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Used Canadian Solar CS6P-250PX on RV?

BoonieBasher

New Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2025
Messages
20
Location
Spring Creek, NV
Found these used at $40 per. They are 150+mi away so I asked whether performance tested. Seller says they must be 90% Voc or greater and are marked on the back. I've never gone used so a bit skeptical about it all.

Canadian Solar CS6P-250PX (no longer available new but $1000+ when they were)

64.5 x 39"

Pmax 250w
Vmp 30.1v
Imp 8.3a
Voc 37.2v
Isc 8.87a

Are these a good candidate for an RV application?

I have a 5th wheel with 450ah of LA batteries (that I'm likely to upgrade to LiPo @ 560ah). SCC - Blue Sky 3000i - 12 VOLT 30/22 AMP. It's likely I'd have to replace/upgrade my SCC to allow for 1kw+ of solar to meet the 2x ratio. (Waiting for the frost to clear so I can determine what specs are on the 2 panels on the 5er right now - but it isn't enough - power hungry nighttime O2 concentrator, not CPAP.) Maybe I can leave the existing panels in their current configuration, add a second SCC for any additional panels I might add. There's plenty of real estate for 2 of these, maybe more.

I'm also trying to find enough real estate on top of my pickup camper for a couple of these but that's looking doubtful, unless a rack can be used.
Soon to be running 280ah LiPo so want 400-500w of solar. Minimal load on this system with only DC usage and no inverter.
 
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250 watt panels on a small RV build are not my first choice.

IMO, several small panels on an RV roof fit a jigsaw puzzle better and can be paralleled to make up for shading.
power hungry nighttime O2 concentrator,
Need a kWh requirement for this.

If this is a pickup build, these are about 5’ x 9’ and 500 watts flat on a roof may not give enough kWh. CPAPs don’t take a whole lot of power but I think an Oxygen concentrator would.

I do my camping in the winter since I live in a southern, lowland desert. I have found that flat panels on the roof are lucky to produce twice their rated wattage in watt hours. I have also found portable panels produce much more since they have a 30 degree from ground tilt and I move them into the sun three times a day.
 
250 watt panels on a small RV build are not my first choice.
IMO, several small panels on an RV roof fit a jigsaw puzzle better and can be paralleled to make up for shading.
250s are being considered to add to 400w system on 5er, with plenty of roof space. Pickup camper is a separate setup and an afterthought for the 250s. So, 2 different builds.
Need a kWh requirement for this.
5th Wheel only. Wife won't be sleeping in the camper.
O2 pull 2.7kw overnight (8 hours) IIRC. Would have to do the Kill-o-Meter again to verify but after some years with the 400w system, 4 6-volt LA (450ah), and getting 6 hours out of the O2, the plan is to get 1kw or so on the roof of the trailer and 560 - 600ah LiPo, gaining capacity and losing weight.
If this is a pickup build, they are about 5’ x 9’ and 500 watts flat on a roof may not give enough kWh.
The $40 250s were an afterthought.
500w @ 200-280ah battery should be plenty with my power usage (Honda 2200i backup). It has existing (PO) 190w 24v panel, 3 12v LA that are 5 years old and a messy configuration, so looking to 'match' that panel with another, Renogy Rover 40a SCC. The real estate is available, and I'll make them both tiltable (already have an APP for angles), and parallel.

This is my hunt/fish/wheel crib, I'll spend minimal time inside. All lights are LED, I make coffee with LP, cook meals outside mostly with LP, hang out around the fire at night, so probably an hour or 2 per day. No microwave as of now and if I get one can crank up the Honda. Same with AC, nothing yet. Don't even have an inverter in the PU Camper. I'm upgrading my converter to charge LiPo. It's unlikely I'll ever take the battery to 0v unless intentionally to balance cells or just for exercise.
CPAPs don’t take a whole lot of power but I think an Oxygen concentrator would.
Yup
I do my camping in the winter since I live in a southern, lowland desert. I have found that flat panels on the roof are lucky to produce twice their rated wattage in watt hours. I have also found portable panels produce much more since they have a 30 degree from ground tilt and I move them into the sun three times a day.
I'd have to look deeper into portable, but cargo space is a concern; I haul a lot of stuff when camping for weeks or even a couple months at a time. Considering my usage above I think hard mount is best for me.

All this considered, are the Canadian Solar 250s a quality panel worthy of consideration - provided fitment will work?

Thanks for your insights.
 
All this considered, are the Canadian Solar 250s a quality panel worthy of consideration - provided fitment will work?
Yes. I group my smaller panels in about 300 watt series groups anyways. I was up on my roof with cardboard cutouts figuring spacing.

I have 1650 watts of panels on my fifth wheel.

2.7 kWh of power will be easy for you. If this is night power, I’d want a 5 kWh lithium battery to power that. If it’s a 2.7 kWh draw, it’s a bit different.

In my area in winter camping, I feel comfortable that 6 x 250 watt roof panels would provide power.

There’s a link in my signature block for a solar calculator That will help you figure out power requirements.
 
Yes. I group my smaller panels in about 300 watt series groups anyways. I was up on my roof with cardboard cutouts figuring spacing.
Doing the cardboard thing as well.
I have 1650 watts of panels on my fifth wheel.

2.7 kWh of power will be easy for you. If this is night power, I’d want a 5 kWh lithium battery to power that. If it’s a 2.7 kWh draw, it’s a bit different.

In my area in winter camping, I feel comfortable that 6 x 250 watt roof panels would provide power.

There’s a link in my signature block for a solar calculator That will help you figure out power requirements.
 
Why buy $40 250W panels when new 450W panels are about $70 = more power per m2?
 
I put 320 watt panels on my prior RV in 2020. Last year I put 425 watt panels on my new RV. Smaller panels are easier to arrange on a small space. Bigger panels can be installed with less time/effort, depending on how you do it.

My 425 watt panels hang over the sides of the roof my about 1" to 2" (never actually measured it), which is less than the awning sticks out. I had to work around the vents.

I wouldn't have a problem picking up a few of those 250 watt panels and use them for ground deployment.

I believe that in another thread you posted in I suggested checking out GreenTechRenewables.com.
 

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