Portable Solar Panels: any experts here?

[Keith_Beef]

I have a Goal Zero 19006 Guide that I've used a few times since I bought it for $90 in 2012, and I've been quite pleased with it.

But that was back in 2012... I wonder what the current generation of panels are like.

There's not been much discussion of portable solar panels on here; I can find a few threads or articles from 2012 and 2015, but that's about it.

 

[slimshady]

I bought my wife a RavPower [RP-PC005] 24watt 3-usb socket charger for £48 April 2017 (just looked and now £60).
It's used to charge a power cell that is then used to charge wife's phone, or directly if staying put. She thinks it's great. No issues apart from too many other Scout leaders wanting to use it.
It will charge 3 items at same time at similar outputs. Like I mentioned always got more than 3 things (Scouts) waiting to use it.
I know it states 24 watt but realistically the 4 panels give out about 10-18 watts.
I chose this model over other similar ones because of the need to charge multiple phones etc. Other demands might require a different approach.
Hope that helps.
Alex.

 

[66jj99]

Look for something with Sunpower cells.

Try to get the efficiency rating of the cells or panel.

What you have in your goalzero set up is a system,

If you look at a system as panel + charge controller (or battery charger) + battery bank, and understand their numbers in amps, volts and amp hours that will help spec good components.

Normally a good place to start would be an energy audit of your intended use for any devices.

Also make a reckoning (or at least be aware of) the seasonal variation between winter and summer sunlight hours depending on where you are on the planet and time of year you're using the system.



Enjoy the journey

 

[Bishop]

Been packing a small 10W panel (realistically closer to 5 watts) and in good light eg: you start wishing you had packed sunglasses then it does a good job of keeping my smartphone & head torch topped up when I go away for longer than a weekend. It struggled at the recent winter moot then again I was under a tree and not overly concerned with faffing about making sure it was always in direct sunlight.

 

[66jj99]

You did amazing with your system then there Bishop!

UK winters see something like 15 to 20 percent of our normal summer sunshine input.

Because of the big swing It's often a really difficult job to spec off-grid systems that are cycled / used for power daily, (Vs a back up system) over here.

A lot of the newer high efficiency cells are brilliant at harvesting indirect light like from cloud covered skys.

 

[baggins]

For our car camping trips we have a load of PowerTraveller gear (my good lady became obsessed), so we now have 4 power gorrillas, and 4 power monkeys, and a very rare silverback (all from ebay). All of them are charged using 2 banks of 2 of their large solar panels.
During the summer months and on a clear day, the Gorillas can be charged by about 70% (which is enough for 6 phone charges or 2 laptop charges. and the Monkeys 100%.
Last week we were on the isle of Colonsay during their massive power cut (they're now on a generator for a year until the cable can be repaired). We managed to be totally power self sufficient, keeping the torches, radios, laptops and cameras all charged. (just a shame i ran out of fuel for the camping stove).

 

[petrochemicals]

I bought my wife a RavPower [RP-PC005] 24watt 3-usb socket charger for £48 April 2017 (just looked and now £60).
It's used to charge a power cell that is then used to charge wife's phone, or directly if staying put. She thinks it's great. No issues apart from too many other Scout leaders wanting to use it.
It will charge 3 items at same time at similar outputs. Like I mentioned always got more than 3 things (Scouts) waiting to use it.
I know it states 24 watt but realistically the 4 panels give out about 10-18 watts.
I chose this model over other similar ones because of the need to charge multiple phones etc. Other demands might require a different approach.
Hope that helps.
Alex.

Yep, find out what you need and times it by 3. Sunshine is at about 1/3 rd of optimum, if you don't follow it round all day. Cloudy is about 10%. Charging losses etc. Have you ever thought of a steam generator?

 

[Broch]

I've been looking into this recently; I want one that's pretty robust and waterproof to use on the canoe trips. Still doing the research and far from made my mind up yet but here's a reasonable review of current offerings:

https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/test-centre/gadget/best-solar-chargers-3670491/

 

[Robson Valley]

The only thing better than one storage battery is two storage batteries.
Seems only effective to save all the excess juice that your photocells can make.
Then you can run all day and all night.

 

[66jj99]

Question one for determining system size is almost always:

How much power do you need?



Use a solar calculator to find out:

https://www.bimblesolar.com/solarcalc

 

[Duggie Bravo]

I bought a Freeloader back in 2011 to take to the Scout Jamboree in Sweden, I bought the one with the extra external panel, it worked really well in Britain, so well that I bought the bigger version too.
But for some reason in Sweden they were rubbish, wouldn’t take a charge or wouldn’t charge the pack.
Back in Britain, they work great.
The panel will deliver some charge direct to my phone, but I’m not sure what the output is.


Sent using Tapatalk