photonic universe solar panel

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mfw

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Hi been looking at just a solid solar panel 120-160w lots of choices these people ( photonic universe ) seem to be reasonably priced german engineering so hopefully a reasonable panel quality wise.

Has anyone bought a panel from these people if so what is your opinion of the build quality it looks good quality with middle of the range price.

Gonna run dual battery set up controller with mt1 remote gonna buy individually so i get what i want.

Malcolm
 
Got four Photonic Universe 100w panels, they seem to work well, especially when the sun is out. :rofl:
 
mfw said:
Hi been looking at just a solid solar panel 120-160w lots of choices these people ( photonic universe ) seem to be reasonably priced german engineering so hopefully a reasonable panel quality wise.

Has anyone bought a panel from these people if so what is your opinion of the build quality it looks good quality with middle of the range price.

Gonna run dual battery set up controller with mt1 remote gonna buy individually so i get what i want.

Malcolm
Click to expand...

Yes - good company - however there are better panels around - I've fitted these flexible ones and very pleased - major tech advantages too!!

https://mipvsolarpanels.co.uk/

I've got a discount code too - if you want it PM me :)
 
They are good quality, I bought the 150w panel. At the time they had a choice of German or Chinese cells, I emailed them because I already had a small 40w German panel off them and wasn't impressed with the overcast performance. Actually the panel produced zero power if a cloud came along.
The response was that the construction of the panels are identical but the German cells were supposed to be better in low light and might last slightly longer (unproven). The email ended with the advice that the Chinese panels are great quality and will work well, most people go for them and they get good feedback. I bought the Chinese version and am very pleased with it. The charging amperage has been up as hight as 9.4a in sunshine and it even makes 2 to 3 amps when overcast.
I think with the German cells you're just paying for the name. I heard the German factory recently went bust anyway.
 
Photonic Universe panels are great
Fitted them on my last van and just fitted 5 on my new one

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It would make sense to deal with an organisation that is focused on what you need, rather than a retailer of anything. The bigger they are and longer they've been around, the larger their experience and skill set should be.
 
Hi thanks for replys they do solar systems so should know what they are doing will look a bit more into the build quality/parts used between the german and chinese product

Thanks Malcolm
 
mfw said:
Hi thanks for replys they do solar systems so should know what they are doing will look a bit more into the build quality/parts used between the german and chinese product

Thanks Malcolm
Click to expand...

The German ones (Austrian even) every time for me I think - after Welsh ones of course :)
 
Freespirit1 said:
Yes - good company - however there are better panels around - I've fitted these flexible ones and very pleased - major tech advantages too!!

https://mipvsolarpanels.co.uk/

I've got a discount code too - if you want it PM me :)
Click to expand...

We ve been looking at these for a new house build. How do you feel they compare with conventional pv's?
 
jonegood said:
We ve been looking at these for a new house build. How do you feel they compare with conventional pv's?
Click to expand...

That's a very good idea - they are much better - have a look here - it's the buildings side of the business:

http://www.bipvco.com/

There are examples of housing associations using them.

B&Q and many other large companies are using them on their warehouse roofs admittedly on steel however there are other ways of using them on tiled roofs by using a thin (5 or 10mm) backing sheet which they will bond to - then mechanic fix to your roof

The leisure side of this business was developed from the buildings side :)

https://mipvsolarpanels.co.uk/

You might well be able to use the discount code I have for the buildings side too! :)
 
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I've used the Photonic Universe 100W panels on three vehicles now, the first two with their basic controller and the current one with a RING B2B unit. The first two were quite adequate doing exactly as I expected however with the RING unit the current one seems even better just proving that a MPPT controller does a better job. All in all I have been very satisfied with their products.

Rod
 
I was in contact with photonic universe a few weeks ago and I got the impression they are selling decent products and are a decent company to do business with.

Since then I have been shopping around looking at price and quality comparisons etc on solar panels .The final
decision is not cheapest is best , cost is only one factor . The main consideration is having to suit particular circumstances ..... IE the already in place motorhome roof gadgetry being re arranged /re sited , so as to make room for a further solar panel. With space restrictions playing a major part in all of this, I have also been looking at semi rigid panels rather than solid framed.

The following links are from the photonic universe site and from the complusenergy site ( mentioned above by another poster)


https://www.complusenergy.co.uk/index.php?id_product=51&controller=product



I know the detailed spec says 100W in one product and 110W in the other(cheaper) product in the specifications . That apart , are these panels actually more or less the same product /spec etc ? But with a £64 price difference

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tomm said:
I was in contact with photonic universe a few weeks ago and I got the impression they are selling decent products and are a decent company to do business with.

Since then I have been shopping around looking at price and quality comparisons etc on solar panels .The final
decision is not cheapest is best , cost is only one factor . The main consideration is having to suit particular circumstances ..... IE the already in place motorhome roof gadgetry being re arranged /re sited , so as to make room for a further solar panel. With space restrictions playing a major part in all of this, I have also been looking at semi rigid panels rather than solid framed.

The following links are from the photonic universe site and from the complusenergy site ( mentioned above by another poster)


https://www.complusenergy.co.uk/index.php?id_product=51&controller=product



I know the detailed spec says 100W in one product and 110W in the other(cheaper) product in the specifications . That apart , are these panels actually more or less the same product /spec etc ? But with a £64 price difference
Click to expand...

Have a look at these if you want a good price ?

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/brand-new-solar-panels-140w.161108/
 
Just fitted 100watt seems to work ok and good value at 98.00
 
Freespirit1 said:
That's a very good idea - they are much better - have a look here - it's the buildings side of the business:

http://www.bipvco.com/

There are examples of housing associations using them.

B&Q and many other large companies are using them on their warehouse roofs admittedly on steel however there are other ways of using them on tiled roofs by using a thin (5 or 10mm) backing sheet which they will bond to - then mechanic fix to your roof

The leisure side of this business was developed from the buildings side :)

https://mipvsolarpanels.co.uk/

You might well be able to use the discount code I have for the buildings side too! :)
Click to expand...
We ve already looked at them in detail and seen them in action at the active classroom in Swansea.

What we haven't been able to see is a side by side comparison. Have considered putting a test rig up but they are expensive.
 
Freespirit1 said:
Yes - good company - however there are better panels around - I've fitted these flexible ones and very pleased - major tech advantages too!!

https://mipvsolarpanels.co.uk/

I've got a discount code too - if you want it PM me :)
Click to expand...
I've looked on their website but I can't see any figures to support their claims. The panels may be better early and late in the day and better at high temperatures - but how much better than a conventional panel? Have they done tests comparing the different technologies and if so what are the percentage figures.

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jonegood said:
We ve already looked at them in detail and seen them in action at the active classroom in Swansea.

What we haven't been able to see is a side by side comparison. Have considered putting a test rig up but they are expensive.
Click to expand...

Have a look at the parent company website and specifically downloads for some answers:

http://www.bipvco.com/products/downloads/

:)
 
DBK said:
I've looked on their website but I can't see any figures to support their claims. The panels may be better early and late in the day and better at high temperatures - but how much better than a conventional panel? Have they done tests comparing the different technologies and if so what are the percentage figures.
Click to expand...

Again - have a look here:

http://www.bipvco.com/products/downloads/

The Leisure side:

https://mipvsolarpanels.co.uk/

Have done trials comparing the so called best monocrystaline and theirs and they are giving 25% per day more energy yield!
 
Maybe I should start a thread Mipv solar panels eh! Lol.
 
jonegood said:
I've seen and heard all the company claims from their CEO but still wondering what the comparison in actual use is?
Click to expand...

Ok - have you actually asked their CEO if they have done a comparison on the buildings side of things?

Another possibility is to compare the Data sheets of these panels with Data sheets of your possible other choice?

Have you spoken to Swansea University? Can they supply a comparative test or would just compare the data sheets?

As I've said the Leisure side have done a comparative test - give them a call maybe? :)
They are the same panels after all!

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Freespirit1 said:
Maybe I should start a thread Mipv solar panels eh! Lol.
Click to expand...
Indeed you should, side by side same controller just different panels(y)

When I saw them at a show the guy stuck a voltmeter into the plug of a unconnected panel and said look at that X volts, so what but what about amps? Was my response but not sure he was impressed.



Martin
 
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funflair said:
Indeed you should, side by side same controller just different panels(y)

When I saw them at a show the guy stuck a voltmeter into the plug of a unconnected panel and said look at that X volts, so what but what about amps? Was my response but not sure he was impressed.



Martin
Click to expand...

Lol - yes - i saw him at Shepton Mallett show and like you I was not very impressed and went into quite a discussion with him about them!

He's a pretty clued up guy as it happens and the voltmeter thing was just a way of quickly giving a demonstration - in my case in the pouring rain - had to move my umbrella out way of panel lol.

I had actually bought 2 Photonic Universe semi- flexible panels at just slightly less cost (not cheap) and had been pondering how I was going to stick them on my van.

Well - the rest is history - I decided after a lot of investigations to go their route and very pleased I did!!

And totally Welsh manufacture- not Chinese!! :)
 

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A major advantage of flexible panels, to me, is their reduced weight. They must also present less drag, but maybe not enough to be significant. A major problem would be that of failure as you’d need to grind off the connectors and stick a another panel on top to replace one (I don’t think you’d ever remove a panel from the roof cleanly). As for performance, it’s a leap of faith. If 25% better but more than 25% more expensive, others may be more cost effective if you have enough ‘roof estate’ and cost is your driver.
 
Freespirit1 said:
Have done trials comparing the so called best monocrystaline and theirs and they are giving 25% per day more energy yield!
Click to expand...
Who has done the trials? And even if the 25% figure is correct does this justify the roughly 300% price premium?
As I posted in another thread, I would like to see some actual figures from this company to justify these claims. I can't find anything on their website. If they have convincing figures why aren't they headlining them?
 
DBK said:
Who has done the trials? And even if the 25% figure is correct does this justify the roughly 300% price premium?
As I posted in another thread, I would like to see some actual figures from this company to justify these claims. I can't find anything on their website. If they have convincing figures why aren't they headlining them?
Click to expand...

The 25% figure has come from mipv who did the trial.

And I've already provided the link 8 posts back for the parent company specifications downloads :)

I'm sorry I can't provide any more info on specs than they have - I suggest you either contact them direct to get whatever you need or just go ahead and buy the cheapest Chinese panels you have found :)

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