BougeRV CIGS Thin-Film Solar Panels. They are new, but are they better than old flexible panels?
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- čas přidán 26. 08. 2022
- I have not been a fan of flexible panels in the past and have opted to go with ridged panels. The old flexible panels that were all the rage a few years ago have mostly died or on their way out. But technology changes as does time. The good people at BougeRV asked me to try their new CIGS Thin-Film solar panel. They are said to be much better made and can even be rolled into a 360-degree ark. They are supposed to have better low light performance and the build quality looks to me to be much much better.
If you are interested in the new better tech, then follow the link below and use the special secret code for an additional %14 off. (And they just told me they have panels available without adhesive that have ringed eyelets instead.)
www.bougerv.com/
www.bougerv.com/products/100w-...
Secret discount code: Tim14
We are planning a 6000 mile trip doing the Great Loop on a 17 foot sailboat that is full electric auxiliary propulsion (eProp Navy 6kw motor) and have a 10kWh battery bank that will need remote recharging at certain points where we can't find a marina with shore power. Because it is a very small sailboat, there is not much room for permanent glass solar panel mounting which means if we want solar, it probably has to be easy to stow and somewhat flexible.
My idea is to fashion a boom tent out of Sunbrella and fairly rigid fiberglass poles (to act as battens) and have this sprung down to the gunnels. For our boom, it would be about a 7 foot by 8 foot surface, which looks like it would be just enough for three of the 200 watt Yuma panels. I would wire these in series, feeding into a Victron 150V MPPT charger that would then charge our 48V LiFePO4 bank.
My big concern is the durability of the BougeRV CIGS panels. Yes I know they have been shot with a gun and still work, but I have also seen freshly shipped panels which the protective outer layer is already peeling off. That smacks of poor quality control or something, which is concerning when you think of spending $1400 for three of these. Could they hold up to 6000 miles (over about a 2 year span)? We would store them when not in use.
Thank you for watching and welcome to the channel Richard. I have wanted to say something bad about the BougeRV flexible panel I have. (I have never seen a thin film flexible panel last and not delam). But it's been over two years, always out. Always exposed to the sun and sea. The dyneema holding it down to the dodger has faded, but the panel looks brand new and continues to our preform (watt for watt) my other Ridgid panels. I hate to say it, but the BougeRV panel has been great and greatly surpassed my expectations. CUOTO
Yeah, BougeRV CIGS seem the way to go!
Thank you for watching. I have been pleasantly surprised with how they have held up. CUOTO
I think that could possibly be a popular anchorage. I would love to visit it one day. It's in the plan . Your videos on both channels are enjoyable Captain.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching Thomas. I really appreciate it. Falmouth is wonderful and the people are great! CUOTO
Nice technology! Thanks for the demo, you make it sound easy... just a little sweat is good.
😂😂😂 Thank you very much for watching Steve. CUOTO
Welcome home. We were up in Friendship yesterday. Not too far from your home. Good luck with the solar panel.
Thank you for watching Walter. Yes. We were just at Monhegan last night. I love it up here. CUOTO
I loved the intro to this video (now watching)
Thank you very much. I'm trying to out more thought into this channel. I just shot a ton of drone footage for future videos. Stay tuned. CUOTO
👍☑ You piloting skills are getting better and your an old hand at solar stuff! Tim, try to film with the drone before 9AM or after 4PM or buy a ND16 filter for a few bucks. It's amazing the difference it makes in the colors of the video. Tks for this interesting video.
Thank you for watching. Funny you should say that. I have a polarizing filter I snapped on already that may be an ND16. CUOTO
@@svpaquita polarizing and ND filters are different. The first shot of this video was totaly overexposed and an ND 16 would totaly change that. I learned the hard way by blowing some important shots without a filter.
Looks like a great addition Tim. The 200W panel might just fit from the angle you showed us. Soon Paquita's auto helm will want to follow the sun! CUOTO
Thank you very much for watching and supporting the channels Norm. I know I sure want to follow the sun! 😎 CUOTO
interesting video thank you tim
Thank you for watching James. CUOTO
your welcome tim
Thanks for the review. Just recently purchased a single panel just to charge my phone and testing out solar. I’ll be interested in how uv light acts on your panel over time.
Thank you for watching John. CUOTO
Utah Jeff …. Here ….I have been looking into these solar panels too. As an avid senior camper I have to watch weight and being able to put everything in my Subaru …. Just a suggestion I may try using Velcro to attach these panels to the top
Thank you for watching Jeff. You may find in more recent videos that BougeRV sent me a new panel with eyelets that work wonderfully. CUOTO
always good stuff thanks, like the shirt , love solar just confuses me a little CUOTO
Thank you very much for watching Lester. CUOTO
I watched this two times. Very interesting. I am contemplating adding two 100W CIGS panel to my dodger/sprayhood. Would you recommend the adhesive ones or the other maybe with some magnets on? It would be nice with an update on what you think about them now that you had about a year of experience with them. Thanks. Stay blessed. Subscribed from Norway.
Thank you for watching Frank. So that is kind of two questions. As far as flexible thin film panels, I have been extremely impressed with how the BougeRV have held up. They continue to sit on my dodger in full sun year after year and have not delaminated or shown any signs of aging. I had originally received the panel with the adhesive on the back but never used it. This one with the eyelets are great and has secured the panel with any issues for years now. CUOTO
Tim, Understand you have separate controllers but for the panels you have on a single controller do you wire in series or parallel ? Seems to be some debate which is best..Thanks anyway for all your content. CUOTO
Thank you for watching Mathew. Negative. One panel per controller. So neither series or parallel. CUOTO
Hi Tim. Getting ready to pull the trigger on some panels. Typically flex Panels have issues with heat dispersion which degrades efficiency and the panel eventually. Any observations along those lines ?
Thanks, Brian
S/V Bearfeet IP420
Ps love the videos ! Looking forward to your series.
Hi Brian. Welcome to the channel! So glad you are here. As previously stated, I have not been a fan of any flexible panels, but these are changing my mind. I haven't found them to loose more efficiency than Ridgid panels when hot so far. I hope to get the time soon to do an indepth video on them soon. CUOTO
Have you had any delamination issues with the BougeRV CIGS panels? I'm wanting to move ahead with a full setup of the 100w ones, but the horror stories about the Rich Solar 80w CIGS panels has scared me a bit (they were all suffering major delamination issues in just a few months and were basically worthless after only a year). The BougeRV panels look like they're from a completely different manufacturer, so I'm hoping they don't have the same sort of issues. However, before I drop a couple grand, I'd like to hear how yours are holding up (especially since there was speculation that the delamination was caused by moisture).
The flexible silicon panels are completely off of my list as it seems like those have universally been pretty terrible durability-wise.
Hi Jessica. Thank you for watching. I too have never been a fan of flexible panels, but I can report that being our in full sun in the tropics now for awhile hasn't seemed to phase them at all. I am quite impressed. Infact, I'll be back on SVP next Thursday. If you email me at timbatsea@gmail.com with a reminder, I'll take a picture of the panel for you to see for yourself. CUOTO
Tim,
“Up to Maine”…???
“Down Maine”. Now that you are a salty sailing captain
of a mighty sailing ship remember, “Down East”.
Best regards, Joe
Thank you for watching Joe. You do know why it's called Down East don't you? CUOTO
In my humble option I think the biggest issue will be the adhesive. without it being all around the perimeter the wind will lift up the edges and compromise the adhesive strip. my suggestion would be is to have a tube of automotive windshield caulk handy just in case when you're 500 miles from anywhere in heavy winds, you might be thinking the caulk will ruin the sunshade, well, if the adhesive strip is strong enough to hold it, it will probably ruin it also or be very difficult to clean up without damaging the fabric , but that's just my 2c.
Steady breeze and calm seas
@12:03 you can see that the adhesive is on at least three edges; both long ones and the short one with the output connections. I would bet it is on both short edges as well. If so, the adhesive would cover more than 66% of the underside. 👍 Still, getting it off the canvas, to replace either the panel or the Bimini, may be a real challenge! 🤔😜
@@arkiefyler I actually looked at it backwards and thought the white strip in the middle was the tape covering the adhesive , my bad. still, there's going to be a lot of movement in that fabric .
@@jus4funtim Ain't no "Bad"! I jis hav lots 'O Time be'n re tired! Sumtimez I even watch at haf speid! Specly that feller down in Ausraylieah He claims he speaks Inglish! 😳
Thank you both for watching. Yes. The adhesive goes all the way around. But more importantly, the company make the same panel with eyelets in the corner and no adhesive. I do think that would be a better fit for me. CUOTO
@@svpaquita glad you found the version with the eyelets, or I called them grommets. That’s what my suggestion was gonna be. Anchor it down to the campus with something other than that he’s up. Grommets are great for tying it off makes it easier to remove when needed more modular. Also I thought a couple other ideas you could use button snaps or even have a custom pocket sewn into the canvas that would allow you to slide the panel inside obviously with the pocket having the opening in the center to allow the panel to receive light basically stitching around framing the outer edge and that little button snaps to hold it inside the pocket.
Tim i think you are going to need a bigger boat do they make a sail with solar in it
Thank you for watching Wayne. Love the Jaws reference. I do not believe they do yet, but I'm sure they will one day. CUOTO
Sun, wind, UV, temperature and moisture add up to a formidable force against all solar panels. Time in service will tell all. CUOTO 🇺🇸⚓️
Thank you for watching Dick. CUOTO
Moisture; the only to be worried about it I think.
i thought you (and I) have room for the 200 watt first thing
You are correct! A 200 would have fit even better, but I took what they sent me. Thank you for watching. CUOTO
Have you considered Hoop & Loop? (Velcro)
Thank you for watching Darrell. No, but that seem like a much better idea. CUOTO
Rare earth magnets are the way I will be connecting this to my canvas. Order the version with eyelets (not adhesive) . One magnet is bolted to each eyelet; the other is placed under the fabric. Good for big weather too! Thanks for this video.
@@dougfarrand3965 Great Idea
I wonder why WhatsApp isn't as popular in the states as in the rest of the world. Thanks for sharing Tim
Thank you for watching. I wonder why the metric system isn't as popular in the states as it is everywhere else. CUOTO
You can minimize charge controllers by utilizing a PV combiner box. On Amazon around $150. Allows for six 10 Ampere fused panel connections. I've installed one on my Class A RV. Also, put one with all my Victron equipment on my Morgan 383 sailboat. Works very well. You do have to have a charge controller that will handle the incoming power from the panels. A Victron 150/75 MPPT has worked well for me.
Thank you for watching Bill. You certainly can do that, but I am trying to reduce the negative effects of parcial shading. If you have ten panels combined into one box and one get shaded, guess what happens. On my boat, it seems like at least one is being shaded. CUOTO
I respectively disagree Captain. There are six fused MC4 connections (+ & -) for six panels either parallel or serial connected panels in each combiner box. Each connection can't exceed 10 amps because of the box fusing. From the combiner box 4 gauge positive and negative wire is connected to the inverter. Shading of a panel will not have an effect on other individually connected panels to the box. Power for each panel is switched from within the box. I setup both my Class A RV and sailboat this way. Works well.
@@billlindner I obvioiusly don't have a firm grasp on this overall, but, I thought I did understand it well enough. So, to be clear. I understand that if it's in series, then one shaded panel will have a large effect on the remaining panels. but, in parallel, that is not the case. Am I saying that correctly? So, why do I need a combiner box? or is that just a clean way of doing it, and simply for aesthetics? I guess what i'm asking is, what's the difference between connecting all + and all - in two rows, vs running seperate cables for each panel, and then combining in a combiner box?
I like using a combiner box to maximize volts and amps per mppt control box. For example, I use the Victron 100/50 Mppt controller which allows a maximum of 100 volts and/or 50 amps maximum input. I configure my panels to achieve up to these levels via a combiner box. The combiner box has fusing per connection, in addition to a main switch. Fusing can be increased by fuse size. Connecting panels in series add the amperage or short circuit current together per panel. In parallel add the open circuit voltage. Connect only like panels in series.
👍
Thank you for watching Gregory. CUOTO
Tim B. Howdy; Interesting video about the flex-panel. Tried to follow the links but Security won't allow it as the site Has NO
security 's' at the end of their http bit. Actually shut me down and dropped me off the interweb. Appears to be a good deal.
Looking forwrd to your 6 mo. report of how it's working and if you needed to re attach any bits. Fair winds ...
OMG! That's terrible. Thank you for watching Hank. I have no idea why that is. I will reach out to my contact and tell them. Thank you for the heads up. CUOTO
Hi there, I am sorry about this issue, maybe it's because of the internet, did you try to connect to another wifi or enter the website through a VPN?
looks like you have a bad guy in your comments
There is a spammer that keeps hitting me.