I've been looking at these for a while and haven't come across one this cheap, especially being a good brand like projecta.
Projecta 120w Solar Panel Kit @ Anaconda $299.99 Half Price
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Not all solar panels are created equal. You generally get what you pay for.
The price per watt is a good way to determine quality of panel, yes! 😃
Sorry, but I look for something a little better than "the more you pay, the better it is". Are you able to be a little clearer?
Let me give you an example. The eBay deal includes German panels with 25 year warranty, but only 1m cables.
This more expensive unit has 1 year warranty and 5m cables.
Now, the Anaconda website or I may have missed the longer warranty. However, the eBay product looks pretty good on paper.
So, can you help by being a little clearer why the more expensive unit is better?Have a good read of some of the solar forums on whirlpool and similar sites. You will quickly see why almost all of the cheap panels on ebay and elsewhere are rubbish. Just because it says German in description counts for very little. The actual cells may be made in Germany although a lot of these so-called German cells are made in China, but the rest of the panel that makes it up and is just as important to the functioning of the panel is likely cheap materials and assembled cheaply and not to any decent level of quality control. The regulator on them (if they even have one) will not be waterproofed to any acceptable standard, and likely the panel will be constructed of cheap materials or designed poorly and may delaminate, suffer water ingress, experience snail trails on the actual cells, or micro-cracking, and a range of other issues. Seriously, if you want a solar panel that will last and deliver the rated output for many years to come with little or no problems, you have to pay good money. Buy cheap solar gear at your own peril. That's all I will say. Check out the solar panel forums around the place. Its not just my word, its a general consensus backed up by a lot of evidence and others experiences!
The eBay deal includes German panels with 25 year warranty, but only 1m cables.
25 x 1 = 25This more expensive unit has 1 year warranty and 5m cables.
1 x 5 = 525 > 5, so the eBay deal is better.
QED
So based on some intangible fear and doubt about waterproofing and general build quality you're suggesting we pay MORE THAN DOUBLE THE PRICE - when it's supposedly half price. So you really think it's worth FOUR TIMES as much?
How can it be "rubbish" if it does the job? Does it create circa 120 watts or not? Can you quantify rubbish? Do you have any ingress protection test reports to show us this "acceptable standard" and "evidence" you refer to?
You're the reason why expensive cars have doors designed specifically to feel solid when you close them. And thanks for the Australia tax buddy. We were willing to pay 10% more for better quality but you helped set the expectation we will pay four times as much.
@LoopyLou: without looking at the panel you linked it seems quite common for ebay 120w panels to actually only be 80w panels with poor regulators and terrible cable/connectors. Quite often the hinges and stands are poor quality and if not addressed you may find it falling over and breaking. if you expect quality similar to name brands for 1/4 the price you're kidding yourself. If you are competent with basic electrical work, willing to replace a lot of it and understand it probably won't perform to the advertised specs they can be worthwhile.
This is only a general comment from the few camping and 4wding forums I frequent.
@LoopyLou: Mate, read my post again. Nothing intangible and not much doubt, this info is from experiences of others in the forums mentioned in my post. I could apply your exact same questioning to the ebay panel linked to. I look forward to hearing your validated answers, after you take the time to do the research and can offer an opinion based on substance.
If you want to get personal, you might be the reason poor unsuspecting consumers buy into this crap quality solar gear and get burnt later on, sometimes literally. Pretty poor form to blame me for nice sounding closing doors on expensive cars… Wow!
I think if you have the space and time buying your own mppt and buying a single 120w panel would be good. Could make a plywood box for it to slide into for protection in the back. Also single 120w panel would be excellent for permanent roof mount applications.
IF that is really 120watts then that's a bargain. IF……
Http://ebay.com.au/itm/291612374510
For those that want it delivered, same price on their ebay store, plus same $10 delivery (but less cashrewards, pricepal, etc).
Can i put it on my balcony and charge my devices??
Just need to go to a SLA/AGM/GEL battery then you can step up/down/invert to a device of your choice.
So i need to get a battery first? On the solar panel itself do they normally have a socket or plug??
You need a battery first, yes.
Or Lithium iron phosphate battery paired with something like a weekender thunder or arkpak.
might be cheaper to use. a PowerPoint than put a panel on your balcony to charge devices, these panels are designed to charge a 12v battery I believe when people go camping etc and there is no 240v power nearby. else if you wanted to charge devices at night eg phone tablet notebook you need to store in larger battery during the day eg car battery.
the eBay one looks like a nice deal…… need to do some Reno work at a house with no power and this. might power the bar fridge radio and charge my phone and notebook if I have car battery with it and use an invertor.
From one of the comment from ebay "WARNING: Bought a 120 watt panel, has the same output as my 80 old watt panel" … just in case you expected 120 watt
correct. you get what you pay for. if buying on ebay, measure the output of the panel to ensure full 120 watt in sunshine.
I might buy one of the dodgy Chinese panels and use it to charge one of the dodgy Chinese hoverboards and see which one catches fire first!
Would be great if you're literally living on a balcony at some dodgy deal with a slum/scum landlord!
Bought a 120w 12v panel from low energy developments for about $120 a couple months back, works perfectly.
I assume it is working at close to rated output as I can run a stack of stuff and battery still sits at floating charge.
The ebay one is just a panel. nothing else.
The Projecta one here is a full kit. Folding panel, with a solar regulator ( charger ) built in, leads and battery terminal clips, plus a padded carry bag for it.
It is a full kit to use when camping.
Comparing the ebay and OP post is comparing oranges with kiwifruit…..
Projecta stuff is not world class, but is very well warranted and supported AUS wide.
They stand behind their products. I've returned stuff directly to them and out as fully replaced. No issues.
I don't want to knock someone else's post, but the price per watt, which is a fair way to measure solar panels is still way over priced for this type of item.
This is not exact like for like, but with the same wattage and suiting the same purpose @$139.00 buy it now with free postage:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-120W-12V-Solar-Panel-Mono-Por…
Just MHO