Do Flexible Solar Panels Deteriorate?

McLee · 09-03-2021, 04:09 PM

I read somewhere that they do after several years, maybe 5 or so. Is that ture?

DavidM · 09-03-2021, 04:26 PM

Older ones, like 12 years ago, definitely deteriorate actual wattage over time. Some dozen years ago I bought three popular flexible panels and mounted them on my boat and used them for a couple of years. Sold the boat and used them as portable panels on my RV. Worked ok. Then they sat in the garage for several years until I pulled them out and tested them. They were putting out about 50% of rated output after five years.

So, don't know if that applies to current flexible panels, but these older ones definitely deteriorated.

David

BobC · 09-03-2021, 09:06 PM

I don’t have first hand experience but I’ve read the heat buildup from being mounted to a solid surface takes its toll over time so the don’t have as long a useful life as rigid panels.

AJMike · 09-04-2021, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobC

I don’t have first hand experience but I’ve read the heat buildup from being mounted to a solid surface takes its toll over time so the don’t have as long a useful life as rigid panels.

And I assume that is why they do not carry as long a warranty as the rigid panels. The flexible panels I have seen carried a 5 year warranty while the rigid panels carry usually carry a 10 year warranty. There is also the issue that they may damage the underlying roof material due to the heat that builds up when they are in use.

Having said all of that the flexible panels we had on our Winnebago Fuse (SunPower 100 watt panels) worked very well and delivered a lot of power. In fact each of the 3 flexible panels delivered more than the one additional rigid panel we added, although not by very much.

1237dmctlc · 09-04-2021, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobC

I don’t have first hand experience but I’ve read the heat buildup from being mounted to a solid surface takes its toll over time so the don’t have as long a useful life as rigid panels.

Exactly being mounted to a surface with no means to dissipate the heat is the quickest way to failure. Then you'll have these useless panels sitting on the roof. Best approach is to mount then on a rack and best if the angle or tilt can be adjusted. But first its important to determine if you really need them. If you only want them to top off you batteries but majority of the time you'll be camping where shore power is available then IMHO its wasting money. If you have FLA batteries again JMO but not the best fit for solar. AGM better, Lithium best. If you decide to move forward then you'll need to determine what your peak usage is going be and factor in days with minimal sunshine. These are just a few things to keep in mind before you decide to move forward, IMHO. THXS

Wyatt · 09-04-2021, 09:25 PM

Excellent answer BTW��

Marine359 · 09-05-2021, 08:19 AM

Yesterday, we returned from a 3 week trip touring coastal Maine and Cape Cod. During the trip we didn’t have even one opportunity to use our portable solar. The weather was generally overcast or raining, and while boondocking in State and NPs there was always too much canopy. I was planning to add rooftop solar, but now I’m not sure it’s worth the investment. Short generator runs to recharge LiFePo4 has worked just fine. At other times when we moochdocked with friends, or had to camp with hookups for a day, we charged to 100%, which gives us 2 more days of boondocking with no generator runs. Maybe this is an east coast thing, but solar just hasn’t panned out for us.

1237dmctlc · 09-05-2021, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine359

Yesterday, we returned from a 3 week trip touring coastal Maine and Cape Cod. During the trip we didn’t have even one opportunity to use our portable solar. The weather was generally overcast or raining, and while boondocking in State and NPs there was always too much canopy. I was planning to add rooftop solar, but now I’m not sure it’s worth the investment. Short generator runs to recharge LiFePo4 has worked just fine. At other times when we moochdocked with friends, or had to camp with hookups for a day, we charged to 100%, which gives us 2 more days of boondocking with no generator runs. Maybe this is an east coast thing, but solar just hasn’t panned out for us.

Exactly what I was talking about... ironically we just returned from a 2 plus month back to NE (Mass being out home state) and it rained or had overcast at least 70% or more the entire 2 plus month we were up there. Though we don't have solar nor were we boondocking it was frustrating. Friends told us it was the rainiest July on Record and I believe it. Traveled all over NH, Maine and Mass. and it was relentless so can't imagine boondocking in it. That said you'd be using the generator a lot.

Marine359 · 09-05-2021, 08:36 AM

Yup
NP allowed gen run times are only 2hrs in the morning, but we only needed 30-45 minutes to top off to 100% SOC each morning.

BobC · 09-05-2021, 09:19 AM

You're correct, things are completely different out here in the west, except for trees, and our current smokey days.

DavidM · 09-05-2021, 11:43 AM

I live in Connecticut and camp in NY, Mass and Vermont state and USFS parks. Yes it has been a wet and overcast summer here in the NE. But even in a normal summer there isn't much sun where we camp as we always look for shaded campsites.

In full sun (at our open storage yard) our 100 watt panel will put out as much as 6 amps. I have never seen over 2 amps where we camp and rarely that much.

So for us solar is for keeping the batteries charged up while in storage, not for charging while camping.

David

BobC · 09-05-2021, 01:00 PM

I've had roof-mounted, rigid panels for years and, although they've performed well for me, I've come to the conclusion that the best option is a combination of roof mounted and portable panels. Currently I have a second 100W panel I was going to add to the one on the van I'm converting but I've decided to make it into a portable I can switch between my van and my MH.

Elkman · 09-07-2021, 03:32 PM

The solid panels are designed to provide power with the sun not at perpendicular to the surface and so tilting is not needed or advantageous in most circumstances. Optimum angle is roughly the same as the degrees latitude where the panel is in use but the gain is trivial for RV use. More important is keeping the surface clean.

With both my campers I went with roof mounted solid panels. Once installed I could forget about them and there was no loss of storage space as I never wanted to go up on the roof to store anything. The panels are charging when the RV is parked anywhere and they are charging the batteries as I drive down the highway.

Portable panels make sense for car or tent campers where this is the only option if one does not want to haul around a portable generator and fuel cans.

MattPraz · 09-08-2021, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLee

I read somewhere that they do after several years, maybe 5 or so. Is that ture?

Many people have had the flex panel replaced under warranty with rigid because they failed early(through the manufacturer, not Winnebago), and others like myself remove them as they cause crazing to the fiberglass roof under the panels. The fact that Winnebago does use the flex panels any longer, speaks volumes. personally I was disappointed in their lack of output vs. the ratings.
Currently I have 600 watts on the roof and 200 ground mount. I also upgraded the POS Zamp controller to a Victron MPPT. Now my Refrigerator runs all the time and I don't plug in between trips

Matt Praz
20 Navion D
2016 Crosstrek Toad

Fanrgs · 09-08-2021, 08:35 PM

I haven't had flexible panels long enough to answer the OP's question. But, I have had rigid panels on my old RV. Here in the Southwest, where we have 300 days of sunshine a year, solar panels make perfect sense and are indispensable when boondocking, dispersed camping, dry camping, or "Quartzite-ing." Who wants to wait around the RV while the generator recharges the batteries when you could be fishing, kayaking, hiking, biking, birding, mineral collecting, geocaching, exploring ghost towns, four-wheeling on a one-lane "jeep" road, or a dozen other activities that are the reason you are camping in that scenic location? And that's especially true with a newer RV with a 12v compressor refrigerator!

slabman · 09-08-2021, 09:07 PM

I just replaced one of my flex panels that blew off the roof! Cost was $1150! Original cost for 4 panels of 100W each was $5,000. Can I say they are worth it?...NO WAY! But...if you like to boondock a lot, you will like them, otherwise-forget it. They only peak charge a few hours at mid-day, then taper off. And I am typically driving at that time, charging with the alternator. When I stop for the night the sun seems to disappear

, leaving me with only my generator. About the only value I've found is my batts stay charged while parked at the shop with no shore power hooked up...I don't have to worry about 'em during those times. But then if I didn't have them, there would be less time parked at the dealer.