Outdoor applications of solar panels are ubiquitous and its lifetime can last up to 30 years or more, especially solar systems installed on the rooftop or on the ground. The obverse side of the solar panel has to expose to rainy, wet or any other heavy weathers, so they should not break, short circuit, etc.

Since we use the solar panels outdoors, then everyone will have such a question, are solar panels waterproof?

First, we need to understand the structure of the solar panel. It is mainly composed of solar cells and related laminated materials. The solar cell is not waterproof, because it has circuits and wires on its surface. If some water is on the cell, short circuits will occur. The cells will be damaged, etc. But do not worry, the solar cells are encapsulated in laminated materials or in some special resins.

Therefore, the waterproofing function is mainly reflected in the outer laminated technology and edge treatment. Generally, we use the solar panels in the large on-grid system are basically covered by tempered glass, and the glass material is waterproof. And the back sheet is usually made from a durable polymer-based material. That means the solar panel has to be waterproof in order to keep producing power for more than 30 years. There are also some other materials besides tempered glass, such as PET, ETFE, which are also waterproof.

So, do not worry, your solar panels are waterproof.

If your solar panel is still under warranty, and if rare water damage occurs, the manufacturer or the brand company will take it. And sometimes, your solar panel manufacturer will not only pay for the new panel but also will pay for shipping and reinstallation. Most equipment is warranted for more than 10 years.

There are some best sellers on Amazon and eBay.

12V Flexible Water proof Solar Panel

This 20 Watt 12 Volt semi-flexible solar panel is made from the highest efficiency solar cells that can up to 23.7%. Lightweight and bendable.

Waterproof Solar Panel Car Battery Charger

I must say it is the best solar car battery charger for drivers. Comes with alligator clip and Car mounted charger makes you can go anywhere you do!

Waterproof Solar Backpack

Built-in 7 W solar panel with USB port, a must have for any outdoor enthusiast and business traveler.

Solar panels are not only waterproof – but also protect against most weather-related stresses. There is no need to worry about snow in cold climates, and solar panels can withstand considerable weight without collapsing. The colder weather can even increase the production of solar energy. Even extreme weather such as hurricanes and hail storms will not have much impact on solar panels – because of the proper shelf systems prevent strong wind damage, and durable glass makes it can be used in most hailstorms.

If you have any questions or anything concerns about this topic, please send an email to us, we are all ears!

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What are the 24V Solar Panels?

The 24V solar panel means that the optimum output voltage of the solar panel is 24V at STC. Some manufacturers name the optimum voltage as Vmax. Here 24v is different from open circuit voltage (Voc). The optimum working voltage can be limited with a resistor that takes the absolute Voc edge off. Hovall can customize its power according to the specific application. The power can be large and small, there are not only many 24V solar panels below 1W on the market but also many panels larger than 100 Watt.

Charging 12V Battery with 24V Solar Panel?

Yes, the 24 Volt Solar panels can charge and maintain all of the 12V batteries, but you should have the solar controllers between the solar panels and the batteries.

Why do we use a solar panel higher than 12V to charge a 12V battery? Because of under lower sunlight conditions you will still get the minimum voltage required for your load. As you know sunlight comes and go, birds, clouds, shadings, buildings etc cause the panel’s output to fluctuate and thus your loads would likely stop and start repeatedly. So, the rule of thumb, 12V Solar System has an EQ cycle at about 15 Volts, that means the 12v battery can hold up to about 15 Volt, so, you need a solar controller to keep the battery at about 15 Volts all times. If without a solar controller, it will shorten the battery lifespan, that is the reason why we use solar panels between 18v and 24 volts to charge 12V batteries.

The same thing, 24V Solar System has an EQ at about 30 Volt, you should have at least 30V to power the solar controller for a 24 Volt system. In this paragraph, I believe you already learned about why a 24V Solar Panel CANNOT charge the 24 Volt Battery. And you need more voltages than the battery to pump a charge into them.

What is the open circuit voltage (Voc) of the 24V solar panel? Actually, this needs to be detected by professional testing equipment. And the open circuit voltage of the same power or the same size solar panel can be different because of the efficiency of the solar cells and loads.

Here are some popular 24V solar panels for your reference.

1, 300 Watt 24V Solar Panel

The maximum power is 300W, people use the 300 Watt mono solar panels in multiple panel solar arrays for home or commercial buildings. Complete a large solar system with this 300W 24V solar panel, perfect for all on or off-grid projects.

2, 200W 24V Solar Panel

The maximum power is 200 Watt, the optimum working voltage is 24 Volts at STC, and the Voc is 30V. It is a great idea to build a large scare of on-grid or off-grid solar projects with 200 Watt solar panels.

3, 24V Solar Panel Battery Charger

This solar charger comes with Plug & Play adapters, it is a great device to charge your trolling motor for your Boat, Marine, and RVs.

4, 24V Solar Panel Kit

It is pre-wired solar kit comes with Solar Panels, Solar Controller, Cables, Connectors. This solar kit is great for solar newbies, easy to use and install. Your 24V off-grid best choice to CHARGE 24 V batteries.

Hovall 24V Monocrystalline Solar Panels generate highest efficiency conversations and offer great performance to meet your solar energy needs, Hovall designs solar panels for all applications and always come consumer ready to use or install, Hovall is your excellent choice.

If you have any questions about this topic or anything we can do, please do not hesitate to let us know, we are all ears.

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Why we make it folding? Everyone knows that most of the existing solar panels are coming with the fixed-planar structures, we usually install them out of doors or on the roof of the house. After installing the solar panels, they are basically fixed in position and cannot be disassembled, especially in the case of severe weather or relocating, the solar panels cannot be recycled in time, because it easily damages the solar panels and causes huge economic losses. So for the convenience of use, there are many foldable solar panels that are used in different applications on the market.

How to choose the right power Foldable Solar Panels?

Let us try to choose a solar panel to power a 6 watt device for 5 hours a day, we first do a math that the 6W device will consume 5 x 6 = 30 watts each day, so the solar panel will need to produce 30 watts per day. Let’s assume six hours of sunlight so the solar panel needs to generate 5W per hour, consider the loss of the solar power, so a 6 watt solar panel will do the job. There are many devices and many watts to choose from, here are some best sellers on the market.

200 Watt Foldable Solar Panel

The power of this solar panel is 200W, unfolded size is very large, it looks like a blanket, but it can be put into the backpack after folded.

100 Watt foldable Solar Panel

From the personal aspect, the 100W solar panel is the most practical and suitable for most devices, it is good enough for outdoor use. It comes with dual outputs and it is also the best seller on the market.

60 Watt Foldable Solar Panel

With a 60W power, it can charge most of the 12v lithium and lead acid batteries, such as laptops, tablets, lights, etc.

5 Watt Foldable Solar Panel Charger

This is a very small solar panel, usually it comes with USB 5V output to charge the SMALL devices that voltage less than 4v, such as the Android smartphones, USB lamps, flashlights, etc. But 5V solar charger is not good for iPhone devices.

300 Watt Foldable Solar Panel

300W is too large but it is good to have it as a part of solar systems for home use. It is suitable for TV, Small Air Conditioner, Refrigerator, Electric Cooker, etc.

How to choose the right voltage Portable Foldable Solar Panels?

To select a solar panel to power a 3.7v mobile phone, first of all, you need to know the battery specifications of your mobile phone, the usual mobile phone voltage is 3.6v-4v so we choose the 5V output to charge this mobile phone, in the same way, we use 18v solar panels to charge a 12v battery. For larger solar panels, you need a solar regulator or solar controller to control the current, or it will cause damage to your battery, the solar regulator will ensure the battery is not overcharged all you need is the sun to produce clean and free solar energy.

Foldable Solar Panel 12V

12 Volt solar panel is good for charging 6-9V devices, such as Lamps, LED Lights, etc.

18 Volt Foldable Solar Panel

18v solar panel is good for charging 12v lithium and lead-acid battery, such as laptops, tablets, etc.

5v Foldable Solar Panel

5 Volt solar panel is good for charging the device voltage less than 5v, such as smartphones, USB fans, flashlights, etc.

What is the Best Foldable Solar Panel for your application?

The best foldable solar panel must have the right power and right voltage that suitable for your application, voltages, and power are the most important features. For example, you cannot use a 5 watt 5 volt solar panel to charge 12v 10Ah battery. There are some applications as below:

Military Foldable Solar Panel

Hovall has some military solar panels for Germany and Japan Army, it must be durable, lightweight and military color. These foldable solar panels are the ultimate portable folding solar panels for performance and mobility.

Foldable Solar Panel for Camping, Hiking, Fishing, etc.

The best stuff for camping, hiking, and fishing, you can use the solar panels to run all electric devices without battery or electricity power.

Top 3 Foldable solar panel reviews

1, 42 W Folding Solar Panel

This Hovall 42 Watt folding solar panel is a plug and play charger that comes with all in one design, it has USB5V and DC 18V outputs and can compatible with all devices such as the cellphones, Laptops, tablets, TVs, Fans, etc. Fast charging intelligent technology. Easy to use and carry. It made from waterproof fabrics and high efficiency of 23.7% Solar cells, Ultra-thin and Ultra-light, durable.

Specifications:

• Solar Cell: 23.7% efficiency solar cells
• Working Power: 42 Watt
• Output: DC 18V 2.4A and USB 5V 2A
• Unfolded Dimensions: 35.5 x 11.8 x 0.12 inch
• Folded Dimensions: 13 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch
• Net Weight: 29.5 Oz
• Package Include: 42 Watt folding solar panel x 1pc, Suction Cups x 4pcs, Alligator Clip x 1pc

2, 100W Folding Solar Panel

This 100W foldable solar panel is the most popular monocrystalline foldable solar panel, it has the high efficiency of 23.7% solar cell, it is a very good device for hiking, camping, fishing, etc. Dual Outputs and overcharge protection.

Specifications:

• Maximum Power: 100 Watt
• Working Temperature: -4 ~ 158 ℉
• Outputs: DC18 V 5.6A & USB5V 2.1A
• Unfolded Dimensions: 60 x 35.5 x 0.12 inch
• Foldable Dimensions: 17.5 x 11.8 x 1.58 inch
• Net Weight: 78 Oz
• Package: 100W Foldable Solar Panel x 1pc, Alligator Clip x 1pc, Car Mounted Charger x 1pc.

3, 20W Folding Solar Panel

Features:

• Charge smart and fast.
• Design to be Carry Around
• Renewable energy source anywhere whenever.
• The paper thickness design makes it perfect for outdoor use, such as trekking, traveling, fishing, camping, etc..
• Tied of packing bags of batteries on your backpack? Bored with the heavy external battery which needs the recharge in advance? Absolutely unfold a Hovall solar panel and feature peace of mind for enjoying the clean and unlimited energy from the direct daylight.
• A smart chip inside will routinely detect the quickest feasible currency for your device and the monocrystalline solar panel will provide up to twenty-five percent high conversion efficiency to achieve fast speed charging. What’s more, you could charge 2 cell phones on the identical time through two USB ports.

Specifications:

• Optimum Working Power: 20 Watt
• Outputs: USB 5V 2A & DC 12V 1.7A
• Unfolded Dimensions: 21.7 x 10.24 x 0.12 inch
• Folded Dimensions: 10.24 x 6.3 x 1.38 inch
• Net Weight: 28.2 Oz
• Package Include: 20W Foldable Solar Charger x 1pc, Suction Cups x 8pcs

If you have any questions or anything concerns about this article or our products, please feel free to contact us at info@hovall.com

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What is more about the best flexible solar panels?

In addition to the above two features, another two features that are also very important, there are Service Life and Cost performance. In general, you should know the following four features about the best flexible solar panels.

1, Conversion Efficiency

Generally speaking, flexible solar panels are made from monocrystalline silicon wafers and laminated materials. The conversion efficiency of monocrystalline silicon wafers is uneven on the market, basically between 15% and 25% efficiency, usually the conversation efficiency less than 19% silicon wafers are not suitable for making the flexible solar panels.

Currently, the most efficient monocrystalline silicon wafers are produced by American brands, some solar cells have a conversion efficiency of  24% or more, but it is slightly more expensive than others. Usually, we purchase high conversion efficiency solar panels because of insufficient space, beautiful and practical performance. In addition, there are many Chinese monocrystalline silicon wafers have the efficiency of  19% or more, it is good enough to use it to build flexible solar panels. Although the conversion efficiency is low, it is also welcomed by users.

2, Flexible

Base on this flexible solar panel that needs to be mounted to irregular surfaces that are on Vans, Cars, Home roofs, so it must be a little flexible and bendable. However, in fact, there are many mono-crystal flexible solar panels cannot be bent to a large arc, especially the mono flexible solar panels come from China, there are preferably not bent more than 20 degrees arc, otherwise, it is very easy to damage the monocrystal silicon inside, and it will affect its conversion efficiency, current and voltage outputs. However, some brand monocrystalline wafers are capable of bending at 30-degree arc without breaking. So, you should select the flexible solar panels for your applications very carefully.

3, Service Life.

If the flexible solar panels are installed and maintained properly, the service life can last more than 10 years. There are two types due to the production process, one is PET laminated and another one is ETFE laminated solar panel. ETFE solar panel is better than PET’s because it has better corrosion resistance and makes it more suitable for applications at sea, such as RVs, ships, sailboats, marines, boats, etc, and ETFE service life is longer than PET, but the price is much more expensive than PET.

4, Cost-Effective

The price/performance ratio of the flexible solar panel is mainly reflected in the wholesale price, and the wholesale price is actually mainly reflected in the cost of raw materials. PET laminated solar panel is much cheaper than ETFE flexible solar panel, but we strongly recommend the ETFE panel to use in the applications at the sea. Compared with the US solar cell, the most cost-effective is the monocrystalline silicon wafer of no less than 19% efficiency comes from China. Although the conversion efficiency is low, the price/performance ratio is the best.

Well, above are the most important four features to judge the best flexible solar panels. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We offer OEM and ODM service to a lot of brands and make our own brand. Which is the best flexible solar panel for your own systems? Give us an email, Hovall is your excellent choice.

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What are mini solar panels?

Mini solar panels are small panels that produce solar energy, getting free power from the sunlight and make it supply power to an application or a product. Usually, the mini solar panel is portable and easy to use, it can be used in some applications that larger panels are not very practical or necessary, small size is also one of the most advantages. There are 5 things you should know about mini solar panels.

1, Free Power

The mini solar panel offers a source of renewable energy, as such, they offer an alternative to electricity assets that have environmental expenses, for example, the emission of greenhouse gases. Even though mini solar panel would possibly prove high-priced to buy, solar power saves money on electricity bills over the longer term because there is no money to pay for the daylight that they use to generate power.

2, Size

As the name suggests, the mini size solar panel offers a small advantage over bigger solar panels. A mini solar panel is very easy to carry and use, it has got a versatility that large, bulkier solar panel cannot offer. A mini solar panel can easily be packed and brought on trips, whether or not on an aircraft or on a camping experience to a far-flung spot without electricity.

3, Types

There are two main types of mini solar panels in the markets, one is Epoxy Mini Solar Panel, and the another is Laminated Mini Solar Panel. Laminated Mini Solar Panel has an advantage in terms of product life, and the service life is basically more than 3 years, but most mini solar panels on the market are epoxy mini solar panels because of its simple production process, cheap raw materials, and very beautiful appearance.

4, Limitations

The mini solar panel does not generate enough electricity to perform devices that require a very big power, such as the air conditioners, refrigerators, water pumps. Even for plenty smaller gadgets, inclusive of television and washing machine, mini solar panels aren’t yet reliable as a sole power supply, but it needs to work in conjunction with a battery. In addition, energy interruptions are not unusual in devices with mini solar panel because overcast days can sever access to the solar power supply.

5, Applications

Mini solar panels are flexible strength assets for smaller devices that don’t have robust energy needs. For example, to charge the remote controllers, radios, cameras, fountains, flashlights, and watches. Some applications, which includes cellular phones and laptops, combine mini solar panel with batteries. It takes in electricity from the sun that they distribute to the batteries, recharging them to preserve to function the devices.

As a Mini Solar Panels Manufacturer, Hovall consistently provides the best solar products and custom solutions to our long-term cooperation customers. Both small orders and large orders, the quality is absolutely guaranteed. If you have any questions about this article, please email us at info@hovall.com.

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The type of damage determines the solar panels repair

Colloquially is often spoken of “repair solar cells”. The exchange of individual solar cells in the panel is possible, but not really economical. People always speak of solar panels repair, but, whether this is possible, it determines the type of damage.

Inner module damage

Internal damage is a problem where there is no external impact such as a storm has caused damage to the solar panels. These problems can be caused by a faulty production or a poor selection of individual or all components. Unfortunately, a solar module repair is usually not possible in these cases.

– Snail trails

– Delamination

– Hot spots

– Discoloration of solar cells or cell connectors

– Discoloration of the EVA film (Browning)

– Discoloration of the backsheet (yellowing)

– Different colors of solar cells/cell staining

– Inclusions in the laminate

– Scorched on the front and/or back

Module damage due to external factors

This type of damage happens during weather reasons in most cases. Storm, hail, lightning and over voltage or snow pressure can damage a solar module, but also fire, excessive heat or an animal bite could cause damage as well. The advantage of this damage is that you can often repair it. But with the external damage already decides the strength of the damage on the potential success of the solar panel repair.

Flying pieces, broken branches, hailstones the size of tennis balls and collapsed buildings. Storms often cause a huge damage to solar panels. The consequence:

– Glass breakage

– Micro cracks and cell breakage

– Scratched module frame

But even cold, snow and ice can clog the solar panels. In addition to the solar glass breakage module, the solar panel frames will be twisted or frozen after a long and cold winter.

However, the most common cause of solar panels repair is lightning and over voltage. Direct or indirect impacts near a solar system can break a PV module. The big advantage with these modules is that you can repair these solar modules. The lightning and overvoltage will cause the following damages:

– Burned junction boxes

– Defective bypass diodes

Small animals make big damage. Small martens, rats, and mice regularly cause damage to large solar systems. The little rodents are less concerned with the glass modules than with the connections and often leave an animal bite on solar cables and solar plugs.

Solar panels exposed to fire are often not salvageable. In addition to the flames but also the enormous heat can be a problem. The strong heat can damage the solar system, and the solar panel will be surrounded by scorched materials.

What can be repaired on a solar module?

You can fix a lot but not everything on a solar panel. It should always distinguish between the solar panels repair on site and the repair in a special repair center.

The repair on site is limited in all the line to the replacement of defective bypass diodes in the junction boxes. But even broken and bruised solar cables and plugs can be replaced. However, if the damage is very bigger, you can not avoid letting a special repair center to do that.

Solar panel repair by a specialist

A repair center specializes in photovoltaic module repair. Among other things, it is possible to replace scorched junction boxes. The old box is carefully detached from the module and then a new box is placed on the back of the module.

There is also the possibility in the workshop of replacing the frames on the modules. The old bent or split module frames are simply replaced with new ones.

Another benefit of Repair Center repair is that the modules undergo extensive testing after repair. In addition to an insulation test, a power measurement is always carried out. Through the so-called flash test, the current module power in watts peak can be determined. In addition to a flash test, an electroluminescent image is often also created. This cell breaks and micro cracks in the modules can be detected.

Can you repair solar panel glass breakage?

There is no economic way to repair broken and cracked solar modules, and the maintenance cost is very expensive. But there are many hobbyists who repair modules with glass breakage. With resin, silicone or other agents, these try to seal the surfaces. We do not recommend using such repair modules in photovoltaic systems because of the maintenance cost. As hobby modules for camping or in the garden, there is certainly still a meaningful use.

If you have any questions or anything we can do on this article about the solar panel repair, please just contact us or leave us the message by email info@hovall.com

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Solar panels use silicone cells to capture sunlight and turn the electrons into energy which we can use for electricity. With so many methods for generating electricity either through renewable or non-renewable methods, solar panels are a fantastic way to utilize earths free access to energy since the sun tends to provide us with more energy than our planet needs.

Okay, so back to “How to Make a Solar Panel”, there are several steps.

Step 1, Shop for and buy the silicon cells. There are many types of solar cells with different efficiency on the markets, usually we choose mono-crystalline solar cells for small wattage applications, the cell size is 125mm x 125mm, 3.2 Watt per cell, the efficiency is 19.6%.

Step 2, Drawing up a sketch of the solar panel. The sketch should contain the dimensions of the solar panel, the output power and voltage. For example, let us make it 20 Watt 18V Mono-crystalline Solar Panel, the dimensions can be 430mm x 280mm x 3mm. We are going to make it semi-flexible PET laminated Solar Panel, that is why the thickness is 3mm.

Step 3, Cutting the Silicone Cells. For making the voltage be 18V, we must cut 36 pieces small cells to meet the specification of the solar panel. Usually we use the Cells Cutting Machine to do that because this is really a precise job and the cell is easily cracked.

Step 4, Wiring the Solar Cells together. Each cell will have a negative and a positive lead running out of it. Take some spare wiring, split one end into its respective leads and strip away the insulation from the ends. Match the leads for each cell and join them with wire nuts. Usually we solder the cells together in series by the Solar Cells Tabber and Stringer, you can use hand soldering instead of this machine.

Step 5, Preparing the Padding Materials for lamination. We have to prepare the padding materials before lamination. For example, we put 3 pieces EVA on the back of cells and 3 pieces on the front of cells, and TPT panel as the back sheet, PET material as the surface.

Step 6, Heating Padding Materials until it melts, you then need to cool in a way that forms one long. This is very hard to do and often impurities and imperfections occur and the silicon cannot be used. Usually we do this step by our professional lamination machines.

Step 7, Cutting the laminated solar panel that matches your dimensions. You can use a hand saw and tape measure to do that. Usually we do that with our cutting laser machine.

Step 8, Assembling the USB output on the back of solar panel.

This is just an example for making the PET laminated solar panels. If you have any questions about how to make a solar panel or anything concerns, please just email us at info@hovall.com.

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If the solar system is installed on a new or existing building and this problem happens, we have to install the lightning protection system to the whole building.

If the building is not equipped with an external lightning protection system, it does not require an external lightning protection system according to the risk analysis of the standard DIN EN 62305-2, and according to the supplementary document 5 of the German standard DIN EN 62305-3, a level 2 surge protector is installed on the AC and the DC sides to protect the PV system from induced overvoltage and conducted interference..

The number of surge protectors is determined by the distance between the protected devices. If the distance is more than 10 meters, an additional surge protector needs to be installed.

Lightning protection measures.

We install photovoltaic systems in the home as shown in the figure, and need to set lightning protection measures at 1, 2, and 3 position.

At present, all mainstream PV inverters are integrated with lightning protection devices on the DC side. Therefore, there is no need to add additional lightning protection equipment in 1 position. In China, the household PV system is in accordance with the requirements of the State Grid. Actually 2, 3 is just one position. So, we have to set up secondary lightning protection in the electrical system of the inverter output, so as to ensure the safety of the system and the home electrical system.

Hovall Technology Co., Ltd can provide the completed solar systems according to the requirements, please contact us for an off grid solar system solution and save more money to your monthly electricity bills.

If you have any questions or any suggestions about this article, or you have different opinions to this topic, please just feel free to contact us over email info@hovall.com.

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