I bought a lensun 100 watt fiberglass backed panel 2 years ago directly from the lensun facility in China for use on my boat. I paid more for the best panel they offered in hopes that it would give long and efficient service. I placed it securely on top of the Bimini where it stayed until now. I recently noticed that it wasn't producing power and that my batteries were drained. Since the batteries were isolated the panel had obviously not been producing power for some time. From purchase to discovery of failure was....yep....2 yrs 2months. 2 months past their warranty even though it in all likelihood the panel failed well within the warranty period. After a week or two of back and forth with lensun in China they instructied me to test the diodes, remove the diodes, test the internal connections, etc...take pictures of the multimeter readings, take pictures of the mounting, take pictures of the label on the back of the panel, resolder, and use such and such product to re weatherproof the housing and on and on. When I brought the panel home to conduct these tests I discovered what the problem was. When the panel was flat the multimeter read 0 volts. When I bent it slightly it read 13+ volts. Lay it back down it went back to 0. That's a pretty good indication that the circuit is broken inside the panel itself. I sent them a video of this and they immediately responded and stated that they wouldn't honor the 2 year warranty on the panel but happily suggested I buy another panel from them at a slight discount. I essentially told them that I would be stupid to pay almost 300 dollars for ANOTHER panel that would fail in two years. I realize now that they weren't going to honor the warranty anyway. But that didn't stop them from asking me to do their troubleshooting for them. One last thing...if you do have the misfortune of having to communicate with this company do it via email because their reps are difficult to understand over the phone. Well that is my experience with lensun. Do with it what you will....

@hermitoldguy6312

4 жыл бұрын

I'm generally opposed to this modern "green power" nonsense, but in this case I'd speak in the panel's defence. Your solar panel likely ran your fridge for 2 years. It kept hundreds of dollars of food fresh, beer chilled, and protected you from food poisoning. Yes, 2 years is a poor service life, but I'd suggest it gave good service for that short time. I think flexible panels are generally a bad idea - rigid ones are likely to be more robust.

Covering a complete cell in the panel causes that cell to be resistance to any current flow, hence the 0.0A reading you got at 05:25; the tripod doesn't obscure an entire cell thus doesn't "kill" a cell and make it a resistor. The cells on the test panel are wired in series, thus this effect. It would be interesting, as another commenter mentioned below, to see if your usual setup does this.

Loving these. EVERY normal person would waggle it just like that as soon as they got it out of the box👍..... then read the manual ....and then hang their head in shame...

I’ve seen a great tip when installing these flexible panels onto a moving vehicle such as a boat or camper van etc, and that is to place a piece of core flute underneath each panel, with the open corrugation facing the direction of travel. This allows for slight airflow under the panels and does reduce overheating thereby improving the panels efficiency. I saw this tip on a “off grid” sailing channel. Since then, I’ve seen other people doing exactly the same thing when installing their flexible panel solar arrays.

@CruisingTheCut

Жыл бұрын

Yes, I'd do that now as well

@SecretSquirrelFun

Жыл бұрын

@@CruisingTheCut clever idea isn’t it 🙂

@captainevenslower4400

Жыл бұрын

I was about to glue down the flexible panel directly onto the roof of my van today but got stopped by the weather. Therefore I got to rewatch this video for last minute inspirations and found it trough your comment. Thank you for your random internet knowledge!

I started watching your blog near the end, so I found the beginning and am now merrily watching your Blog from the very first issue. I do appreciate how you have gone about the blog and to me it is quiet relevant. Beiing a Maritimer Born and breed I miss the water as I am now land locked over a 1000 miles from the Pacific Ocean and on the East side of the Rocky Mountains. The Narrowboats to me hold a mystery and an interest as they are part of our heritage as they were crucial to the Industrial Revolution. Thanks for the very interesting journey.

@CruisingTheCut

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for tuning in 😀

@peterandersen8922

Жыл бұрын

I have started watching again from the start.

If you get down to the very basics of solar cells a single cell only makes about 0.5v of electricity. So to get the voltage up they are wired in series to make a whole panel. The down side is that the current flowing through all the cells will only be as high as the cell making the least amount of electricity. So when you block them from light the voltage will drop. Think of old Christmas tree lights. One bulb dies and the whole string is dead.

I had the 100W version and it developed a hotspot soon after starting to use it. Lensun said it was a known problem and immediately replaced it. They said that the problem had been fixed by altering the design. The connections between the cells were certainly a lot wider and stronger.Lensun warned me not to use the old panel due to fire risk. I decided to test the flexibility the same way as you show in your video. It behaved exactly as you said and would start and stop when flexed. I initially thought that it was the connecting wires as they were fairly thin. However, they should be pretty flexible so I examined the middle part of the panel with a magnifying glass. The problem was actually due to a hairline crack in the middle of one cell right where most flexing had occurred.100% certain now that this is the problem. Flexing these panels too far causes a crack in the cell. Flipping it repeatedly probably isn't a good idea but bending too much on just one occasion will stop it working.Excellent panel in all other respects. Junction box connections are potted (I dismantled the old one) so excellent weather protection. Good wide border at edge and looks well bonded to should prevent water leaking in there as well.I think these will last a long time if only slightly curved.

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

Excellent info, thank you!

@Mistroma

7 жыл бұрын

No problem. Might be worth checking your 80W panel if you kept it, though I expect you put it in a skip. RS sell an electrically conductive adhesive which could be used to join a cracked cell. Didn't try it on mine as it had another fault before I tested it to destruction.uk.rs-online.com/web/p/conductive-adhesives/1015621/

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

I have still got it as I was going to try flogging it on eBay...

Well, you tested it to destruction, that is proper testing! :-)

Yep, when all else fails, read the manual :0) Another one of those "Oooops moments", but you learned a good lesson and all your viewers as well, good vlog, keep them coming, and Cheers from the US of A.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

The manual is always the last option!! :-)

Loving the vid's. It was nice to see your honesty by owning up to you breaking it. Love your sense of humour. Even when you try to be serious you make it funny :) Any how must carry on watching.. 157 more to go

I had zero interest in this review but your videos are so well done I utterly enjoyed it. Anything that's even tangentially related to narrow boating and gives you more content to post is fine by me. Great job. :)

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Thank you, that's very kind of you to say :-)

They absolutely should have had a DO NOT BEND low-adhesive sticker or at least a paper warning. I think that is 100% the first thing any 'normal' person is going to do, lol. Thank you for a fair review, it was well thought out and helpful.

At vlog #57, my partner and I were just commenting on how much we like that your segments are shorts. They are popping candy bits. Thank you. PS happy new year - 2019!

Very interesting, I can see why this company wanted you tested this solar panel, truthful and honest, I can see lots of other companies wanting to have you test their products, 🌟 Nicola

Very good presentation and product information, easy to assemble and fix and does everything it says 'on the tin'

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Thank you

I would have tested the "flexible" claim just as you did.:-D The caution against excessive bending should be on the outside packaging. Great vlog. I love the landscape of the UK and I'm looking forward to future CruisingTheCut vlog updates. Now I'm off the watch The Flying Reporter. Thanks for the tip off.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Thank you. And Jon will be pleased to have your viewership too!

@leloodallasmultipass

8 жыл бұрын

I read the "Can be gently flexed to conform to moderately curved surfaces" written on the front of the box as "DO NOT FLEX AT ALL UNLESS INSTALLATION REQUIRES SLIGHT FLEXINESSITY"... but I have to write things like this for work from time to time so I understand the hidden meanings behind them. This is actually really good feedback, honestly.

Did you ever put your magazine on your normal solar panels? I wonder if you get the same type of response...

looking towards the horizon and waiting for the next episode. I watched all 57 episodes over the weekend. now I am ready to buy a narrow boat and move on board.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Next vlog when I get a chance; busy doing some paid work at present and visiting family. Cheers

EVERYBODY that ever saw RH would have used this as a wobble board AND most would have made the RH noises too. It says "Flexible" on the box. No-one would have read the instructions first. It should carry a big yellow sticker saying " Don't use this as a wobble board, you'll break it!"

Knowing solar cells are made out of crystals, which kinda resemble glass. The first bending might also be the reason why it was giving 0A when you covered the one part. But nice unbiased review. Thanks.

@aaronhorn6849

5 жыл бұрын

The reason why the panel dropped to 0amps is to do with the nature of a solar panels construction, all the cells are connected together, so what you do to one individual cell will affect all the others. So denying one cell will effectively create a block in the panel killing the output.

Looks like the Lensun packaging needs a massive 'do not use as a musical instrument' warning on it, and not much else :o) I bet you aren't the first to do this either..... I like your MPPT controller - it really does move the pv panel voltage about with more or less sun - guess it makes the most of a cloudy day on the canal..... Anyway, good honest review.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Thank you. Sometimes I could sit and stare at the voltage readings for hours :-)

So then what you’re saying is “when all else fails, read the directions.” I don’t think you did anything wrong, the nomenclature said semi-flexible and that’s what you did. The owner (in this case you the reviewer) is using the panel in “real world situations” and it should be tested as such.

Maybe the a ‘DO NOT BEND’ warning should be on the outside of the packaging !

@CruisingTheCut

6 жыл бұрын

Damn right!

@Chrisdotnorthwich

6 жыл бұрын

Just what I was thinking too - holy s**t wobbling it like a wobble board is absolutely the FIRST thing I would do haha

You'd of thought that they'd intergrate bypass diodes for each cell in the array to ensure that maximum power output is maintained - there are many tests done that prove that such a simple upgrade would make shading no problem at all

@CruisingTheCut

5 жыл бұрын

Solar panel manufacturers do do that but to what extent depends on their design and cost etc

@hermitoldguy6312

4 жыл бұрын

The output voltage is the sum of the individual cell voltages in series. If you bypass a cell, you get a lower output voltage. Your output voltage must be substantially greater than your battery voltage for current to flow to the battery.

Well done objective an honest.

Nice review. I had wondered how the flexible solar panels were. Your shading experiment must have shaded an entire cell, which, if wired in series, causes a mismatch and the total current will match the lowest cell. Like the Christmas lights of my youth, when one bulb burns out, the string quits. Good information to know before you buy.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Ah, so that's how it works? Good to know. Thanks for the explanation.

Let's face it, anybody who fulfilled the following criteria: 1) Has not been overtly pre-warned about having to avoid repeated flexion of the panel AND 2) Has seen Rolf Harris perform a song with his wobble board at some time during their lifetime - would have done EXACTLY what you did. Because that thing was *crying out* for a chorus or two of 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport'. It's like Billy Conolly's observation about tea cosies: "Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on."

Thanks for the post. Currently looking for a smallish solar system to heat a pool. Very helpful.

I hope they were able to improve after this review. I have a vision of just having flexible solar cells covering the entire top of a car or choice of vehicle to maximize the amount of power generated. Great review!

Great video & well explained 👏

Chairs! Great choice!

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

They're very comfortable!

excellent review. I like the solar wobble board!

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

It makes a good sound

Can you do the shade test for the Panels mounted on the boat ? Also crazy Dave on EEVblog has solar panels on his house and has done KZread videos on his channel. Also think the panel should not have broke so easily... Thank you for the video ! tjl

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

I was quite violent with it, given what it says in the manual :-) I'll probably do the shade test if we get any more sun!!

That was realty interesting. Can you cover your panels with the book like you did in this blog and note the difference please

Hi! I've just found your channel today and love it😁 I myself am aspiring to have a narrowboat and so far your videos have been very useful (much more than other channels). I'm sure you won't see this but I just wanted to ask how efficient and effective you think having solar panels on the boat really is and would you be able to have it as your only source of energy (I know that it wouldn't work all the time but just assume it does). I am looking forward to seeing your more recent videos (I'm going through in chronological order), thanks a lot and I hope you can reply❤️😁

Monocrystalline panels are known to have higher output than multicrystalline, but multicrystalline are known to do better in shady conditions.

Would be interested to see how your normal set worked under a similar set

@CruisingTheCut

6 жыл бұрын

I don't understand the question, sorry

The flat earth society approves what you did with this flexible panels 👍

I thought you might sing a couple of choruses of "Tie Me Wallaby Down" when you started bending the panel.....LOL

@MrShortfastloud

4 жыл бұрын

What a P.R. disaster if he had!

@deltavee2

4 жыл бұрын

@@MrShortfastloud Not to mention the roos would get all out of shape over being left out. ;-D

@petesheppard1709

Жыл бұрын

I am genuinely surprised that someone else remembered that song (I remember it as, 'Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport') from 60 years ago...I remember thinking, as a kid, it sounded like suction cups on a wall...😃

Thanks for that review. Good on the manufacturer for taking the risk of your wrath on a real review. I was as shocked as you at the performance drop (plummet!) in shade. I wonder, do your own bigger panels suffer from such a drastic power drop from small portions being shaded?

@CruisingTheCut

5 жыл бұрын

It depends on how many blocking diodes are built into the panels

@zapfanzapfan

5 жыл бұрын

I was just about to ask the same thing. Have you done the same experiment with the magazine on your panels?

In your defence, it was crying out for a wobble board moment...

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

I couldn't help myself!

I had the day off work today and spent most of the day watching your videos which I thoroughly enjoyed. Tie your kangaroo down sport @2:02

The way you present you stuff is ace .Just chat we will listen you have a style. Get yourself on to TV you will do well as soon as you are noticed. And when I get home boat. I hope I get the chance to say hello to you when I speed past you at a really good speed (of maybe 3mph to 4mph (I know it sounds fast but hay I am daring ) And I will get to any lock in front and help you. Just one more thing you give your little bits of swanns and herends (I know not spelled write )so how about more hens ? They are so cool. ..

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

I used to work in TV; been there, done that. Though if anyone wants to offer me a canalboat series, I'd certainly be up for it. As for the wildlife, I film whatever comes past! No-one's going to be happy if you speed past them at 3mph by the way...

You should ask them for another one and do it again. Im sure they would want that clearing up

Did you run the Sam shade test using your own installed panels?

Thanks for the information I will use it in the future

Thanks for the info on the solar panel. Would it be possible if you could do a review on your reclining chairs ? My husband and I love watching your reviews and find them very interesting as we have just purchased a narrow boat. Thanks Tina ☺

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I'm not sure they warrant an entire video but I'll be mentioning them in a forthcoming new boat tour. And the upshot is they're very comfy :-)

@tinawelch8061

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you👍

Thanks for this video :-) 👍 👍 ☀️

good review. though I believe any "normal" person would indeed do exactly what you did when taking it out of the box, it's the first thing you do to anything that has the word "flexible" in its title....

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Hahaha, I suspect you may be right.

You are still a very funny man!

Oh you're starting to sound like Dan Brown (the narrowboat lad) since he left good old narrowboat Tilly, always doing product reviews! 😀

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

I haven't reviewed any pens yet...

Pretty fair review. I think most people would do a Holf Harris on it.

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

I thought so!

Oh dear! A semi review on a semi flexi solar panel 🤣 I think it was struggling to produce power the second it was connected. The Rolf Harris impersonation screwed it up!

I realised my error soon after I sent the comment. press the arrow to the right to read more, and vwolla there's the info you've taken time to put in. what a numty. thanks for quick response

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

Haha, it's so annoying that KZread doesn't make the description text more obvious because I often get asked things that I have written there :-(

@WolfHeathen

7 жыл бұрын

To be honest, it's a bit more annoying that people still haven't learned to read descriptions despite KZread being 11 years old at this point ^^

Very interesting, I must say that I did'nt appreciate the effect shade has on such a small percentage of the panel, no wonder such large areas are required to provide reasonable output.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

It's something to do with cutting the voltage between the cells. I believe some (most?) panels have diodes between the cells that can limit the effect of shading but it depends which bits get shaded and by how much. I don't pretend to know much about it.

@kevinpickens8085

8 жыл бұрын

Gone With the Wynns did an episode specifically about shading and parallel v serial installs. They were using rigid cells, but found the same pattern: covering (any) one segment took all or nearly all power; partial coverage (even of adjoining cells) did not as much impact. From what I've seen, something like this item would be good as a backup since it appears to be substantially lighter and easier to move than rigid cells.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

It was their episode that made me think of doing this test. Yes a good backup provided you're careful not to break it :-(

@erskinefiretv7134

8 жыл бұрын

+CruisingTheCut Technomadia also adds 'flexible' panels on the ground when they park , adding to the power from their roof panels. Seems as though same could be done for narrow boats when anchoring/mooring.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Yes, good idea. Then you can moor in the shade but still get solar by putting the panel in the sun.

This surely isn't meant to be a comedy show!!

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Certainly not. Nothing funny to be seen here. Move along.

Nicely done thank you

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Cheers

I am currently I the middle of a warranty claim on a 200w flexible panel from these guys (Lensun Solar) that I had mounted to the roof of my RTT since may2023 (its AUG 2023 @ time of writing). Maybe it will get better but currently I have not been impressed, my issue hasn't been resolved, and the panel just up and quit working. No visible damage. Just stopped working.

As we said in the submarine service, RTFM. I'll leave you to interpret the meaning of the acronym. lolololol (love the product review).

@CruisingTheCut

6 жыл бұрын

Haha, I did indeed RTFM but as I recall it was little more than a piece of paper in badly-translated English.

@jhendric98

6 жыл бұрын

CruisingTheCut sadly the same can be said of the equipment manuals in the submarine service.

My Friend, I have never found a "solar panel" that is shade tolerant, oh yes they will continue to generate power but hardy any at all in the shade.

@geraldhenrickson7472

5 жыл бұрын

Amorphous panels reduce their output only by the amount shaded. They can produce power in moonlight also...if your controller allows such.

nice tests!

Thank you for a very interesting video. I was wondering what the output of this one was in relative comparison to the ones you already have fitted on your boat. Thanks.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Bear in mind the ones I have are 240W each - substantially more power output - and physically bigger. Each would theoretically generate 20A at 12V but in reality I've seen them go up to about 14-15A at 14.8V (higher voltage when charging of course)

One concern with that panel if you had a giant maple leaf land on you panel the charging would stop.

@DFMurray

4 жыл бұрын

That's true of 99% of panels.

How about more reviews with a rating system like: On the boat -good enough to keep and use. On the dock -not terrible, but not worth the space on the boat. Bottom of the canal -garbage, chucked overboard.

Well done very informative..:)

Have you considered, and/or reviewed wind generators and their pro's and con's, ie output and noise levels? presumably these would continue generating throughout the night and in dull weather, but are the benefits worth the inconvienience? Another great video by the way!

@CruisingTheCut

5 жыл бұрын

Hi, please see my website FAQ page. Cheers

A solar panel is only as strong as it's weakest cell. That's why you don't wire them in series.

Good review. Do your existing panels respond in the same way to shade ?

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Must confess I haven't tried them but I should. Maybe I'll do a follow-up Vlog about that.

@stephencrowther524

8 жыл бұрын

It would be also interesting to know how your existing setup is working out in practice,if you get the chance. Good vlogs,I enjoy them,always concise and to the point.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Well that I can answer very easily - it's great! Have largely been off-grid electricity-wise since the end of March as I recall. I have plugged in on a couple of very damp days when I've been on a mooring but otherwise entirely self-sufficient.

Great video LOL i would have done the same as you with the wobble! How do your own solar panels react to shade ? I am thinking of getting a couple for my cabin.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

I haven't done the same test but I think I might now and will let you know. But generally I've found them to be an excellent purchase.

Hey David, nice little review. With solar panels temperature is also a big factor in their output. Do you remember what kind of day it was? I know it was 3 years ago. Higher temps make a panel less efficient.

@CruisingTheCut

5 жыл бұрын

It was very warm and sunny.

Morning Dave The other bloke with the wobble board is still jail I think. Stay safe and apart.

@RaymondCore

4 жыл бұрын

Rolf Harris was released May 2017

Shade is not good for any panel - the cells are in series - A more useful review would be how they do in low medium and full sun - can you walk on it when supported etc

@geraldhenrickson7472

5 жыл бұрын

Not true. Think "amorphous" panels.

Hi David - Couple of questions about the flexible solar panel. The comparison of efficiency of the panel whilst horizontal vs that with it canted toward the sun is interesting, but did you try it simply laying on the roof and curved to the roof profile, to simulate simply gluing it down? The second question: I notice that on the box it claims that it can be "walked on" albeit in soft shoes. Now, that's a bit of a scary concept. Do you know anyone who's actually tried that? And in that case, might it benefit from a "non-slip" finish as well, or perhaps a dry pair of trousers nearby would suffice...

@CruisingTheCut

5 жыл бұрын

My roof is so lightly curved, unlike some, that I don't think there would have been a great difference. Many of these panels claim they can be walked on but I think realistically that would only be in soft-soled shoes without any gravel stuck in them so impractical on a narrowboat. That said I do see narrowboats with flat flexi panels on the roof so presume they work ok for them.

Interesting an honest review. Shame it gave up before the end of the test, and that this could have been due to the abuse earlier, but we will never truly know. I also must comment on use of the word 'amps' as a panel does not produce amps, but current, which is measured it amps. It would be like saying you get litres out of a tap rather than water! Minor gripe.

@geraldhenrickson7472

5 жыл бұрын

Daniel...all panels produce power expressed in amperes , a unit of power defined as equal to a flow of one coulomb per second. Amperage is what determines when next you must seek additional charging. It is everything. Perhaps you meant voltage?

I know the vlog is about solar panels but where and what make of arm chairs do you have. We are looking for a suitable set of reclining chairs for our forthcoming narrow boat?

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

They called "Exley", you can get them on Amazon. Comfy but be aware one was delivered faulty, another broke after 5 months (the main metal stub holding it up sheared off!!). I've had a mate weld it back together...

I always wonder if solar panel technology hasn't improved since you put those pannels, could it change substantially? Btw did you remove the like dislike numbers? I can't seem to see it

@CruisingTheCut

5 жыл бұрын

There are always incremental improvements over time but nothing substantial in the last few years as far as I know.

I'm always sort of annoyed that I cannot do Rolf Harris impressions anymore when flexing something like that :-D Good review.

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

I had to edit out the bit where I said "can you tell what it is yet?"... ;-)

Of what type and how much battery capacity do you have? Do those panels suffice your needs or do you regularly have move on to get some engine run/charge time?

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Have never run the engine to charge. Was on shoreline over winter mind you. 3 X 110Ah AGM batteries. I use about 80Ah a day.

interesting vlog are you getting a cat i think i spied a packet of dreamies on the side, my 2 love them

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Well spotted but no - those are for visiting cats from other boats ;-)

@tracyfun6918

8 жыл бұрын

Softy lol 😏

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

You're the second person to call me that in the last hour alone!

@tracyfun6918

8 жыл бұрын

aw go on, get a rescue kitten, we know you want one, deep down lol will be good company loads live on boats and are just fine x

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

I can't, I just don't know what my future holds so it wouldn't be right.

David, Love your series on cruising canals in a long boat. I have been trying to find decent videos on KZread or something more substantial than kitty cat videos. I have been searching for some decent videos showing backpacking in the Rocky Mountains. Sadly, I find that most of videos demonstrate that any fool can apply enough funding to purchase a GoPro camera can put anything they want on KZread to assault the rest of us. I thought maybe you might be able to produce some videos about how to produce decent videos for public consumption that are not entirely laden with unconscious self promotion of overblown personality and General idiocy. Possibly how to use a storyboard of a film project so that it does not become some self-aggrandizing personality project. I was thinking maybe using some humor in the order of John Cleece's videos that are made to instruct various corporate operations. Just a thought since you mentioned that you are looking for projects. - John Whiting, Psy.D.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Ah now I have to correct you there. It is NOT a longboat - that's what the Vikings used to pillage in. It's a narrowboat. I think I could make "how to" videos as much as I wanted and the GoPro fools would still wobble around shooting anything and everything. I might do something on one of my other (camera gear oriented) channels maybe.

@leloodallasmultipass

8 жыл бұрын

Are you still able to pillage in yours? I would certainly hard mount that panel before you do; wouldn't want it slipping off into the canal during melees.

I think the wobble testing is crucial to the idea that the panel is flexible at all. Even though it later failed it may or may not have be through the bending. I would want to know if the panel could possibly fail if it were silicone onto the roof of a van or boat at the corner and then after slipping a knife carefully under it and pulling it up would it fail and if so would I have any sort of guarantee would I have to replace it. This panel may have been damaged from the get go by a quality control test or just a bad panel. Did you make arrangements to return the defective panel and get a replacement or is this the end of your test?

@CruisingTheCut

6 жыл бұрын

It definitely worked fine to start with, you saw the voltage and current readings I registered at the start - so the panel wasn't defective on supply. Then half way through the test the connections inside must have failed as it suddenly stopped and would only generate if I flexed the panel to a certain point. That was the end of the test.

Very thorough review, including testing to destruction. I think you missed your true vocation helping to further the war effort in the 1940s using your genius mind in a small backroom -- you just need a time machine ;-)

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

OK! I'll make one now!

@stephenmundane

8 жыл бұрын

Great. Be sure to vlog about it ;-) Perhaps you can recreate the Philadelphia Experiment but on a narrowboat?

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Haha, superb idea. Now, where can I get a giant electromagnet..? Hello? Is that CERN...?

@stephenmundane

8 жыл бұрын

0041 22 76 777 77 :D

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

That's gonna be some premium-rate chatline isn't it? I've had that one before ;-)

All solar panels go down to 0 output when one cell is completely covered. Your own panels do that as well. You basically get the output of the worst shaded cell. That’s just how they work.

@CruisingTheCut

3 жыл бұрын

Depends how they're configured; with suitable diodes they can be made to avoid (some) power loss when part shaded.

@CruisingTheCut

3 жыл бұрын

No, depending on the panels, they can have internal diodes as well. Cheap ones don't, better panels do.

@simplywonderful449

3 жыл бұрын

Panels wire in series are susceptible to this; those in parallel will not have this problem.

Did you try the exact same shade test with your own fixed panels to see if it did exactly the same thing?

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

I didn't at the time but have done some tests since. Will do a follow up video soon.

@cleanerlakes

8 жыл бұрын

All sounds experiments must have a "control". So a side by side comparison would have been ideal. Also the wobble test was excellent inadvertent result because now everyone else knows what the potential limitation is. As a representation for all other men who don't read instructions first, we just needed you to go first. :-)

@RowdyFisk

8 жыл бұрын

How True - they need to put in a bright florescent sign to warn consumers about the 20 degree limitation. An excellent write/video review

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@richH1625

6 жыл бұрын

"Amazing Flexible Solar Panel" >>>>> DO NOT BEND

we got solar recently it is the best thing ever!!!! do you have other solar?

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

It certainly is! Kindly go back and watch all of my videos ever until you get to the one where I had my solar panels installed*. * Or just click this: kzread.info/dash/bejne/oWSBr7Kam9nMipM.html

@ThisNarrowboatAdventure

8 жыл бұрын

hahah! sorry! I am a treble fan girl

@geraldhenrickson7472

5 жыл бұрын

I see from your channel that you purchased a solar "kit" all ready to install. Would you recommend that approach as opposed to piecing together a system? Thanks for all your videos!

The shading thing shouldn't even be pointed out as a "tiny caveat". It's just a basic electronic principle. Shading an entire solar cell in any solar panel would be like connecting a dead battery in series with a bunch of good batteries. How much current do you think you'd be able to pull from that string of batteries ?? The only time a solar panel would have any output when shading one of its cells would be if the panel isn't one single string of cells in series. On a RARE occasion, I've seen two strings of series-connected cells connected in parallel. Even then, you get 50% the output power when you shade any given cell.

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

And clearly you know that and are knowledgeable about it but many people watching this won't know any such information and so it is definitely worth mentioning in a review. Thanks for watching.

I agree with the other comments it should not have broken from that little bit of manhandling. If you don't account for a modicum of human whimsy when designing your product then your product is not well designed.

How long have you been a Rolf Harris fan?

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

Up until he was found guilty.

@andytaylor1588

7 жыл бұрын

lol!

@crazyjay7676

7 жыл бұрын

CruisingTheCut I guess we should be thankful you didn't get out your didgeridoo.

Lol note to ones self.....(don't bend a Chinese solar panel)

👍

I'm about to purchase solar panels for my van/caravan build. My question if you could do it again. Would you go with the semi-flexible type? What would you do differently? Thanks and I adore you channel. It's really wonderful.

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you. I'd do nothing differently, I'm very happy with how it is. Cheers

@geraldhenrickson7472

5 жыл бұрын

Buy quality panels made in Europe or the USA. Buy flexible, semi flexible or rigid depending on your mounting needs. They can all work very well if you buy QUALITY equipment.

The moral of this story is don't do impressions of Rolf Harris! 😀

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

Don't mention Rolf Harris!!

Hiya mate.. Gotten a bit further in the videos. I am wondering why you didn't do a comparison by plugging in one of your panels and showing how it did with shading? I think it'd be the same?

@CruisingTheCut

4 жыл бұрын

Because as you saw in the video, I broke it...

@planaritytheory

3 жыл бұрын

@@CruisingTheCut but you didn't break your panels. he wants to know how *your* panels behave when a cell is blocked.

geez m8, its not a woggle board as demonstrated in some australian music! stay safe, warm an well eh!

Personally, a black backing is never a good idea, they do it for cosmetics reasons, but electrics/solar panels hate heat, so stupid to do... yes even though it flexes, quickly and completely securing to a non moving frame structure in a must. There are people that used this panel for e-bike install but left it flopping in wind/trailer bounce and can't understand why it doesn't work anymore...DA!

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

The steel of the narrowboat gets so hot anyway I doubt any other colour would are much difference :-) Agreed, it needs securing.

@geraldhenrickson7472

5 жыл бұрын

Um...why do so many believe heat is the enemy of a solar panel? They can withstand temps with ease, those that would burn your hand immediately. UV light however is a different matter as t is he great destroyer.. In any case, a quality panel will have a 25 year output warranty and the panel will likely last that long...in the sun...where it is designed to remain.

@hermitoldguy6312

4 жыл бұрын

@G Henrickson You're clearly a shill. You claim panels work in moonlight and deny the adverse effect of heat on solar output, when the latter can be 20 times greater than the former.

what is the cost of these panels,and can you use any adhesive to fix in place. thanks in advance

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

You'd need to google for the current cost. Yes, I believe suitable adhesives would work.

@geraldhenrickson7472

5 жыл бұрын

google google google. its unfair to ask someone else to google it for you. While you are at it...ebay a Uni-solar panel. The best there was and they are fast disappearing.

I love your Vlogs but i would place a wager that will be your first and Last review. Thanks anyway and at least if we feel the need we can break our Solar panels no problem....

@CruisingTheCut

7 жыл бұрын

Haha, you'll lose that wager - I've another product review coming in a couple of months :-)

@jezlanejl

7 жыл бұрын

+CruisingTheCut, Is the review for a Hammer??.... ;)

OOOOPS

not a great panel unless you are very keen on shape fitting. The top of the boat is no the most trouble frr of places. You do keep a few things there and things like ropes are tossed there. so the panel manufacturing has to become a lot tougher, Cant be so sensitive to rough use on a narrow boat where space is premium

How much?

@CruisingTheCut

8 жыл бұрын

At time of writing, £150. Click on the link in the video description for the listing on Amazon.

@DiyD66

8 жыл бұрын

+CruisingTheCut thanks for that, next time I'll put me glasses on. thumbs up.