ROCKPALS 80W Portable Solar Panel Charger, Parallel Foldable Solar Panel for ROCKPALS 250W/300W Portable Power Station

Portable batteries have been seeing a rise in popularity over the past few years with the need to charge phones, tablets, computers, medical devices (ie. CPAP), and more. Gas-powered generators were a leading source of portable generators for decades, but their maintenance and environmental (and health) impact were overwhelming to some. Then came battery-based generators, made popular by Goal Zero, that offer convenience silence, and ease-of-use to consumers. Pair them with solar panels and you are left with virtually limitless power for use by someone like me: an avid hiker, camper, backpacker, an survivalist.A battery generator and solar panel combination makes for GREAT survival/emergency/camping gear. However, not all solar panels are made the same way. Solar technology has improved a LOT over the past decade and prices vary. So, how do you choose a solar panel? In my opinion, solar conversion efficiency and lifespan should be high under consideration. Let's take a look at how the Rockpals 80W solar panel performed in my testing.SUMMARYAt a significantly lower cost than an equivalent, Goal Zero solar panel, the Rockpals 80W impressed me with its unexpectedly high solar conversion rate of 77.8%. It can have two daisy-chained to double the charging capacity, and its built-in kickstand helps orient the panels towards the sun to gain as much solar exposure as possible. Furthermore, the foldable, handled design protects the panels and makes them more portable. The biggest issue I had found was the lackluster, uninspired product packaging.PROS- VERY efficient charging. Most panels should expect between 50-75% charging of the stated wattage--- In my testing on a sunny, California day, I got about 62.2W, a 77.8% efficiency! That puts this panel right at the top- Foldable design makes the panel portable, easy to stow, and protected from dust- Built-in kickstand to help prop the panel towards the sun for better sun exposure- Daisy-chainable: two of these panels can be linked together for a combined, theoretical 160W of output--- Manufacturer lists the maximum, combined output as 128W (translating to a very optimistic 80% efficiency)--- I was not able to test the claim as I do not own 2 Rockpals 80W panels. Theoretically, at 50-75% effiency, you should expect 80W - 120W- Direct DC charging via USB 3.0 (5V/9V 2.4A max), strong enough to power tablets--- USB port is QuickCharge 3.0 to quickly charge supported devices (like Samsung Galaxy phones)- Can charge battery-based generators with up to 18V/4.4A input--- Compatible lead-acid batteries: sealed, colloidal, or open- Additional cables for use with various generator brands and connection types--- With the appropriate adapters, you can charge Rockpals, Goal Zero, Jackery, and Suaoki battery generators- IPX3 water resistance for outdoor use. See TIPS section for more info- Rubber handles on two ends allow the panels to be hung to an object, such as a tree- Responsive, technical support. My questions were quickly answered- Fairly lightweight at 5.3 lbs and portable: 16.7" x 11.6" x 2"- LED light indicates whether the panels are charging- Priced much lower than Goal Zero, but in line with other brands- Circuitry to prevent against reverse charging- 2-year warrantyCONS- Packaging is very minimalist and no-frills--- On one hand, it makes for a lower impact against the environment, and on the other, it makes the product NOT stand out among a sea of boxes with flashier designs- No built-in battery to store some of the charge generated by the panel--- You can either directly charge devices with the panel, charge a battery-based generator, or a battery power bank- Can be considered expensive for casual campers/hikersTIPS/NOTES- Solar lifespan: Panels generally die/become inefficient between 25-30 years--- The Rockpals 80W uses panels made by SunPower and carry a claimed life of 40 years, an estimate I cannot independently verify- Solar panels work best outdoor under full sun exposure--- Remove the protective film that covers the panels before initial use--- Although the panels will work under the shade or behind windows, charging efficiency is greatly diminished--- Panels will STILL charge under cloudy conditions. So, keep the panels out even if you do not see the sun- ALL panels must be uncovered to generate a charge--- Do not completely cover one or more panels or the charging will stop- To maintain solar efficiency, the panels should be kept clean--- Remove dust with a soft brush and wipe with a damp (NOT wet) cloth--- Any residue, such as tree sap, should be removed as soon as possible- IPX3 water rating: Panels are capable of taking water sprays of up to 60 degree angles or less--- Keep the junction box dry. It is NOT water resistant!--- Keep panel away from water that spray at greater than 60 degree angles--- Keep panel away from low-pressure (or stronger) water jet spray--- Do not submerge the panel under water--- Panels will work longer if they are kept away from water altogether- Operating temperature range: -4F to 149F (-20C to 65C)- Do NOT bend the panels more than 30 degrees or risk breaking them!- Keep the panels away from fires and heatersCHARGING TIME- To calculate how much Wattage a device uses: Voltage x Amperage--- For example, if a vacuum is 120V and 9.5A, its Wattage is 1,140W (120 x 9.5)- To calculate how long a 100W battery bank or generator would need to charge via solar panel: 100 W / (Panel Wattage x [0.5 or 0.75])--- In a perfect lab environment, solar panels charge at the indicated wattage (ie. 80 W). Outdoors, expect to only receive 50-75% on a good, sunny day (ie. 40 W – 60 W)--- For example, if a solar panel is rated for 80W, it could take as fast as 1.67 hours [100 W / (80 W x 0.75)] to charge, depending on environmental conditions and the panel's ageOverall, I was VERY much surprised by the slightly more than 77% charging efficiency by these panels. I hardly come across solar panels (including the popular Goal Zero) that reach 75%. With a thoughtful design, features, and additional cables/adapters, the Rockpals 80W is a great buy, especially when you catch them on sale from time to time.I hope you found this review helpful, and thank you for reading! Thank you!

This is my second foray into small solar panels (well, my first panel was much smaller, the Goal Zero Nomad 7). I got this as an emergency source, both for our earthquake supplies, and for the now-becoming-common in northern California PG&E rolling blackouts.The panel is well made, and actually attractive when it is folded up—looks like a tabloid sized portfolio. When unfolded, there are two support struts that can hold it at a ~45º angle. It would be better if these supports had a rigid lower section (rather than a fabric strap), so that you could anchor the panel to keep it stable in the wind a bit easier. My other improvement, which I plan on doing, is that there should be several loops around the perimeter, so that the panel can be hung vertically.I used the panel when I first got it to charge a 240 wall-hour battery supply. The input maxed out at about 55 watts, which on a sunny, clear day in October, northern CA, seemed about right to me (the specifications are 80 watts max for this panel).I have not had it nearly long enough to gauge durability, but as I mentioned, it appears well made, and made using good materials. It comes with 2 connecting cables (one to allow you to use two panels in parallel, which is a main reason I chose this specific panel; after a bit more testing, I plan on buying a second) and several adapters to allow you to use the panels with other company's systems. The cables are 4 to 5 feet long; I think these should be (at least the one that connects the panel to the battery) twice that length.

At just over 5lbs this compact 80W solar panel is an excellent value. Using a watt meter I was getting on average 58.8 watts from this panel (73.5% conversion rate)! I was looking for a compact foldable solar panel that I could store under the seat of my car and this panel fits perfectly. The panel can literally be setup and connected to my Rockpals 300W solar generator in 30 seconds.The panel is very well built, stitching is great (no hanging/loose threads anywhere), the zipper pouch zips nice (no sticking) and allows storage of all necessary and provided cables. The built-in stands/legs are a nice touch and really do make a big difference with increasing the panels output (compared when lying flat on the ground). However, as seen in the pics the center of the panel doesn’t have support legs and as a result sags a bit (not enough sag where I’d doc a star).The controller inside the pouch/pocket has a parallel port output (DC 5.5mm X 2.5mm output cable provided) that can be used to connect (daisy chain) two of these panels together to have 160W panel array. I’ve yet to try this feature as I don’t have two of these units. One cable I wish came with panel would be a MC4 to DC 5.5mm X 2.5mm connector so this panel could be daisy chained with other solar panels Like the Rockpals 100W solar panel. Regardless, this panel is excellent and would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a well built and compact solar panel.

I bought the Rockpals solar panel to use on camping trips to charge my Jackery 500. So far, I've only used it on one trip to the desert in February. By morning, the Jackery was down about 13%. I plugged it into the solar panel, and it only took about an hour to bring it to 100% charge. During that hour, the Rockpals was generating a little over 40 watts.The only criticism I have so far is that the props that hold the panel up seem flimsy. The panel wasn't very stable in the breeze.Overall, I was happy with the way the panel worked over the 3 day trip. I was especially glad that the unit came with a cord that fits the Jackery, so I didn't have to go searching around for one.