BSM040P 40 W Multicrystalline Solar Module
A 40 W 12 V module at 537 × 665 × 30 mm with 2.35 A optimum operating current.
- 40 W at STC with full electrical data published, not a headline figure alone
- Grade A cells, low iron tempered glass and an anodised aluminium frame
- Rated −40 °C to +85 °C operating temperature
- Supplied by the same factory as the mounting hardware, so module and mount are quoted together
Product overview
What It Is and What It Does
At 40 watts and 2.35 amps the BSM040P is a working module rather than a maintenance one. It is the size most often fitted to a motorhome or a boat where there is a fridge, lighting and charging to support over several days away from a hookup.
The module measures 537 × 665 × 30 mm and weighs 10 lbs, with 36 multicrystalline cells at 156 mm × 52 mm in a 4 × 9 layout. Module efficiency is 11.6 %, and the panel is rated to 1000 VDC system voltage over the same −40 °C to +85 °C range as the rest of the range.
Who it is for
- Battery charging and maintenance on vehicles, boats and plant left standing
- Off-grid instrumentation, monitoring and signalling installations
- Camping, caravan and marine leisure power
- System integrators and kit assemblers buying modules and mounts together
Problems it solves
- Leisure and starter batteries discharge and sulphate when a vehicle is laid up
- Running a cable or a generator to a remote instrument is rarely worth the cost
- Undersized modules never bring a battery back to a full state of charge
- Modules bought without matching mounts arrive with no way to fix them down
Key benefits and features
Why Buyers Choose BSM040P
Benefits
- 40 W at STC with full electrical data published, not a headline figure alone
- Grade A cells, low iron tempered glass and an anodised aluminium frame
- Rated −40 °C to +85 °C operating temperature
- Supplied by the same factory as the mounting hardware, so module and mount are quoted together
Technical features
- High power module using 6″ multicrystalline solar cell
- Low iron tempered glass, EVA laminate and black TPT backsheet
- Anodised aluminium frame
- Grade A solar cells
- Junction box output terminal with open-end cable
- 10 year limited warranty of 90 % power output and 25 year limited warranty of 80 % power output
Application scenarios
Where This Module Is Used
The applications listed for this module on our datasheet.
- 12 volt DC battery charger
- Weather towers power
- Camping and hunting
- RV
- Marine power supply — yacht and boat
- Wind hybrid systems
- Truck auxiliary power unit
- Landscaping and garden lights
- Remote area applications
- Remote gates
| Model number | BSM040P |
|---|---|
| Nominal voltage | 12 V |
| Maximum power at STC | 40 W |
| Optimum operating voltage | 17.4 V |
| Optimum operating current | 2.35 A |
| Open circuit voltage | 21.8 V |
| Short circuit current | 2.58 A |
| Cell | Multicrystalline silicon, 156 mm × 52 mm |
| Cells and connections | 36 (4 × 9) |
| Module dimensions | 537 × 665 × 30 mm (26.2 in × 21.1 in × 1.18 in) |
| Weight | 10 lbs |
| Solar panel grade | A |
| Module efficiency | 11.6 % |
| Operating temperature | −40 °C to +85 °C |
| Maximum system voltage | 1000 VDC |
| Output terminal | Junction box |
| Connection | Open end |
| Warranty | 25 year limited warranty; 10 year 90 % and 25 year 80 % power output |
Materials and manufacture
What It Is Made From
36 Grade A multicrystalline cells at 156 mm × 52 mm, low iron tempered glass, EVA laminate, black TPT backsheet and an anodised aluminium frame.
Quality and certification
Everything in the BSM040P table above is taken from our own product documentation — 40 W at STC and a 537 × 665 × 30 mm (26.2 in × 21.1 in × 1.18 in) module. Nothing on this page is estimated or rounded up to make a better headline. If a tender needs a written certification or test statement, tell us which standard it names and we will say what we can supply.
Customisation
For a different pack quantity, a printed carton, or big panels under your own label, tell us the annual volume you are planning and we will come back on what is possible and what it changes on price.
Comparison
How It Compares
Against the BSM045P 45 W
Same 537 × 665 × 30 mm module and the same 10 lbs. The 045P is rated at 13.10 % efficiency against 11.6 %, and 2.56 A against 2.35 A.
Against the BSM030P 30 W
A third more power for about 3 lbs more weight and a noticeably larger frame.
Against two 20 W modules
One 40 W module means one mount set, one cable run and one roof penetration instead of two.
Use guide
How to Fit It
Step 1
Check the module's open circuit voltage against your charge controller's input limit.
Step 2
Choose a mount from our range that matches the frame's lateral length.
Step 3
Fix the module with an air gap underneath so it can shed heat.
Step 4
Run the cable to a sealed roof entry gland rather than through a bare hole.
Step 5
Connect through a charge controller — never directly to a battery.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 40 W panel need six mounting feet?
Our RV guidance is four feet for square modules up to 85 W. At 537 × 665 mm this module is close to square, so a set of four is normally right — ask us if you want that confirmed for your roof.
What does it weigh?
10 lbs.
What is the short circuit current?
2.58 A. Size your charge controller and fusing from that figure, not from the operating current.
Is the frame the same as the 45 W?
The module dimensions and weight are the same. The electrical output differs.
Related products
Often Ordered With This
BSM045PBSM045P 45 W Multicrystalline Solar Module
The largest module in the range — 45 W, 13.10 % efficiency, 2.56 A optimum operating current.
View details →
BSM030PBSM030P 30 W Multicrystalline Solar Module
A 30 W 12 V module at 426 × 680 × 18 mm and 3.2 kg, with a 3 ft open-end cable.
View details →
BS09002Z Mount RV Solar Panel Mounts
Z-shaped aluminium feet for fixed-flat module installation on flat or curved RV roofs.
View details →
BS090030Adjustable RV Solar Roof Mount
A tilting roof mount for the larger 12 V panels used on RVs, marine and motorhome installations.
View details →Further reading
Notes and Guides for This Product
How a Photovoltaic Cell Turns Sunlight into Electricity
The physics behind every module on this site, in the terms our own FAQ uses.
The Three Parts of a Motorhome Solar Battery Charging System
Panel, regulator, battery — what each one does and why you cannot skip the middle one.
Sizing a Solar Panel for an RV
Count the loads first, then pick the module — not the other way round.
Ready to Order BSM040P
Tell us how many BSM040P you need and which port they are going to. We will confirm the pack quantity for the BSM040P 40 W Multicrystalline Solar Module, quote freight and give you a lead time.