# is this a decent solar panel?



## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

http://www.amazon.com/Instapark®-130W-Mono-crystalline-Solar-Panel/dp/B004OZJ5IA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_3

New to solar. Struggling to learn and get set up. 

Is this a decent panel that could run a 12-volt system?


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## steadfree (Mar 10, 2010)

I will have a similar question...I am looking at InstaPak 30w panel to charge a single deep cycle battery. I will be using this battery with a 1100w inverter to power up my submersible well pump and power my ejector pump for my septic. I am keeping my system small and portable.


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

A 30w panel won't do much in the way of charging....barely keep up with the self discharge of a battery.

As to the original question, the panel is probably ok, but at $2.91/w, sort of high on price.

Go here for better prices:

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/solar_panels.htm


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

skidds327 said:


> I will have a similar question...I am looking at InstaPak 30w panel to charge a single deep cycle battery. I will be using this battery with a 1100w inverter to power up my submersible well pump and power my ejector pump for my septic. I am keeping my system small and portable.


Only way to be sure is to get the specs on the pumps, but I sincerely doubt that a single battery, small inverter and 30 watt panel will come close to doing what you need.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

City Bound said:


> http://www.amazon.com/Instapark®-130W-Mono-crystalline-Solar-Panel/dp/B004OZJ5IA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_3
> 
> New to solar. Struggling to learn and get set up.
> 
> Is this a decent panel that could run a 12-volt system?


Depends on how much power you need but I've never delt with that brand name. Better prices can be had elsewhere. Divide the cost by the panel wattage rating to get the cost per watt for comparision.

$380 / 130 = $2.92 per watt

http://www.sunelec.com/ is usually one of the cheaper places but watch the panel voltage unless you use a MPPT controller


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Cyngbaeld said:


> Only way to be sure is to get the specs on the pumps, but I sincerely doubt that a single battery, small inverter and 30 watt panel will come close to doing what you need.


Well, it would........ but only for a few minutes... before the battery was overwhelmed (unless you've got a huge industrial sized battery).

The DC deep well pumps I've seen require a lot more power than a 30 watt panel would provide... I'd think 300watt might get your work done, intermittently.

When we had elk camp in Colorado, we'd carry a deep cycle battery, a 12vdc low flow shurflo pump, and pump water out of a creek. Very very slow...


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

wolf at this point all I want to do is run a few table lamps, and charge my laptop and cell phone.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

its a checking account, watt hours in minus bank fees (efficiency losses) = watt hours out.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

City Bound said:


> wolf at this point all I want to do is run a few table lamps, and charge my laptop and cell phone.


What wattage and voltage on the lamps? How many hours per day are they used? (worst case)

Wha's the size of the battery in your laptop? Hour long does it last and how many hours per day do you use he laptop?

cell phone will almost be incidentale

WWW


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## nadja (May 22, 2011)

Should you decide to buy this unit, do NOT even attempt to place it on your deep well pump. The start up draw would most likely over amp your small inverter and could result in burning out your pump. Lots of money to have it pulled and replaced.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

wolf I would have to dig all that info up.

I have a 14 watt 120v 60 Hz cfl bulb in my table lamp. I think my laptop battery says it is 19 volt.

Basicly, I would run two table lights, that would light my apartment. The computer i can cut down on using if I have to.

My long term goal is to use solar for lights, the computer, and the phone, use manual appliances in the kitchen, and then use a gas generator in a shop to run power tools. That seems simple and cheap enough to me.That is my long term off-grid goals.


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## NW Rancher (Mar 8, 2008)

CB, you'll be better off switching the lights to DC. Run some LED bulbs in 12vdc fixtures and you could certainly achieve your goal with that panel. Your laptop charger is probably in the neighborhood of 90 watts, and I'm guessing takes a couple hours to charge from a low state. With a good deep cycle battery, you should be able to sustain the use of the computer, a couple LED lights, and cell phone, I would think. A lot of it will depend on how much sunlight is available in your location, but I think you've got a good chance of getting by with just that panel, a charge controller, and a reasonably large battery. Don't bother with an inverter, for your needs I'd stay DC, and get a DC charger for the laptop.


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

for that light and laptop application http://www.jr.com/athenatech/pe/AT6_MIC40W/


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

Rancher, so I could run my regular lightbulbs in a 12-v light fixture, or would I have to buy 12-v bulbs?


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## NW Rancher (Mar 8, 2008)

No CB, you couldn't run your 120vac CFL's off of 12vdc without an inverter.

Depending on your light fixture, and your comfort with wiring, you CAN put 12vdc bulbs in most fixtures. If you are not too comfortable with that stuff, you can buy all sorts of off the shelf fixture/bulb combos for 12vdc.

Here's a link to some 12vdc CFL's, LED's, and a fixture or two.

http://store.sundancesolar.com/12vdcledreli.html

That's just a starting point, there are all kinds of fixtures and bulbs out there for 12vdc.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

thanks ranch


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## manawar (Nov 1, 2011)

Another good place to look for 12v stuff is RV and boat shops.


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## sevenmmm (Mar 1, 2011)

skidds327 said:


> I will have a similar question...I am looking at InstaPak 30w panel to charge a single deep cycle battery. I will be using this battery with a 1100w inverter to power up my submersible well pump and power my ejector pump for my septic. I am keeping my system small and portable.


How many watts does your pump need to operate per hour? How many times will it be used during the course of 24 hours? Do you have the ability to use the pump less during cloudy conditions? 

How much loss does your battery suffer per hour? How much energy will the charge controller use (not much, just highlighting you will need one)? 

Now you can determine how big of a solar panel you will want. One bit of advice, install more batteries and a larger collector(s) than you need. It will store more during sunny periods that might get you through the cloudy periods...

Yeah, that particular deal is at the upper end of pricing. Look at the $ per watt column:

http://www.altestore.com/store/Solar-Panels/c541/page/1/sort/5a/


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