Thread: Aldi 40W Solar panel Kit

I know that there is a premium for roll up panels but $179 for 40w is a bit over the top - 40w even on a good day is not going to put much oomph back into a typical battery. Better off paying $250 for a 120-160w system

Re the 17v-18v question - panels produce 17-18v and need a reducer/controller to produce the more useful 12-14v needed to charge a battery. Under no load the controller may also show 17-18v but this is the lower voltage when under load.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

I know that there is a premium for roll up panels but $179 for 40w is a bit over the top - 40w even on a good day is not going to put much oomph back into a typical battery. Better off paying $250 for a 120-160w system

Re the 17v-18v question - panels produce 17-18v and need a reducer/controller to produce the more useful 12-14v needed to charge a battery. Under no load the controller may also show 17-18v but this is the lower voltage when under load.

Garry

So do I do as the manual says and use the 18V DC output from the controller to my 12V battery? Or do I use the 12VDC output? What are the 2 different output sockets for? I don't really need much oomph. I can camp for 3 days just on batteries.

I hooked it up to an old battery and on 18V output I was seeing 14.95 V across my 12 V battery terminals when the sun was most intense. Seems too much. I understand what the controller is for/does - just need some clarification regarding it's output sockets.

Well I do not know what it comes with the Aldi system - but most 12v solar systems come with the panels and a controller for 12v batteries.

So connect the controller to the battery and either plug in the controller to the panels or expose the panels to the sun.

I would be following what the instructions say. If you were getting about 14.9v in full sun then I would say it is basically working as it should.

Garry

OK thanks. I'll find out tomorrow anyhow. If you have any links to good quality (these are German Bosch panels - 4 X 10W) folding 40W kits that are as small, but cheaper, I'd be interested. I couldn't find anything as elegant for the money.

BTW - are these calculations reasonable? Because if these panels generate 14.1 Amp hour power/day I'm happy and that will supplement my battery power nicely.

40 Watt output for 5 hours (take 5 hours = 1 day) - 200W generated.
Given efficiency losses, lets say - 170W generated.

170 watt hours in a 12V battery - 14.1 Amp hours @ 12V (170w/12v)

People buy things for different reasons and if 40w of panels will suit your needs that is great - as I said, for the fold up (roll up) panels the Aldi price is pretty good.

It comes down on what you are going to use them for.

Cheers

Garry

Originally Posted by loanrangie

I looked at the solar panels but for that price i can buy a 120W folding panel , 40W might be good for trickle charging though.

True, it depends what you want it for - 120W folding panel doesn't tuck away in a small space like this either.

This gives me something small and tidy with the capacity for trickle charging or charging/ running laptop/ various USB devices and I haven't seen anything similar for under $300.

If it turns out to be crap... it always has Aldi's warranty.

I don't have a need for a larger capacity folding system.

Originally Posted by sheerluck

Roughly how big is it when packed away, Dan? The Aldi site lists the extended size but not packed up.

26cm wide x 39cm long x 4cm for the panel bag followed up. It then has the controller and cables sit in a pocket on the front, so at the thickest point
it's about 75mm thick.

Originally Posted by The ho har's

Let us know how it fairs?
Mrs hh

Had a very quick play with it yesterday afternoon.. laid it out across the top of my camper trailer on a very dull clouding Melbourne afternoon.

My multimeter told me it was putting out around 20 V (no load.)

I'm half way through installing a Traxide Dual battery set-up in the D4, so wasn't game to connect it to that just yet....(Might do a test run on the battery of the old Holden Astra my kids share next weekend.)

I connected my tablet to the USB port and it was happily charging