what is the life expectancy of solar panels i want to put on a bus and is the cold weather shorten the life of them ?ty
806056
The concern with mounting panels on a bus are missiles, rocks and sand which could strike the panel. If they are mounted on the roof, the rocks would not be so much of a concern, but sand which would normally be moving at the speed of the wind could potentially be moving at the speed of the wind and the speed of the vehicle combined. Sand is the biggest cause of mirror and panel failure in desert PV collector setups, but they still last 15 years or more in those environments.
806057
The panels are waterproof and rated for 100mph winds. Cold winds won't damage the panels or the solar cells. There is a 10 year performance warranty on the panels. Thanks for the question!
806058
Generally folks claim 20 to 30 yrs. The panel will out live the bus. I would worry more about the heat than the cold. Photo Voltaics are semiconductors. High temperatures accelerate aging in semiconductors not cold.
1304086
The cables are about 6ft long. There is an option to connect/disconnect the last 18" or so. I actually leave my solar panel on the dash board of my truck locked in the cab and run the wire through the firewall to the battery. The packaging g claims it is waterproof. However, more important than it being waterproof, is the fragility of the panel itself. It is not durable or rugged. No sure well it will fair in inclement weather. Hope this helps. Good luck
571624
At colder temperatures the solar will produce more power than the rating, however this is only an issue when it gets very cold (like freezing temps), not at room temperatures. If you are very worried about overcharging, go with a MPPT charge-controller.
258963
Cold weather does not impact LED lighting function like it does on older CFL technologies. That said however, cold weather DOES impact battery charge capacity; not quite the same as occurs in 12V lead acid batteries, but the output can be diminished some by extreme cold. Adjusting the angle of the solar panel to capture more of the lower sun trajectory in the winter has worked for us here in Western Washington where cloudy skies are the winter rule rather than the exception. That said however we do hit a wall right about this time of year where there just isn't enough daylight hours for charging to happen. That is more about the current location than hours of sun. placement of the solar panel is key. Cold weather does not impact LED lighting function like it does on older CFL technologies. That said however, cold weather DOES impact battery charge capacity; not quite the same as occurs in 12V lead acid batteries, but the output can be diminished some by extreme cold. Adjusting the angle of the solar panel to capture more of the lower sun trajectory in the winter has worked for us here in Western Washington where cloudy skies are the winter rule rather than the exception. That said however we do hit a wall right about this time of year where there just isn't enough daylight hours for... » Read More Cold weather does not impact LED lighting function like it does on older CFL technologies. That said however, cold weather DOES impact battery charge capacity; not quite the same as occurs in 12V lead acid batteries, but the output can be diminished some by extreme cold. Adjusting the angle of the solar panel to capture more of the lower sun trajectory in the winter has worked for us here in Western Washington where cloudy skies are the winter rule rather than the exception. That said however we do hit a wall right about this time of year where there just isn't enough daylight hours for charging to happen. That is more about the current location than hours of sun. placement of the solar panel is key. « Show Less
1967853
I believe as long as you have good sunlight you can charge. I do not know how many years solar cells last but with a little care they should last for years......One mans opinion
1218455
Hi Katie,I don't think you're supposed to. Depends on your climate. I have two outside but one on a porch and one way under the eves on the house. Haven't had any problems. But..not winter here yet. At 20 below zero F, that's going to be tough. 90% is keeping them dry and out of direct sunlight. Keep them powered all the time in the winter (that's the plan) because they will generate a little heat. If the wind's not too bad they might survive.
1846373
Im in MA. I store my batteries in an unheated garage for several years since ive bought it....no issues thus far. But i agree that they are so small....so if you are worried, just bring them into the house when it gets really cold.
1720373
As long as the batteries are fresh you should be able to ride at least four hours, however cold weather will diminish to life of the batteries. I m looking to replace the batteries with rechargeable Ni Cads, That way I will have fresh every time I go out.Hope this helps and good riding.
778165
Don't know how the batteries will hold up in your winters. I have had my lights and have only changes the batteries once. It is in the weather year-round, from 100 plus degree Northeast Texas heat to temps in the low twenties last winter.
513126
it doesn't matter; just leave it in the sun to charge it! IF your unit won't charge from the sun, then there are 2 possibilities: 1. your circuit board is faulty and you need to replace the whole unit. 2. you live in a place with latitude above 41 degrees or so, so solar power DOES NOT WORK in the winter because the sun is too weak. Seriously though, it uses a pair of AA Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries but THE UNIT IS SEALED so you can't really get to them.
295785
Good question! The coldest I have ever used it was maybe, 29°C. I realized it had been awhile since charging, so I plugged it in and it took about 1.5 hours for a complete charge. This is a nice little unit for the battery which Autozone and AAA test and want to replace, and then you re-charge it and it's fine for another 3 years. It is NOT a service station-rated unit. It will re-charge a dead (no spark) battery with a deep cycle in about 3-4 hours.
1079849
Wow, I had one last 3 years. My current one is on its second winter. Are you in a high sunlight or very cold area?
2083996
I just cut off the solar panel connector and installed bullet connectors. Just make sure you put the female side on the panel wires so there will be not accidental shorts. Has been working fine for almost 6 months now.
2195282
I'm guessing battery life would be dependent on adverse weather it's subjected to. If using within a garage where cold temperatures could creep in, I'd guess much lower than 3 years, maybe less than a year. But who knows. I'd imagine, though, that it shouldn't be so short that it's a hindrance.
1229304
Also, make sure you remove the plastic over the solar panels, otherwise it wont charge as well. I leave mine inside my truck on the dash and it charges in 6 hours.
732112
I live in a very cold place, this type (lipo) of battery heats up when in use, but leave out in cold without using will probably ruin them.
1512051
I bought one for a battery box that i built to work on a telescope. I've had mine on and working at about 20F. Wasn't out that long that night though.