Very nice man portable solar panel

[saburai]

Very nice, packs up to lap top size, 62 watts:
http://www.globalsolar.com/products/flex-62watt.php
cheapest I could find it:
http://isaveenergy.com/p3-6262watt12vblackcamospecialorderonly50pcs.aspx

[WhereTheHellIsJames?]

Looks pretty nice. Adventure Trailers (http://adventuretrailers.com/12volt_solar.html) also has some nice foldable solar equipment available.

[kb7our]

Very nice, packs up to lap top size, 62 watts:
http://www.globalsolar.com/products/flex-62watt.php
cheapest I could find it:
http://isaveenergy.com/p3-6262watt12vblackcamospecialorderonly50pcs.aspx

I bought a Global Solar 48W model over a year ago in woodland cammo and had been using it to keep my Horizon battery charged with their small 7A basic controller. After recently upgrading to a deluxe controller with readout of volts and amps I noticed the panel would only produce up to 1A rather than 2+ so figured it might be defective. Warranty had expired but I phoned GS in Tucson anyway and after performing a few tests at home they offered to send me a replacement. The kicker is that the 48W is no longer made but for about the same size they make a 62W as noted within this thread. I offered to pay the difference from my original purchase (Alt-E store) and they offered to send me a brand new 62W in my color of choice for an "even" warranty exchange. To make a long story short I now have the P3 62W panel in desert cammo and would highly recommend a purchase from GS as well as the AT guys and what they are offering. The GS panel is a lot smaller but rated at 3.1A not 3.5 like the panel AT sells. Having said that holding the panel to the sun registered 3.5A from the GS panel and the product is built "very" robustly. Now and then you get a defect with any product but the way a company treats you in the warranty department cannot be overstated if you encounter a problem especially considering the cost of these devices. GS receives my A+ for customer service and a fine product hence my brief story and high recommendation. I also would not hesitate to puchase the AT panel as well.

I was about to sell my 48W so it's a good thing I upgraded the controller and was able to test the panel with real numbers rather than the simple charge light I had on the original controller which does not really tell you much. Everything worked out well in the end.

Wade

[saburai]

Great info! Thanks.
Do you have a link to where you bought it? A link to the controler would be great as well.

[teotwaki]

Great info! Thanks.
Do you have a link to where you bought it? A link to the controler would be great as well.

If you want to get a GS 48 Watt unit really cheap just watch EBay where they have been selling them as 42 Watt units (but do not explain how they came up with that number). I bought one and measured short circuit current and open circuit voltage and the numbers I got were very close to the factory specs: 3.2 Amps and 26.5 Volts vs. factory 3.9 Amps and 28 volts. That was without fastening the unit to something to get it really flat and properly tilted towards the sun. Max power supposedly could be attained at 18.8 volts and 2.5 Amps so the panels internal resistance is around 7.5 Ohms

Vitabon seems to be out of them right now but I got mine for only $350
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Vitabon-Solar__W0QQ_armrsZ1

A little less than $8/watt

[saburai]

If you want to get a GS 48 Watt unit really cheap just watch EBay where they have been selling them as 42 Watt units (but do not explain how they came up with that number). I bought one and measured short circuit current and open circuit voltage and the numbers I got were very close to the factory specs: 3.2 Amps and 26.5 Volts vs. factory 3.9 Amps and 28 volts. That was without fastening the unit to something to get it really flat and properly tilted towards the sun. Max power supposedly could be attained at 18.8 volts and 2.5 Amps so the panels internal resistance is around 7.5 Ohms

Vitabon seems to be out of them right now but I got mine for only $350
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Vitabon-Solar__W0QQ_armrsZ1

A little less than $8/watt

Thanks for the link.
I got out bid on this 62W unit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400038495193&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

Please tell me more about your controller...

[teotwaki]

Thanks for the link.
I got out bid on this 62W unit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400038495193&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

Please tell me more about your controller...

I have some very simple controllers for this stuff because the portable panels are low amperage. They just have one LED that lights when they are charging. The fancy ones with the settable parameters and LCD readouts are neat but pricey.

[saburai]

I got one for $525:victory:
The seller has three left:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

[teotwaki]

I got one for $525:victory:
The seller has three left:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

The link is broken so we don't know what you got. I'm guessing a 62 watt foldable?

[saburai]

Contact them, they had three left


Title: GOLBAL SOLAR DESERT CAMO FOLDABLE SOLAR PANEL P3-62W
Item Number: 400039540163
Price: 525.00 USD (plus applicable taxes and shipping)
Site: eBay
Seller Email: ebay@cargolargo.com

[teotwaki]

I got one for $525:victory:
The seller has three left:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

Did you take delivery yet? Did it come with cables?

[saburai]

Did you take delivery yet? Did it come with cables?

Yep, got it. Looks to be quite stout, I've not had a chance to test it yet. I'll post when I do. No cables. Global solar sells a nice little charge controller and a cable kit.

Here:

http://store.altestore.com/Global-Solar/m30/Solar-Panels/Foldable-Solar-Panels/Accessories-for-Global-Solar-Products/Global-Solar-7-amp-Charge-controller/p559/

And here:

http://store.altestore.com/Global-Solar/m30/Solar-Panels/Foldable-Solar-Panels/Accessories-for-Global-Solar-Products/Global-Solar-Accessory-Kit/p558/

[teotwaki]

Yep, got it. Looks to be quite stout, I've not had a chance to test it yet. I'll post when I do. No cables. Global solar sells a nice little charge controller and a cable kit.

Here:

http://store.altestore.com/Global-Solar/m30/Solar-Panels/Foldable-Solar-Panels/Accessories-for-Global-Solar-Products/Global-Solar-7-amp-Charge-controller/p559/

And here:

http://store.altestore.com/Global-Solar/m30/Solar-Panels/Foldable-Solar-Panels/Accessories-for-Global-Solar-Products/Global-Solar-Accessory-Kit/p558/

Thanks! Post pictures! The cable connector is supposed to be a standard SAE trailer connector so building cables could be easy.