Hello All.  Does anyone have a considered opinion or experience in respect of ArtSolar panels made in Pinetown. They seem OK to me but I would like to have some thoughts before I buy. Thanks.

Hi all

I am in Centurion and have been a member of the forum since August 2017.
Thanks to the abundance of information here, I have learned a lot and got all of my questions answered merely by browsing around.

Regarding ArtSolar panels, I bought 9 of these (72 cell 315WP) end of October 2017.  They seem to perform the same as the initial 3 x Enersol panels that I had installed before upgrading my system.  The specifications are identical between the 2 makes and visually the build quality appears to be the same.
Considering that they are only in operation for 6 months, only time will tell their reliability.

I have also installed a second parallel Axpert when the 9 panels were added.
Interesting observation is that the MPPT responds much faster when the load increases than with the 3 x Enersol panels connected to one Axpert.
Would this be due to installing the second Axpert, split of PV between the inverters (2 strings of 3 panels per inverter) or could it be due to the panels.

Insight from one of the experts here will be appreciated.

14 hours ago, Jan Naude said:

Interesting observation is that the MPPT responds much faster when the load increases than with the 3 x Enersol panels connected to one Axpert.

I don't believe it could be anything inherent in the panels. I think it's mainly the total power of 12 panels versus 3. 

Edit: I originally speculated about ramping the current by fixed PWM values. I've since reviewed the code and decided that this is not correct.

Edited May 9, 20186 yr by Coulomb

9 hours ago, Coulomb said:

I think it's mainly the total power of 12 panels versus 3.

I think so too. Assuming the 9 panel side is a 3x3 arrangement, the voltage will be pretty similar, but... reading up on how the incremental conductance algorithm works (which they may or may not use), the power peak is where dI/dV == -I/V. The magnitude of dI/dV can be used as an indication of how far away you are from the power point. Larger current means you should get there faster.

Of course similar shenanigans are possible with perturb and observe. Larger numbers, better signal :-)

On ‎07‎/‎05‎/‎2018 at 8:28 PM, Majoor Doppies said:

Hello All.  Does anyone have a considered opinion or experience in respect of ArtSolar panels made in Pinetown. They seem OK to me but I would like to have some thoughts before I buy. Thanks.

I recently bought three 265W ArtSolar panels to be used together with a Victron Multiplus and MPPT solar charger and a few other goodies in a caravan installation.

The panels worked exactly as expected. 

When they sell you the panels the give you the test data for each individual panel. I also had a tour around the production facility. It's not micky mouse third world stuff.

Thank you one and all. Dankie vir almal se insette. Yabonga. Ke a leboga.

My 2c - Most panels seem to be "more or less" the same per their sticker and usual losses. However, if the panel fails/delaminates or something else, will Art solar still be in business for warranty replacements? 

On 2018/08/03 at 9:24 AM, LivSol said:

My 2c - Most panels seem to be "more or less" the same per their sticker and usual losses. However, if the panel fails/delaminates or something else, will Art solar still be in business for warranty replacements? 

That is the ultimate question - and should be asked for many manufacturers. 

On 2018/08/04 at 7:36 PM, SilverNodashi said:

That is the ultimate question - and should be asked for many manufacturers. 

Hence the problem. My Tenesol panels bought at the Tenesol factory in Cape Town, having a 20 year warranty ... Tenesol does not exists anymore in Cape Town.

Few solar panel manufacturers have been around for 20 years. It is a general worry internationally.

Edited August 6, 20186 yr by Guest

I have to chuckle. My dad bought 10 monocrystalline 40W panels in 1982. The panels still produce a little power but have de-laminated badly. The company is still in existence, a French company called Photowatt.

8 hours ago, Chris Hobson said:

The company is still in existence, a French company called Photowatt.

That deserves Respect.

Tenesol Cpt was bought / taken over in Sunpower, also a branch in Cpt, who has been around since 1983 themselves, so 35 years.

When I tried my best to burn my one 200w panel out, I could not get help anywhere locally nor internationally, with new diodes nor a new connector box. Had to go typical South African, make a plan.