Author Topic: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings  (Read 69123 times)

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Offline Pottsy

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #50 on: May 16, 2019, 02:38:13 PM »
Grabbed the last one at Noarlunga, set up now, smaller than my projecta 120 watt by about 100mm in height. Set up side by side, both charging a waeco 36 amp/hr battery, both were reading 12.6 v so it will be interesting to see which comes up quickest.
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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #51 on: May 16, 2019, 03:21:24 PM »
Grabbed the last one at Noarlunga, set up now, smaller than my projecta 120 watt by about 100mm in height. Set up side by side, both charging a waeco 36 amp/hr battery, both were reading 12.6 v so it will be interesting to see which comes up quickest.
I'd say the one on the bottom because it doesn't have as big a shadow cast on it.:)

Offline Pottsy

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #52 on: May 16, 2019, 03:35:20 PM »
I'd say the one on the bottom because it doesn't have as big a shadow cast on it.:)

Well, they both have performed ok, took about the same time to bring the batteries back up to full, for a $149  solar blanket, no issues, bloody good value if you can lay your hands on one.
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Offline BBull

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #53 on: May 16, 2019, 03:56:57 PM »
Well, they both have performed ok, took about the same time to bring the batteries back up to full, for a $149  solar blanket, no issues, bloody good value if you can lay your hands on one.
Of course they are $149 now I paid $199. Bastards :D :D

Offline outbackogre

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #54 on: May 16, 2019, 04:01:49 PM »
Grabbed one from the Nunawading (Vic) store.  10 left.   ;D

A store assistant at the Box Hill store (which has none in stock) said the price had been reduced because they are a discontinued item.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2019, 05:29:55 PM by outbackogre »
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Offline plusnq

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #55 on: May 16, 2019, 04:03:46 PM »
There was three left on the shelf  at Stafford this afternoon.

Offline Foss

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #56 on: May 16, 2019, 04:14:31 PM »
I went into the Vermont store at about 2.30 this afternoon, not knowing the new clearance price of $149 and expecting to pay the $199. I grabbed the last 3 on the shelf - 1 for me, 1 for my son and 1 for a mate who was after one as well.  I don't know if they have any more out the back or at any other stores. Great value for $. Hopefully they perform as "advertised".
« Last Edit: May 16, 2019, 04:22:27 PM by Foss »

Offline McGirr

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #57 on: May 16, 2019, 06:23:28 PM »
Called and there were 8 left at a store near me.
at Warrawong.
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Offline loanrangie

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #58 on: May 16, 2019, 07:28:39 PM »
I got one as well, plenty in the Broadmeadows store as bogans don't know what they are :)
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Offline rockrat

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #59 on: May 16, 2019, 07:32:35 PM »
Plenty at Oxley in Brisbane too - just took back the $199 one and got a $149 one


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Offline Bird

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #60 on: May 16, 2019, 08:31:21 PM »
I got one as well, plenty in the Broadmeadows store as bogans don't know what they are :)
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Offline jmorgan1981

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #61 on: May 16, 2019, 08:45:37 PM »
They don't stock them at Port Macquarie so I got my brother in law to go to his local in grafton.

He grabbed 3 one for himself and two for me.

He said they still a few. 
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Offline duncan

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #62 on: May 16, 2019, 08:47:40 PM »
4 at Mentone and about 10 at Moorabin Victoria about 30 min ago

Offline chillipepperz

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #63 on: May 16, 2019, 09:17:08 PM »
I gotta thank the OP for this information. I read it at 14,000 feet above the Indian Ocean yesterday and was keen to get one but thought “yer, right, there’ll be none left when I get home”. Well I got home and managed to grab two from the Mt Barker SA store (one left tonight) and was pleased that while I was in the air the price had dropped. FTW.

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Offline Merts

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #64 on: May 16, 2019, 11:28:39 PM »
Bought one for $149 at the Epsom (Bendigo) store this arvo, and my mate got one too. There were 3 on the shelf when we got there, and I'm pretty sure the staff member that helped me find them was going to grab the last one. He wasn't aware they sold them and appeared stunned when he found out how much the same thing was going for elsewhere.
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Offline paceman

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #65 on: May 17, 2019, 07:00:45 AM »
for those that have one of these, do you think it would be easy enough to replace the smaller anderson powerpole connectors coming from the solar mat itself with 50amp anderson plugs?

Offline rockrat

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #66 on: May 17, 2019, 07:02:36 AM »
for those that have one of these, do you think it would be easy enough to replace the smaller anderson powerpole connectors coming from the solar mat itself with 50amp anderson plugs?
I would think so. Mine actually came with a small adaptor lead from the small Anderson plug to a larger 50A plug, apparently to plug into the battery pack they sell according to the label on it.


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Offline paceman

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #67 on: May 17, 2019, 07:06:39 AM »
I would think so. Mine actually came with a small adaptor lead from the small Anderson plug to a larger 50A plug, apparently to plug into the battery pack they sell according to the label on it.


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i'll probably end up keeping all the cables, but replace the main lead from the mat to a 50A genuine anderson and then replace all the rest of the 30A powerpoles with genuines as well...

don't plan on using the included reg at all, but handy as a backup, i guess...

Offline paceman

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #68 on: May 17, 2019, 08:28:27 AM »
just picked one up...  :cup:

mackay (paget store) had 5 or 6 in stock...

might give it a test with the waeco CFX50 over the weekend...

and if they still have some next month, i might snag another one...  :D

Offline noel_w

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #69 on: May 17, 2019, 09:20:04 AM »
Just picked up two from Browns Plains store. Bloody good value if they work plus the added value of being much lighter than the glass one I already have.
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Offline rockrat

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #70 on: May 17, 2019, 09:23:35 AM »
Does anyone know if you can parallel these up to effectively get 250w of solar power?


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Offline tryagain

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #71 on: May 17, 2019, 09:25:09 AM »
I think that any future MySwag meetups are going to have these everywhere.

Offline paceman

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #72 on: May 17, 2019, 09:49:15 AM »
Does anyone know if you can parallel these up to effectively get 250w of solar power?


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don't see why not... as long as your regulator can handle it, you should be able to just have a Y-connector, with both panels going into one end, and the other single end going into your regulator...

i plan on doing the same thing with a second mat...
« Last Edit: May 17, 2019, 09:51:46 AM by paceman »

Offline BBull

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #73 on: May 17, 2019, 10:02:58 AM »
Does anyone know if you can parallel these up to effectively get 250w of solar power?


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I will be hooking them in parallel to the panels fixed to the cruiser. I did this with my projector panels so these will work the same.

Offline Merts

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Re: Companion 125w solar mat at Bunnings
« Reply #74 on: May 17, 2019, 10:07:07 AM »
i'll probably end up keeping all the cables, but replace the main lead from the mat to a 50A genuine anderson and then replace all the rest of the 30A powerpoles with genuines as well...

Why?
The included plugs are all good quality and even 30 amp connectors are massive overkill for a mat that will poke out less than 7A maximum.
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