Carmanah CTI-95

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Crotalus
Crotalus Solar Expert Posts: 26 ✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
I have a friend that wants to put two of these http://www.gpelectric.com/commonfiles/libraries/docs/specsheets/CTI-95.pdf in parallel on his travel trailer. He boondocks up to two weeks or more at a time using only the existing equipment on the trailer, that is LED lights, fridge with electronic controls, fan, electronic ignition on the water heater, and the water pump. The water heater and the fridge uses a 12V solenoid on the gas valve. He has a small MP3 player for music that he wants to run off of a 12 volt DC adapter that plugs into a DC socket.

Is there anybody out there that has any first hand knowledge about them?

He is looking for the maximum amount of power from the smallest space. It does have a smaller footprint than the 80 Watt Sharp panel that I have. The system will have a MPPT controller as yet to be determined. The thing is quite pricey. Very pricey! I have told him that the value due to the price is questionable. I don't want to burst his bubble but maybe let the air out slowly.

I have a 80 Watt and a 20 Watt panel on mine with an external 50 Watt that I can move around with the sun if need be. I have never had any problems keeping the battery charged even after 2 days of rain and overcast. Summertime in the Colorado Mountains usually has a lot of sunshine during the day. The rain comes in the afternoon.

Any comments on this panel?

Thanks!

Keith
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Carmanah CTI-95

    Of course it's expensive: it's Canadian! :p

    Nothing wrong with their stuff, but ... a solar panel is a solar panel. Any reputable brand can be expected to last 25 years. It comes down to $ per Watt really, as there is no appreciable difference in power output per sq. meter (with a few exceptions).

    The things to look at:

    1). How much space is available on the roof of the RV?
    2). What panel most economically fills that space with Watts?
    3). How many Watts do you need to keep the batteries up?

    You might find that 95 Watts really isn't that much, and that going up to (for example) a Kyocera 135 might cost less per Watt and give more power.

    It can be tricky picking the right panel for an RV application because there isn't "unlimited roof real estate", therefor this may not be the right answer.
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  • Crotalus
    Crotalus Solar Expert Posts: 26 ✭
    #3
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    Re: Carmanah CTI-95

    Just a follow up.

    We he did it. I must say that I am impressed with the physical size of these panels with a cost of $400.00 each. A little pricey! Two fit just fine on his small trailer. The two panels are wired in parallel using a Blue Sky Solar Boast 2000E with a battery temperature sensor. The battery is a group 31 deep cycle with 130 amp hours @ 20 hour rate.

    He claimed at one point that they were providing 11.2 amps of charging power. This was after using the furnace at night which would have drawn down the battery. This is more than the rated power output. However this was on a very clear day above 8,000 feet at a temperature of about 28F. I have no reason to doubt his story.

    Keith

    P.S. I guess Canadian panels for a Canadian trailer. He went to the factory in British Columbia to pick up a 17' Escape which was also pricey.
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