BSM005P-T 5 W Multicrystalline Solar Module
A 5 W 12 V multicrystalline module for battery maintenance, remote gates and garden lighting.
- 5 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
The smallest module in the range, and the one that answers the most common off-grid question: how do I stop a battery going flat while nothing is using it. At 5 watts and 0.29 amps of optimum operating current, the BSM005P-T is a maintenance panel — it holds a 12 volt battery up rather than doing heavy charging work.
It is built the same way as every other module here: 36 multicrystalline cells in a 4 × 9 layout behind low iron tempered glass, EVA lamination and a black TPT backsheet, in an anodised aluminium frame. It carries the same 10 year 90 % and 25 year 80 % power output warranty as the larger panels, and it ships with a 9.8 ft open-end cable from a junction box.
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 BSM005P-T
Benefits
- 5 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 | BSM005P-T |
|---|---|
| Nominal voltage | 12 V |
| Maximum power at STC | 5 W |
| Optimum operating voltage | 17.10 V |
| Optimum operating current | 0.29 A |
| Open circuit voltage | 21.7 V |
| Short circuit current | 0.31 A |
| Cell | Multicrystalline silicon, 78 mm × 15.6 mm |
| Cells and connections | 36 (4 × 9) |
| Module dimensions | 13.8 in × 8.80 in × 0.98 in |
| Weight | 2.2 lbs |
| Solar panel grade | A |
| Module efficiency | 6.5 % |
| Operating temperature | −40 °C to +85 °C |
| Maximum system voltage | 1000 VDC |
| Output terminal | Junction box |
| Cable length | 9.8 ft |
| 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
Grade A multicrystalline silicon cells, 78 mm × 15.6 mm, behind low iron tempered glass with EVA lamination and a black TPT backsheet, in an anodised aluminium frame.
Quality and certification
Everything in the BSM005P-T table above is taken from our own product documentation — 5 W at STC and a 13.8 in × 8.80 in × 0.98 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 small 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 BSM010P-T 10 W
Double the power for about a pound more weight. Choose 5 W for maintenance, 10 W if there is a real load.
Against the BSM020P-T 20 W
The 20 W module is nearly three times the area. If you need to recharge rather than maintain, start there.
Against a plug-in trickle charger
A trickle charger needs mains power at the parking spot. This does not.
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
What can a 5 W panel actually do?
It is a battery maintenance panel. At 0.29 A optimum operating current it offsets self-discharge and small parasitic loads rather than recharging a flat battery.
Does it need a charge controller?
For a small maintenance duty on a large battery many users run without one, but we recommend a controller on any installation you intend to leave unattended.
What is the module efficiency?
6.5 %. It is the lowest in the range because the cell area is small relative to the frame.
How long is the cable?
9.8 ft, open end, from a junction box.
Related products
Often Ordered With This
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BSM010P-TBSM010P-T 10 W Multicrystalline Solar Module
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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 BSM005P-T
Tell us how many BSM005P-T you need and which port they are going to. We will confirm the pack quantity for the BSM005P-T 5 W Multicrystalline Solar Module, quote freight and give you a lead time.