Portable / Folding solar panel recommendations.

Obanboy666

Obanboy666

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I have 2 Ecoflow portable power stations that I will be using with my caravan and I am looking for recommendations for portable / folding solar panels to recharge them.
Ecoflow panels way overpriced and before anyone suggests, the caravan is a short term buy as intend to buy a new motorhome in the near future so roof mounted panels not an option.
I recall a member mentioning portable panels that he had bought some time ago but have failed to find the thread using the search function.
Any suggestions will be most appreciated.
 
Obanboy666 said:
I have 2 Ecoflow portable power stations that I will be using with my caravan and I am looking for recommendations for portable / folding solar panels to recharge them.
Ecoflow panels way overpriced and before anyone suggests, the caravan is a short term buy as intend to buy a new motorhome in the near future so roof mounted panels not an option.
I recall a member mentioning portable panels that he had bought some time ago but have failed to find the thread using the search function.
Any suggestions will be most appreciated.
Click to expand...

depends how long ago this post about portable panels was , but I posted must be a couple of years ago at least about a portable panel kit.
It would have been either this kit or an identical one -
https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/1...lorer-solar-panel-kit-with-charge-controller/ for £110
And there is also this 150W one for £130 - https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/1...lorer-solar-panel-kit-with-charge-controller/

Those are both great value, especially at the sale price AND the member discount on top. I've got the 100W kit and I have seen 100W from it on sunny days around noon in Scotland. You could possibly make your own for cheaper, but you wouldn't have the very nice case to keep it protected and it is not worth the hassle at that price.
 
wildebus said:
depends how long ago this post about portable panels was , but I posted must be a couple of years ago at least about a portable panel kit.
It would have been either this kit or an identical one -
https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/1...lorer-solar-panel-kit-with-charge-controller/ for £110
And there is also this 150W one for £130 - https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/1...lorer-solar-panel-kit-with-charge-controller/

Those are both great value, especially at the sale price AND the member discount on top. I've got the 100W kit and I have seen 100W from it on sunny days around noon in Scotland. You could possibly make your own for cheaper, but you wouldn't have the very nice case to keep it protected and it is not worth the hassle at that price.
Click to expand...
Slipped my mind that Alpha sold panels, will check them out.
I was thinking of this type which yes more expensive but tend to fold up smaller and are lighter than the rigid folding type.
uk.renogy.com

Renogy 200W Portable Solar Panel

Trust Renogy for all your off-grid solar panel system needs. Simply add the Rigid Solar Panels, Foldable Solar Suitcases, curated Solar Kits, Charge Controllers and the Mounts to cart to save!
uk.renogy.com uk.renogy.com
 
Obanboy666 said:
I have 2 Ecoflow portable power stations that I will be using with my caravan and I am looking for recommendations for portable / folding solar panels to recharge them.
Ecoflow panels way overpriced and before anyone suggests, the caravan is a short term buy as intend to buy a new motorhome in the near future so roof mounted panels not an option.
I recall a member mentioning portable panels that he had bought some time ago but have failed to find the thread using the search function.
Any suggestions will be most appreciated.
Click to expand...
You sold me one a few years ago!
 
Obanboy666 said:
I have 2 Ecoflow portable power stations that I will be using with my caravan and I am looking for recommendations for portable / folding solar panels to recharge them.
Ecoflow panels way overpriced and before anyone suggests, the caravan is a short term buy as intend to buy a new motorhome in the near future so roof mounted panels not an option.
I recall a member mentioning portable panels that he had bought some time ago but have failed to find the thread using the search function.
Any suggestions will be most appreciated.
Click to expand...
Hi Steve.
I never had the folding type of panel, just a freestanding 90 watt panel that plugged into the solar circuit with my 100 watt roof mounted panel.

I remember talking to a few caravanners who used the folding type a few years back and they seemed expensive and not a good output for the size. I always bought a really good quality solar panel which performed better.

You could always do what I did and just prop a biggish panel beside your caravan. Then when you get a new motorhome, have it fitted on the roof permanently.
 
maingate said:
Hi Steve.
I never had the folding type of panel, just a freestanding 90 watt panel that plugged into the solar circuit with my 100 watt roof mounted panel.

I remember talking to a few caravanners who used the folding type a few years back and they seemed expensive and not a good output for the size. I always bought a really good quality solar panel which performed better.

You could always do what I did and just prop a biggish panel beside your caravan. Then when you get a new motorhome, have it fitted on the roof permanently.
Click to expand...
Sounds a good idea will look into it. As you say a standard panel is way cheaper and as I could easily carry it in the caravan a simple fix to charge the power station.
 
Obanboy666 said:
Sounds a good idea will look into it. As you say a standard panel is way cheaper and as I could easily carry it in the caravan a simple fix to charge the power station.
Click to expand...
is a standard panel "way cheaper"?
Price up a panel, a controller (maybe can ignore that cost) and cables and then compare to, for example, the folding panel kit I linked to and see how much you are going to save.
Then factor in the convenience of having it folding with clip locks and a case to keep the kit all protected and together, and a stong handle you can loop a bike chain through so it doesn't go walkies on its own, plus the adjustable legs that allow you to position at different angles and not stuck with leaning against the van.

"Way Cheaper?" Be interesting to see your sums :)
 
wildebus said:
is a standard panel "way cheaper"?
Price up a panel, a controller (maybe can ignore that cost) and cables and then compare to, for example, the folding panel kit I linked to and see how much you are going to save.
Then factor in the convenience of having it folding with clip locks and a case to keep the kit all protected and together, and a stong handle you can loop a bike chain through so it doesn't go walkies on its own, plus the adjustable legs that allow you to position at different angles and not stuck with leaning against the van.

"Way Cheaper?" Be interesting to see your sums :)
Click to expand...
Yes, got to agree with you after checking prices. I wouldn't need the solar controller etc as my Ecoflows have them built in so I could just fit mc4 connectors onto the panel cables.
 
We have the Ecoflow 220w panel and it is a very good totally waterproof panel with high solar conversion rates.

We lay it flat on top of the motorhome. Currently in Spain at latitude 37 degrees we are getting 160w plus in the middle part of the day and even an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset we are getting 30w so good performance when the sun is low in the sky. And that is laid flat. We just leave it flat on the roof in the same position all day. We keep a 2400wh power bank charged with it. Basically we don't need hook up.

The performance beats our much cheaper 200w Allpowers panel on all measures. We use it to supplement the Ecoflow panel with a serial connection on days when there is more cloud around.

So in terms of panel performance I guess you get what you pay for. Whatever you do don't bother with those flexible bendy panels unless you want to keep adjusting them all day and pointing them at the sun as they have poor efficiency unless the angle is perfect. Which I don't. I wanted a set up and forget system that I could leave on the motorhome roof for several days.

I do have a telescopic ladder.

In addition the Ecoflow 220w panel has some weight to it so capable of staying on the roof on fairly breezy days. I feed the cable through a skylight. From the ground the set up is invisible. We do have enough obstruction free space on the roof to lay it flat.

The only issue is that water can pond underneath the panel (overnight condensation or rain) so the panel can smell a bit like pond water when packing it away so a good wipe is required before it goes in its case. Fixed panels are vented underneath which a portable panel laid flat on a roof is not.

The ecoflow is a monocrystaline panel and these are higher quality more efficient cell type than the lower priced polycrystalline cell panels.
 
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Moped said:
We have the Ecoflow 220w panel and it is a very good totally waterproof panel with high solar conversion rates.

We lay it flat on top of the motorhome. Currently in Spain at latitude 37 degrees we are getting 160w plus in the middle part of the day and even an hour after sunrise and an hour before sunset we are getting 30w so good performance when the sun is low in the sky. And that is laid flat. We just leave it flat on the roof in the same position all day. We keep a 2400wh power bank charged with it. Basically we don't need hook up.

The performance beats our much cheaper 200w Allpowers panel on all measures. We use it to supplement the Ecoflow panel with a serial connection on days when there is more cloud around.

So in terms of panel performance I guess you get what you pay for. Whatever you do don't bother with those flexible bendy panels unless you want to keep adjusting them all day and pointing them at the sun as they have poor efficiency unless the angle is perfect. Which I don't. I wanted a set up and forget system that I could leave on the motorhome roof for several days.

I do have a telescopic ladder.

In addition the Ecoflow 220w panel has some weight to it so capable of staying on the roof on fairly breezy days. I feed the cable through a skylight. From the ground the set up is invisible. We do have enough obstruction free space on the roof to lay it flat.

The only issue is that water can pond underneath the panel (overnight condensation or rain) so the panel can smell a bit like pond water when packing it away so a good wipe is required before it goes in its case. Fixed panels are vented underneath which a portable panel laid flat on a roof is not.
Click to expand...
If you:
1) have room for a 220W panel on the roof.
and
2) want a 'setup and forget' setup.
Why don't you just get a fixed panel on the roof and save the faffing around at the start and the end putting the panel up and taking it down?

As far as panels go, it generally makes very little different how much you spend which you get in terms of performance. The more expensive semi-flexible portable kits are nicer as they are more compact and lighter, but once deployed, they all do the same job with near-identical efficiency.
 
I bought 2 x 80 watt panels and put them together with a pair of hinges, added a handle and made a 160watt portable panel for £112 plugs straight into my EcoFlow and works just fine.

In the Motorhome I have 450w on the roof, so only take the portable panels if I’m going to be stationary for an extended period.
 
Boris7 said:
I bought 2 x 80 watt panels and put them together with a pair of hinges, added a handle and made a 160watt portable panel for £112 plugs straight into my EcoFlow and works just fine.

In the Motorhome I have 450w on the roof, so only take the portable panels if I’m going to be stationary for an extended period.
Click to expand...
This is a good example of why buying ready-made is not automatically far more expensive. For under £20 more, you could now get a 150W model ready made with hinges, securing clips, adjustable support legs, solar controller, cables and a sturdy carry case.

A controller may not be needed for an ecoflow, but could be useful if using elsewhere - I fitted a switch so I can bypass the controller if fitting into the external SAE socket on the rear valance (that goes to a Victron MPPT) or into my VTOMan Power Station, or can use the controller if I connect direct to a battery (say someone wants to borrow it for their van at a meet?)
 
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wildebus said:
Why don't you just get a fixed panel on the roof and save the faffing around at the start and the end putting the panel up and taking it down?
Click to expand...
That thought had occurred to me. Maybe in the future.

But I am where I am for the moment and it is probably useful to share my Ecoflow panel experience with the opening poster.

Maybe a lower priced lower quality panel would work for the opening poster until his arrangements have been firmed up.

For the moment I do have the option of putting the panel on the ground at an angle facing the sun and then I'm getting 190w plus for longer periods if I move the panel during the day. There is a flexibility with a portable set up and power bank that fixed systems cannot offer.
 
wildebus said:
This is a good example of why buying ready-made is not automatically far more expensive. For under £20 more, you could now get a 150W model ready made with hinges, securing clips, adjustable support legs, solar controller, cables and a sturdy carry case.

A controller may not be needed for an ecoflow, but could be useful if using elsewhere - I fitted a switch so I can bypass the controller if fitting into the external SAE socket on the rear valance (that goes to a Victron MPPT) or into my VTOMan Power Station, or can use the controller if I connect direct to a battery (say someone wants to borrow it for their van at a meet?)
Click to expand...

Looked at many could have got 200w for £130 at the NEC show, actually bought a set for a mate, but their just carp quality, mine are mono panels and built to last, aluminium frames, strong handles, magnetic locks and won’t break in 5 mins
 
Boris7 said:
Looked at many could have got 200w for £130 at the NEC show, actually bought a set for a mate, but their just carp quality, mine are mono panels and built to last, aluminium frames, strong handles, magnetic locks and won’t break in 5 mins
Click to expand...
Nice assumptions there ;)
 
wildebus said:
This is a good example of why buying ready-made is not automatically far more expensive. For under £20 more, you could now get a 150W model ready made with hinges, securing clips, adjustable support legs, solar controller, cables and a sturdy carry case.

A controller may not be needed for an ecoflow, but could be useful if using elsewhere - I fitted a switch so I can bypass the controller if fitting into the external SAE socket on the rear valance (that goes to a Victron MPPT) or into my VTOMan Power Station, or can use the controller if I connect direct to a battery (say someone wants to borrow it for their van at a meet?)
Click to expand...
Got a link for that please David?
 
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