Solar  PV Panels

If you do not see the solar panels you need, please call  we would be glad to fill your needs from our large array of inventory and suppliers. Our technical staff is available daily to answer any questions you might have.

Solar panels provide a silent dependable way to supply electricity anywhere, particularly in places where utility power is not available.   Whether its a mountaintop cabin, a cruising sailboat, a roving RV, or the family home, there is a solar electric system to meet your needs.

Solar power allows you to live on beautiful rural land without foregoing all the conveniences of the city, and without expensive utility line extensions or noisy generators.   Thousands of photovoltaic powered homes exist throughout the country.

Sailboat cruising time can be extended with a few solar modules, since precious fuel does not need to be used for charging batteries to power the bilge pump, communications equipment, lights, or refrigerator.   Dockside, solar panels keeps the batteries alive and the bilge pump running without power hookups.

Recreational vehicles can park anywhere with full use of lights and appliances without being disturbed by the sound or smell of a generator.   Even if your RV spends a few weeks between trips in a storage lot, solar panels will keep the battery charged and ready to go when you are ready to go.

How do they work?   To be brief, energy from the sun's light strikes the solar panels crystals knocking some electrons loose and creating electricity.   Each solar cell in a panel creates a potential of about .45 volts.   To create a voltage sufficient to charge a 12 volt battery, 34 to 36 cells are connected in series to produce 15 to 17 volts.   The amount of current a panel is capable of producing is proportional to the area of each cell.   Larger cells produce more electricity: 6" cells = 7.1 amps, 5" cells = 5 amps, 4" cells = 3.1 amps.

How much output can I expect from a solar panel?   We use a basic design rule that a solar panel will contribute about 30% to 35% of its wattage in amp-hours each day if the panel is directed toward the sun.   This means that an 80 watt solar panel can be expected to produce approximately 24 to 28 amp-hours per day when aimed at the sun.

What type panel is best?   There are three main types of solar panels: Monocrystalline, Polycrystalline (Kyocera), and Thin Film or amorphous (Global).   Monocrystalline panels have uniform dark gray cells and have the highest output per cell area and tend to be the most expensive.   Polycrystalline cells look somewhat like shattered glass and tend to be less expensive and only slightly less efficient per cell area.   These cells are usually square and result in a slightly smaller solar panel than solar panels constructed using the more efficient monocrystalline which tend to be rounder.   Monocrystalline and polycrysalline solar panels are rigid and have a glass cover.   Thin Film type panels are made by depositing the active silicon on either a stainless plate or a flexible backing.   Thin film type panels are about half as efficient per cell area but are considered unbreakable and shadow protected.

Do solar panels require regulation?   As a general rule, very small solar panels that put out 5 watts or less can get by without a regulator but a regulator should be used on all solar panels.   The self-regulating panels produce less voltage and theoretically will not overcharge your batteries.   We would rather use higher voltage solar panels and use a regulator which is quite inexpensive to buy and it can save your batteries.