Buying a Solar Panel in Cebu City or Island?

[aposhark]

Hi,

Does anyone know where I can buy a Solar Panel and charge controller in Cebu City or Island?
www.rhidalgohardware.com sell them in Manila but we will not be going there next year.

I want to buy these, a sealed 12v battery and some wires and bulbs to rig my wife's parents' house out early in the new year.

The Solar Panel and charge controller can be bought in the UK but I would prefer to buy them over there as we will be transporting a very precious item (our beautiful baby daughter) on our upcoming trip.

Has anyone carried over a solar panel, and if so, did you have any problems at the airport with customs?

Thanks

[fred]

Seems to me that the government here are not doing enough to get the price of solar systems down to a level where they become viable..Looked at your link but noticed the prices are not displayed..Typical Filipino marketing ploy!!!! Must cost a fortune!!
There are much cheaper options in regards energy saving lighting here now and I would suggest you look at some of the new LED light bulbs instead.. I buy my bulbs for around 200 Pesos each..They contain 28 LED`s are about 1 Watt and they have internal chargers that charge the bulb when the light switch is off.. Fully charged they run for 24 hours or so and are great for brown outs etc...The savings are around 85% compared with a halogen bulb.. (torches and emergency lights run for about a month on a single charge with regular use)
Even our Christmas lights this year are LED`s and cost almost nothing to run..



From Google images...Tons of variations..but basically the same thing.

Loads of them on Ebay.UK for a couple of Quid each..

[Jenky]

A few years ago I bought a solar panel in the UK that fitted nicely into my large suitcase. I took this out with me to the Philippines with no problem at all.
My plan was to use this to trickle charge a sealed gel type car battery that I would buy in the Philippines, and use that to power some 12 volt caravan flourescent lamps that I also took out with me. My solar panel was not very powerfull and because it was being connected to a car battery there was no need at all for a voltage regulator, as a car battery can easily stand several volts more than their rating, in fact i never saw more than 14 volts on my system even during bright sunshine.
My wifes parents live on a small island with no electricity, running water etc. And were using a Tillis lamp for lighting. This was ok but of course the fuel for it cost money. Once my little system was installed they could run a light in each of their rooms and the toilet for about three hours every night. Enough time to cook and a few rounds of cards, Tongitz they call it.
However you can damage a car battery beyond repair if you allow the voltage on it to drop below approx 11 volts. I made a little circuit up that sensed the battery voltage and sounded an alarm in the house telling them that they had to turn off the lights now and wait for the panel to rechardge the battery before the next evening.
Later on I added some LED lighting that used very little electricity in comparison to the flourescent lights and these would happily run all night.
This little system is still working four years on! But now the electricity company has just run a power cable from the mainland to the island and my wife. whos working here now, has paid for them to be connected up to this, but it still gets used in brownouts!

[Terpe]

A few years ago I bought a solar panel in the UK that fitted nicely into my large suitcase. I took this out with me to the Philippines with no problem at all.
My plan was to use this to trickle charge a sealed gel type car battery that I would buy in the Philippines, and use that to power some 12 volt caravan flourescent lamps that I also took out with me. My solar panel was not very powerfull and because it was being connected to a car battery there was no need at all for a voltage regulator, as a car battery can easily stand several volts more than their rating, in fact i never saw more than 14 volts on my system even during bright sunshine.
My wifes parents live on a small island with no electricity, running water etc. And were using a Tillis lamp for lighting. This was ok but of course the fuel for it cost money. Once my little system was installed they could run a light in each of their rooms and the toilet for about three hours every night. Enough time to cook and a few rounds of cards, Tongitz they call it.
However you can damage a car battery beyond repair if you allow the voltage on it to drop below approx 11 volts. I made a little circuit up that sensed the battery voltage and sounded an alarm in the house telling them that they had to turn off the lights now and wait for the panel to rechardge the battery before the next evening.
Later on I added some LED lighting that used very little electricity in comparison to the flourescent lights and these would happily run all night.
This little system is still working four years on! But now the electricity company has just run a power cable from the mainland to the island and my wife. whos working here now, has paid for them to be connected up to this, but it still gets used in brownouts!

Jenky, very informative. Thanks for posting that. Nice idea.
By the way, I enjoy playing that Tongits card game. Seems to be very popular all over Phils.
I always lose, even when I win

[aposhark]

Hi Jenky,

Thanks for your reply

Where did you buy the LED bulbs? UK or Phils? Shop/Store?

My wife's family live on an island without mains also.

I will take up a car battery from the mainland (Cebu).

[aposhark]

...........I buy my bulbs for around 200 Pesos each..They contain 28 LED`s are about 1 Watt and they have internal chargers that charge the bulb when the light switch is off.......

Which shop did you buy these bulbs from Fred?
I hope I can pick some up in Cebu City area....

[aposhark]

FYI http://www.sophilcor.com/

The bulbs Fred mentioned he got somewhere else at PHP200 look a great deal though.
Any thoughts?

[fred]

I got mine from a Chinese superstore in Tagbilaran called Unitop.. Not sure if there is one like it in Cebu but the chances are there must be and the bulbs will be available there somewhere.. An Aussie mate cleaned out the shelf one day out and bought 50 bulbs...They even come with remote control so when the brown out hits you switch them all on remotely..We are in Manila for Christmas so I cant tell you the brand name till I get back in the new year..
I also highly recommend the LED standing emergency lights...These come on automatically in a power cut...Cost pennies to run and rechargeable via mains.

[aposhark]

I got mine from a Chinese superstore in Tagbilaran called Unitop.. Not sure if there is one like it in Cebu but the chances are there must be and the bulbs will be available there somewhere.. An Aussie mate cleaned out the shelf one day out and bought 50 bulbs...They even come with remote control so when the brown out hits you switch them all on remotely..We are in Manila for Christmas so I cant tell you the brand name till I get back in the new year..
I also highly recommend the LED standing emergency lights...These come on automatically in a power cut...Cost pennies to run and rechargeable via mains.

Thanks for the reply Fred. There is no mains on my wife's island though.
We are leaving 6 Jan, perhaps you could let me know the brand name before then?
I also need to pick up a 80Ah sealed 12V battery in Cebu City, do you know a good automotive parts dealer there?

[Jenky]

Hi Aposhark.
It was some time ago now that I bought the panels and lights but I remember just surfing caravan and boating websites to source the parts, looking for 12 volt lighting. The flourescent lights each had two tubes and they came with a switch built in. The leds were ok but to be honest they were expensive and nowhere near as bright as the flourescents. I would recommend you take a couple of 12 volt flourescents with you and spare tubes. But remember if you leave them turned on for to long and flatten the car battery it will kill the car battery, it will never recharge.

[fred]

Thanks for the reply Fred. There is no mains on my wife's island though.

Ouch!! So is their house wired up or not?? Probably not eh! In that case you really need 12 volt bulbs which are still pretty cheap.. This Ebay page has a 200 Watt solar system for 700 Quid and bulbs are 1.75 so not too bad.. Hopefully it will all fit in a Balikbayan box..
(Actualy they say they will ship to remote countries free) Might even get one myself!!




Other then that the only other option is a small Petrol generator?? A 1000KW unit is about 80 Quid here..

[aposhark]

Hi Aposhark.
It was some time ago now that I bought the panels and lights but I remember just surfing caravan and boating websites to source the parts, looking for 12 volt lighting. The flourescent lights each had two tubes and they came with a switch built in. The leds were ok but to be honest they were expensive and nowhere near as bright as the flourescents. I would recommend you take a couple of 12 volt flourescents with you and spare tubes. But remember if you leave them turned on for to long and flatten the car battery it will kill the car battery, it will never recharge.

Thanks for the advice Jenky.
Think I will go for the 12v led's.
I will leave a voltmeter on the Island and show my wife's father and brother how to check that the battery is charged.

[aposhark]

Ouch!! So is their house wired up or not?? Probably not eh! In that case you really need 12 volt bulbs which are still pretty cheap.. This Ebay page has a 200 Watt solar system for 700 Quid and bulbs are 1.75 so not too bad.. Hopefully it will all fit in a Balikbayan box..
(Actualy they say they will ship to remote countries free) Might even get one myself!!
.......Other then that the only other option is a small Petrol generator?? A 1000KW unit is about 80 Quid here..

Yes you're right fred, no eleccy on the island
I would love to buy an expensive system like that but we regularly send money over there for their house etc., and we are a one income family here in the UK with a new baby recently.....
My wife's parents have wisely saved the money and we are buying the wood for their new roof and new second storey too in the New Year.
I will look at the pennies and may get a cheaper solar set-up as they go to bed when the sun sets there.
The genny would be a problem as it would require regular boat costs for petrol on top of the cost of the juice anyway.

[fred]

Personally I would wait until I could get a half reasonable system over to them..At least they can run an electric fan as well as lights.. You can also add more panels in future years up to about 1hp to that system I think.. Before you know it they will be running an A/C !!
I assume they have lived on that island for many years.. I doubt they will miss what they have never had..At least for another year..Next years Christmas present nalang!
I have stayed on islands like that before..The locals seem to be very happy living simple un complicated lives and usually cope pretty well..I envy them in a way.
Lekky or no lekky!