Looking for recommendations for source and/or brand of semil-flexible solar panels

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Good day all:

As the title suggests, I'm looking for semi-flexible solar panels, and if any of you have done any research on this, you already know that the market is flooded with a lot of bad Chinese (and some good Chinese) brands. Even the reputable name brands in my research have not done well in actual tests, i.e. in full sun they didn't put out what they advertised- when others in the same test did. In fact, one test had a name brand side-by-side with a cheap Chinese brand, and the cheap one did better!

Yes, I know that they degrade over time, and that there are a lot of variables, and that is why I'm reaching out to you guys- I'm looking for actual experience. What brand, and where did you get it? I am ideally looking for something around 80W that will fit a roughly 2'x3' footprint. I am only looking for semi-flexible or flexible panels that can bend just a little to match the curve of a cabin roof.

So- anyone have actual experience with any solar panels and want to make a recommendation? Thank you in advance for your feedback.

-Malcolm

[MN Dave]

Thread: Solar Array Ideas?

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Thread: Solar Array Ideas?

Ah, thank you. I actually did a search before posting but I guess I didn't use the right words.

[Favorite]

... you already know that the market is flooded with a lot of bad Chinese (and some good Chinese) brands.

They are all Chinese. The US couldn't even make a roll of toilet paper anymore.

Find the one you like and search for it on Taobao. Buy direct and save the 300% markup and worthless warranty that our upscale wantrapreneurs add on.

[MN Dave]

They are all Chinese. The US couldn't even make a roll of toilet paper anymore.

Find the one you like and search for it on Taobao. Buy direct and save the 300% markup and worthless warranty that our upscale wantrapreneurs add on.

More than seven billion rolls of toilet paper are sold yearly in the United States. As of 2009, between 22% and 48% of the toilet paper used in the United States comes from tree farms in the U.S. and South America, with most of the rest coming from second growth forests, and only a small percentage coming from virgin forests. Anyone who thinks the US can't wipe out...

The good marine panels are made in Germany . As for US solar cell production, we could wax poetic about China, Solyndra, Tarriffs, international trade, politicians, or we could just focus on which ones are currently available and where to find them.

[Favorite]

The good marine panels are made in Germany .

They can't even make a website that works ... html is pretty simple but noooo, they have to make it cute. And non-functional. Not my kinda manufacturer.

Also interesting that various sites say various things about this product. Some say "Made in Germany" others say "Designed and Tested in Germany." Usually that is an indication to me that they are hiding something ...

we could wax poetic about China, Solyndra, Tarriffs, international trade, politicians, or we could just focus on which ones are currently available and where to find them.

That's what I did. Go to Taobao. Buy direct and save the overhead of marketing buffoons and leeches.

[MN Dave]

They can't even make a website that works ... html is pretty simple but noooo, they have to make it cute. And non-functional. Not my kinda manufacturer.

Could be your browser. same url different result
solara.JPG

[Favorite]

Could be your browser. same url different result

Could be but isn't. People who know how to write code know that websites need to degrade gracefully to support ALL browsers, not just their favorite wack-of-the-week. If these nitwits can't even create a functional website, there's no way I would trust them to create and support anything I have to pay for.

I'm sick to death of garbage websites and the garbage people who create them. There is no excuse.

If it's all junk, may as well just buy the cheapest and throw it away when it breaks.

[Stiletto]

The outcome of this review was an eye opener!