Awesome video - lots of valuable detail there. Another test to consider is a short circuit current test which we used to do on every panel as part of the commissioning of remote communications sites. Quickly shows if you have a dud panel which does happen on occasion. You should see ~95% of the rated SSC on a clear sunny day (short the + and - together through an ammeter or use a clamp meter but only test it for a few seconds which is more than enough time to get a reading). Most eBay panels are fake and have exaggerated performance figures so a SSC is a good way to prove this.
Yeah that's very weird, I would be happy with that too and it's about what that other one gave me, but I've never seen close to that from my 300 watt blanket. I guess my advice to you would be the same as what I said in the video, don't ever sell your blanket!
This technical information is great, thank you! Not my strong suit in life. lol FYI I purchased the 12 panel (4x3) HardKorr solar blanket which had 4 cloth 'hooks' each side to hang to the side of my camper. Eventually, one by one, these cloth hooks tore from the weight. Great to see them using metal eyelets now. As there were no 'legs' I fashioned a tilting frame using a tent pole and 4 spacer bars. With the 4x3 panels, it was floppy and high, so the wind caught it often. Yet perfect to drape on the front windscreen.
Glad you found it helpful, and it sounds like we've had similar experiences in the past! It sounds like you bought a Hard Korr 'Lifestyle' unit. This is from a cheaper range than the crocskin range I reviewed here. Hard Korr does still sell those cheaper units as a separate range, and although they've updated it now to a 2x3 configuration it still uses the same cloth loops www.snowys.com.au/200w-portable-solar-blanket-15a-regulator I had the same experience with the tearing as you did, with a few cheap Kings blankets I owned a while back th-cam.com/video/cfCM_p21cGs/w-d-xo.html. Unfortunately I think that's just one of the sacrifices with a cheaper blanket. I had also suffered with them having no legs which I also covered in that Kings review, which is one of the reasons I picked out these three blankets for my travels as they all had legs. I highly recommend getting a unit with legs if/when you decide to upgrade, it's a bit headache saver! Cheers, Greg
The main reason why the observed output is lower than the rated output is not because of cabling, single cell etc, it is because of the angle of the sun and the latitude. In the middle of Australia, you would loose approximately 30% even if the panel is angled directly to the sun, since the irradiance is less. You can only achieve near the theoretical or rated ouput at the equator at around 21/22 March, at exactly 12noon (when the irradiance would be around 1000W/m2, at 25 degrees Celsius, at 1.5 air mass. This is by firstly the main reason why you will almost never observe the full rated output of these solar blankets.
Yes that would certainly be true, as those factors you mention are specifically part of IEC61215 which is the solar panel testing standard. But that's exactly why real world testing is more valuable than the standard, because almost no-one will actually be using it under that conditions.
Awesome points. I live at N43, in Canada, and don't expect to see 100% of what is basically an equator, straight shot at the SUN 'on the Box' rating. Since we live in various spots on this tilted planet; I can't imagine how manufacturers could hope to label gear for all situations. There is enough internet info on global Solar preformance to allow folks to adjust expectations for where they live, in any given Season.
Interesting hey, I ended up grabbing the 300w Itech simply hoping to get closer to a full 200w, was recently on sale for $660 which was $636 with a 5% code.
Well mate I think you did very well! You should be getting close to 200W most of the time and if your experience is anything like that of the guy I camped with you might get 250+ in summer! My 300W does sag quite a bit though so the panels may fail eventually.
It goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks… I did not know the relation between location latitude and the angle of the solar panel. I’ll give it the soda can test when I am out next.
Fantastic that's great feedback thanks! Which one did you end up deciding on? Please share the series on your social media to help others benefit from it! 🙂👍
@@TheMusingGreg I went with an iTech 300kw solar blanket to charge my camper and the iTech PS1300 PORTABLE LITHIUM POWER STATION 1300W 100AH so I can make a coffee on the road - iTech is what is in my camper so at least i know everything is compatible 🙂
Hi Mick glad you found it helpful! At 300w, my top two picks would be the iTechWorld 300w, or the Allspark 400w. I haven't used the Allspark 400w unit personally but i reviewed the 225w unit a while ago on this channel and was very impressed with it. The iTechWorld 300w is now my personal blanket of choice, as the Hard Korr failed just after the test and was refunded over warranty. The Allspark is a great unit, but it's a lot more expensive, $1000. Whereas the iTechWorld is on sale, and with my coupon code MUSING it's almost half the price of the allspark at only $559! The quality and power output won't be the same as the Allspark, but for the money I think it's really hard to beat the iTechWorld. Good luck whichever way you go!
Sure mate, this is it: www.ebay.com.au/itm/144937036686?amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAkHsPnCbFSlydtX7WpehRWEftRkmdx1Ga0qpEijGJQLxP5igbTEIj%2F25zFF0acnUPMn%2BujvIvvXzSfqgcgmygQSz0kMCUFKlJdSoxVjdWIS7s5SryHwhLIJBu7pUPlMg643039JBNThrRJEIqRxEwhGPC%2BWs3JYDzyrtAisEkd4hSJyIkl2Y1O8yODpMX8VYFxA%3D%3D&mkcid=1&mkrid=705-53470-19255-0&siteid=15&campid=5338943146&customid=AndersonPlugPowerMeter&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
G'day Greg, I bought a Kings Blanket (Eveyone boo!!!) after your original review. Took all your wisdom and made an aluminium collapsible frame (takes up no room or weight) to point it towards the sun. Keep it clean and have 4 micro fibre cloths that I put on the panels before it's folded. Been getting an average of 8.5 amps for two years out bush. Thanks for ya reviews mate.
Good job mate! Certainly with a legless blanket a frame like that is a great idea, and keeping the surface clean should have prevented too much scuffing. Obviously both are a hassle vs the newer ones that don't require this, but it's a cheaper alternative for sure! I'm surprised you're still getting such a good output, maybe the lower temperatures due to the frame and keeping it clean are helping? Good job anyway and glad the video's been helpful! 👍
Probably used seven to eight times over two years ranging from long weekends to two week trips. Keeping it cool and clean has to be what's keeping it going. All the best to ya mate.
Hi have a shed in the back yard. How well will these solar blankets handle hot tin roof? I will be getting 4 X 200 watts.The Lenth of cable will be 15 metres , with 2 X 100 ah batteries. 1000 watt inverter but getting bigger one soon, Queenslander here. Love the videos you produce. Straight to the points. Thanks in advance.
Hey mate glad you're enjoying the content! They would work, but I don't think they're the best choice for your job. The main benefit of a blanket is their portability and small storage size, but if you're looking more at a fixed installation those aren't really important. I would choose a solid panel for what you're doing. It'll be cheaper than a blanket for the same power, plus you're able to mount it more securely at an angle as they'll have a frame, and this will also help keep them cooler than blankets resting directly on the tin roof. Hope this helps! Greg
I'm more interested in seeng a 12 moth plus review as my Hardkorr struggles to put out 7 amps now, 12 months later. just picked up the 300w and 200w itech world pannels as I need closer to 30 amps
It's interesting you mention that. My Hard Korr blanket actually went low output just after I published this review and it went back under warranty, and they confirmed it was faulty. Yes I would have liked to have tested them for longer but that's as long as we were travelling for! Hopefully it gave you some useful into? Did you use my coupon code to date yourself the 5% discount on the iTechWorld panels?
i bought some off brand elfeland sunpower panels so they are sunpower with the busbars behind but the grade is B i got 4 panels 100w each but really total i got like 284w through a victron smartsolar controller but for $300 for 19+ amps at the battery is pretty damn good
That's interesting, never heard of that brand. 284/400 is about 70% of the rated capacity which is about what I got in this test, but Sunpower cells are a nice bonus. Do you mind sharing the link where you got them? Sounds like you got a good deal provided they last!
Hi Craig, the 300W blanket does come with a thicker cable, but I used that same thicker cable for testing both blankets. So the test setup for both blankets was identical. In fact the 200W unit should have performed better than usual on account of running through a thicker cable. BTW if you're considering the 300W unit, now is the time to get it. iTechWorld's just put it on sale at the best I've ever seen in my time of monitoring these prices ($649), and if you use coupon MUSING you'll get a further 5% off that price. So it works out to like $617 or something. Work on 190W as a predicable output and it's $3.24/watt which is measurably better than even the excellent Hard Korr got.
@@TheMusingGreg awesome. I’m struggling with my set up atm. Have a kings 200w that I’m sure is stuffed lucky to get 7w out of it. And also have a 380w I got on eBay and lucky to get 50-60w out of that. My issue is I can’t afford to fork out for a decent blanket. Atm my budget is non existent.
@craigholman6141 Ack that's a pain! Well I daresay they may come back on sale at some point, although you might have to wait a while to get them for this price. If you're a bit handy you might be able to fix one of your current ones - check out this video I did fixing up my old Kings blanket: th-cam.com/video/XyNpfqQ-4K8/w-d-xo.html
My 300w 70.8v solar blanket in middle day on angle gets 301w, 67v - 4.4a current using a 20m solar cable and cause high v it converts the v down to the battery v in that case it was 13.75 and in turn was putting 21.40a into battery.. On a day that was totally full of cloud to the point that you couldnt see the sun.. I still got 190w, 58v 3.1a current again using 20m solar cable and getting 13a into battery..And that was it laying flat on the ground not on a angle.. So far ive yet to see any other solar blankets beat mine and mine cost $750.. The highest I have got was 350w, 73v, 5.5a current, 20m cable, 27a.. tho the highest it can go is 29a into battery. Its brand is forest in australia.. worth every bit of money spent.. Like as a example compared to all these.. Ive got in the late arvo to the point it looked like it was totally shaded at like 5pm in winter 54w, 72v, 20m cable 0.9 current but into battery was getting 3.80amps.. I doubt any of those low voltage panels could do that.. pretty much I get current into battery over 2amps from 6am to 5pm pretty much 11 hours of the day.
Yes high voltage panels are potentially a bit of a different story. I've heard good things about them, especially early morning and late afternoon performance, but not had the chance to use one so far. I couldn't find anything under that brand name, would you mind posting a link to the one you got?
I'd be disappointed too! How old is it? Unfortunately they only have a 12-month warranty but if it's still under warranty I'd encourage you to contact iTechWorld
I can understand your disappointment if you were expecting 300W. But in my testing, 70% of the rated capacity is around the mark for most blankets which is about what you got here. I guess you hadn't seen my videos before you purchased to help set realistic expectations? That's why I do these sorts of tests, to help people know what to expect before they buy. You will probably get better results coming into summer if that's any consolation. Was that using the cable and regulator the iTechWorld blanket came with? What charge was the battery at do you know? I might be able to help you squeeze a bit more out of it if I know a bit more about your setup.
@@TheMusingGreg not all.. liek I said in a comment.. my forest 300w, 70v panel gets 300w most the time if its full sun at 12, most the time it goes over 300w.. but I find the wattage means not much compared to the voltage.. High volts mean high output to battery.. Mine didnt come with mttp or cables but I prefered that as I made my own solar cables not crap automotive cable like most companies do and got a victron smart controller which is the best mttp on market.
![[TESTED] KINGS vs REDARC solar blankets - shoot-out! 🤠](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AActNzBZ9FA/mqdefault.jpg)
Awesome video - lots of valuable detail there. Another test to consider is a short circuit current test which we used to do on every panel as part of the commissioning of remote communications sites. Quickly shows if you have a dud panel which does happen on occasion. You should see ~95% of the rated SSC on a clear sunny day (short the + and - together through an ammeter or use a clamp meter but only test it for a few seconds which is more than enough time to get a reading). Most eBay panels are fake and have exaggerated performance figures so a SSC is a good way to prove this.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep that in mind for future videos! Glad you found it helpful!
I have the Itechworld 300w blanket and get 260w at 10am on a sunny winters day or 14amp. Very happy
Yeah that's very weird, I would be happy with that too and it's about what that other one gave me, but I've never seen close to that from my 300 watt blanket. I guess my advice to you would be the same as what I said in the video, don't ever sell your blanket!
Thanks mate, you cannot beat real world testing
Glad you enjoyed it Peter! Please share on your socials / forums with those who might be interested! 🙂
This technical information is great, thank you! Not my strong suit in life. lol
FYI I purchased the 12 panel (4x3) HardKorr solar blanket which had 4 cloth 'hooks' each side to hang to the side of my camper. Eventually, one by one, these cloth hooks tore from the weight. Great to see them using metal eyelets now.
As there were no 'legs' I fashioned a tilting frame using a tent pole and 4 spacer bars.
With the 4x3 panels, it was floppy and high, so the wind caught it often. Yet perfect to drape on the front windscreen.
Glad you found it helpful, and it sounds like we've had similar experiences in the past!
It sounds like you bought a Hard Korr 'Lifestyle' unit. This is from a cheaper range than the crocskin range I reviewed here. Hard Korr does still sell those cheaper units as a separate range, and although they've updated it now to a 2x3 configuration it still uses the same cloth loops
www.snowys.com.au/200w-portable-solar-blanket-15a-regulator
I had the same experience with the tearing as you did, with a few cheap Kings blankets I owned a while back
th-cam.com/video/cfCM_p21cGs/w-d-xo.html. Unfortunately I think that's just one of the sacrifices with a cheaper blanket.
I had also suffered with them having no legs which I also covered in that Kings review, which is one of the reasons I picked out these three blankets for my travels as they all had legs. I highly recommend getting a unit with legs if/when you decide to upgrade, it's a bit headache saver!
Cheers,
Greg
The main reason why the observed output is lower than the rated output is not because of cabling, single cell etc, it is because of the angle of the sun and the latitude. In the middle of Australia, you would loose approximately 30% even if the panel is angled directly to the sun, since the irradiance is less. You can only achieve near the theoretical or rated ouput at the equator at around 21/22 March, at exactly 12noon (when the irradiance would be around 1000W/m2, at 25 degrees Celsius, at 1.5 air mass. This is by firstly the main reason why you will almost never observe the full rated output of these solar blankets.
Yes that would certainly be true, as those factors you mention are specifically part of IEC61215 which is the solar panel testing standard. But that's exactly why real world testing is more valuable than the standard, because almost no-one will actually be using it under that conditions.
Awesome points. I live at N43, in Canada, and don't expect to see 100% of what is basically an equator, straight shot at the SUN 'on the Box' rating.
Since we live in various spots on this tilted planet; I can't imagine how manufacturers could hope to label gear for all situations.
There is enough internet info on global Solar preformance to allow folks to adjust expectations for where they live, in any given Season.
Interesting hey, I ended up grabbing the 300w Itech simply hoping to get closer to a full 200w, was recently on sale for $660 which was $636 with a 5% code.
Well mate I think you did very well! You should be getting close to 200W most of the time and if your experience is anything like that of the guy I camped with you might get 250+ in summer! My 300W does sag quite a bit though so the panels may fail eventually.
It goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks… I did not know the relation between location latitude and the angle of the solar panel. I’ll give it the soda can test when I am out next.
Glad I could help mate! Have a good one!
Thanks so much for these great reviews - I have no idea what I need, except that I need a solar blanket. This has been so helpful. Thanks!
Fantastic that's great feedback thanks! Which one did you end up deciding on? Please share the series on your social media to help others benefit from it! 🙂👍
@@TheMusingGreg I went with an iTech 300kw solar blanket to charge my camper and the iTech PS1300 PORTABLE LITHIUM POWER STATION 1300W 100AH so I can make a coffee on the road - iTech is what is in my camper so at least i know everything is compatible 🙂
@@TravellingSuze Good choices! I hope they work well for you! 👍
Awesome review thanks. Do you have a favourite folding panel , I'm looking for at least 300w , regards Mick
Hi Mick glad you found it helpful!
At 300w, my top two picks would be the iTechWorld 300w, or the Allspark 400w. I haven't used the Allspark 400w unit personally but i reviewed the 225w unit a while ago on this channel and was very impressed with it. The iTechWorld 300w is now my personal blanket of choice, as the Hard Korr failed just after the test and was refunded over warranty.
The Allspark is a great unit, but it's a lot more expensive, $1000. Whereas the iTechWorld is on sale, and with my coupon code MUSING it's almost half the price of the allspark at only $559! The quality and power output won't be the same as the Allspark, but for the money I think it's really hard to beat the iTechWorld.
Good luck whichever way you go!
Great videos. Was wondering if you could share the brand/type of the power meter that you’re using in testing?
Sure mate, this is it: www.ebay.com.au/itm/144937036686?amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAkHsPnCbFSlydtX7WpehRWEftRkmdx1Ga0qpEijGJQLxP5igbTEIj%2F25zFF0acnUPMn%2BujvIvvXzSfqgcgmygQSz0kMCUFKlJdSoxVjdWIS7s5SryHwhLIJBu7pUPlMg643039JBNThrRJEIqRxEwhGPC%2BWs3JYDzyrtAisEkd4hSJyIkl2Y1O8yODpMX8VYFxA%3D%3D&mkcid=1&mkrid=705-53470-19255-0&siteid=15&campid=5338943146&customid=AndersonPlugPowerMeter&toolid=10001&mkevt=1
G'day Greg,
I bought a Kings Blanket (Eveyone boo!!!) after your original review.
Took all your wisdom and made an aluminium collapsible frame (takes up no room or weight) to point it towards the sun.
Keep it clean and have 4 micro fibre cloths that I put on the panels before it's folded.
Been getting an average of 8.5 amps for two years out bush.
Thanks for ya reviews mate.
Good job mate! Certainly with a legless blanket a frame like that is a great idea, and keeping the surface clean should have prevented too much scuffing. Obviously both are a hassle vs the newer ones that don't require this, but it's a cheaper alternative for sure! I'm surprised you're still getting such a good output, maybe the lower temperatures due to the frame and keeping it clean are helping? Good job anyway and glad the video's been helpful! 👍
Probably used seven to eight times over two years ranging from long weekends to two week trips. Keeping it cool and clean has to be what's keeping it going.
All the best to ya mate.
Hi have a shed in the back yard. How well will these solar blankets handle hot tin roof? I will be getting 4 X 200 watts.The Lenth of cable will be 15 metres , with 2 X 100 ah batteries. 1000 watt inverter but getting bigger one soon, Queenslander here. Love the videos you produce. Straight to the points. Thanks in advance.
Hey mate glad you're enjoying the content! They would work, but I don't think they're the best choice for your job. The main benefit of a blanket is their portability and small storage size, but if you're looking more at a fixed installation those aren't really important. I would choose a solid panel for what you're doing. It'll be cheaper than a blanket for the same power, plus you're able to mount it more securely at an angle as they'll have a frame, and this will also help keep them cooler than blankets resting directly on the tin roof.
Hope this helps!
Greg
I'm more interested in seeng a 12 moth plus review as my Hardkorr struggles to put out 7 amps now, 12 months later. just picked up the 300w and 200w itech world pannels as I need closer to 30 amps
It's interesting you mention that. My Hard Korr blanket actually went low output just after I published this review and it went back under warranty, and they confirmed it was faulty.
Yes I would have liked to have tested them for longer but that's as long as we were travelling for! Hopefully it gave you some useful into?
Did you use my coupon code to date yourself the 5% discount on the iTechWorld panels?
Hi Greg, what is the tool you used to measure the amperage and wattage for each solar panel. Love the vids, cheers
Hey mate, sure here it is: ebay.us/rep0Wb
@@TheMusingGreg legend, cheers
i bought some off brand elfeland sunpower panels so they are sunpower with the busbars behind but the grade is
B i got 4 panels 100w each but really total i got like 284w through a victron smartsolar controller but for $300 for 19+ amps at the battery is pretty damn good
That's interesting, never heard of that brand. 284/400 is about 70% of the rated capacity which is about what I got in this test, but Sunpower cells are a nice bonus. Do you mind sharing the link where you got them? Sounds like you got a good deal provided they last!
@@TheMusingGreg but also my solar controller is only 20 amp so it could be slightly more
Possibly yeah. Where did you get the panels from? I'd be interested to look at the specs
Brilliant reviews
Cheers, glad you found it helpful! Please take a second to share the series with your friends! 🙂
Very helpful video. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful, thanks for letting me know! Please share it on your social media to help others benefit from it!
What about the guy that had the 300w. Didn’t you say he had a lot thicker cabling.? Seems like voltage drop to me
Hi Craig, the 300W blanket does come with a thicker cable, but I used that same thicker cable for testing both blankets. So the test setup for both blankets was identical. In fact the 200W unit should have performed better than usual on account of running through a thicker cable.
BTW if you're considering the 300W unit, now is the time to get it. iTechWorld's just put it on sale at the best I've ever seen in my time of monitoring these prices ($649), and if you use coupon MUSING you'll get a further 5% off that price. So it works out to like $617 or something. Work on 190W as a predicable output and it's $3.24/watt which is measurably better than even the excellent Hard Korr got.
@@TheMusingGreg awesome. I’m struggling with my set up atm. Have a kings 200w that I’m sure is stuffed lucky to get 7w out of it. And also have a 380w I got on eBay and lucky to get 50-60w out of that. My issue is I can’t afford to fork out for a decent blanket. Atm my budget is non existent.
@craigholman6141 Ack that's a pain! Well I daresay they may come back on sale at some point, although you might have to wait a while to get them for this price. If you're a bit handy you might be able to fix one of your current ones - check out this video I did fixing up my old Kings blanket: th-cam.com/video/XyNpfqQ-4K8/w-d-xo.html
My 300w 70.8v solar blanket in middle day on angle gets 301w, 67v - 4.4a current using a 20m solar cable and cause high v it converts the v down to the battery v in that case it was 13.75 and in turn was putting 21.40a into battery.. On a day that was totally full of cloud to the point that you couldnt see the sun.. I still got 190w, 58v 3.1a current again using 20m solar cable and getting 13a into battery..And that was it laying flat on the ground not on a angle.. So far ive yet to see any other solar blankets beat mine and mine cost $750.. The highest I have got was 350w, 73v, 5.5a current, 20m cable, 27a.. tho the highest it can go is 29a into battery. Its brand is forest in australia.. worth every bit of money spent.. Like as a example compared to all these.. Ive got in the late arvo to the point it looked like it was totally shaded at like 5pm in winter 54w, 72v, 20m cable 0.9 current but into battery was getting 3.80amps.. I doubt any of those low voltage panels could do that.. pretty much I get current into battery over 2amps from 6am to 5pm pretty much 11 hours of the day.
Yes high voltage panels are potentially a bit of a different story. I've heard good things about them, especially early morning and late afternoon performance, but not had the chance to use one so far. I couldn't find anything under that brand name, would you mind posting a link to the one you got?
My300w itec Solar blanket is only producing 145w. Very disappointed, considering the price I paid.
I'd be disappointed too! How old is it? Unfortunately they only have a 12-month warranty but if it's still under warranty I'd encourage you to contact iTechWorld
My itech 300 watt 206 watts full sun 1pm Northern NSW disappointed
I can understand your disappointment if you were expecting 300W. But in my testing, 70% of the rated capacity is around the mark for most blankets which is about what you got here. I guess you hadn't seen my videos before you purchased to help set realistic expectations? That's why I do these sorts of tests, to help people know what to expect before they buy.
You will probably get better results coming into summer if that's any consolation. Was that using the cable and regulator the iTechWorld blanket came with? What charge was the battery at do you know? I might be able to help you squeeze a bit more out of it if I know a bit more about your setup.
@@TheMusingGreg not all.. liek I said in a comment.. my forest 300w, 70v panel gets 300w most the time if its full sun at 12, most the time it goes over 300w.. but I find the wattage means not much compared to the voltage.. High volts mean high output to battery.. Mine didnt come with mttp or cables but I prefered that as I made my own solar cables not crap automotive cable like most companies do and got a victron smart controller which is the best mttp on market.