Renogy Solar Suitcase: amzn.to/2H92sBh *Video Table of Contents:* 1:11 Output Test 1:14 Waterproof Test 2:26 Step-by-step Micro System 4:06 Battery Type List 4:24 Conclusion I hope this video helps you guys :D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Does off-grid solar confuse you? Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com Join our DIY solar community! #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link): amzn.to/2Aj4dX4 If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out Tesla Solar. Low prices and great warranty, and they can take your entire house offgrid with their new Powerwalls: ts.la/william57509 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My solar equipment recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first): 12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar and Coupon Codes: -Current Connected: SOK, Victron and High Quality Components. Best prices and warranty around: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp -Signature Solar: Cheap Server Rack Batteries and Large Solar Panels: www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Ecoflow Delta Official Site: My favorite plug-n-play solar generator: us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7 -AmpereTime: Cheapest 12V batteries around: amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Rich Solar: Mega site and cheaper prices than renogy! Check them out: richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek -Shop Solar Kits: Huge site with every solar kit you can imagine! Check it out: shopsolarkits.com/?ref=will-p -Battery Hookup: Cheap cell deals bit.ly/2mIxSqt 10% off code: diysolar -Watts 24/7: Best deals on all-in-one solar power systems, with customer support and distribution here in the USA: watts247.com/?wpam_id=3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Contact Information: I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers: Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :) DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse hey Will, do you think bluetti and solar suitcase can run a small fridge 12v fantastic fan laptops phones toaster oven instapot and a couple of electric toothbrushes for an rv? Great info thanks!
@@troyterashita1755 I don't know much, but I do think you'd need about 500 watts of solar panels to charge it as fast as it will charge. I plan to get at least 2 of the 200 watt solar suitcases. I wonder if it's okay to use 3 of the 200 watt suitcases. I think only the maximum of 500 watts will go through, so I don't think it will hurt anything to use 600 watts, but you'd only be pulling 500 watts through it.
I have used one of these in a semi permanent system pumping water for gardens gardens and orchards. It is left in the environment from March till November four years now. I’ve never had an issue with the electronics however the metal frame is beginning to corrode. It is quite reliable however.
Hi Will ive been running similar type of suitcase solar for about 8 years now they work well to keep my engel fridge battery going while im out camping here in Australia ,we get lots of sun . The battery allways charged by afternoon . The suitcase on your one looks 10 times better than my one but with care mine has travelled about 40,000km in the time ive had it and still all good key is to keep the glass clean and when storing or travelling with them stand them on edge not flat . Keep up the great we ork mate 👍
I just bought this a few weeks ago. I will use to recharge two 6v on travel trailer. My reason for it was the portability and to use anywhere. Another camper could have dead battery and you can help. The case is better than you think too. I’m excited to test it this summer on charging my 6v’s.
I bought one. It's as good as you say. I had the Goal Zero suitcase. Twice the money, not as nice. No kickstands, no controller, no hard case. It had a canvas cover. The Renogy is amazing.
FYI: Santan solar in Gilbert Arizona by Phoenix, has super cheap used solar panels for sale. They are usually large panels. That is the company that donated 40 panels to Bob Wells’ Homes on Wheels Alliance (HOWA) recently. Keep up the great work Will.
I’ve been using this Renogy Solar Suitcase for 3 years when boondocking with a 2-battery LA system. I’m also 100% satisfied because it has allowed us to camp without using our generator at all 👍👍
Great job Will. I love how you were giggling when spraying the controller, that’s real world testing. Timely as well. I just purchased the 200w version and I was impressed. Also picked up a Renogy lithium iron phosphate battery. Interested to see the amount of power and flexibility that this set up will give my travel trailer.
I have just got hold of one of these for off grid caravanning here in the UK. Great piece of kit. If you pull hard on the controller it will hang down making it eaiser to read, pull hard very strong velcro.
I have one of these and have had it for over 2 years with no issues. The only thing I added was an adapter from the MC4 connector to a 2 conductor SAE cable like the ones used on the Battery Tender. This is so I can extend the distance without the high cost of the MC4 wired connection.
I purchased one of these off Amazon -- a "renewed" item -- back in September 2020 for about $170 as my first foray into solar power. It wasn't listed as coming with the Voyager charge controller but it did; the only problem with it was that the tilt stands were broken. I use it with a pair of marine lead acid deep cycle batteries as power for emergency and field ops as an amateur radio operator, and most recently during a 36 hour power outage at my home after Hurricane Milton. I have been extremely impressed with the suitcase kit over the years, both with the Voyager controller as well as using the panel output in series with another foldable 100wt panel going into an MPPT controller (an Epever Tracer-AN 40A unit). It's a bit heavy at 27+ lbs, especially compared to my Rockpals SP003 at 5.1 lbs, but it's a solid and (so far) dependable unit. I use it less for portable work due to the weight, but it's great here at home (as Hurricane Milton proved). I watched this video before buying it, so thank you for steering me in the right direction.
Nice presentation on the suitcase. Five yrs ago I decided to buy a Renogy 100w kit to be able to charge a battery in my small but fully self-contained TAB camper. Subsequiently, I have made trips to the Arctic Circle from California and around the states from the Mississippi River and west to the Pacific. Kept some logs of electric usage and generation. Camper has had single 75aH Deep Cycle AGM battery. Replaced the original Renogy PWM charge controller with EPSolar MPPT with noticable improvement. PWM works. It is just that MPPT transfers a little more of the panel power to the battery. Like your presentation of the "suitcase".You seem to have covered the features well. Suitcase seems well designed and engineered. I haven't seen one in person. I mount my 100w panel on a rack on roof of my van during camping trips. Nice thing about solar generator system is that it is silent. Like everyone else, I have a gas generator but don't like listening to it.
@Will Prowse, I didn't take the time to sift through all 181 comments and don't know if this was previously mentioned but did you know....the controller is actually mounted on a hinged mounting plate that swings out. I noticed at the 1:48 mark after the water test you actually tilted the whole panel assembly to show the controller was still working. Simply pulling on the bottom the hinged mounting plate that attaches with velcro would have allowed you to view the controller without disturbing the panel. Pretty cool eh? A buddy of mine purchased one of these portables and yes, they are the bomb. Nice video.
I have one of these 100W Renogy Suitcases for my travel trailer. It does work great. I've had it about 2 years now and decided to get another 200W Renogy Suitcase. The 200W one is pretty big. But I'm excited to use it with two Battle Born LiFePO4 batteries.
I have been the Renogy 100W 12v Solar suitcase for a couple of years. In fact, I have two of them. My Renogy PWM controller doesn't have all the newer Lithium profiles but works great with my sealed batteries. I use one to recharge my RV batteries while boondocking. I do astrophotography so the second suitcase and battery is used to recharge by astronomy and laptop/camera gear.
I have used one for several years with an earlier charge controller. The weak point is in the handle and latches, they will rust! Other than that, it has been a fantastic unit. The controller is on a hinge plate which can swing back for a better view. The plate should be held in place with velcro. My first generation model did not have this feature. I added velcro to the back for better wire management and strain relief. The MC4's were immediately replaced with power pole connectors the day I received it. Wires will store nicely if you lay the panel flat first. 73 de K2LED
Considering that it's just a PWM controller, it works pretty well. We usually get 85 watts or more, to the batteries. Good quality construction. We upgraded to #10 wires.
I'll have mine 2 years in July. It works great and is holding up great. Very easy to use and I got the mc4 extension cord and pigtail to attach to the battery.
Just bought one of these. It is great. I use it as a secondary way to charge my auxillary battery on my dual battery system in my truck. I have a 1500 watt pure sine wave inverter installed on the auxillary battery.
Thanks for the review Will, I used your link to order one. I like the size, the adjustable legs and charging capacity, I will be using it for car camping and power outages to run my computer and network, I work from home.
so we bought this suit case for camping and figure we can keep it around for planned electric turn offs. we are an older couple and it became clear that we are not the target audience for the controler that came with this. the screen is hard to read, especially the tiny typeface for the battery type. otherwise it’s age neutral. reasonably light weight, nobs and clasps that could be bigger for arthritic hands but still ok. i warned my partner about the connection but it went together easily for him. i wanted to mess with the controller more but a grey haired lady messing with solar panels seems to be a major attraction at a campsite and i didn’t want to mess up with an audience, ha ha. i’ll have more time with it when we get it home. thanks for the review.
Haha Will, you are so funny! At 2:57 you showed us a pic of a $10 battery monitor and said "if you guys can't afford one use the voltage readout on the pwm"... You crack me up!
Oh dang, I messed that up! In my mind I was imagining the solar panel outside, and not being able to afford a battery monitor shunt at the battery. I should have reworded that. Thanks for catching that
I've had one for several years now. It works great. It has been rained on many times; not a problem. Only criticism I have is that the latches have rusted and are pretty much useless any more....
Fantastic as always. As an initial sponsored review I still found it very honest. Of course, the brand name speaks for itself as quality. Would also love to see you compare to the cheapest of the cheap maybe Harbor freight and a do it your self portable hundred watt.
I seen this on Amazon thought it was bigger, glad it can be upgraded to use mppt but if Renogy is watching they need to get their MT50's back in stock.
Thx for this review. I've been looking at the newer version of this suitcase.. the "eclipse". I've read a lot of good reviews.. but its nice to see a video review.
Which wire gauge size should be used to connect your battery to this via MC4 connectors if not using the provided cables. I have this panel but without the charge controller or provided cables. I noticed the wires coming out of the panel are rather small (possibley14 gauge). I will connect a 100ah flooded lead acid battery which will use at most 60watts at a given moment.
I have one, the plastic hinges that hold the legs break very eazily. Mine was busted all up on arrival. I called Renogy and they sent me some more. It should be made out of fiber reinforced plastic or metal.
If people are going to steal, they're going to steal. I have this product and the frame is deep enough that you could drip a hole, run a cable or bike lock through it and lock it to your vehicle.
I’ll bet you get this question a lot: can you point to a power chart that can give a noob an idea about what you can do with different sized systems? I mean, what would I reasonably be able to do with the solar suitcase, for example? Charge 10 cell phones? Power a medium sized fan for 15 minutes? Is there a website that has an online power calculator or a spreadsheet that someone could download that would have general approximate power requirements to help plan projects?
Greeting from Vancouver island bc Canada .For a sponsored vid it is fair and informative. Still like to see a mixed solar, wind system, keep up great work.
Oh that's a smart idea. Actually I would compare the zamp. Hqst and renogy are owned by the same people. I bet they are very similar. I'll have to look at the prices and compare them tonight
@@WillProwse I'm still learning who's who in these solar companies. I look forward to the videos, all of them actually. You're a great teacher! Keep it up.
@@WillProwse Looking forward to that comparison as some RV manufactures are installing Zamp products (ours has a Zamp maintainer and a Zamp plug-in for a portable panel). I did read that Zamp wiring is a bit different than other manufactures which could present problems if a non-Zamp panel is plugged in a Zamp port.
We have one (that we bought w/o the charge controller) for our Goal Zero. It works great, but we did have to buy a separate $15 plug from Goal Zero for it to work. It works great though.
Beginner question: Hypothetically, let's say I hook up my Renogy LiFePO4 battery, (it's not a newer smart battery) to my new 200 Watt suitcase and I take off for a three-day weekend and it unexpectedly rains while I'm out of town. You have demonstrated the panel and controller combo can handle it, but what about the battery? I am not including the Renogy Pure SIne Wave Inverter I bought with it in this scenario, as I am pretty sure it would not handle the water any better than my home theatre's AV receiver! So, what do you think, could that 100AH battery survive a rainstorm?
How would you properly hook this up to an Ecoflow Delta 1300, both individually, as well as with 2 200W solar suitcases? What adapters/connectors would be required, and how should they be configured and hooked up, so as to not damage the generator? Thank you!😊
I purchased this unit after seeing your review and I do like the unit. I could only find one thing wrong with it that I did not like and that was because there was no Bluetooth option to connect to the controller to see if it was working after setup and during use without having to get on my hands and knees to look at the display. I used it while boondocking and it would have been nice to see the status on my phone screen versus looking underneath at a display to get a reading and then relocate it because the sun moved. Could you do a controller upgrade on the suitcase side to one with Bluetooth for a video? Thanks for the current review.
Why did my brand new installed Lithium 12V batteries burn up the cable from it to my Cut off switch under the hood of my 2018 Class C RV moterhome while driving??? Thank You Lithium Guru
How would one connect two of these suitcase panels that each have 20amp charge controllers to a Seikon 12 volt LiFePO battery? Possible to do that without harming the battery?
The charge controller is hinged and is held against the panel with velcro. Just pull the velcro loose and it hangs down or can be moved to horizontal by hand.
I’ve been following you a while, best solar channel by a mile and I love how you mix beginner stuff with higher skill content. I’m in the UK and wanted to add a solar option to my caravan (US translation - travel trailer) and after some research (using knowledge I learnt from you) picked up this Renogy suitcase to dip my toe in the water. Brilliant for a beginner and really pleased to eventually see it on your channel with a glowing review. Btw my caravan is an Eriba Troll 530. A brilliant German design that’s hardly changed in decades. Look it up - you’ll fall in love.
This is why I love your reviews. I would be afraid of to blast it with water for 20 mins. Question: do you think attaching a cable clip (thinking size for old 25 pair PBX cable) with a square of that 3M permanent tape on the inside back of panels would be a good way to keep those cords from getting mangled when you close case?
What perked my curiosity is we use we use this battery for our boat. Since we went through all the options of charging it.. You made it simple.. Helped the revelations.. And made it sink in.. Thanks
Im permanently mounting this onto my Tacoma , should I run the wires from the solar panel to an inverter first or will running it to the battery be fine ?
Does the voyager controller turn on when it is hooked to the battery before it is getting solar power? Also will it stay on and kill the battery with no sun? Thanks
In some of your other videos you mention that the battery should be connected to the controller before the solar panel is connected to the controller. In this system, the controller is already attached to the solar panel. Will this damage the controller? Thanks.
Hi could I plug this into an existing RV solar system to boost the battery charging when there is not much sun. Would the solar controller on the fixed RV system fight the suitcase controller?, great video.
Digging this back up I have a question/idea: We have run a 390w off grid system (100ah FLA) for 12 years now, and when we use up our 600w for the day, we often charge the solar system from our car using a set of #10 wires with quick connects (one set hangs out of the car hood, and the other set hangs on the post under the solar array. We just bought our first lithium battery bank! And knowing that the depleted batteries can draw a dangerous amount of power from the car if we plugged them up, I have been thinking about a dc/dc converter between the lithium batteries and the car, *My question is, Would it be more cost effective, or make sense to use a 30a mppt solar charge controller AS A DC/DC CONVERTER?
Renogy sells Inverter/Charges. I'd like to know if it's better or worse in efficiency & cost than using a separate charge controller and Inverter. thanks
Hello Will. I already own a 200 watts Renogy suitcase that I plug directly at the battery (one deep cycle 12 Volts)of my travel trailer, located at front behind the LP tanks (typical setup for a travel trailer 19 feet long). Is it possible to plug an extra 200 watts at the same trailer using the existing SAE port (ZAMP)on the side of the trailer? So, both of the kits could be able to charge the battery on two different ways. Is it better to rather connect them in series with a MPPT?
Renogy Solar Suitcase: amzn.to/2H92sBh
*Video Table of Contents:*
1:11 Output Test
1:14 Waterproof Test
2:26 Step-by-step Micro System
4:06 Battery Type List
4:24 Conclusion
I hope this video helps you guys :D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does off-grid solar confuse you? Check out my DIY friendly website for solar system packages and product recommendations, and so much more! www.mobile-solarpower.com
Join our DIY solar community! #1 largest solar forum on the internet for beginners and professionals alike: www.diysolarforum.com
Check out my best-selling, beginner-friendly 12V off-grid solar book (affiliate link):
amzn.to/2Aj4dX4
If DIY is not for you, but you love solar and need an offgrid system, check out Tesla Solar. Low prices and great warranty, and they can take your entire house offgrid with their new Powerwalls: ts.la/william57509
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My solar equipment recommendations (Constantly updated! Check here first):
12V/48V Lithium Batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-batteries.html
Solar System Component Directory: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solarcomponents.html
Plug-N-Play Systems: www.mobile-solarpower.com/full-size-systems.html
Complete 48V System Kits: www.mobile-solarpower.com/complete-48v-solar-kits.html
DIY Friendly Air Conditioner/ Heat Pumps: www.mobile-solarpower.com/solar-friendly-air-conditioners.html
Complete 48V System Blueprint: www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Favorite Online Stores for DIY Solar and Coupon Codes:
-Current Connected: SOK, Victron and High Quality Components. Best prices and warranty around: currentconnected.com/?ref=wp
-Signature Solar: Cheap Server Rack Batteries and Large Solar Panels:
www.signaturesolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Ecoflow Delta Official Site: My favorite plug-n-play solar generator:
us.ecoflow.com/?aff=7
-AmpereTime: Cheapest 12V batteries around:
amperetime.com/products/ampere-time-12v-100ah-lithium-lifepo4-battery?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Rich Solar: Mega site and cheaper prices than renogy! Check them out:
richsolar.com/?ref=h-cvbzfahsek
-Shop Solar Kits: Huge site with every solar kit you can imagine! Check it out:
shopsolarkits.com/?ref=will-p
-Battery Hookup: Cheap cell deals
bit.ly/2mIxSqt
10% off code: diysolar
-Watts 24/7: Best deals on all-in-one solar power systems, with customer support and distribution here in the USA:
watts247.com/?wpam_id=3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact Information:
I am NOT available for personal solar system consult! If you wish to contact me, this is my direct email: williamprowsediysolar@gmail.com
Join the forum at diysolarforum.com/ if you wish to hang out with myself and others and talk about solar
FTC Disclosure Statement and Disclaimers:
Every video includes some form of paid promotion or sponsorship. Some links on this youtube channel may be affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these. My videos are for educational purposes only. Information is subject to change/update at any time. Electricity is DANGEROUS and can kill. Be smart and use common sense :)
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Can two suitcases be daisy-chained together to increase the charging rate of the battery?
You can connect as many of these to a battery as you please. If you are doing lithium, just don't exceed recommended charge rate.
hey Will, can we plug this thing into the Bluetti? also, if we get more than one Renogy solar suitcase, do we need a charge controller for each one?
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse hey Will, do you think bluetti and solar suitcase can run a small fridge 12v fantastic fan laptops phones toaster oven instapot and a couple of electric toothbrushes for an rv? Great info thanks!
@@troyterashita1755 I don't know much, but I do think you'd need about 500 watts of solar panels to charge it as fast as it will charge. I plan to get at least 2 of the 200 watt solar suitcases. I wonder if it's okay to use 3 of the 200 watt suitcases. I think only the maximum of 500 watts will go through, so I don't think it will hurt anything to use 600 watts, but you'd only be pulling 500 watts through it.
Bought the first one, was so impressed I bought a second without the controller.
I now have 10 amps of solar power for my RV when running in parallel.
I have used one of these in a semi permanent system pumping water for gardens gardens and orchards. It is left in the environment from March till November four years now. I’ve never had an issue with the electronics however the metal frame is beginning to corrode. It is quite reliable however.
You should do a video on how to make a suitcase out of 2 of the 100 W Renogy panels
Hi Will ive been running similar type of suitcase solar for about 8 years now they work well to keep my engel fridge battery going while im out camping here in Australia ,we get lots of sun . The battery allways charged by afternoon . The suitcase on your one looks 10 times better than my one but with care mine has travelled about 40,000km in the time ive had it and still all good key is to keep the glass clean and when storing or travelling with them stand them on edge not flat .
Keep up the great we ork mate 👍
I just bought this a few weeks ago. I will use to recharge two 6v on travel trailer. My reason for it was the portability and to use anywhere. Another camper could have dead battery and you can help. The case is better than you think too. I’m excited to test it this summer on charging my 6v’s.
After summer use, my only complaint is the short power cords. I need to add longer cords so I have more options for placement.
I bought one. It's as good as you say. I had the Goal Zero suitcase. Twice the money, not as nice. No kickstands, no controller, no hard case. It had a canvas cover. The Renogy is amazing.
FYI: Santan solar in Gilbert Arizona by Phoenix, has super cheap used solar panels for sale. They are usually large panels. That is the company that donated 40 panels to Bob Wells’ Homes on Wheels Alliance (HOWA) recently. Keep up the great work Will.
Wow! They really do have some good deals. Thanks for the tip.
I’ve been using this Renogy Solar Suitcase for 3 years when boondocking with a 2-battery LA system. I’m also 100% satisfied because it has allowed us to camp without using our generator at all 👍👍
Great job Will. I love how you were giggling when spraying the controller, that’s real world testing. Timely as well. I just purchased the 200w version and I was impressed. Also picked up a Renogy lithium iron phosphate battery. Interested to see the amount of power and flexibility that this set up will give my travel trailer.
I have just got hold of one of these for off grid caravanning here in the UK. Great piece of kit. If you pull hard on the controller it will hang down making it eaiser to read, pull hard very strong velcro.
I have one of these and have had it for over 2 years with no issues. The only thing I added was an adapter from the MC4 connector to a 2 conductor SAE cable like the ones used on the Battery Tender. This is so I can extend the distance without the high cost of the MC4 wired connection.
I purchased one of these off Amazon -- a "renewed" item -- back in September 2020 for about $170 as my first foray into solar power. It wasn't listed as coming with the Voyager charge controller but it did; the only problem with it was that the tilt stands were broken. I use it with a pair of marine lead acid deep cycle batteries as power for emergency and field ops as an amateur radio operator, and most recently during a 36 hour power outage at my home after Hurricane Milton. I have been extremely impressed with the suitcase kit over the years, both with the Voyager controller as well as using the panel output in series with another foldable 100wt panel going into an MPPT controller (an Epever Tracer-AN 40A unit). It's a bit heavy at 27+ lbs, especially compared to my Rockpals SP003 at 5.1 lbs, but it's a solid and (so far) dependable unit. I use it less for portable work due to the weight, but it's great here at home (as Hurricane Milton proved). I watched this video before buying it, so thank you for steering me in the right direction.
Nice presentation on the suitcase. Five yrs ago I decided to buy a Renogy 100w kit to be able to charge a battery in my small but fully self-contained TAB camper. Subsequiently, I have made trips to the Arctic Circle from California and around the states from the Mississippi River and west to the Pacific. Kept some logs of electric usage and generation. Camper has had single 75aH Deep Cycle AGM battery. Replaced the original Renogy PWM charge controller with EPSolar MPPT with noticable improvement. PWM works. It is just that MPPT transfers a little more of the panel power to the battery. Like your presentation of the "suitcase".You seem to have covered the features well. Suitcase seems well designed and engineered. I haven't seen one in person. I mount my 100w panel on a rack on roof of my van during camping trips. Nice thing about solar generator system is that it is silent. Like everyone else, I have a gas generator but don't like listening to it.
@Will Prowse, I didn't take the time to sift through all 181 comments and don't know if this was previously mentioned but did you know....the controller is actually mounted on a hinged mounting plate that swings out. I noticed at the 1:48 mark after the water test you actually tilted the whole panel assembly to show the controller was still working. Simply pulling on the bottom the hinged mounting plate that attaches with velcro would have allowed you to view the controller without disturbing the panel. Pretty cool eh?
A buddy of mine purchased one of these portables and yes, they are the bomb. Nice video.
I have one of these 100W Renogy Suitcases for my travel trailer. It does work great. I've had it about 2 years now and decided to get another 200W Renogy Suitcase. The 200W one is pretty big. But I'm excited to use it with two Battle Born LiFePO4 batteries.
I have been the Renogy 100W 12v Solar suitcase for a couple of years. In fact, I have two of them. My Renogy PWM controller doesn't have all the newer Lithium profiles but works great with my sealed batteries. I use one to recharge my RV batteries while boondocking. I do astrophotography so the second suitcase and battery is used to recharge by astronomy and laptop/camera gear.
I have used one for several years with an earlier charge controller. The weak point is in the handle and latches, they will rust! Other than that, it has been a fantastic unit. The controller is on a hinge plate which can swing back for a better view. The plate should be held in place with velcro. My first generation model did not have this feature. I added velcro to the back for better wire management and strain relief. The MC4's were immediately replaced with power pole connectors the day I received it. Wires will store nicely if you lay the panel flat first. 73 de K2LED
Good to know!
AS FAR as The handle Rust problem apply car wax best that you can do that area shouldn't be problem after if it's painted well !
Considering that it's just a PWM controller, it works pretty well. We usually get 85 watts or more, to the batteries. Good quality construction. We upgraded to #10 wires.
I'll have mine 2 years in July. It works great and is holding up great. Very easy to use and I got the mc4 extension cord and pigtail to attach to the battery.
💕WHAT A FABULOUS VIDEO. This novice is very grateful for your review! 👍
Just bought one of these. It is great. I use it as a secondary way to charge my auxillary battery on my dual battery system in my truck. I have a 1500 watt pure sine wave inverter installed on the auxillary battery.
Thanks for the review Will, I used your link to order one. I like the size, the adjustable legs and charging capacity, I will be using it for car camping and power outages to run my computer and network, I work from home.
You will love it! I have had it for months and it works great. I leave outside 24/7 in Las Vegas and always works
so we bought this suit case for camping and figure we can keep it around for planned electric turn offs. we are an older couple and it became clear that we are not the target audience for the controler that came with this. the screen is hard to read, especially the tiny typeface for the battery type. otherwise it’s age neutral. reasonably light weight, nobs and clasps that could be bigger for arthritic hands but still ok. i warned my partner about the connection but it went together easily for him. i wanted to mess with the controller more but a grey haired lady messing with solar panels seems to be a major attraction at a campsite and i didn’t want to mess up with an audience, ha ha. i’ll have more time with it when we get it home. thanks for the review.
This would be amazing for camping. that's an awesome form factor and you can't beat that setup time.
I made a 200w suitcase with hqst panels would gladly send pics im proud of it
Yeah send them to willprowseiv@gmail.com. I'd like to see that
Sent
Very nice demo. Thanks for spraying the controller and seeing that it wurkz. Fun.
Haha Will, you are so funny!
At 2:57 you showed us a pic of a $10 battery monitor and said "if you guys can't afford one use the voltage readout on the pwm"...
You crack me up!
Oh dang, I messed that up! In my mind I was imagining the solar panel outside, and not being able to afford a battery monitor shunt at the battery. I should have reworded that. Thanks for catching that
@@WillProwse
Leave it, it was hilarious!
I caught the same thing!
Thanks a lot. Im Old. I now require Easy & Light weight. Very interested in this suitcase design. 👍
I've had one for several years now. It works great. It has been rained on many times; not a problem. Only criticism I have is that the latches have rusted and are pretty much useless any more....
Good to know, thanks for the heads up
why not addd velcro
I think your the brightest vanlife expert on youtube
Fantastic as always. As an initial sponsored review I still found it very honest. Of course, the brand name speaks for itself as quality. Would also love to see you compare to the cheapest of the cheap maybe Harbor freight and a do it your self portable hundred watt.
I seen this on Amazon thought it was bigger, glad it can be upgraded to use mppt but if Renogy is watching they need to get their MT50's back in stock.
Thx for this review. I've been looking at the newer version of this suitcase.. the "eclipse". I've read a lot of good reviews.. but its nice to see a video review.
I have the older model that is not waterproof. It works great! As I understand smaller solar systems are just fine with a PMW charge controller.
Which wire gauge size should be used to connect your battery to this via MC4 connectors if not using the provided cables. I have this panel but without the charge controller or provided cables. I noticed the wires coming out of the panel are rather small (possibley14 gauge). I will connect a 100ah flooded lead acid battery which will use at most 60watts at a given moment.
Yeah, cool. I bought that without the charge controller. Beautifully made panels and case!
Let's get the Mantra going !!!! "Prowse Power Kits" "Prowse Power Kits" "Prowse Power Kits" Yea, I like that !!
I have one, the plastic hinges that hold the legs break very eazily. Mine was busted all up on arrival. I called Renogy and they sent me some more. It should be made out of fiber reinforced plastic or metal.
Oh wow good to know
Hey Thanks a lot. Being a newby myself, this is right up my alley. hope you add this item on your website.
Great product, my only concern would be, you would have to be in camp all the time, otherwise it might walk away. great video
If people are going to steal, they're going to steal. I have this product and the frame is deep enough that you could drip a hole, run a cable or bike lock through it and lock it to your vehicle.
We use a cable or chain lock, secured to the metal handle, and walk away all day.
o0o this is the first video from you i watched since subbing a week ago. Dude...this was epic, totally up-ing my battery game. You're my hero.
I just bought this item, can't wait to try it out.
I’ll bet you get this question a lot: can you point to a power chart that can give a noob an idea about what you can do with different sized systems? I mean, what would I reasonably be able to do with the solar suitcase, for example? Charge 10 cell phones? Power a medium sized fan for 15 minutes? Is there a website that has an online power calculator or a spreadsheet that someone could download that would have general approximate power requirements to help plan projects?
Congratulations on the house. Mahalo for all your lolo knowledge.
I wish I would have seen this before I bought my solar panel. This one looks very easy to use!
Is this usable for 8 to 10 years easily? Will it last for that time for normal use with care?
Will, you could make a fortune installing solar on RVs!
Always enjoy your videos and take away some knowledge of solar systems.
Thank you.
I was told 20 yrs ago by another floor installer to going to solar installation instead of flooring.
Greeting from Vancouver island bc Canada .For a sponsored vid it is fair and informative. Still like to see a mixed solar, wind system, keep up great work.
What about a head to head comparison with the HQST 100 what one for another video?
Oh that's a smart idea. Actually I would compare the zamp. Hqst and renogy are owned by the same people. I bet they are very similar. I'll have to look at the prices and compare them tonight
@@WillProwse I'm still learning who's who in these solar companies. I look forward to the videos, all of them actually. You're a great teacher! Keep it up.
@@WillProwse Looking forward to that comparison as some RV manufactures are installing Zamp products (ours has a Zamp maintainer and a Zamp plug-in for a portable panel). I did read that Zamp wiring is a bit different than other manufactures which could present problems if a non-Zamp panel is plugged in a Zamp port.
We have one (that we bought w/o the charge controller) for our Goal Zero. It works great, but we did have to buy a separate $15 plug from Goal Zero for it to work. It works great though.
By far the best TH-cam channel of all you rock thank you again for all of your wonderful information safe travels
Beginner question: Hypothetically, let's say I hook up my Renogy LiFePO4 battery, (it's not a newer smart battery) to my new 200 Watt suitcase and I take off for a three-day weekend and it unexpectedly rains while I'm out of town. You have demonstrated the panel and controller combo can handle it, but what about the battery? I am not including the Renogy Pure SIne Wave Inverter I bought with it in this scenario, as I am pretty sure it would not handle the water any better than my home theatre's AV receiver! So, what do you think, could that 100AH battery survive a rainstorm?
Thanks for sharing. I have this same kit & like it. I was too chicken to get it wet, nice to know I don't need to worry.
Will the Renogy 100W Solar Suitcase w/ Voyager safely charge the
Rockpals 300 w Portable Generator? Thanks!
I have the same unit on my Class A and love it works great
Love your channel! I've learned so much from all your videos.
Hope you test and compare the output to renogy eclipse 100 watt suitcase
You should review the ecoworthy 120 watt suitcase style panel its cheaper and more power only $195 on Amazon
Is this one pretty comparable to the renogy ?
How would you properly hook this up to an Ecoflow Delta 1300, both individually, as well as with 2 200W solar suitcases? What adapters/connectors would be required, and how should they be configured and hooked up, so as to not damage the generator? Thank you!😊
I purchased this unit after seeing your review and I do like the unit. I could only find one thing wrong with it that I did not like and that was because there was no Bluetooth option to connect to the controller to see if it was working after setup and during use without having to get on my hands and knees to look at the display. I used it while boondocking and it would have been nice to see the status on my phone screen versus looking underneath at a display to get a reading and then relocate it because the sun moved. Could you do a controller upgrade on the suitcase side to one with Bluetooth for a video? Thanks for the current review.
Why did my brand new installed Lithium 12V batteries burn up the cable from it to my Cut off switch under the hood of my 2018 Class C RV moterhome while driving??? Thank You Lithium Guru
How would one connect two of these suitcase panels that each have 20amp charge controllers to a Seikon 12 volt LiFePO battery? Possible to do that without harming the battery?
For the beginners its a lot of help...thanks for the point of view to help others ..and to know what's the road for taking DIY...solar
wish those systems had a flip out bracket for the SCC. Hate having to move or get down on my knees to check the numbers. New product idea?
The charge controller is hinged and is held against the panel with velcro. Just pull the velcro loose and it hangs down or can be moved to horizontal by hand.
I’ve been following you a while, best solar channel by a mile and I love how you mix beginner stuff with higher skill content. I’m in the UK and wanted to add a solar option to my caravan (US translation - travel trailer) and after some research (using knowledge I learnt from you) picked up this Renogy suitcase to dip my toe in the water. Brilliant for a beginner and really pleased to eventually see it on your channel with a glowing review.
Btw my caravan is an Eriba Troll 530. A brilliant German design that’s hardly changed in decades. Look it up - you’ll fall in love.
Would I be able to connect this 200watts suitcase to my ecoflow delta 2... is there an adaptor....only see these clamps...🤔
This is why I love your reviews. I would be afraid of to blast it with water for 20 mins. Question: do you think attaching a cable clip (thinking size for old 25 pair PBX cable) with a square of that 3M permanent tape on the inside back of panels would be a good way to keep those cords from getting mangled when you close case?
great product, great review, thanks Will
Sweeeet... Will, I have a 160 ah LTO battery.. Definitely looking into it.
Where did you get it?!?! Tell me more please please haha I need a supplier for those cells
What perked my curiosity is we use we use this battery for our boat. Since we went through all the options of charging it.. You made it simple.. Helped the revelations.. And made it sink in.. Thanks
Everything just looks so easy watching your videos..Is there a good combo wind-turbine,,solar panel kit out there you have seen and recommend..
Didn't see this comment and added one similar. I want one for my boat. Windy at night sometimes
Im permanently mounting this onto my Tacoma , should I run the wires from the solar panel to an inverter first or will running it to the battery be fine ?
Thanks for the video. I just picked this up from your recommendations with the Rockpals 300 watt solar generator from your other video.
What do you think about this item in 2021? Would you recommend another suitcase
You are fabulous. I love your videos and you have taught me so much.
Does it have any way to fasten it to the ground? Otherwise a gust of wind from the back would blow it over and or away.
Also, dog leash ground screw is 10 bucks and will hold it down for years
Can't believe this is three years old. Why are the hinges not reversed thus protecting panels. Can you reverse them.
Love your videos, Will! Keep up the great work!
Any chance of doing a comparison with Zamp?
Can that be used with the eco flow delta solar generator.
Does the voyager controller turn on when it is hooked to the battery before it is getting solar power? Also will it stay on and kill the battery with no sun? Thanks
Yes, it becomes active as soon as it is connected to the battery. You may get a smidgen of charging from ambient light.
Specs please. what is the size. need to install it in my Prius back window about 19x38
Are the alligator clamps the only connectors?
In some of your other videos you mention that the battery should be connected to the controller before the solar panel is connected to the controller. In this system, the controller is already attached to the solar panel. Will this damage the controller? Thanks.
I've been using this for 8 years. Biggest complaint is it shuts down when it hits Full. I have to disconnect the battery to reset.
Hi could I plug this into an existing RV solar system to boost the battery charging when there is not much sun. Would the solar controller on the fixed RV system fight the suitcase
controller?, great video.
Thanks for the review , been thinking about this unit.
Can this solar panel can be use to run a small refrigerator off road as long ?
Would be better if the glass was designed to be inside the suitcase when fielded, to protect them from getting damaged.
Can i add a 2nd battery to my suitcase solar system?
how will the voyager do with 2 batteries 6 volt deep cell that are connected. Is there a problem?
Digging this back up
I have a question/idea:
We have run a 390w off grid system (100ah FLA) for 12 years now, and when we use up our 600w for the day, we often charge the solar system from our car using a set of #10 wires with quick connects (one set hangs out of the car hood, and the other set hangs on the post under the solar array.
We just bought our first lithium battery bank! And knowing that the depleted batteries can draw a dangerous amount of power from the car if we plugged them up, I have been thinking about a dc/dc converter between the lithium batteries and the car,
*My question is,
Would it be more cost effective, or make sense to use a 30a mppt solar charge controller AS A DC/DC CONVERTER?
Renogy sells Inverter/Charges. I'd like to know if it's better or worse in efficiency & cost than using a separate charge controller and Inverter. thanks
How long does it take to charge a deep cycle battery with solar? And then...can u charge a jackery 1000 with that deep cycle bayttery?
Hello Will
Can u do a Video on how to change battery settings?
How about 2021 update?
Have you tested the HarborFreight 100W solar kit? If you haven’t would you do a review if it
Hello Will. I already own a 200 watts Renogy suitcase that I plug directly at the battery (one deep cycle 12 Volts)of my travel trailer, located at front behind the LP tanks (typical setup for a travel trailer 19 feet long). Is it possible to plug an extra 200 watts at the same trailer using the existing SAE port (ZAMP)on the side of the trailer? So, both of the kits could be able to charge the battery on two different ways. Is it better to rather connect them in series with a MPPT?
Another fine informative vide. I love the water test. I have learned a lot from your channel. Thank you.
Did you look at the 200W suitcase? Same quality?