New ? panel design, strange specs?

westbranch
westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
Found this link, for a dealer here in Canada. This is the first I have heard of the 'plastic linear lenses'... they are selling for $5.97 Cdn/ w
Comments?
What systems would a Vp = 46.2 and 23.1 v be designed for? 24 or 48 ?? seem a bit low...

thanks

Eric
 
KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
West Chilcotin, BC, Canada

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: New ? panel design, strange specs?

    A linear lens sounds just like a Fresnel lens intended for magnification along one axis only.

    Is this roughly the panel you are talking about?

    My own two cents--I would stay away from plastic and only use glass covers. There may be plastic that would withstand direct sun for 20-30 years--but I would be happy to let somebody else verify that for me...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: New ? panel design, strange specs?

    OOPs , sorry bill, forgot to add the link... but now (14:30) they have changed the web page. :confused:

    Here is the only other link I found for their product number..Micropv145BF..looks similar to the one you posted.
    this link is in the US ... http://www.acemtf.com/usasolar/

    must be the same source as they offer 2 models 108 w and 145 w and use 'BF' as the last model identifiers.

    Here is the link to the manual specs on page 4

    cheers

    Eric
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: New ? panel design, strange specs?

    Well, from the PDF spec., they offer:
    25 years limited power warranty. Complete warranty available on request.

    I would also ask them, if I had a fixed installation, for a solar angle vs power output graph vs a normal silicon solar panel... Lenses tend to focus only when pointed at the sun and may not generate when off-angle as well as a traditional solar panel.

    Otherwise--don't know. From our site sponsor, you can get their special 165 watt Misubishi for $4.41 per watt vs $4.29 per watt...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: New ? panel design, strange specs?

    Bill, not really interested in getting one, though price seemed reasonable (Cdn) compared to others available here.
    Locally my panels are currently $900 Cdn 12v/120w Mitsub.
    Physical size of these new ones, 140w, is a bit larger but its their output specs???

    any ideas as to what those outputs might have been setup for?

    Eric
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: New ? panel design, strange specs?

    Eric,

    Some rough rules... You need at least 2 volts across your solar charge controller to get them working... And for a 12 volt wet cell battery, you need around 15.5 volts to give them a good equalization...

    So, at a minimum, you need 17.5 volt Vmp from a solar panel to properly charge a "12 volt" lead acid battery... Vmp of 16 volts is a tad bit low. (Everything is very temperature dependent, so you should also check panel voltages and battery requirements at estimated high/low temperatures you expect the panels and batteries to see).

    The panels are rated to 600 volts AC (IIRC)--so they can be used for grid tied systems, or battery.

    And if you have a good MPPT controller (like the MX60), you can run the panels in series any where from 17.5 to ~140 VDC (max, 150 VDC Vnever exceed)--So, two or more in parallel will work just fine for a 12 vdc battery system...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset