gc100 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) Hi, does anyone know much about flexible (thin-PV) panels? I'd considering them on my zinc in between the standing seams. Visually I think they work much much better. There are not as efficient as the normal panels, but they do work better in cloudy conditions, or less than favourable angles/shaded roofs. Currently I'm struggling to find anyone with any experience or supplier unless I buy direct from China, but then I worry about warranty etc. Biggest concern currently would be how long they last though they do come with a 10 or 25 year power loss garantee. Anyone know anything about these? I also suspect it will be 3x the cost at least which might be a no goer! Edited February 19, 2020 by gc100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 We were going to use them originally, and our planning consent included dark grey standing seam roofing with very similar flexible panels to those you've shown. A fair bit lower in efficiency, but they seemed a bit easier to install. The only tricky bit seemed to be getting the cables to run neatly. My plan was to run the cables from the top, along the ventilated ridge. We had to change our plans and get our planning consent amended, as the company that were selling the flexible panels disappeared, and we couldn't find an alternative at the time. Here's the photo that I included in our D&A Statement, showing the roof detail: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc100 Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 Ah interesting. All I'm finding at the moment are panels like this: https://midsummerenergy.co.uk/pdfs/flex-03n-datasheet.pdf which seem very orientated towards caravans etc. Specifically the wiring connections. Did you find something a little more 'commercial'? Thanks as always Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 10 minutes ago, gc100 said: Ah interesting. All I'm finding at the moment are panels like this: https://midsummerenergy.co.uk/pdfs/flex-03n-datasheet.pdf which seem very orientated towards caravans etc. Specifically the wiring connections. Did you find something a little more 'commercial'? Thanks as always The panels we were planning to use initially were made by a company called Unisolar: http://uni-solar.com/ Their UK distributor seemed to just disappear overnight, some time in 2013. I've had a quick look around and can't seem to find them for sale here though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc100 Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) Ah yes I was looking at them, but I'm struggling as well to find any Uk suppliers. There are a couple of other US makes who seems more geared up for this, but again I'm struggling to find any Uk distributors. Thanks Ah found them: https://alwitra.de/en/your-alwitra-contacts/ I'll contact them and see where it leads. Evalon Solar cSI system Edited February 19, 2020 by gc100 Found them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 We were going to use this company: https://bipvco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/BIPVco-Active-Classroom-case-study.pdf on Tata steel panels. Our plans with Tata went rapidly south a long time ago and I believe BIPVco don’t work with them any more (could be wrong). BIPVco would have taken the roof sheets to their factory to bond the PV on to them, as we ended up going with zinc, formed on site, the bonded PV wasn’t an option, at least not one that we could find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc100 Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 4 minutes ago, Russdl said: We were going to use this company: https://bipvco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/BIPVco-Active-Classroom-case-study.pdf on Tata steel panels. Our plans with Tata went rapidly south a long time ago and I believe BIPVco don’t work with them any more (could be wrong). BIPVco would have taken the roof sheets to their factory to bond the PV on to them, as we ended up going with zinc, formed on site, the bonded PV wasn’t an option, at least not one that we could find. Ah many thanks. Unfortunately we're going zinc as well. I might give them a call to see if they have any new options. What did you do for PV in the end? Standard panels and clams on the seams? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc100 Posted February 19, 2020 Author Share Posted February 19, 2020 (edited) I've found someone selling the Uni-Solar. Unfortunately they come in 5.3m length which is too long ( I need about 4.5 max)! https://www.renugen.co.uk/unisolar-pvl-136-136w-laminate-solar-panel/ Bipvco seem to have a product. I will call them tomorrow as well. https://bipvco.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FLEXTRON_Datasheet_v3.pdf Thanks both for the pointers, very useful. Edited February 19, 2020 by gc100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 16 hours ago, gc100 said: Standard panels and clams on the seams Yep, sadly that was the option we ended up going with. Black panels on anthracite zinc. To my eye it looks ok, but it wasn’t what we initially planned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilesm Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 I have flexible solar panels on my campervan. The reliability is atrocious - I need to replace them every few years. I'm not sure of the true reasons, but it might be due to the overheating (due to lack of metal in the flexible construction, to sink the heat?) or the quality is generally less than rigid models? They have a "warranty", but it's easier to just buy and fix another one when the current one dies. I don't know if the experience is transferable, but check the failure rates carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc100 Posted February 20, 2020 Author Share Posted February 20, 2020 Thanks folks. @Russdl Do you have a photo you won't mind sharing? @gilesm From my readings they are designed to withstand high temperatures so in theory should be ok. I wonder if the continuous flex/vibrations from the campervan don't help? I also wonder about who is manufacturing them - I see loads and loads of the campervan types for sale on that well know Chinese market. I'm looking at US or Uk manufacture companies at the moment. Still its a lot of money for an unknown either way I cut it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted February 20, 2020 Share Posted February 20, 2020 @gc100, not a recent one, I’ll take one tomorrow and post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Here you go @gc100 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jimbo Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Nice gaff. You know you are dealing with a posh bugger when they have stainless vent outlets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 11 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said: Nice gaff. You know you are dealing with a posh bugger when they have stainless vent outlets. We’ll put you on the ‘like’ list then. Whilst the house already has a name we’ve taken to calling it Marmite House for the reaction it’s caused ? Those stainless vents were cheap as chips. I wish I could say the same about everything else! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc100 Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 21 hours ago, Russdl said: Here you go @gc100 Thanks . Did you run the cabling down the roof or through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russdl Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 5 hours ago, gc100 said: Did you run the cabling down the roof or through? Up. In that picture you’ll see the standing seam above the the top right hand panel looks a bit fatter, it’s actually a bit of black conduit attached to the seam, cables within. It goes under the ridge and along to the gable end then down behind the cladding on the gable end and in to the loft space about a foot above and midway between the two posh stainless steel MVHR vents The most difficult part of all that was having roofers and PV installers in the same county at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gc100 Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Ah yes I see . Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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