Anyone know anything about these panels??? Pics

Hello,

New to solar power. Had a buddy give me 12 of these panels. Approx 36"x12". Anyone recognize these? Any idea of brand, value, etc?

One has this etched on the outside glass (hard to read so may be off a little)...
"chronarf"
"csb ^3e"
"bg8 146"

Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks
MVC-006F-3.jpg
MVC-002F-3.jpg
MVC-001F-4.jpg

Comments

  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone know anything about these panels??? Pics

    not sure of the brand, but i'd guess them to be about 15w pvs. if you have a dmm you can test them for their open circuit voltage and short circuit current (while aimed at the sun of course). i have one that isn't marked either that i purchased used long ago and if i remember rightly i got around 21.5v and i believe a bit over 1amp. there are similar pvs out there and i believe northern tool has something similar too.
  • boB
    boB Solar Expert Posts: 1,030 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone know anything about these panels??? Pics

    It's kinda hard to tell in the lower-ish res photo, but they look amorphous to me. $0.02

    boB
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Anyone know anything about these panels??? Pics

    Looks like a 15 watt panel that I had once that came with a cheap solar pump kit. (Never worked, as the panel couldn't start the pump!)

    The panel failed after about a year. It is the only panel I have ever seen that REVERSED it's polarity! No one has ever been able to explain that to me!

    No idea who made it or any other specs though.

    Icarus
  • n3qik
    n3qik Solar Expert Posts: 741 ✭✭
    Re: Anyone know anything about these panels??? Pics

    I have 6 simulator to what you have. Advertised as 15W amorphous panels. Sold on eBay under many names, retail Harbor Freight and Northern Tool, Etc. Retail new is about $ 50 per panel. Real world expect 6-8 watts ( 12VDC at .5-.7 Amps ) per panel. They are NON-UL Listed, but good for a starting. That is how I got the solar bug.

    I think these are what you have:http://cgi.ebay.com/45Watt-15w-X-3pcs-solar-panel-charger-power-jack_W0QQitemZ300182507777QQihZ020QQcategoryZ41981QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem