Outer Limits 4x4 Board

At the 4WD Spectacular in Qbn this weekend, I picked up a large bi-fold 100w solar panel kit, but what intriques me is that this kit is boxed by Eva Kool, has an Eva Kool Carry bag, and Eva Kool instruction manual (such as it is all 4 pages of it) and yet not even the Eva Kool website has any details about this unit. The only solar panel they sell according to their website, is their 4x 20w panel kit. Which they sell for well over $1000, whereas this bi-fold one was 100w and was $799

Does anyone know anything about these units ?
It has a 10 amp charge regulator built into the unit, so can I just hook it straight up to my battery, or should it go via a smart charger of some sort ?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts, suggestions, ideas about this unit, and how to get the best out of it, would be much appreciated.

Run the panels just as they are configured. You don't need to try and get clever with the panel charging as you have enough in-effeciency with the panel now, let alone by putting its output thru a 'smart controller'. You may find the volt drop across the controller limits the output also - I ran a controller for 8 yrs with 130 w of panels and didn't realise their VD was a volt or more until it died and I ran the output direct into the battery.

I don't run a controller device now, just straight connect panel to battery. You need to check if you decide to do this later if you have a diode or similiar device to stop volt flow in opposite direction when it gets dark, or else just disconnect the panel at dusk. A diode will introduce in-effeciency due to its own VD, so bear this in mind. Running straight into the battery has not given any problems for the 7 yrs since the controller died. The output has never boiled the battery bank, but then I run 480AH of batteries on board. It was fine in this configuration when I had 160 ah capacity also. There is only going to be a small window of the day, perhaps 4 hrs when the panel will be punching in max amps and voltage, but think the controller is fine as configured - you might like to play around without the controller later on perhaps.

Panel output does go down when the face gets over 45 deg C, but you still need it in the direct sun for max output - just one of the compromises. Max sun may not equal max charge is what I am getting at.

Don't let the panel get even partially shaded as 99% of panels are not shade tolerant, and will stop charging. I run my panel output thru a current / amp meter so I know what it is outputting, plus have a voltmeter on the aux battery bank - all good and in-expensive tools for monitoring how the solar charging is going.

Lastly, just keep an eye on the battery water level as you are not working the battery more than it usually sees and its likely the battery temp will increase with constant charging.

I don't know anything about this kit you have bought, but the price sounds good and will no doubt deliver the goods.
Regards
Phil

Thanks for that information.
I appreciate the help and the suggestions.

I'll be interested - once it stops pissing down and the sun comes back - to grab the multimeter and see what the panel manages to pump out when it comes out the final plug.

The instruction manual that comes with the panel says it will continue to operate in partial shade, so I guess they wired it up in such a way that losing some cells doesn't stop the whole thing. One of the things I was looking for in any panel I bought actually.

Battery water levels will be hard to keep an eye on, as it's going to be used in conjunction with an Optima Yellow Top, which is fully sealed AGM, which was also one of my reasons for wanting to be really careful with how it charges.

Again, thanks for the information.

If the manual says it operates in partial shade, thats great.

If the battery is sealed, no problems with evaporation also - my reference was more for open wet cell types.

Panels will normally produce more that nameplate current for the irst number of months, after that they plateau to their nominal rating.

Sounds like you have a good little package - don't leave it unattended!