One panel not working

[rvnib]

Hi everyone,

We're currently in Turkey with the temperature in the late 30's. We've recently noticed that only one panel on our NDS display has the sun symbol on (we have 2 x 160 watt flexi-panels stuck to the roof of the motorhome), despite our batteries being at 60%. The amps being generated is between 6-7. Last year in similar conditions in Italy we could rely out batteries getting double the amps. Having said this, there have been a few occasions when both panels seem to be operating with a double digit amp output.

Any thoughts or guidance would be gratefully received. Please excuse any terminology ignorance.

Thanks

Jonathan

 

[oldiesontour]

Flexible panels notorious for premature failure due to heat !

 

[rvnib]

Many thanks for this reply. I'm in communication with the company concerned at present. Do you have any information on the reasons these panels are prone to failure due to heat. Thanks

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

They are usually stuck down to a solid surface with no airflow underneath and get hot and degrade.If your in Turkey with air temps of 30 Dec C then they will get even hotter.when you do replace best to try to get them fitted with a gap underneath to allow free flow of air and some cooling.

 

[stevewagner]

Doesn’t B1 & B2 mean two battery banks? i. e. Engine and hab batteries

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[rvnib]

Yes that's correct, the engine battery gets a charge when the habitation batteries are full

 

[LithiumConvert]

Doesn’t B1 & B2 mean two battery banks? i. e. Engine and hab batteries

I think maybe what stevewagner was trying to say is; How do you know from the photograph that only one panel is working?

 

[rvnib]

The sun symbol above the P2 panel and the fact that we're only getting half the normal input in optimum conditions. Can now report that the other panel has also failed. We're not back to the UK until December and panels are narrowly out of warranty. So it's likely we'll have to replace on route, perhaps in Germany. Any suggestions on best fixed panels to go for would be gratefully received.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

You could have panels delivered from ecoworthy. I bought some when in Spain and they were delivered within 4 days from Germany.

ECO-WORTHY: Solarmodule & LiFePO4 Batterie & Solaranlage

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de.eco-worthy.com

You probably have space on your roof if you still have your Winibago but you would also need brackets etc for fixing.
There must be other suppliers in Germany if you check the German or en route e bay sites.
Best of luck.
English version

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uk.eco-worthy.com

 

[Cal54]

I bought the Eco Worthy kit - 120 wt earlier in the year and a friendly funster kindly fit it for me. The only think not used was the controller as I bought a Victron MPPT one. Pleased with the service and quality and especially the price!

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[Nigel Crompton]

Purely to satisfy my own curiosity, do you know if your failed panels have an aluminium backing, or are on some sort of composite ?

 

[Bessy765]

We’re in Antalya but in a hotel not sure where you are is this any help

Boat & Caravan Systems - Energima

www.energima.com.tr

 

[rvnib]

Many thanks for the replies. I can't answer the question about the panels backing but attached are a couple of photos if that helps at all. Interestingly on another thread dealing with semi flexible panels, a PDF link is included from RoadPro themselves saying 'When installing a semi-flexible solar panel in the NDS LightSolar range...we strongly advise using this method. It will allow air to pass under the panel, helping to avoid excessive heat build-up which could damage it'. The method described is if course to raise the panel up! In communication thus far, RoadPro maintain that my panels were installed as per NDS recommendations at the time in Dec 2021 and it is only subsequently that the recommendations have changed! Any thoughts anyone?

 

[bobandjanie]

Flexible panels notorious for premature failure due to heat !

I must yet again disagree, as we see more high temperatures than most living in Spain.
Have you personally had problems or just passing on what you read.

Our last van had them for 5 years no problems when we sold it, and this van it's now 6 and a half years no problems and still happy with flexible panels and wouldn't hesitate to buy them again. Bob.