Boab 200 watt solar blanket
Listed on boaboffroad website for $849
https://boaboffroad.com.au/product/200-watt-portable-solar-b…
IP65 solar charger controller
2 year warranty.
Also available is a Boab 150watt solar blanket is available for $110
https://www.repco.com.au/en/4x4-adventure-escape/solar/kits/…
Really good price, ordered one. Hopefully not a price error
I don't think its a price error but stocks will run out soon, just received an sms that my order is ready for collection.
Is it really good price tho? I doubt anybody would buy it at the RRP.
The RRP is a joke…
Kings regularly does a 200W panel with MPPT for $150… and they have it on the eBay store too
I think I need to cancel the order then, lol.
@Nathw: I don't know how the quality compares though.. Kings one have a so-so reputation.
Maybe the Boab one does compare to the other $800 premium blankets like Redarc, etc.
No reviews on the Boab one that I can find.. so my suspicion is that it's nothing special
@Thrawn: I have some Kings panels and all of them started de-laminating within 3 or 4 months of use. I had the blanket before as well which also suffered from this, but the big problem was that they connect the panels with non-insulated wires that run through where it folds. Eventually this wires corrode and after a few months of regular folding you'll have a wire snap and that's that. 4wdsupacentre has terrible customer service as well and the return process can be a pain.
Maybe but this retailers price is $789 https://www.4x4downunder.com.au/products/boab-200w-portable-…
was it just the two of you? usually need the wifes boyfriend as well to keep warm
Now that you come to mention it - it was all 3 of us. I suspect they were lying about being cold and likely just pulling it off me as I slept, which would explain why I felt kind of cold. Anyway, I find those $20 blankets from Kmart MUCH warmer.
Come on you all are adults, I am sure you three can think of some activities to keep yourselves warm…
@edfoo: Nope. Wife's boyfriend (his name is Chad by the way). Well, Chad prefers it if I'm restrained. For a mental picture - think about the Zed scene from Pulp Fiction. The one in the box? me.
I'm confused.
Don't know what it is, but ordered one.
Bought it! Now I need a battery to go with it :)
And save over $2500!
Do I believe it?
I have one and it's good
1.1 on product review, got to be the worst score I've ever seen.
Are you talking about this: https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/lifepo4
For… the technology itself? Or… lifepo4.com? Like, people seem to be talking about a bunch of different batteries. None of the ones with any details line up with this one, including the pictures.
Just bought one! This is a really good price!
Managed to grab one online, last one in stock for 87km, worth the 9.90 postage!
Thanks for the update - how do you check stock? do you have to keep changing store?
Yeah, after I ordered i refreshed the page and it went to out of stock
Order first think later
12Kg Including Carry Bag and Leads…….. Now, can I return a clearance item?
Can't find one in NSw.
Lidcombe store shows available.
Tried. All gone. Thanks anyway.
Ahh I want one
…
What is this?
Don't ask, just buy one.
About 200 whats
Boo none in SA and cant order delivered from other states
Is it smaller than a battery charger ;)
I used to work for Going Solar Melbourne back in the late 90's and our largest solar panel 80W sold for $800 or $10 per watt.
Rainbow Power Company would usually sell identical items for about 10% less, so about $9 per watt for larger panels.
But now you can buy this 200W panel for 65c per watt. Also wages have jumped a lot in 25 years. My guesstimate is wages have gone up around 50% in 25 years.
So an 80W solar panel in the late 90's was over a weeks wage, now a 200W panel is under a days wage!!
Wait until you find out how much DVD burners were.
Or plasma screen TVs.
Lol yeah CD were a few grand once.
Wages have stagnated the last decade too.
Last 50 years productivity has almost tripled and wage growth has all but followed inflation ie stagnated
Both now items noone buys
I remember eyeing off the plasma tv but never committed on the $10k
Had a few dvd burners but current PCs - none have CD or CVD drive (have to use the xbox)
I do wonder how many watts it REALLY is though.
And here we are taking about nuclear, coal and gas in 2022 😣 fml
From memory in India they can commission large farm solar for a cost of about 3c a kw/hr
Can't find any stock in SA
dang missed out. really needed this!
Me too.
Anyone know store with stock? Can't see any around Newcastle or sydney
Thanks, picked up a 200w.
How did you manage that? all the ones around me closed at 3pm :(
Sorry, not physically picked up but ordered :)
👍 must be sold out online now, I didn't get the "add to cart" button
Alice Springs has some in stock, if anyone nearby is interested.
I'm surprised it wasn't in the comments.
Was I the only one that read the title as boob? Lol
Anyone got a deal on a battery to match the solar blanket I just bought and have nothing to charge with it?
Following!
Keep an eye out at 4x4 supacentre, I recently got a 98Ah deep cycle agm battery for $169 there. Price is as good as it gets and my last one lasted 4.5 years
Any around SEQ ?
Any in NSW left?
Can't check stock unless one by one!
This is stupid 😅
Checked all stores from the Tweed to Toowoomba to North Lakes ,
for both sets , no luck , but I see some in Alice Springs still.
I'm seeing stock in Enoggera, however when I tred to order and it tells me that there is insufficient stock…. happened on another store as well I have ordered three now and the charge has hit my card each time. rippa deal but looks like I missed out. Hope I dont have to mess about to get my funds back.
I managed to order a few in SEQ for my family and I. If they don't want them I'll post them in the classifieds for the same price.
Please PM me if you want to sell any. Thanks
Some of the 150w blankets available I Maryborough and Kingaroy, if anyone up that way wants one or two .
But the rest of seq has been checked , unless I missed a store .
It's $9.90 for home delivery so available to all Queenslanders as far as I know.
150w also available in Busselton and Margaret River WA. Busselton has one 150w less now :)
Dimensions of these models dont seem to add up, ie somehow unfolding a 400mm item folded 4 times is only 1526mm wide
Happy with 150w for the money, will see how it goes.
If they are the KT models, i think theyre these:
https://ktcables.com.au/shop/uncategorized/150-watt-12v-port…
https://ktcables.com.au/shop/solar-panels-solar-accessories/…
Do they actually produce 200w ?
If you send it into space
Back of envelope maths says it’s ballpark accurate wattage coz overall size of panel compares to others with similar cell size (folds smaller , has more wasted area in fabric).
200w for 1.65sqm (inc fabric), so 121w/m2
redarc 160w is 1.2m square = 133/m2
redarc 240 is 1.8m square = 133/m2
bainbridge 180w is 1.4m square = 128/m2
projecta 180w is 1.45m square = 124/m2
ridge rider 200w is 1.95m square = 102/m2
Sorry I can’t stop taking solar haha. If this helps anyone:
I compared 2 blankets cell area a bit more precisely coz had em handy :
sunyee (Atem Power) 200w .96m = 208w/m2
Bainbridge baintuff 180w 1.07m = 168w/m2
I figure the sunyee / atem are over estimating. I got 140w out of the sunyee in winter midday clear sky, on windscreen, could say rubbish for a “200w” panel but reset expectations and assume it’s more like 150-160w and that’s perfectly cromulent.
Lesson is that surface area is a good indicator of how realistic the specs are.
If you can stump up the cash, proper mppt is great upgrade tho. In full sun a pwm will be closer to mppt but when light isn’t great , mornings , arvos, overcast, a quality mppt easily wins.
Not all “MPPT” the same. Look at specs. 25v solar input max means likely PWM, but there’s junk out there too, I wouldn’t trust the kings/ueiua/atem rebranded one to be efficient , keep working, or keep my battery healthy.
2 months ago I tested PWM vs MPPT using sunyee panel above. Rainy day, clouds, panels flat, 8:45am. Using one of those cheap power monitors with 2 Andersons, the pwm solar controller would get 5w for 1 second then sit on 0w for 5 seconds. My bunky Victron 75/15 mppt hovered 35-45w.
Yes, you're absolutely correct.
Unfortunately, the industry is rampant with incorrect labeling of solar panels, there are even 100W panels out there masquerading as 300W. I frequently recommend people buy residential solar panels. As they have to be CEC certified, you can't just make up a rating and slap it on.
An efficiency of 20.8% is possible for solar panels, but solar blankets have a lot of "dead" space so it's simply impossible to have an efficiency like that and the manufacturers aren't telling the truth.
I also had a cheap 100W Sunyee Atem solar blanket a while ago, and yes I think its 100W rating was exaggerated too. As long as you are expecting that low-end solar blankets and panels like Atem, Kings and this Boab they won't provide the wattage as advertised, then you won't be disappointed.
I like your passion. Thanks for your reply
In store likely not an option anymore but did anyone try RAC membership for discount? Is that RACWA only?
I tried NRMA but no discount
Also Ayr in NQ has some 150w ones still .
Blokes on a bender?
Picked mine up this morning. Seems to be a good bit of kit, see what sort of numbers it can put out with a Victron 100/20 regulator. Once the sun comes back in Melbourne :)
200w? Only had the 150w available iny local.
Be interested to see your feedback and follow up.
Yeah 200w. I already have 2 120w I was going to use in series which I still think will be better with the MPPT. This was one of those buy now think later buys!
200w wasn't available. Ordered the 150w
Be interested to see what your 200w output is. Suggestion above, BOAB brand isn't one of the better brands???
@Spending2Much: They seem to be KTcables branded differently that are sold in tentworld ,
as has been suggested previously above a couple of times.
They look to be decent ,
if this is correct.
Personally I think flexible panels would be a better longer lasting , sturdy & lighter option for traveling ,
but these are easy and convenient in a bag
PS. Charters Towers still has some 150w
You probably know this, but for sake of others —
Lot of rules around series/parallel wiring of different-wattage solar panels.
Its a 'weakest link' type thing, but you do get to choose whether its voltage or amps which is affected by the weak link.
Series - All panels will be brought down to the lowest amp panel. Use this if amps close, and voltages vastly different.
Parallel - All panels will be brought down to the voltage of the lowest volt panel. Use this if volts close, and amps are vastly different between panels.
Panel voltages (typical mono/poly - am ignoring some of the other chemistries that have very diff volt ranges) are generally associated with cell count. From camping stores they are likely 36 cell because this is the max that a 12V PWM solar charger can handle. But it means most panels for this market are likely the similar voltage range - not guaranteed though.
The cellcount-voltage relationship is why MPPT is required for house panels. House panels either 48 cell (rare but great for a dual cab roof), 60 cell, (common house panel) or 72 cell (commercial, now more common on houses). mppts like the victron 100/20 take 100v and 20a.
But yeah, double check what im saying (i might have it the wrong way around??!!).
@yahms: Thanks for that info!
I did some reading this morning and am thinking the two identical in series could be better to up the voltage to start charging earlier in the day.
Otherwise the 200w and 120w in parallel will get extra amps if its nice and sunny.
I'll have a play in the next week once the camper is open and I can run the fridge and test the system.
FYI….. As of midday today, Repco at Rockdale has 1x150W solar blanket on the shelf. Enjoy!
I picked up the 150w solar blanket, any idea if this or more so the solar regulator with it is suitable for a 100Ah lifepo4 battery? or am I better off using a Victron 75/15 MPPT solar regulator with this blanket?
Go with Victron. It has lifepo4 profile. Most of these out of the box pwm/mppt dont have any options
I'd be pretty sure the regulator that comes wiith the kit doesn't have a lithium setting. I'd definitely go with the Victron.
I'll keep the pwm regulator if I ever need to charge the main start battery, and will grab a Victron off ebay which seems to be a reasonable price with the 20% stacked with gift card
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/284198403421
be mindful of the source - fakes are a possibility
https://diysolarforum.com/threads/fangpusun-makes-counterfei…
Merged from Boab Solar Blanket Kit 150W - B52150 $110 @ Repco
Go to Deal
Boab Solar Blanket Kit 150W
IP65 Rated solar controller.
2 Year warranty
Also available is a 200 watt Boab Solar Blanket
https://www.repco.com.au/en/4x4-adventure-escape/solar/kits/…