I seen these panels a few weeks ago on amazon and could only find a coupke reviews on youtube. None from any one i rocognize in the solar space. Im really glad you did a review of these. I already put them in my favorites a few weeks ago and planned on purchasing at least 2 sets of these but now youve just made that decision even more solid for me.
Some people say they have seen 490w from the panel, that's awesome! My testing conditions were just a little hazy so I could have seen a little more power I think.
WOW...these panels seem to work beautifully. As I love camping in remote places I think 400 watts of power would be perfect for a longer outing. Thanks Jason. Always precise to the point reviews. All the best.
Impressive performance. Looks well built, but my concern would be the wiring between the panels. The Renogy ones have a few reviews of wires breaking. At 27lb it's lighter than then 31lb Bluetti PV350 that I have. Hoping that more companies copy this design and reduce pricing. Portable panels are still 2-3x the cost of residential ones, and I am not entirely sure why.
Nice product review and comparison. I have the Renogy 400 and like it, it's nice but the leg stands are not adjustable like the ZOUPW does. The leg stakes are also a nice bonus in addition to the added power output!
I really like the design of both of these panels with the metal frames and fiberglass backerboard. They are such an improvement over the traditional folding panels. The ZOUPW just is an improvement over the Renogy since it has better solar cells. I'm sure we will see this 'leapfrog effect' with other products over the next year, each one getting better and better. Solar tech is always changing :)
Amazing performance. Very nice to have such capable portable solar panels. Yes they are more expensive than rigid ones and most are lower rated but this one with 450W (and even more sometimes as shown here) that you can tilt for the best angle, and carry in some way (backpack like perhaps even?) makes all the difference. A good powerstation with one or two of these portable solar panels sounds like a winner for many applications. Very nice.
"I'm sittin' here on the ZOUPW bench..." Quite impressive indeed. This may possibly be a buy for me for my off-grid setup: portable, high output for fast charging, and did I mention portable? Thanks Jason!
Another great review Jason and I am not surprised by the results. I got this panel 2 months ago(I am an Amazon Vine). I was getting over wattage too up to 490w+ and you know with solar panels, that's rarity. I gave this a raving review on Amazon and so did everyone else. This is great for vanlifer because they are portable and you can place these where you need to be instead of on your roof. I am sure after your review, these will sell like hotcakes.
It would be great to see a 400w panel face off video. In just the past few yrs we went from 5BB to 16B, half cut cells, N type Top con, and bifacials became much more affordable. The tech has progressed nicely. Still waiting the GOV to back off and let the market put out a 35% efficient panel.
@ thank you. Looking to replace old heavy renogy suitcase so your video was timely. ZoupW also has all plastic versions, but the glass face models would be superior? In general of course and thank you again
I really like this panel! Thanks for doing the comparison! I've been looking at these suitcases and I'm glad to see how well it performed. The ZOUPW has better kickstands, higher output, and newer cell techology compared to the Renogy 400w suitcase.
I read the Renogy panels had a small flaw in the back of the panel with the wiring design getting a little bit pinched during folding, does this ZOUPW model have that same design? Good video, I’m glad more companies are doing these 400+ watts panels, it will make them better in the future for all companies and hopefully the consumer will get the benefits of great panels 👌🏼
I do feel the wire design is a better design on the ZOUPW, two of the panels wires go through holes, the other two of the panels have wires that are freely hanging.
@@westcoast2k8 I tested a bunch 1.5 years ago (video on my channel). The Renogy and the ZOUPW are currently the best options that aren't cheap garbage.
I think it would be interesting to fasten the unit to your roof, closed, and then when you stop and camp, climb up, and open then up. Also, you could be able to angle it, and the legs can use the roof to support. Just don't know if they're weatherproof while installed on roof, because I don't think the case could be on while installed on roof.
I can say that the Renogy suitcase is not the highest quality and the Zoup does appear better. I've only owned the Renogy 400w since November and the stitching already tore at the bottom when I was putting the panels back in a couple of weeks ago. I contacted Renogy and, of course, that damage is not covered by warranty.
The case is probably the weakest part of the Renogy setup, it's pretty thin and fits tightly. It does do a good job keeping dust off the panel so it's ready to go when you take it out. The ZOUPW case is much thicker and has actual padding.
The 400w charge controller on the DJI 1000 has a voltage limit of 30v. However, they are coming out with a new larger charge controller with a 60v limit that this would work with.
@@Jasonoid Thank you for your quick response. Unfortunately I can't afford to by an 'newer' model as my unit is less than one month old! Do you mean an updated DJI Power Solar Panel Adapter Module (MPPT) or an entirely new power bank? Appreciate all your videos.
Yes, it will definitely work on the F3800. If you wanted to use more than one, you could wire them in parallel together to stay under the 60v limit on the F3800 (or plug one into each charging port).
I checked their official site. They are stating with everyday use, after 20 years they are maintaining 80% efficiency, which is the same as the rigid panels. They are even offering a 5 year warranty excluding “normal wear and tear.” For those that have seen these up close, with that ETFE material, do you feel it would hold up under the normal weather patterns?
Portable panels are not meant for permanent use.... but I have been testing some ETFE coated solar panels in non stop use for over 1 year and they still are putting out near the same power and look great. So they seem to be pretty durable to UV wear.
@Jasonoid (Thanks for answering so quick!) That’s what I knew to be true as well, but with those of us with very limited space who want to take advantage of this high output, I wondered how these would theoretically fare with nearly everyday use in Colorado weather. With their new materials, I didn’t know if you or anyone else could speak to that specific durability. That being said, I’m happy that you have been testing some non-stop and seeing improved results. Thanks for doing that!!
It would require two wired series since the voltage needs to be above 60v in order to charge a 48v battery. You might be able to find a charge controller that will boost the voltage from a lower voltage solar panel, most don't work that way though.
I saw that price drop yesterday. I still really like the Renogy 400w suitcase and it's design. This one is very similar except the kickstand are a little better and you get the boost in extra wattage!
I really like the design of both of these panels. They are so much better than the traditional 'folding panels'. The ZOUPW does have newer solar cells and a better kickstand design but everything else is pretty similar to the Renogy 400w. It's hard to keep up with solar tech, it's moving so fast.
I wonder what the Zoupw output would have been if you'd somehow managed to raise it slightly higher to get the "perfect angle". Also, as a newbie, would this be likely to generate much higher output in peak summer time than in winter time? I'm referring to summer sun intensity as opposed to actual summer daylight hours being longer 🙂 Thank you very much!
Some people are reporting near 500w output in perfect conditions with this panel. The sun isn't more intense in the summer, you just have different angles and temperatures to deal with. When panels get hot in the summer they often won't produce as much power but you have many more hours of sun during the day. There's lots of variables as you can see.
Yep, I say that on my channel all the time... I even have videos showing how to find the best 400w residential panels locally. You will always pay more for portability and convenience.
@@Jasonoid The parallel connection between the 4 folding panels using exposed wires like the Renogy equivalent is what I mean. As long as the Renogy is not abused I think that design is ok. I'm not sure how it could be improved upon. Thank you for producing high quality, high information and concise solar related videos!
The Renege is often on sale for $450 or so. I'm concerned with support over the length of the warranty with ZOUPW since.. who's ever heard of them. Specs seem great and that's an aggressive non-sale price. If someone picks either they're getting a great value. Nice to see this part of the market heating up. Now if only the weather would.
@@Jasonoid They could come out with a V2 after a year or two with a couple of upgrades that'd be nice. Besides using the latest tech, whatever that is at the time, I hope they add some quality of life improvements too, such as some "stay cool" handles, more versatile kickstands, maybe a built-in solar angle indicator.
I seen these panels a few weeks ago on amazon and could only find a coupke reviews on youtube. None from any one i rocognize in the solar space. Im really glad you did a review of these. I already put them in my favorites a few weeks ago and planned on purchasing at least 2 sets of these but now youve just made that decision even more solid for me.
I am usually underwhelmed by most portable solar panels but I'm very impressed by how much wattage the ZOUPW puts out.
Some people say they have seen 490w from the panel, that's awesome! My testing conditions were just a little hazy so I could have seen a little more power I think.
WOW...these panels seem to work beautifully. As I love camping in remote places I think 400 watts of power would be perfect for a longer outing. Thanks Jason. Always precise to the point reviews. All the best.
Thanks Jeff, I'm glad to see the improvements in these portable panels. This one is pretty awesome!
This is another great review. I'm excited to see your review and compare it to others in the warmer months.
Definitely want to see a head to head match up in the summer ☀️ Another great review. 👍
Another great evaluation. Thanks Jason
Glad you enjoyed it!
Impressive performance. Looks well built, but my concern would be the wiring between the panels. The Renogy ones have a few reviews of wires breaking.
At 27lb it's lighter than then 31lb Bluetti PV350 that I have.
Hoping that more companies copy this design and reduce pricing. Portable panels are still 2-3x the cost of residential ones, and I am not entirely sure why.
The wiring pinch points are not as bad as the Renogy panel 👍 Two of the panels wires aren't even routed through the frame on the ZOUPW
Nice product review and comparison. I have the Renogy 400 and like it, it's nice but the leg stands are not adjustable like the ZOUPW does. The leg stakes are also a nice bonus in addition to the added power output!
I really like the design of both of these panels with the metal frames and fiberglass backerboard. They are such an improvement over the traditional folding panels. The ZOUPW just is an improvement over the Renogy since it has better solar cells. I'm sure we will see this 'leapfrog effect' with other products over the next year, each one getting better and better. Solar tech is always changing :)
Amazing performance. Very nice to have such capable portable solar panels. Yes they are more expensive than rigid ones and most are lower rated but this one with 450W (and even more sometimes as shown here) that you can tilt for the best angle, and carry in some way (backpack like perhaps even?) makes all the difference. A good powerstation with one or two of these portable solar panels sounds like a winner for many applications. Very nice.
Some people even say they have seen 490w from this panel! It's really puts out the power :)
"I'm sittin' here on the ZOUPW bench..." Quite impressive indeed. This may possibly be a buy for me for my off-grid setup: portable, high output for fast charging, and did I mention portable? Thanks Jason!
If you end up buying it, please let me know how you like it!
Another great review Jason and I am not surprised by the results.
I got this panel 2 months ago(I am an Amazon Vine).
I was getting over wattage too up to 490w+ and you know with solar panels, that's rarity.
I gave this a raving review on Amazon and so did everyone else.
This is great for vanlifer because they are portable and you can place these where you need to be instead of on your roof.
I am sure after your review, these will sell like hotcakes.
It's great to hear that other people are also seeing the same results! Thanks for sharing your experience testing it.
How did you get an Amazon vine?
@ I got an invitation. I did a lot of reviews and they look for thoughtful reviews. Not just quantity.
It would be great to see a 400w panel face off video. In just the past few yrs we went from 5BB to 16B, half cut cells, N type Top con, and bifacials became much more affordable. The tech has progressed nicely. Still waiting the GOV to back off and let the market put out a 35% efficient panel.
I have my 400w portable comparison from 1.5 years ago but things have changed! I was super impressed with this panel
Curious on a 200w version for easier travel with us older folks. Does Renogy also have a newer version? Great channel!
@ArthriticAngler the design seems similar, hard to say without testing it.
@ thank you. Looking to replace old heavy renogy suitcase so your video was timely. ZoupW also has all plastic versions, but the glass face models would be superior? In general of course and thank you again
@@ArthriticAngler none of these have glass. They are an ETFE coating with a fiberglass backer. It cuts down on the weight.
I really like this panel! Thanks for doing the comparison! I've been looking at these suitcases and I'm glad to see how well it performed. The ZOUPW has better kickstands, higher output, and newer cell techology compared to the Renogy 400w suitcase.
Thanks for feedback!
Great review! I'm sold
I think you'll love the solar panel!
I read the Renogy panels had a small flaw in the back of the panel with the wiring design getting a little bit pinched during folding, does this ZOUPW model have that same design? Good video, I’m glad more companies are doing these 400+ watts panels, it will make them better in the future for all companies and hopefully the consumer will get the benefits of great panels 👌🏼
I do feel the wire design is a better design on the ZOUPW, two of the panels wires go through holes, the other two of the panels have wires that are freely hanging.
@ awesome, thanks for the feedback, I’m really looking into a 400 watt panel for my bluetti ac180p
@@westcoast2k8 I tested a bunch 1.5 years ago (video on my channel). The Renogy and the ZOUPW are currently the best options that aren't cheap garbage.
Also id love to see a videoncomparing these in the summer
I think it would be interesting to fasten the unit to your roof, closed, and then when you stop and camp, climb up, and open then up. Also, you could be able to angle it, and the legs can use the roof to support. Just don't know if they're weatherproof while installed on roof, because I don't think the case could be on while installed on roof.
Also, when folded up, the solar panel would be facing down towards the roof. Maybe you could have a box it sits in or something?
I can say that the Renogy suitcase is not the highest quality and the Zoup does appear better. I've only owned the Renogy 400w since November and the stitching already tore at the bottom when I was putting the panels back in a couple of weeks ago. I contacted Renogy and, of course, that damage is not covered by warranty.
The case is probably the weakest part of the Renogy setup, it's pretty thin and fits tightly. It does do a good job keeping dust off the panel so it's ready to go when you take it out. The ZOUPW case is much thicker and has actual padding.
Specs look great; thanks for the review. I'm wondering if the 450 watt max and/or 12.4 v might burn up my DJI Power 1000
The 400w charge controller on the DJI 1000 has a voltage limit of 30v. However, they are coming out with a new larger charge controller with a 60v limit that this would work with.
@@Jasonoid Thank you for your quick response. Unfortunately I can't afford to by an 'newer' model as my unit is less than one month old! Do you mean an updated DJI Power Solar Panel Adapter Module (MPPT) or an entirely new power bank? Appreciate all your videos.
Impressive for the price!
I was impressed with the power output too!
Can they be wired in series for use on a 48v system needing higher input voltage?
Yes, you can wire these panels in series 👍
Great review! Would the Zoupw could be used with the Anker Solix 3800?
Yes, it will definitely work on the F3800. If you wanted to use more than one, you could wire them in parallel together to stay under the 60v limit on the F3800 (or plug one into each charging port).
I checked their official site. They are stating with everyday use, after 20 years they are maintaining 80% efficiency, which is the same as the rigid panels. They are even offering a 5 year warranty excluding “normal wear and tear.” For those that have seen these up close, with that ETFE material, do you feel it would hold up under the normal weather patterns?
Portable panels are not meant for permanent use.... but I have been testing some ETFE coated solar panels in non stop use for over 1 year and they still are putting out near the same power and look great. So they seem to be pretty durable to UV wear.
@Jasonoid (Thanks for answering so quick!) That’s what I knew to be true as well, but with those of us with very limited space who want to take advantage of this high output, I wondered how these would theoretically fare with nearly everyday use in Colorado weather. With their new materials, I didn’t know if you or anyone else could speak to that specific durability. That being said, I’m happy that you have been testing some non-stop and seeing improved results. Thanks for doing that!!
adjustable/extendable legs like in a camping table would work wonders for these
That would be a cool feature!
I would like to see the warm weather review.
Totally agree! I hoping to get me hands on a couple other panels too to compare 👍
How many of this Zoupw Solar panel (through a MPPT Controller) would be need to charger an 48v Lifepo4 battery?
It would require two wired series since the voltage needs to be above 60v in order to charge a 48v battery. You might be able to find a charge controller that will boost the voltage from a lower voltage solar panel, most don't work that way though.
Just purchased the Renogy as prices dropped to $427 on Amazon. The additional Watts produces on this one is having me reconsider.
I saw that price drop yesterday. I still really like the Renogy 400w suitcase and it's design. This one is very similar except the kickstand are a little better and you get the boost in extra wattage!
This one is much much better. I have one.
Plus have cables. Reno y does not.
@ YES. I believe it's a 20ft 10awg mc4. It's like another $30 extra. Pick the ZoupW all day long.
That’s pretty amazing, I don’t think I will buy one because I already purchased the Renogy. The Renogy works well for me an my AC180’s.
I really like the design of both of these panels. They are so much better than the traditional 'folding panels'. The ZOUPW does have newer solar cells and a better kickstand design but everything else is pretty similar to the Renogy 400w. It's hard to keep up with solar tech, it's moving so fast.
@@JasonoidBattery’s are jumping by leaps and bounds this last year.
It will be interesting to see how each holds up long-term. Does either appear to have better long-term durability based upon physical construction?
They both are very similar in design. The ZOUPW case is much better with actual padding.
@@Jasonoid Thanks, keep us informed.
I wonder what the Zoupw output would have been if you'd somehow managed to raise it slightly higher to get the "perfect angle".
Also, as a newbie, would this be likely to generate much higher output in peak summer time than in winter time? I'm referring to summer sun intensity as opposed to actual summer daylight hours being longer 🙂
Thank you very much!
Some people are reporting near 500w output in perfect conditions with this panel. The sun isn't more intense in the summer, you just have different angles and temperatures to deal with. When panels get hot in the summer they often won't produce as much power but you have many more hours of sun during the day. There's lots of variables as you can see.
@@Jasonoid That's great to know - thank you for replying.
I just have to hope that these will become available in the UK! 🙂
Thanks again!
Order placed on Amazon
Please let me know what you think of it and what type of power you see!
Clicking on link show $499+$30 off.... But when i long on it default to $509.... Kinda strange
Amazon Prime has different pricing.
Yes it was higher LOL
You pay 200-300% more for portability. You can get a solid 375 watt Bifacia solar panel, that's designed for permanent install, for about $150
Yep, I say that on my channel all the time... I even have videos showing how to find the best 400w residential panels locally. You will always pay more for portability and convenience.
Good luck carrying a rigid portable panel.... Different things. Also, someone showed he bought 350w panels at 67$ each new, so shop around.
You know that as soon as I buy this now a better portable solar array will be introduced a week later.......
That's the way any tech is (Computers, TV, cars...). No pressure from me to buy, I just show how they perform 👍
@@Jasonoid Good video
😊😊😊😊👏👏👏👌👌❤️❤️😊😊😊😊😊
Do the panels use the same open-wire connections as the Renogy 400W panel?
Can you clarify what you mean? This panel uses MC4 as the output connection but I don't think that's what you're asking.
@@Jasonoid The parallel connection between the 4 folding panels using exposed wires like the Renogy equivalent is what I mean. As long as the Renogy is not abused I think that design is ok. I'm not sure how it could be improved upon.
Thank you for producing high quality, high information and concise solar related videos!
@@rogermashburn8299 yes, that design is similar on this panel. The wires are routed between the panels on the back.
The Renege is often on sale for $450 or so. I'm concerned with support over the length of the warranty with ZOUPW since.. who's ever heard of them. Specs seem great and that's an aggressive non-sale price. If someone picks either they're getting a great value. Nice to see this part of the market heating up. Now if only the weather would.
Maybe Renogy will come out with a new version soon? I bet within a year or two they would. Their 400w suitcase is only a year old right now.
@@Jasonoid They could come out with a V2 after a year or two with a couple of upgrades that'd be nice. Besides using the latest tech, whatever that is at the time, I hope they add some quality of life improvements too, such as some "stay cool" handles, more versatile kickstands, maybe a built-in solar angle indicator.