200W - Head to Head - Solar Panel Comparison Video! Which 200 Watt Solar Panel is the BEST?!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.ค. 2024
- In this video I took FIVE 200 watt portable solar panels and tested them head to head! After all the testing which brand do you think will come out on top? Will it be Bluetti, EcoFlow, Lensun, Vigorpool, or VCUTECH? The panels range in price from $330 all the way to $600! Is there a difference in wattage output?
Most Wattage Output:
EcoFlow 220w Bifacial panel - $549 : shrsl.com/3qppu
Best Budget Option:
VCUTECH 200w panel - $329 : amzn.to/3RUbFOX
Other Contenders in The Video:
-Bluetti PV200 panel - $499 : shrsl.com/3qppr
-Lensun 200w panel - $350 : www.lensunsolar.com/Products/...
-VigorPool 200w panel - $599 : amzn.to/3MnzvkU
The use of affiliate links provide a small commission for me when you use them. Thanks for supporting my channel content and allowing me to do future comparison videos! More videos coming soon!
#jasonoid #solarpanels #bluetti #ecoflow - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
IMPORTANT: Just because the EcoFlow put out the most power that doesn't mean it will work best with any power station. If you note the output voltage of the EcoFlow panel, it's around 15 volts / 12 amps @ peak power. This means if you have a small power station with a lower amperage input limit (EB3A or similar) you won't see that full charging input in the real world. For example, the EB3A has an 8 amp input limit, meaning it would only charge at 120 watts with the EcoFlow 220w panel (15v X 8amps = 120 watts)
Thanks for clarifying that. I was actually looking for a solar panel specifically for the EB3A. Almost jumped the gun on the ecoflow 220w panel
@@mingo0817 if you want the max. reasonable for EB3A a PV200 can charge it up to 174W, even after a few hours in the sun.
Just tested it yesterday on a sunny hazy day. Also tried only half a panel by not opening it fully, PV200 outputed 94W so I'm guessing it can output at least 190W when fully open in proper summer sun and I expect for EB3A to limit it to about 175 to maybe 180W due to it's 8.5A input limit.
For an extremely lighweight setup I bought a PV68, which charged the EB3A at 59W on the same day. Both the PV68 and EB3A power station weigh below 8kg in that combo. PV200 is almost 8kg by itself, so on the limit of being portable in my opinion.
Correct
I beleive that the solar input limit is important on any power station, simply because you don't want to loose watts if you get a bigger panel than what your power station can handle. I have the Ecoflow 220w and I love it. Nice review and comparison too.
I just checked the vcutech and the ecoflow prices, they have flipped. Ecoflow is now $379.00 and the VCUTech is $449.99.
Awesome video Jason!...all useful data and info and no extraneous stuff. I love the conciseness. Great choice of panels to test too. From what I've seen, many of Bluetti's lower priced offerings (everything aside from their AC300 and AC500) are generic designs that seem to be standard offerings from a Mfr that Bluetti buys and puts their name on it. That may be why their PV200 is performing similarly to the lower cost off-brands. The EcoFlow seems to be made per EcoFlow requirements. If that VCUTech were parallel connected, it'd be the perfect one.
Jason, you’re the man. You did everything I needed to know. Your reviews are awesome and keep getting better. Just want to share a bit about my usage for your reference. Was camping a month ago. Had two folding panels. I put then in the only sunny spot, which was next to the road. The sun was going down and I kept getting shadow from the top of trees on a bit of my panel. Partial shading was definitely a problem. Also, I camp out of my RAV. Wight of panels means very little to me, but size folded matters a ton. I lean towards 4 section over 3 because of this. I would even like 5 on a bigger panel, but they don’t seem to make them yet. Anyway, thanks again. Oh, if I could fit it in my car, I would go EcoFlow out of these.
Your video is amazing. Even salesman that get paid don’t research and give this amount of information for products! 👍🏻
Huge thanks for your efforts man!
Dude, you are the real deal. I don't see anyone else doing square footage per watt comparisons... that's amazing! subscribed
Thanks! I love trying to get real data when testing!
Just bought the Ecoflow and your testing has confirmed I did the right thing. Thanks for the peace of mind.
Great video, as always. I own 2 of the ecoflow delta max that I bought with the 160 watt panels before they sold the bi-facial solar panels. If I did not own the other panels I definitely would have been interested in those bi facial panels. Again thanks for the time and trouble you put yourself in for my benefit.
Hi Jason. Thank you for been so nice and make this video for me. You are awesome brother. I had to return the VCUTECH even though I was receiving 164W in full sun. The solar panel is great but it doesn’t work for me here in NJ because we have more cloudy days than sunny days otherwise I wouldn’t return it. Now I have the EENOUR 200W Solar Panel and I am getting between 150-155W with no problem because they in Parallel. Thank you very much for the greatest explanation as always. ❤
All solar panels produce very low power in cloudy conditions. I wouldn't really compare that to "partial shading" since clouds are covering the entire panel.
YES! Great timing because I'm in the market for a new folding panel.
Fit and finish with material use might be a helpful category to consider on your next comparison. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the feedback!
Excellent review. Very informative. Thank you for doing this
Thanks for a great review.
I’m going with the Ecoflow.
Love this comparison. Ive been looking for a set for my bluetti EB3A. I had mentioned on another video of yours that my EB3A had failed. Bluetti was great to deal with. They asked for some pictures of the error, paid the shipping to send it back and they immediately sent me a replacement. The new unit has been rock solid.
@@christinam673 I was having the same problem and I had nothing hooked up to it other than plugged in to the wall. I'd contact Bluetti and see if they will replace it. My new one has never had a fault
Just remember the EB3A has the 8 amp input limit for solar charging. The EcoFlow 220w panel was putting out 195 watts @15volts and 12 amps. With the EB3A you'd only see around 120 watts charging input with that panel since it would only allow 8 amps charging input. (15volts X 8 amps = 120 watts). You'd want to go with a panel with a higher voltage output to see more charging input on the EB3A.
@@Jasonoid Good point. Its so hard to wade through all the panels out there.
@@Jasonoid I was looking for a panel around 200W for my EB3A too. I use the panel behind my windows (facing south) in my small apartment.
Should i go with the PV200 since its made to work with the EB3A or buy the Ecoflow 220W because of the better output since i cant get 200W behind windows anyway?
The EB3A is for emergencies only and should the need arise i will probably get another solar generator (most likely an Ecoflow Delta 2) but for now the EB3A and a 200W panel has to do due to budget reasons.
@@grayssoncarl5020 have you seen this video? These 100w panels will fit better in windows: th-cam.com/video/O2Ib2NXrsyw/w-d-xo.html
I was hoping you were going to do a 200 watt version! Thank you. Your reviews are always very good and thorough
Glad it was helpful :)
Great video-thank you for doing this great comparison. Based largely on this video I bought the VCUTech panel. I liked it so much I bought a second one.
I love the VCUtech panel, lightweight and puts out great power!
Interesting. Too bad about the VCU being in series. EcoFlow for the win. Thank you, Jason!
Good comparison, and I will probably be upgrading to a higher output panel next year. BTW, Ecoflow just announced the River 2 with LiFePO4 battery, and am looking forward to your review of the unit at some point.
I have been testing it, review should be out later this month.
Great tests and ways to slice the data. Some big differences between all these
Yeah, it seems my PV200 is a dud, I have only ever gotten 148 watts max from it. The conditions weren't perfect but it showed the major difference in between these models.
Great test! Great info! Thanks!
Excellent review, I am all in on the Ecoflow 200w bifacial panels.
It sure makes a lot of power!
Love your channel. This video and the last solar panel comparison video you did are my favorite videos from you. Looking forward to more in the future.
Can you do a portable backpack panel size one with your partial shading technique?
What size panel and budget do you have in mind?
@@Jasonoid There seem to be a few regulars that pop up in my Amazon solar searches. Like the BigBlue 14/28/36 panels and the black and orange FlexSolar ones.
Like you have the 200w+ panel video and the ~100w folding panel video. Seems like a sub 50w portable panel would be a good addition to what you have already made.
Looking forward to future videos! Seen that Sono Sion yet!?
The Sono Sion is pretty cool. I like the integrated solar panels. It also has the ability to function like a home backup solution. Imagine running your house in a power outage from a car that has a large battery and charges itself haha
Excellent details!
Didn't think i would say it, but the Eco-Flow panel looks to be the perfect match for most small power stations with that 200 watt solar input limit, and the most accurate in the listed panel specifications. Great review, i think i have found my next purchase for a good "portable" all purpose foldable solar panel to use with my EB3A's!
Hey John, just remember the EB3A has the 8 amp input limit for solar charging. The EcoFlow was putting out 195 watts @15v and 12 amps. With the EB3A you'd only see around 120 watts charging input with that panel since it would only allow 8 amps charging input. (15v X 8 amps = 120 watts). You'd want to go with a panel with a higher voltage output to see more charging input.
@@Jasonoid Very good point Jason. I had a similar problem with a 120-watt panel connected to a power station that would only charge at 60 watts and at first, I thought there was something wrong with the panel.
Watch the AMPS! I have the Eb3A too!
Great video - have been considering a 200w panel and this is very helpful. Next time, please consider including some of the budget panels like ATEM or ALLPOWERS in the comparison. Would be great to see if the budget panels perform at a budget level or better.
From my experience, both Allpowers and Atem do not perform well. Already spent that money and wasn't happy with the results. I tested the Atem in this video:
th-cam.com/video/O2Ib2NXrsyw/w-d-xo.html
I tested the Allpowers 100w in my other 11 panel comparisons video.
Very good video, pretty much like everything you put out. One thing alluded to, but not specifically stated, is that a series connection is best IF you are getting full sun and your charge controller can handle the open circuit voltage (VOC). The interesting thing in this video is the VCUTECH panel is clearly wired in series, but the total voltage is similar to the other four panels tested. During the shading test, the voltage was roughly 1/3 lower, as is expected, but that means the each of the three panels operate at a lower voltage than the other two.
Let me try to explain how I think they are wired differently. The individual sections of these panels can be wired differently for different levels of volts and amps. In a panel that's designed to be put together in series (vcutech), each panel will be designed to put out low voltage (6v) / high amps (10 amps) so when you put it together in series it will meet the rated specs (let's say 18v and 10 amps).
On a panel with sections designed to be put together in parallel (Ecoflow), each section will be wired for high voltage (18v) / low amperage (2.5 amps). So in the end both panels put out the same power, (18v and 10amps) just in different ways to get there. A panel with three sections in series will put out the same ballpark of voltage as a panel that's wired in parallel.
This was great. One piece you might have noted was that clouds can cause partial shading, knocking the VCU tech out in my book.
I actually set the 2 of mine up over a couple of the $2-3 dollar silver-Crome Mylar space blankets/survival blankets. Only to reflect any sunlight that’s in the couple feet infront of the panels that would be hitting the ground to reflect that light back up.
Also it gets so hot in Louisiana. To keep the panels cooler to run the best they can. I connect a battery operated water misting thing to the top an bottom. It’s a long stretch of about 10 misters along the top than down an around the bottom. With the misting heads directed to spray over the panels.
With it by remote any time it seems they may lag from heat. The misting system can be turned on by remote I leave by the solar generator an will click it on for 10-20 minutes.
An the mist is so fine it basically evaporates sook as it touches the panels.
Being the most is to like string around an umbrella shade that people would sit around under. To cool people since it’s so fine of mist without everyone getting wet. So they get an evaporative cooling here an there if there being beat by the sun pretty bad. Just to lower the temp of the cells to keep producing the best possible.
Great video, thanks for the testing
Thanks for watching!
Very fine comparison. You've looked at them from every angle. Thank you.
Keep up the great videos. Thank you!
Thanks, will do!
What up Doe!?
I like this comparison Dr J'
And the Ppl's Champ wins again!! Congratulations Ecoflow🏆
Great video and info. I did buy the Ecoflow 220 and have been using it to charge the Delta 2 and extra battery. Conditions have not been very good in central FL, have not had a sunny day for 4-5 days. Was surprised to see 30-50 watts late afternoon with total overcast conditions. Best I've seen so far was 131 watts. The Delta 2 is in the house next to the fridge which it is running as I type. Using 100 ft of 12 gauge low voltage landscaping wire with connectors that is usually used with a 100 watt panel to run a evaporative cooling tower on the pool patio
Cool. I’m jealous of your panel and Delta 2. Hoping to get one some day.
Great test, thanks! The VCUtech appears to be using Sunpower grade A or B cells so no surprise it performs that well. Considering it's size, weight, price and output it's a solid choice! Ecoflow wins for raw power but is heavy, awkward to set up and very expensive.
I think the VCUTECH is a great option. Feels durable, puts out good power at a decent price. The Vigorpool also appears to be using Sunpower cells.
Great test😊 I have 2 ecoflow panels and they work well.
Excellent feedback!
VCUtech. I bought one and I love it. Do it with the Pecron 200 watt panel in the mix.
Have you done a similar test with the ~400w panels? Would love to see how the ecoflow 400 compares to the bluetti pv420!
I have an ecoflo river pro with the extra battery added for 576 watts. I am looking for a foldable panel. The price point for the VCUTech is appealing. I also like its light weight
I have now had 16 of these VCUTECH 200 watt solar suitcases, purchased over 3 years living 1/2 time offgrid. Panel degradation has been pretty good at an average of roughly 5-10% in a year in year around used in fairly extreme temps of -2 degrees F to as high as 110 degrees in snow and dust storms. I have lost 3 of the 16 to just plain stopped working assume internal wiring. Customer service is top notch and they were all replaced no hassle and promptly! Couple more positives if you have a bunch of them setup in multiple solar grids. They deploy quickly and are taken down efficiently with only 3 panels rather than 4, and are pretty sturdy in wind, I have constant wind! The one con is shade as was demonstrated in this great video. With different angles of the sun through the day, even with few or no trees other things come into play especially early and late in the solar day. In my case 5th wheel awning in the late afternoon kill my solar production. Any fences, vehicles, bushes will really kill your solar production even if only a very small part of the panel is shaded! Usually these panels are deployed on the ground so even tumble weeds have caused a problem. Getting the panels up off the ground a bit has really helped. That said with at least with my Bluetti 200P and Max, I would not use any other portable suitcase style solar panels, and I have tried many others! Just my .02
Wow, thanks for sharing this valuable feedback! 16 of these! That's a lot!
yeah I know but I like AC in the summer and heat in the cold of winter. I have 10.5 kw of battery but it goes fast when using 2-4,000 watts per hour in the extreme heat or cold.
Jason, the data you provided is great. Informed purchasers would be wise to study your condensed data.
Thanks Dan!
Glad I bought the ecoflow.
Perfect test but i wish there was a test in cloudy weather too.
So useful ty
I just got an Elecaenta 300W portable panel, about the same size as the 200’s you are showing.
Weighs only 13.1 lbs. It generated 250 watts in East Texas in November.
I'm guessing that the panel is taller? How much does that panel cost?
🐾🐾Thanks Jason 🌷
Based on your good test, taken into account that ecoflow generally uses the best materials, it seems obvious that it is the best choice. I am about to purchase a powerstation with one portable solar panel and expand it with aditional panels and batteries in time. I am not yet sure if Anker or ecoflow will be my brand of choice?
I really appreciate the time and effort you put in your videos. Thank you for showing us options. One question comes up for me after seeing comments here. Is the mention of how well the ecoflow 220 bifacial panel will work with the bluetti eb3a power station. It is difficult to discern if it will be better than the other panels because in your findings its wattage was coming in with 12+ amps to get its power. I believe the bluetti eb3a amp maxes out @ 8 amp. Which can change the choice of best wattage between panels. So can you give us the list of thesr panels with voltage & amperage ratings?
Correct, the EB3A with it's 8 amp input limit wouldn't be able to hit the maximum power since the EcoFlow was putting out 195 watts @ 15v and 12 amps. You'd only see around 120 watts charging input on the smaller Bluetti power stations since they have the 8 amp limit.
I will say my Bluetti PV200 has shown 185 and 190W in good Florida sun, so I REALLY am happy with it. I have one other 200w panel, another brand, and polycrystalline, it is not as good in identical conditions.
I have only seen 148 watts from my PV200, I guess I didn't get lucky with mine.
Same here in TX
Similar here, seen 174W on a hazy day in Europe connected to a EB3A which is probably even limiting the panel a bit due to it's 8.5A input limit. Chose the PV200 because of it's good power/weight ratio and to fully utilize the EB3A input by charging it in the shortest amount possible using solar power.
Same, I regularly see in the 180s with my PV200 connected to the EB3A.
Ive watched way to many of your videos in the last day haha
I guess I really lucked out because I got my EcoFlow 220 panel when they were running a sale (and I had a $50 coupon) for $360 which puts my price per watt at $1.85. Did you take into account the area of the back of the panel since it generates a portion of the total wattage? Great video, well presented. Keep up the good work. Much appreciated.
You need to add the Elecaenta 200W panel, in your comparison. Light weight, high output and better price with the Amazon discount.
I bought one of the VCUTech panel-sets two months ago because it was inexpensive, looked like it might be made with SunPower cells, and had a few good reviews. I left it out in the Albuquerque sun and occasional rain (it was 'monsoon season') for... oh... maybe a month or so and when I packed it up a few weeks ago it seemed to be working just as well as it ever had. 185W ±5 was the highest I saw it put out. (I had it connected to a Bluetti EB3A.)
Oh, I tried shading it a few times by just sticking my hand in front of it and the power dropped, but not as precipitously as it did in your test. If I remember right, it seemed to drop the power by roughly 1/3 (providing ~120W output) when I did my quick tests.
I only did it for a few seconds and it was only my hand though.
Thanks for the sharing your feedback! Great information!
Awesome and thanks Jason.
I'm not sure I want to go with the foldables yet since I can leave the rigids in the rain.
Btw..Bluetti mislead, imo, with having the youtubers having 20% off vs $20 off the ac180 launch.
I decided on the Anker 757 and went with it since it was $200 off ($899).
Eco flow folding solar panels are waterproof ip68 and more
use them for a year and then do a follow up of how they kept - all panels are pretty good when new :-)
Found a great 3-fold 195W panel from offgridtec with genuine American SPR back -contact cells from SunPower, works fantastic even in the shade. Tried those other brands, the cheaper kinds and the output was either poor or the quality was mediocre. Yes paid a bit more.
Awesome review.
because of your review I pulled the trigger on two ECOFLOW 200 watt panels 😎!
They are great panels! Lots of power output
Ecoflow panel is a very strange beast. That double sided design ramps up the weight quite considerably.
I would test it with back side covered and with a mirror pointing sunlight at it to test if it even makes any sense to have that back side panels.
Too bad they don't make single sided 220W panels. They would be considerably lighter and cheaper I imagine.
I was excited about it and got a good Lightning Deal price but ended up returning it. It was simply too heavy for practical use
I would like to see the same test, but with an actual solar generator versus charging a 12 V battery, 👍🏼
great solar panel, I purchased it along with a Delta 2. I want to also have the ability to use the panel to charge my lead-acid trailer batteries. (Zamp port) What do I need to make that work?
Thanks! 8-)
Just purchased a CTECHI SP 200 200W portable solar panel. It was clear here in western Oregon so I tested it using a 200A Watt Meter (similar to the one used in the comparison). The Watt Meter was connected to a 20A MPPT Solar Charge Controller. To controller was attached a deep cycle lead acid 12 V battery. I used an EcoFlow solar angle guide to align the solar panel to the sun. The results were disapointing 2.12A, 21.88V 46.3W. I would appreciate your thoughts.
Was the solar charger in bulk charging mode or float mode? If the battery is near full capacity, it won't charge at full power. It's best to discharge the battery a bit and then try charging it with the solar panel. The charge controller also makes a big difference, if it's a cheap no name brand Chinese controller it might not charge very fast.
Gotta go with VCEU for total value
Great video! Have you ever done a video on service life of these panels or warranty claims?
The lifetime of portable panels is much shorter than glass rigid panels. Only use these panels on a temporary basis, if you need solar everyday stick with a glass panel.
Ok that’s a given. I use glass panels on the roof of my van. Adding a portable to increase my charging capability while parked. My question was among the portables is the one that has a better record for durability. Thanks.
@@michaeld1959 ETFE panels are better vs PET. I will be building a larger array using some EFTE panels and I'll be using them everyday so I'll be able to see how well they hold up to the elements.
Ok thanks. Your compare videos are heads above many of the others on TH-cam!
I was surprised that Bluetti didn't do better... Thanks Jason
Maybe I got a problem with my panel?
@@Jasonoid
Probably not. Just lower grade panels.
thinking about suspending the ecoflo from a pole with a reflecting silver matt underneath.. stiffen it up with a frame and support rope anchor that i can move through out the day and track the sun with ...
Interesting idea! That might give you more wattage since it's bifacial.
Do You have the folded dimensions of the ECOFLOW panel?
Do you have the link for the Solar Charge Controller? Are they safe for lithium iron phosphate batteries?
I would have liked to see the output of the EcoFlow on grass, rather than the white concrete (ideal for the bifacial).
There are a bunch of other videos showing extensive bifacial testing, results differ from 5 to 10 watts, not by much.
I am currently I the middle of a warranty claim on a 200w flexible panel from these guys (Lensun Solar) that I had mounted to the roof of my RTT since may2023 (its AUG 2023 @ time of writing). Maybe it will get better but currently I have not been impressed, my issue hasn't been resolved, and the panel just up and quit working. No visible damage. Just stopped working.
I would really like to see a text under overcast skies
You'll get 10 - 15 percent of normal output in overcast conditions. I haven't noticed a difference on these portable panels and none perform very well in clouds.
Thanks for the video! Do you have one that talks about how well these panels do with regard to water? I ask because I have hear the Bluetti is a great panel, but it is only water resistent. They should not be left out in the rain, on the other hand Merlin Solar panels are 100% water proof and can withstand a down pore. I am looking for long term boondocking and working from the spot, so having solar out in all weather is really important to me. Have you test these for water at all?
Out of these panels, the only truly waterproof panel is the Ecoflow 220. There are other panels that are waterproof as well that aren't in the video, as long as the manufacturer says it's waterproof it's should be go to go. I'd recommend a glass rigid panel for the best durability and weather resistance.
Love this presentation. Really simple to follow. However. I live in Illinois. How will this work when it's sunny but the temps are zero or below?♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Yes, even in below-freezing weather solar panels turn sunlight into electricity. That’s because solar panels absorb energy from light, not the sun’s heat. So long as sunlight is hitting a solar panel, it will generate electricity.
Didn't see the BougeRV Yuma in this test.
Hi, any comment on Renogy monocristal Panels, please?
would you be able to test the rockpals against the vcutech? i really appreciate your effort.
The Rockpals 200w panel is super interesting. It's like 2 panels in one. A 200w 24v panel and a 100w 12v panel. I don't think it's super useful since most small power stations can't handle the 24v output.
The EcoFlow solar panel seems kind of cumbersome to set up. Is it still easy to prop up with the included case? I like how the other ones provide a kickstand, although maybe this isn't that big of a deal?
The case is a bit weird to get used to. I'd say it does need a little improvement to be perfect. I do prefer the other more simple kickstands.
Hi Jason. Would like you to review portables panels from Ecoflow the bifacial 220W and the 400W.
The 220w panel is in this video, I haven't tested the 400w panel before.
@@Jasonoid I have seen this video before, I don’t know why I forgot about the ecoflow 220W panel review, my bad. Sorry for that. Good review, would like to see then the 400W panel review. Your reviews are very informative and straight to the point without silly jokes, they have been very useful to me. Thanks!
Hey Jasonoid, great video as always. I am considering getting the EcoFlow Solar Panels. I currently have a JUPITEK Portable Power Station S1200. It can charge up to 120w via solar. Only problem is, it’s solar input is Anderson Plugs. Are there any adapters for the EcoFlow Solar Panels so I can charge via Anderson Plugs?
Search for 'Xt60 to Anderson power pole adapter' on Amazon.
Will do. Thx!
Please explain what ALL the acronyms mean. I have no idea what ETFE is.
The Ecoflow looks like a fantastic performer, but that price really hurts.
Any chance of getting one of the Dokio ETFE panels for similar tests?
Not sure I'd want to buy another Dokio panel, I wasn't too impressed by the quality of the other panel I purchased.
@@Jasonoid Understood; I'm not sure how durable mine is. I don't routinely use it; I'm storing it in my little camper for now.
@jasonoid
Can you test charging speed on EB70 with both VCUTECH and VIGORPOOL 200W. It would be nice to at least see the difference in charging speed (if there is any) and compare those results to ones from Bluetti PV200 ?
The vcutech will give you more power charging into you EB70 due to the slightly higher voltage.
@@Jasonoid
Thanks
Great video! Quick question, I have some older Goal Zero Nomad solar panels. I was trying to hook them up to a smaller power bank that has an 8mm charging port. . I bought an DC 8mm Male to DC 5.5mm x 2.1mm Female Connectors Adapter and the GZ were still too big. What size do they use? Thanks in advance
Another common size is 5525mm.
Thank you, I will try that!@@Jasonoid
They should put average output, not just maximum output. So many panel don’t really perform that well. This way is easier to purchase the panel.
Some of these panels were producing very little power compared to their rated output :(
@@Jasonoid thanks to your video, people can find a better panel without buy and return.
If you're going to mention prices per watt you need to mention how many more watts you could get out of each same conditions for 10yrs
Hi Jason, love your solar panel videos. I was hoping you could give me some advice. I own the EcoFlow River Pro. The max solar input voltage is 25V. I want to use the JJN Bifacial 200 Watt solar panel with it, but the OCV on it is 28.1V. Will it work? Does this only mean that when I have really good conditions that the voltage might be too high and the power station will stop charging but otherwise I would be OK? Of course I do not want to blow up my power station. I just love this panel. It is almost perfect for my needs. Thanks.
Sup Lit! So you'll usually see the high end VOC without a load on the solar panel and during cold temps. The colder the temp, the higher the voltage. That voltage might be a bit high for that power station. The new River Max and Pro have much higher voltage input levels so they support more solar combinations.
@@Jasonoid Thank you. Yes, I saw that they have higher voltages and was sad that mine doesn’t. I guess I need to find a less perfect panel ☹️😂
@@litnoregrets7551 there are lots of options. That power station will hit the full 200 watts charging input without having to go with a high voltage panel. It's got a high amp limit, unlike the Bluetti power stations haha
@@Jasonoid well, yes there are a lot of 200W under 25v OCV panels, but I need a more squarish panel than the common long skinny ones. I don’t want a 58 or 60 inch long panel on my car that gets too close to the hatch if I don’t need to. There is one more panel that I have seen that will fit, but it is not biracial. Of corse, I am just thinking the biracial on this panel works well. I really don’t know. I was waiting for you to test it along with my other option, the Alaska 200W. 😂 - no pressure.
Jasonoid I noticed some of these panels have holes in them, is there a clever way to mount them? Like maybe a quick workflow to put them up… maybe a way to attach them to a moving rv
Moving vehicle? That might work if you were able to strap it down well enough. 8t depends on how they were tied down I guess. It would probably best to hang them off the side or on top of an awning when it's not moving.
Yeah… I think it should be doable while stationary in the way you described.
I did see someone permanently mount one to their roof… however it was totally destroyed after a year. these are usually built not withstand the elements.
I’m thinking about getting these. I’m trying to figure out the best approach. Going on road for next couple months. Fact is most time in parking lots you can’t just deploy these on the ground. If there was an easy way to deploy them out of traffic, maybe like you suggested off the side of awning, that would probably be ideal.
I’m curious if you thought about comparing the favorites from your earlier, I think it was a Baldr and Rockpals 100v? How do their 200v versions stack up against these?
Yeah, I'd need to purchase the 200w versions of those panels. I'd like to do that sometime in the future, takes lots of money and my channel is small
@@Jasonoid totally fair. I appreciate the reviews you’ve done so far!
if you compare the actual output to the output laying flat, lowest drop in percentage, the first 3 on the list takes to 3, with vigorpool in the lead. This to me is far more interesting.
On the whole, while I do much appreciate these videos, as such information is not easy to come by, I'm disappointed that there is not more attention on how they perform in overcast weather and indirect sunlight, but I suppose it makes sense that the topic is far more interesting to people in very sunny areas, and opposed to the cold and dark nordics/scandinavia..
I usually see around 10-15% of the rated output in overcast weather. In indirect lighting even less, probably around 5% of rated power.
@@Jasonoid Presumably you have tested lots of thin film SIGS panels, and do they really not perform all that different from regular mono- and polycrystaline? How about CDTE or old school Amorphous silicon? I am particularly interested in performance with no direct sunlight at all, which should also help with decline in performance over time, and overall lifetime. In short, I'm doing research with the goal of achieving a more, ehm... "normalized" production throughout the day, in an attempt to avoid the need for a heap of battery capacity, especially during Winter, and unnecessary large surplus during summer. The comparative efficiency between panels doesn't really interest me all that much, though higher is always better, naturally.
I don't know that you can answer any of these questions, but I thank you for the answer you have already provided.
Best regards.
@@FelixNielsen I haven't tested any CIGS panels yet. They are pretty expensive but are supposed to be the best performing in partial shading since they are connected together in a different way than these traditional monocrystaline panels. I'm not a solar pro. I'm just learning this stuff so I'm not sure about the other types you mentioned. Im just a dude in a backyard that points solar panels towards the sun to see how many watts they get.
And you do that very well. Thanks for the answer.
Can you use the ecoflow 220w with the BLUETTI EB55? I see on the bluetti site 200W Max., VOC 12-28V, 8A. This seam's like it should work well?
The ecoflow put out 15 volts at max power. With the 8 amp charging limit on the EB55 you'd probably see around 120watts. I'd recommend a slightly higher voltage panel. The VCUtech put out higher voltage so you'd get more power.
I have tested a ton of foldable solar panels and found the Lipower 200 Watt Portable Solar Panel to be the best so far.
Impossible to beat the eco flow 220
Surprising difference in output and quite disappointing if expecting a higher output than you actually get. Do you think the bifacial capability of the Ecoflow was evident in the results?
The bifacial aspect adds about 5 to 7 watts. I watched a few other videos about trying to reflect light up from mirrors and such, never got much more extra power than that. It's just a great panel that puts out close to rated wattage.
Where is the best way to face the solar panels and what angle (90 /45?)
There are solar angle calculators online, just Google what solar angle to use for your specific area.
Just bought the bluetti EB55 and I had a thought about the AC input maybe you can help clarify for me. since the AC input requires an external PSU to convert the AC into DC to charge the EB55 can't we just hook solar panels directly upto the AC side and the normal solar mppt side to get dual charging or would I destroy my new purchase? Thanks for all your videos really wish I found your channel before going all in on the bluetti brand.
As long as your charging input voltage matches the same voltage level as the AC wall charger. I think it's like 26.5volts or something close to that. It will be hard to get a DC voltage at that exact amount.
@@Jasonoid Wonder if bluetti did that intentionally or not but I'd love to hook up my sp200 normally and use my 2 sp120 in parallel with a step up to 24v and see if I can get it close to 400w all solar. Thanks for your input and quick response
Jason, Any numbers on Powerness200w? I can return it as I just purchased.
I haven't tested that panel before. You can copy my testing pattern to see how it performs.
QUESTION: I heard that the rigid 200 Watt bifold solar panels produce better power or watts than the foldable solar panels. If this is true, I would love to see a test with a 200 W rigid solar bifold panels from the top contenders, like Eco flow, Bluetti, and any others that are out there. Do you think he would be doing this at any time?
Companies like Bluetti, EcoFlow only make portable folding panels. Most glass panels put out similar power, you'll see around 85 to 90% rated power on a good day. Look for brands like NewPowa, RichSolar, HWST, and Renogy.
@@Jasonoid thank you for replying so quickly. I do have a Renogy 200w suitcase style already but I can’t seem to find anyone who has done a comparison video of it against another similar model. What are your thoughts on this. I’m also curious about Renogy’s 220w foldable solar panel as it is also a monocrystalline panels but has the abbreviation PERC in its name. Does this mean that the 220w foldable is better that the one I have now? They didn’t have this when I bought mine. Does newer mean better? Or does it just simply mean they made a lighter weight version of the suitcase model with more watts now available?
So how is the best ?
If I run a 220 watt on the delta pro mini. I see the voltages don’t match but will that harm the battery like running 400 watts on a 300 watt machine
As long as you don't go over the max input voltage of the power station is will not cause any harm to the power station
Are there no bypass diodes in these types of panels? Is it just series vs parallel?
It's hard to know if there are bypass diodes installed, I'm sure you'd have to rip the whole panel apart to look at all the internals.
I'm looking for the best match for the bluetti ac 180. The ecoflow is clearly the winner, especially since I will have it in partial shade part of the day *unavoidable where I'm at)
The EcoFlow 220w puts out more than 10 amps of power at peak. The Bluetti AC180 limits solar input to 10 amps. You'll want to find a panel that gets it's power from a higher voltage / amperage ratio. It can be a little confusing since watts isn't everything.
@@Jasonoiddo you have any recommendations on what panel you would use if you had a ac180? I myself have one and very new to this relm
@@nutzthomas the Oukitel, Elecaenta, or Allpowers would all work well with the AC180.
@@Jasonoid thank you sir, I appreciate the time and effort you put into these vides. Thanks for the recommendations also
@dystoniaify have you found a solar panel setup you like for your ac180 yet?
I wish you did a head to head with rich solar and vcutech. I might have the wrong panels.
I didn't know Rich Solar made a portable panel. The VCUtech panel is an excellent value!
They make 36lb. 100, 200 and now 400 watt glass foldable panels. The 200 watt panel cost me just under $300. I have the of them. Just go to their website and search portable panels.
@@kimwarfield1587 Those are a different class of panel; basically two rigid panels connected with a metal hinge. They are somewhat heavy. The ones tested here are typically less than 20lbs, flexible and fold up very small.
I tried to order from your links, but since I live in Alaska, they won't ship. I am very sad.
That seems the case for a lot of products, you live a bit up there!
Sent my first comment too quickly. Would the VCUTech be compatible with my ecoflo river pro or would it require an adapter?
It's got mc4 connections and will plug into the solar adapter on the river pro just fine
@@Jasonoid Thank you.