whatcharterboat
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Carlyle
"How would you compare that system to the Outback converter/inverter that could much of the same things? "
Can you direct me to the Outback converter/inverter. Not sure. I know that some ming companies in Canada are looking seriously at the Powermaker cause they can't find anything else that does everything that it does and in such a reliable package.
"More info on the solar system please!"
The PVL's are made by Canon Uni-solar. A lot of people when doing research on selecting panels look at the efficiency rating, dismiss these and go with something that looks better on paper anyway. The solar efficiecy of these PVL's is really poor . From memory about the amorphous PVL's are 8 or 9% compared to 12 0r 13 % for poly crystalline and much closer to 20% for monocrystalline. Reality is very different.
Solar efficiency rating is only a figure relating to how many watts of solar energy per square metre are converted into electrical energy. So if there is a 1000watts of sun energy in 1 square metre (at the Earths surface) and PV cell that is also 1 square metre makes so many watts of electricity. That amount of electrical energy is calculated as a percentage of 1000watts. The thing that trips people is that a 64 watt amorphous cell still puts out the same as a 64watt monocrystalline at their peak output. It is just that the amorphous cell is much bigger for the same output.
In a vehicle situation were you have to mount a panel flat (trackers on vehicles are another story) I reckon you can kiss goodbye to about 20% of the average daily output by not tilting to the sun. This is where the PVL's come in. They seem to work from ambient light rather than direct light and are not nearly as effected by low sun angles, overcast weather and partial shading, so over the period of a day they seem to give a greater overall output. We've even put them under roofracks when it was absolutely necessary (so that there are lots of shadows from the bars) with no major effect.
The other benefits are they are very flexible (in one direction only) and can therefore be mounted on curves, they have a non-skid surface and can be walked on in fact I've even seen a canoe tied down on them but not adviceable without padding. Once they are stuck down you just cannot remove them so I doubt they could be stolen. And they're cheap. A big downside is the sizes available here. Only the 68watt which is about 2800 x 400 and the 136watt which is about 5400 x 400.
"How would you compare that system to the Outback converter/inverter that could much of the same things? "
Can you direct me to the Outback converter/inverter. Not sure. I know that some ming companies in Canada are looking seriously at the Powermaker cause they can't find anything else that does everything that it does and in such a reliable package.
"More info on the solar system please!"
The PVL's are made by Canon Uni-solar. A lot of people when doing research on selecting panels look at the efficiency rating, dismiss these and go with something that looks better on paper anyway. The solar efficiecy of these PVL's is really poor . From memory about the amorphous PVL's are 8 or 9% compared to 12 0r 13 % for poly crystalline and much closer to 20% for monocrystalline. Reality is very different.
Solar efficiency rating is only a figure relating to how many watts of solar energy per square metre are converted into electrical energy. So if there is a 1000watts of sun energy in 1 square metre (at the Earths surface) and PV cell that is also 1 square metre makes so many watts of electricity. That amount of electrical energy is calculated as a percentage of 1000watts. The thing that trips people is that a 64 watt amorphous cell still puts out the same as a 64watt monocrystalline at their peak output. It is just that the amorphous cell is much bigger for the same output.
In a vehicle situation were you have to mount a panel flat (trackers on vehicles are another story) I reckon you can kiss goodbye to about 20% of the average daily output by not tilting to the sun. This is where the PVL's come in. They seem to work from ambient light rather than direct light and are not nearly as effected by low sun angles, overcast weather and partial shading, so over the period of a day they seem to give a greater overall output. We've even put them under roofracks when it was absolutely necessary (so that there are lots of shadows from the bars) with no major effect.
The other benefits are they are very flexible (in one direction only) and can therefore be mounted on curves, they have a non-skid surface and can be walked on in fact I've even seen a canoe tied down on them but not adviceable without padding. Once they are stuck down you just cannot remove them so I doubt they could be stolen. And they're cheap. A big downside is the sizes available here. Only the 68watt which is about 2800 x 400 and the 136watt which is about 5400 x 400.