Mobi 400W Flexible Solar Panels From Ebay
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มิ.ย. 2023
- The price of solar panels can vary wildly, often prompting the question from those on a tight budget as to whether it is worth the crap-shoot of trying their luck with the likes of Ebay panels.
Luckily there is some basic math you can apply to situation to cut through the BS figures claimed by the manufacturers. In this video I take a look at the Mobi Outdoor MB-FLES-MN03 400W flexible solar panel in ideal solar generation conditions to show that while the actual output is no where near the manufacturer claimed output, it is very close to the expected output from a basic rule of thumb calculation.
Ultimate question being, whether or not these panels are complete trash. In my view they do represent outstanding value for money (at least initially) for my particular circumstance. That is as a supplementary power source only while staying off grid for more than a few days (so used maybe half a dozen times a year). If these were to be for a permanent installation used daily, I most likely would invest in name brand panels that had the testing data to back their claims. - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
![ไม่ต้องมีที่ที่ให้ฉันอยู่ แต่ขอแค่มีฉันอยู่ก็พอ (Spaceless) - getsunova [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4N8idbxZ-7M/mqdefault.jpg)
The potential output of a solar panel is determined by its efficiency and the amount of sunlight it receives. The size (area) of the panel is crucial, but the thickness (0.098 inches in this case) doesn't affect the power output (unless considering weight and structural factors). For simplicity, we'll only use the length and width to find the area.
First, let's determine the area of the panel:
Area =
61.81
inches
×
30.31
inches
61.81 inches×30.31 inches
Area ≈ 1872.25 square inches
Now, let's convert this to square meters to work with typical solar efficiency figures:
1 square meter = 1550 square inches (approximately)
Area in square meters (m^2) =
1872.25
square inches
÷
1550
1872.25 square inches÷1550
Area ≈ 1.208 m^2
Solar panel efficiencies vary, but as of my last update in 2021, monocrystalline solar panels typically have efficiencies between 15% to 22%. However, let's use an average efficiency of 20% for this calculation.
Assuming the solar panel receives 1000 watts of sunlight per square meter (a common benchmark for full sun), the output of the solar panel can be calculated as:
Output = Area in m^2 × Sunlight intensity (W/m^2) × Efficiency
Output = 1.208 m^2 × 1000 W/m^2 × 0.20 (or 20%)
Output ≈ 241.6 Watts
So, a monocrystalline solar panel of size 61.81 inches x 30.31 inches with an average efficiency of 20% would output approximately 241.6 Watts under full sun. Not 400 Watts per panel.
Yep, spot on. Once you have some basic background like this it becomes a lot easier to spot the BS claims, which is basically 95% of what is sold on eBay. As long as you keep your expectations realistic (i.e ignore vendor claims) you can still find some decent value for light duty solar production.
congratulations on repeating what he said in the video
@dominic-ryan That comment was generated by chatgpt. I'm just throwing that out there.
I just bought a 400 watt solar panel from ebay was wondering am I duped an seeing your video I am so thrilled now - thank you for posting, making my car into a camper car :D
Glad I could help. It's unfortunate, but it does seem solar is a bit of a minefield. Not just the panels or charge controllers though, so many variables go into effective solar harvesting it can be really daunting.
Did you get one of those cheap 400watt with MPTT for like $50? Wondering if those work well enough or are WAY off. Saw some with flexible panels, etc.. but unclear if they put anything close to 1/2 their rated output or what.
@@b3owu1f these certainly weren't that cheap. The panels in this video were about $250AUD at full price, but I ended up paying closer to ⅔ of that. I would suspect that a 400W panel with an MPPT for $50 is too cheap. Check the specs on the MPPT. It'd need to be at minimum around the 30A mark to be able to handle a nominal 400W panel. Also ask what the PV input voltage max is as an MPPT is going to be 50v or higher on the input side.
I have one of the cheaper ones, so far I've only charged my cellphone with it but, it seemed pretty effective. I plan to connect it to an inverter an see how much it charges my solar battery on a sunny day, will let you know :D @@b3owu1f
Thanks for the review. It all comes down to watt per dollar and weight with flexible panels. Bang for buck these look good. Size is the other teller of output and these are some of the biggest online for a reasonable price. Might buy a couple as they were on my list. Cheers.
Yep, for the money I've been pretty impressed with these panels. Just had 5 days in a National Park and these panels supporting those on the roof of my van and I had 140Ah back in my batteries to full everyday by noon except one rainy day which took until 3:30pm.
Actually thinking I'm going to sell those ones and get the smaller 300W version. The 400W have worked a lot better than expected, so think I'll downgrade to the 300W options as they'll be smaller to handle and pack away.
So you were getting a serial connection solar panel output of ~51V & ~12A (5:43) measured via the MPPT controller, but you were measuring ~41Amps (6:39) via the watt meter coming into the battery.......so I'm assuming this is the MPPT controller doing a conversation of ~600W of energy to align with the 12V battery?? Thanks for the video - I'm looking at getting one of these Mobi 400W solar panels
That's right. MPPT controllers will down convert to the required voltage which in turn jacks the amperage. Most MPPTs will operate at peak efficiency at 20v or more above the battery nominal voltage.
Welcome from India ...Nice to see such beautiful panel. Is it made from crystallune silicon or CIGS thin film.
Thanks for exploring the ideas ...
Not sure. The product description only mentions PET film.
They are not CIGS, otherwise the surface area would be huge since CIGS is less efficient. They probably have PERC too @@dominic-ryan
👍
You ever try the Dokio 300 watt portable panel they put out mor than 200 watts for sure. Price is great.
I have not. They look interesting, similar design and price (at least where I am) to the Alvolta 440W panels I mentioned in the video. Definitely the way to go if you are wanting a lightweight suitcase style of portable panel I think.
I've had the Dokio 200w foldable panel for almost 2 years and other than the red color fading from the vinyl lining, it's been great. I reliably get about 130 watts from it, and usually have it connected to a 16' extension line. Pretty rugged, and the price was pretty good too.
@@douglasgoldstein8990 I like my 300watt panel
@grumpygrandpapatriotshow8118 yeah, like Tim says, "More power!"...it's always a good thing. :-)
what price? cheapest I found was $860 on amazon which is pricey when the mobi is $250
👍💐
Ok so your running 3 x Mobi in series -if you divide by 3 one was putting out about 16A correct? Their claims are way over the top and i divide by 2 lol.
I got an exotronic 200w glass folder that picks up solar energy from behind too weighs 11kg which isns bad ut also have a fake 380w panel 1.2m x 730mm thats 6kg packs against drivers side rear wall - if it can produce 8 to 10A in winter with exotronic through separate mppt im happy as the 310w on. Roof is flat and only perfect in Simmer but Victron mppt history said it had a peak of 315w in January recently - is a Sunman eArc flex permanent panel with corflute strips & 3M tape.
What do Mobi weigh?
Yep, that is partly the MPPT too as the combined voltage of those panels coming in will be up around 60v giving the MPPT a lot to work with for the output. These are super light panels at around 3.3kg each. Once I build my PVC mounting frame for them they'll probably be around 4.5kg.
how many watts did you get from the panel ? Ty
180W for the single panel (have seen just over 200W since) and peak of 650W with the three of them in series.
I’m very interested. My van is only 1400mm. Can these overlap a bit on the sides? What’s the real life width?
Terribly sorry, did not see a notification for your comment. The dimensions are accurate, just the claimed output that have a touch of fiction about it 😂.
My advice would be to take a look at their 300W version which is the same width, but only 1170mm long. Should be a good fit to allow for cable management with the 1400mm you've got to work with.
I actually purchased 4 of their 300W flexi panels to make a couple of solar suitcases. Their performance per area is very much in line with the 400W version. Will need to make a video on them one of these days.
@@dominic-ryan Are they still available for purchase elsewhere? I can't find them on eBay anymore.
@@story1234 should still be there. These are the panels and seller I used.
www.ebay.com.au/itm/225416401677
I did not pay anything near the $199 asking price in that listing. With eBay coupon + partial refund from seller (as they are claiming 300w when these panels are half that) I ended up paying under $100 per panel.
Hi,so how many watts are they in your opinion...cheers
I'd class these panels as a good 200w panel or perhaps 250w at a stretch. If you're looking for panels for light use that provide high output at low cost per watt, then I think these are worth a look. If you are wanting something that'll be in full sun all day, every day then perhaps a known brand would be better.
I'd class these panels as a good 200w panel or perhaps 250w at a stretch. If you're looking for panels for light use that provide high output at low cost per watt, then I think these are worth a look. If you are wanting something that'll be in full sun all day, every day then perhaps a known brand would be better.
I'd class these panels as a good 200w panel or perhaps 250w at a stretch. If you're looking for panels for light use that provide high output at low cost per watt, then I think these are worth a look. If you are wanting something that'll be in full sun all day, every day then perhaps a known brand would be better.
Reliability is always the question . After measuring the solar strength the panels will produce more power correct ? As u had far above industry standard so could u not then assume in weak solar conditions output would be reduced correct ?
The chinese are right for the sticker at least poorly executed
My 12v mppt 390w system produces 28amps EPever Tracer controller sharp/kyocera glass panels
Reliability certainly is a major factor, and something that only time and usage will tell. I'll certainly be looking to loop back to this in 12 months time. For now though they have passed the first hurdle; they produce enough power for what I'll need.
Advantage of putting 3 panels in series is the voltages are combined. This means even on cloudy days the PV input will generally be sufficient for the MPPT to put atleast some charge back into the batteries. Might be a good idea to follow this video up with a winter performance overview though.
each panel is only putting out about 200 watts ? wow..50% output..horrible.
Horrible from an advertised vs real world? Absolutely. Horrible from a price per watt? Not at all. Using the tried and tested surface area X expected cell efficiency equation turned out pretty accurate. In fact the manufacturer is making such overated claims of production works in my favour where I am due to consumer protection laws. Because of this I was able to obtain a partial refund which took these panels too watt under the $1 per watt ratio. Durability is the only thing that remains to be seen.
how did you work the refund with the supplier? and where did you purchase?
@@TommyGunOZ I purchased these via eBay. I had a solar meter as per the video and recorded the conditions (exceeding STC) and the output I was getting from the panels. I then contacted the seller and politely negotiated a refund from there. They were honestly very easy to deal with.
was this from mobi outdoor? also can i ask where you got the mppt from also and if you would get a diff one? cheers
@@TommyGunOZ yep, it was Mobi Outdoor. I just spent 5 days off grid using these panels to replenish my 2 x 100Ah lifepo4 batteries and they absolutely smashed it. Coming from 40% SOC on my batteries, I was full by noon everyday (except one cloudy day which took until 4pm) despite using high draw appliances like air fryers, electric kettle and toaster. Think I'll actually look at buying a bunch of their 300W panels which will be a bit easier to manage and store in the tub of my ute.
My MPPT is a Epever Tracer 4210AN which I picked up used for about $80 on Gumtree. For the price they perform exceptionally well with 40A being about the sweet spot on price and size. I certainly wouldn't want to go less with my 3 panel configuration. Other good cheap option is the SNRE. The Kickass, Renogy Rover and I think Enerdrive EN series units are just rebadged versions of these. I got a 40A Kickass MPPT for the van when they launched for $99, I've not seen them that low again since. Renogy is probably a good option here if you can get them on a 20% off eBay sale. Would have loved one of the Victron options, beyond my means however.
MPPT with multiple panels is definitely worth it (PWM for single is fine) and an aspect you really want to be choosey with. A crap MPPT can totally cook your batteries, so definitely worth the time to make your purchase.
very difficult to tell from this video what the panels are actually producing.
How so? At 4:40 the meter shows 180Wp from the single panel test, and at 6:15 the meter shows 651Wp from the 3 panel in series test. This is only showing peak outputs obviously, but that was the point of the video.
its actually very clear
Well... you do do your homework by measuring things.
The 3rd panel had some shade on the corner. Also the Optimum temperature should be 25C when they tested for 400W. I wonder how it performed since testing this because i don't think it was that bad for a bendable which is not very efficient anyway
Yeah, they've done really well. Actually have a video I've been meaning to put together of using them for 5 days camping off grid. They performed really well for the money spent.
I find the STC to be not very relevant to real world usage. Panels are not going to stay at 25C for very at all in places that are well suited to producing solar energy through the day at 1000W/m² or higher.
Since making this video I've also bought myself 4 x 300W Mobi panels to rig up into a couple of solar suitcases. They work a treat.