Portable Solar Panel Polycrystalline Silicon Folding Hiking Solar Module 30W

What to look for when buying portable solar panels?

Here's what to look for when shopping for portable solar panels.

1. Efficiency.

If space or weight is an issue, such as on a backpacking trip, compare the efficiency of various solar panels. The efficiency of a solar panel is measured by its ability to convert sunlight into electricity. Panels with over 20% efficiency are premium products. 2More efficient panels require less space to produce the same power as larger, less efficient panels, but may cost more. If space or weight isn't an issue, don't waste your money on high-efficiency panels when low-cost, inefficient panels will get the job done.

2. Buy what you need, not what you want.

Know what you need and don't buy more. You can figure out how much energy you need using a simple energy calculator, which will tell you how many watts different appliances use. Check the voltage requirements of any gadget. For example, most laptops require a constant supply of 19 volts.

3. Understand your installation needs.

Watt is a unit of power. It measures the energy consumed or produced by a device at a certain moment. You'll need a solar panel (or battery) that produces 100 watts of power to light two 50-watt light bulbs.

wh is a measure of how much energy is used in an hour. If you want to keep two 50-watt bulbs lit for 10 hours, you'll need a solar panel (or more likely a battery) that produces 1,000 watt-hours or 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh). There is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence between watts and the number of watt-hours a device can output. For example, the 2000 watt Goal Zero Yeti solar generator provides 1500 watt hours.