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Various solar panels

What is a portable solar panel

As the name suggest, portable solar panel are not fixed transportable solar panels. Portable solar panels are very popular in this time. Their advantage is that they are light and easy to install on site fold and  unfold, so they can be transported to areas where there is no  available electricity. This panels mostly used by campers, especially those who like to camp in untouched nature. This panels also used for field work where electricity is necessary, and they are especially popular with photographers and woodcutters. This panels also very popular with owners of yachts and boats.

How does a portable solar panel works

A portable solar panel works on the same
principle as a classic fixed one. It is usually mono crystalline, with a higher efficiency coefficient of up to 23%. The range of power ranges from 10 to 400 W, depending on whether they are intended for
less demanding tasks (charging mobile phones or laptops) or for higher requirements such as camping or household electrical appliances. Portable panels of higher power are usually connected to
portable power stations; in fact, the demand for power supply is chosen through them, and the panels are there for main or additional charging. The more powerful the panel, the faster it will
charge the portable power station. The dimensions of the panels are  suitable for packing in the trunk of a car, and the panels of lower power can be carried over a backpack while walking or hiking. They
usually have their own case and sometimes a connection cable, which is almost always MC4 standard. Unfolded panels are about 2 meters wide. The thickness of the panels is approximately the same as for
fixed panels, usually 25 mm. There are adjustable supports at the back when the portable is unfolded. The panels are protected from  rain and wind with a special layer, according to the standard IP
system.

 

Connections

he output port is almost always MC4, which is considered the standard for solar panels for powers
over 100 W. Smaller panels up to 20 W generally have one or more USB ports for charging mobile phones or laptops. To connect the panel and portable power unit, use an MC4 to XT60 cable. A solar panel in nature can be exposed to rain, heavy rain, and even gusts of wind if it is mounted on a yacht during a storm. The junction box is particularly sensitive because of the electronic components in it; that’s why it has a higher level of protection. Pay attention to what you need a portable solar panel for; if it is to be used on a yacht, boat, or near a water surface, choose one with the highest level of IP
protection (IP 54 is the minimum).

Portable solar panels -Electrical properties

The maximum output voltage for panels in the range of 160 watts to 400 watts ranges from 18 to 40 volts. The
current for that power ranges from 8.8 to 9.8 A. It is possible to buy an additional cable (MC4-MC4) for parallel or series connections of these panels in order to increase the output voltage or current.

Power (W) Max output
Voltage (V)
Max current
(A)
160 18.2 8.8
200 20 10
400 41 9.8

The maximum output voltage for panels in the range of 160 watts to 400 watts ranges from 18 to 40 volts. The
current for that power ranges from 8.8 to 9.8 A. It is possible to  buy an additional cable (MC4-MC4) for parallel or series connections of these panels in order to increase the output voltage or current.

Portable solar panels -price index

The price of portable solar panels is higher than that of fixed ones due to the specifics of their production. If the price of a fixed panel with a power of 400 W is $350, the price
of a portable one will be from $900 to $1100.

Power (W) Price ( $ )
10 100
21 140 -170
160 400
200 450-500
220 550-600
350 850
400 900-1100

The
question arises as to how much power we get for the money invested. The price index in this case is the power in watts for every dollar invested. For a low-power portable panel, it ranges from 0.1 to 0.2
W/$. For panels with a higher power of 160 W–400 W, the price index is on average 0.4 W/$. If we compare it with the price index of fixed panels, which is 0.9–1.2 W/$, the difference is obvious. From this, we draw the conclusion that portable panels should not be bought for use at home but only for, as mentioned earlier, camping, RV

Portable mounting (using SPAC for an ideal angle)

The panels have supports on the back side that enable installation at the recommended angles.
Some panels have rotating legs to track the sun. The panels should be oriented towards the south for the continents in the northern hemisphere: North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Many portable panels have a simple lever system that allows them to be adjusted at any angle. Feel free to use the SPAC application to find the ideal tilt angle relative to the ground. This angle depends on
the latitude of the location for the current month. In that case, select the nearest location offered or just enter the latitude, then read Table 2 for the ideal portable panel setup angle data for the current month. Take into account the shadow that can be cast by the surrounding object.
 link

Table 1 from SPAC application,  : read row 3 Ideal panel angle for setup portable angle 

 

Conclusion

If we consider that the warranty of portable solar panels is only two years, compared to twenty for classic ones, and the price index, we come to the conclusion that this type of panel is unprofitable for mounting on residential objects but only for spending time in nature (camping, RVs, and similar). It should also be noted that they will require a portable power station. There are various quality manufacturers of portable solar panels, but due to the lack of precise laboratory tests, we have to rely on real tests from user experience.

 

Miroslav Mitić

Mechanical engineer and programmer for 25 years. Solar energy expert

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