panel on and running for 9 months at least) all is working without a hitch.... I think a great deal.
 
Thanks all!

Solar Blvd is out of the 160watt but had the 180watt on sale. Same size as the 160watt (58" wide so spans the factory roof tracks). Amps are slightly more as are the volts (19v). I contacted Bogart and they confirmed that, though the the sc-2030 controller recommends 17v-18v, the 19v will be totally fine.

My take on it is the higher voyage of the 180w over the 160w really won't gain me since a PWM controller just drops the volts down without raising the amps, but the higher volts will compensate for any voltage drop on the way to the controller and be handy in the winter time when the temp probe will boost voltage to the batteries.

My 180watt is inbound from solar Blvd and sc-2030, temp probe, etc. from Northern Arizona wind and sun (Same place I got my trimetric 2030). I've run my trimetric for a few trips to determine what watt panel I would need. 100watt probably would be fine, but the 160w I liked to give me more juice in early spring and late fall...plus I like the 58" span. So with the same span, I ordered the 180w.
 
I also have 2 of their 60 watt poly panels combined as a suitcase. I like them as well. Yesterday it was supposed to rain so I added the portable to the roof panel. It's a simple plug in. I instantly saw 14 amps in with the fridge running. My battery was a little low. it charged quickly.
 
180 watt panel came and it's a beauty! I have a 2030 controller, temp sensor and wiring ready to wire up to my existing, and previously installed, trimetric 2030 monitor, but neglected to order "MC4 to SAE" adapter so that is inbound now. I had planned to cut off the panel's MC4 plugs and solder in the provided FWC pigtail, but had a change of heart and will use an adapter...even though it will mean more unneeded length/coils of wire to secure.

Would be cleaner, in my opinion, to cut and solder since the panel will lay right overtop the rv rooftop plug and it would mean I could leave only only about a foot of cable rather than factory 2 feet on panel plus 1 foot adapter.

...drat, and with that I just realized the inbound adapter that I ordered has an SAE end that is not a right angle one like the FWC pigtail. So I'll still have to cut and solder, but at least that will be an adapter I'm hacking rather than panel wiring.

I need the 90 degree angle to allow me to mount the panel low enough since the huge panel will span over the top of the rooftop rv plug. I need the overall panel height to be no more than an inch or so above the roof vents as my parking garage at work has limited clearance (I've plenty of clearance at home). A straight, non 90 degree sae plug will stick straight up and not allow the panel to sit down low enough. Ah well, I can solder the pigtail and adapter together or cut mc4 off the panel and solder to that as originally planned.
 
Chadx said:
180 watt panel came and it's a beauty! I have a 2030 controller, temp sensor and wiring ready to wire up to my existing, and previously installed, trimetric 2030 monitor, but neglected to order "MC4 to SAE" adapter so that is inbound now. I had planned to cut off the panel's MC4 plugs and solder in the provided FWC pigtail, but had a change of heart and will use an adapter...even though it will mean more unneeded length/coils of wire to secure.

Would be cleaner, in my opinion, to cut and solder since the panel will lay right overtop the rv rooftop plug and it would mean I could leave only only about a foot of cable rather than factory 2 feet on panel plus 1 foot adapter.

...drat, and with that I just realized the inbound adapter that I ordered has an SAE end that is not a right angle one like the FWC pigtail. So I'll still have to cut and solder, but at least that will be an adapter I'm hacking rather than panel wiring.

I need the 90 degree angle to allow me to mount the panel low enough since the huge panel will span over the top of the rooftop rv plug. I need the overall panel height to be no more than an inch or so above the roof vents as my parking garage at work has limited clearance (I've plenty of clearance at home). A straight, non 90 degree sae plug will stick straight up and not allow the panel to sit down low enough. Ah well, I can solder the pigtail and adapter together or cut mc4 off the panel and solder to that as originally planned.
Click to expand...
Awesome idea to have it under the panel. Really limits the water exposure. At least, that's my theory and has worked for me with my 265W panel on the roof.
 
Vic, I think I recall reading your solar thread in the past, but I can't seem to locate it. I was going to go back and re-read primarily to see what roof plug/adapters you used. Did you use the 90 degree SAE pigtail supplied by FWC under your panel? If so, how little lift could you get away with? I know that panels like more air space underneath for cooling purposes, but as I mentioned, I have very limited space to work with if I still want to be able to park in the underground garage at work so I'm spacing the panel only as high as needed to clear the SAE roof plug.

As a side note, I have an email out to SolarBlvd, who I believe owns, or is owned by, Solar Cynergy panel maker, so I'm asking if there are any warranty consideration before cutting the MC4 plugs off the panel and soldering on the FWC supplied SAE pigtail. Awaiting their reply.
 
Chadx said:
Vic, I think I recall reading your solar thread in the past, but I can't seem to locate it. I was going to go back and re-read primarily to see what roof plug/adapters you used. Did you use the 90 degree SAE pigtail supplied by FWC under your panel? If so, how little lift could you get away with? I know that panels like more air space underneath for cooling purposes, but as I mentioned, I have very limited space to work with if I still want to be able to park in the underground garage at work so I'm spacing the panel only as high as needed to clear the SAE roof plug.

As a side note, I have an email out to SolarBlvd, who I believe owns, or is owned by, Solar Cynergy panel maker, so I'm asking if there are any warranty consideration before cutting the MC4 plugs off the panel and soldering on the FWC supplied SAE pigtail. Awaiting their reply.
Click to expand...
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/13230-i-need-more-power-scotty/?hl=%2Bmore+%2Bpower+%2Bscotty

I used a small electronics project box, drilled two holes for some MC4 glands, but the connectors off the PV panel and used wire nuts to connect to the camper wiring. Glued/sealed the whole mess with 3m 4200.

Hmmm, I will have to take some pics of this so I can post them.
 
I owe everyone an updated. I don't have any pics yet and I'll give a better description soon, but I've been running my 180 watt panel for a few weeks now and it just cranks out the juice! We typically would use 15 - 25 amps in a 24 hour period. I can be at 96% SOC (according to the trimetric when I back out of the shop to load up. I don't pre-chill the Engel 45qt fridge and crank it on and the fantastic fan on low and the panel is still making around 2 amps positive. I currently have completely disconnected the camper from the truck so no alternator charging. By the time we drive an hour or two to our destination, the batteries are at 100%. We stay at 100% until the sun goes down (running the Engel, fantastic fan, and lights). Overniight, we might get down to 94% SOC including running the furnace for 10 minutes (even in record breaking 95+ degree heat here in MT, the mountains can get down to 40 degrees in the morning). By 10 or 11 am, we are back up to 100% SOC.

If anyone is interested, I did work up the correct Trimeteric 2030/Solar controller (SC2030) parameters from a chart on the Exide website. Note, these only apply if you are running the FWC factory Flat Plate AGM Exide batteries. If you run other batteries, that manufacturer should be consulted with to get the correct parameters for that specific battery set. I also exchanged emails with a helpful Senior Engineer at Exide confirming all parameters. I'll post them up in the next few days.

Will have some photos of the mount as well. It was simple using the factory roof tracks and a few pieces of 1/4" aluminum bar.
 
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