Re: 60-Watt Crystalline Solar Panel - Sunforce 37015

hhc314 trolled:
George, what specific 'real' product are you speaking about? The
original post in this thread was about a fictional device. On what
marketed product do you base your figures?

You're kidding, right?

Northern Tool and Equipment has it in their latest catalog (#1001).
The Sunforce 60W panel with 7 Amp charge controller is listed on page
30: item 339619-1001, price $500.

Why do I look like I'm shilling for these folks?

My off-grid application is a 26' cruising sailboat, and all that I
want is a solar device that can recharge the batteries during the day,
so the battery can power the navigation lights, cabin lights,
electronics, and auto-tiller, so that I don't have to run the engine
to generate electricity.

I already own a solar array (roughly 1 square meter in area) that cost
me $400 and barely produces sufficient power to trickle charge the
battery, bringing it up to 10% capacity on a sunny day. Then I have
to start the engine to charge the battery to full capacity each
evening.

I have no idea what your needs are. A 60W panel without solar
tracking can generate what? 0.24 kwh per solar day? An 80 AH
automobile battery stores 12V x 80 Amp Hours, or about 1kwh. You
may need as many as four 60W panels to fully charge a single such
battery in one day, more if your electronics is drawing a lot of
power at the same time.

And I suspect you'll want a charge controller.

Note that I estimated the efficiency of these panels at 12%. Many
PV devices have been sold in the past with efficiencies of 3% and
lower. Perhaps that is what you have if you have a panel twice the
size with significantly less output.

Fact is, nobody sells the device that you describe. If it exists,
please tell me the brand name and model number so I can avail myself
of one of the miraculous devices. Again, they cost how much, and what
is their service life? Will I get a guarantee on that?

Call up the retailers.

You want to be green, you pay for the luxury. You want cheap power,
use your generator - and use propane for cooking, fluorescents and
LED's for lighting.

George Cornelius

No, I didn't think so.

Harry C.

.

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