What do you think of this foldable/travel panel?

[atxpackfan]

Rockpals 100W Foldable Solar Panel Charger for Suaoki Portable Generator / 8mm Goal Zero Yeti Power Station/Jackery Explorer 240, Webetop Battery Pack/USB Devices, with 3 USB Ports


I live in Texas...spend a LOT of time watching travel baseball...I have 300w solar generator which I use to power a couple fans. Does anyone know of a more inexpensive foldable pan

 

[Will Prowse]

I wouldn't get your hopes up. I have never been able to get the rated output from that style of panel. Usually its 70%, but I have seen it as low as 50%.

Also, there are thin wires in the fold "hinge" of the panel that like to break over time.

Should still work, but don't expect it to push the full rated output. I would personally find a flex panel that pushes 50 watts or so, then glue it to a piece of hard plastic of sorts. Then you will have a lightweight, but better output panel. Won't be able to fold up, but will perform better than most of those fold up ones

 

[Antonero]

Will, does affixing the flexible panel to a rigid backing tend to overcome the reliability issues that I've heard you mention on YouTube video?

 

[Will Prowse]

Oh, sure. Mounting a flex panel flush mount to a black painted surface is going to degrade the panel in a few months.

But if you are simply laying the panel out in the sun for a few hours, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Antonero]

Oh, sure. Mounting a flex panel flush mount to a black painted surface is going to degrade the panel in a few months.

But if you are simply laying the panel out in the sun for a few hours, I wouldn't worry about it.

Have you looked at the Sunflare brand of flexible solar panels. They are a bit pricy but use a different diode configuration to overcome reliability issues.

This YouTube channel was able to receive donated flex panels from them. It would be very interesting to see you put those panels through their paces.