200W Suitcase Recommendations

[herons]

Everyone sings praises to the Renology brand when they discuss solar panels. But the panels are made in China, and I also hear that their customer support and service is severely lacking.

Any other solar suitcase brands that I should be aware of, preferably made in Canada or the US?

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by herons

Everyone sings praises to the Renology brand when they discuss solar panels. But the panels are made in China, and I also hear that their customer support and service is severely lacking.

Any other solar suitcase brands that I should be aware of, preferably made in Canada or the US?

I'm not aware of any panels actually made in USA

the 360W panel I mounted on my roof is from Korea, an LGE NeonR, but its sold for the home rooftop market, and is a 36-40V panel so requires an MPPT controller for a 12V system. Its also a single panel, 66.4 x 40 x 1.6 inch.

I'd have to say, a 200W would be a mighty heavy 'suitcase', my 100W Renogy at 30 lbs is about as much as I'd want to carry any distance with a suitcase handle, a 200W panel would be about twice the area so either need 4 panels or the panels would be larger.

[ShelbyM]

Originally Posted by herons

Everyone sings praises to the Renology brand when they discuss solar panels. But the panels are made in China, and I also hear that their customer support and service is severely lacking.

Any other solar suitcase brands that I should be aware of, preferably made in Canada or the US?

So maybe not everyone is a fan? When you are searching for MUSA panels be aware that some are assembled in US from imported components. Don't know where your line is. FWIW, I have a couple of Renogy products and have no complaints.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by ShelbyM

... FWIW, I have a couple of Renogy products and have no complaints.

ditto, I have their older 100W Solar Suitcase, and a 2000W Pure Sine inverter....

The couple times I've asked their tech support something, I got back prompt and useful responses.

[Jane P.]

Rich Solar - high quality products competitively priced. Great customer service. One stop shopping.

Their panels come from Indonesia. Recommend you buy directly from them, vs Amazon.com

https://richsolar.com/collections/portable-solar-panels

[John in Santa Cruz]

those seem kind of expensive, like their largest 335W bare panel is over twice what I paid for my 360W LG NeonR monocrystalline panel delivered, and thats only if you buy 8 RichSolar panels on a pallet.

[Jane P.]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

those seem kind of expensive, like their largest 335W bare panel is over twice what I paid for my 360W LG NeonR monocrystalline panel delivered, and thats only if you buy 8 RichSolar panels on a pallet.

Hey John,
RichSolar’s webpage states that all purchases ship free. 30 day return guarantee.

https://richsolar.com/

I am responding to the OP’s request for alternative seller to Renogy.

Prices may have increased this year (supply issues, shipping increases). But I found RS to be competitively priced when shopping for my solar system. Plus, I really liked dealing with them.

I’m not sure you can make any conclusions from comparing 335w & 360w panels from 2 different manufacturers. You are definitely comparing apples to oranges.

And I was looking at a very different configuration than you installed on your Escape rooftop. I ended up purchasing 3 100W “compact design” panels from HQST. These panels were the best fit for the limited space on my Bigfoot 21 rooftop. They are high quality panels, and working really well.

Initially, I planned to purchase 2 200W panels from RichSolar and place them on either side of sun roof. Unfortunately, they were each 3/4 inches too wide. I did in fact look at several solar panel and equipment sellers. Renogy did not did not make my shortlist.

Because I have never purchased or researched solar suitcases, I cannot comment on the size of that particular product. I leave all comparative product research to the OP - and you.

[AlanKilian]

Originally Posted by herons

Everyone sings praises to the Renology brand when they discuss solar panels.

This isn't a solar PANEL issue, it's a solar controller issue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XD-HdRo-sfc

I bought it from Renogy through Amazon and when I had a problem, I got a response from techsupport@renogy.com asking some questions.

I answered them immeduately and got no response.

Then a week later, they asked <almost> the same questions and I sent them this video.

I asked for an update. No response.
I asked for an update. No response.
I asked for an update. No response.
I asked for an update. No response.
I asked for an update. No response.
I asked for an update. No response.

It was getting close to the Amazon return window closing, so I returned the whole thing.

ONE DAY AFTER THE WINDOW CLOSED, I got a response asking almost the same initial questions.

So, I'm a TopSolar guy now. It's been working finefor the last three seasons.

[Nightengale]

https://www.zampsolar.com/pages/our-story
Made in the USA and I have been very happy with my Obsidian (2 panel) portable setup.
In 2015, Zamp Solar® made a significant move all offshore solar panel manufacturing back to our hometown in Bend, Oregon. Every Zamp Solar® panel is now handcrafted in the US. Today, Zamp Solar® is the premier manufacturer and innovator of off-grid solar solutions in America.

[Justus]

I always thought Zamp was the Gold Standard. They have a 230 watt Suitcase available with or without controller. They are however a little pricey.

[Darrell in Al]

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

This isn't a solar PANEL issue, it's a solar controller issue
I bought it from Renogy through Amazon and when I had a problem, I got a response from techsupport@renogy.com asking some questions

So, I'm a TopSolar guy now. It's been working finefor the last three seasons.

I've got one of the same ones with the same problem, but hooked to a red top Optima battery and a 50W solar panel. Good panel and now a dead Optima battery. I got it from Amazon too. But I had it to long before I hooked it up.
On "suitcase" solar panels I'm out but I've had a good or great experience with a semi flexible 100w rated panel from Amazon the company has down-rated the panel it's output has been over 100w regularly. I've been waiting on a second one for 2 months now though. A plus on them is weight, portable, compact and better performance with indirect sun. It was mounted on roof rack on my new Jeep. Currently I've got 2 rigid 100w panels there and not as impressed with them. When I get the second one they are being relocated to a shed for it's solar system.

[John in Santa Cruz]

monocrystalline panels perform significantly better than polycrystalline. panels with higher PV and a MPPT controller perform better in lower light than 18V panels with PWM controllers. good panels can output power with the panel partially shaded, cheap panels won't.

[DougOlson]

I am happy with a Bluetti 200 watt fold up panel. It does not include a charge controller so my use is in parallel to the one on the roof of my Escape using the controller included in the trailer.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by DougOlson

I am happy with a Bluetti 200 watt fold up panel. It does not include a charge controller so my use is in parallel to the one on the roof of my Escape using the controller included in the trailer.

parallelling panels on the same controller only works effectively in both panels have similar output voltages. as an extreme case, the 160W panel my Escape came with has around 16-18V solar output (PV) under load, and maybe 20V open circuit solar output. The 360W panel I replaced it with has 40-42V open circuit, and 32-36V under load. if I wanted to use my 160W panel at the same time, I would need a separate controller for it. But, my 360W panel can easily make 2000 WH per day, which is over 3X my normal usage so I don't really need it.

I'm really happy with the performance of this LG 'NeonR' 360W panel. I got it on clearance, the new model was 400W, so it was only $250, but there was $125 shipping for the single panel, it was /still/ a deal. It nicely fits on top of my E21 in place of the original panel, raised a couple inches higher, and with the original fridge vent deleted and capped, it completely fills the space behind the AC. I paid another $300 or somethjing for the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30, and I'm totally happy with that. I could have used some scrabble-branded amazon controller and it likely would have worked just fine.




mounting detail:


(the silver is the original GoPower panel mount, the black is the additional riser for the larger LG panel). Its wired to the original solar wiring via the MC4 connectors, and down below, I replaced the GoPower PWM controller with the Victron MPPT. I actually swapped in the MPPT before I swapped the panel, and tested it with the original 160W panel, and was getting more total daily power from said original polycrystalline 16-18V 160W panel.