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Any one here have any experience with solar panels? We are looking at fitting an 80w panel to the roof of our van to run 2 x 70 ah batteries. Feedback on them (any size) before we go and spend the bucks would be good.

Go and see Springers at Strathpine.
http://www.springers.com.au
The specialize in solar equipment.
I myself have bought fair bit of low voltage equipment off them...

I know it's a bit of a drive, but ring Mike at Amphour (Beenleigh area)http://www.amphour.net , Tell him Chris Leyland sent you and that you are involved with this forum and he may work out a deal for anyone on the forum. He is a also a Waeco agent and has access to some really good low power 12 v lighting.

Hopefully, he could make it really worthwhile.

Chris

80w panel

so probably means your looking at polycrystaline silicon cells. whichever you get would probably depend on where you get the best deal.

Pay attention to mounting them,vibration will eventually kill them. I'v mounted it by tying it down onto foam and rubber, no solid fixture at all, so survived 1000s kms of corrugations , its still in near new condition. Thats a Solarex 60W.
Other thing, beware of hail, they are usually specified to survive hail at a 45deg angle not flat! I kept a think blanket handy to throw over it, lucky I did too.
A charge controller is essential too.

These are the specs of the one I am thinking about.

http://www.suntechaustralia.com.au/prod ... =STA080-12

Output 80 watt
Size (mm) 1195x541x30
Weight (Kg) 8
Pmax (W) 80
Vmp (V) 17.2
Imp (A) 4.65
Voc (V) 21.6
Isc (A) 5