Topsolar 100W Foldable Portable Solar Panel Charger Kits for Portable Power Station Generator Cell Phones Camera Lamp 19V DC Output

I have extensively used very many solar panels over the past 5-10 years. Most of these have been of the folding plastic portable variety. (including every previous model from topsolar).What i have found is that, in this class, topsolar panels are the ONLY brand which consistently lives up to the listed specs in every possible configuration. Most others don't even come close.The output voltages are regulated (but the load can pull them down a bit), so at 19 volts, you get a solid 5 amps or so in good sun, but you still get 19 volts even in poor sun.Many other cheap folders ($50 to 100) don't even have reverse bias protection. So, if a hard shadow falls across some other panel, many will actually start *sinking* current from your device or battery! Your battery may actually *discharge* if you aren't paying attention. This *never* happens with topsolar.**configurations**Aside from the 19 V output, the panel provides 14.5 V (at about 4 amps) and USB (at about 2 amps) including power delivery and quallcomm quickcharge at up to 12 volts.The 14.5 V output can be used to charge a 12 V lead or LiFePO4 battery at the same time as the USB is being used to charge a *single* device. (this is one ideal configuration)If you are using the 19 volt output, i recommend leaving the other outputs disconnected (this is the other ideal configuration)either way you can get close to 100 watts in full sun.**advanced configuration**If you need more than 19 volts, you can connect multiple panels in series by connecting the mc4 connectors black to red + black to red, etcFor instance, i use 3 of them in series to directly charge my electric bike from the sun. this gives me up to 57 effective volts to charge my battery. If the battery is low, the voltage may be pulled down to, say, 50 volts, and it will slowly increase as the battery charges. When the voltage reads 56V, my bike is recharged.^^this is definitely an advanced config, so be very careful to know the limits of your equipment. Also, be careful to cover the extra connections with electrical tape when creating series connections, or you risk creating an arc!!*NEVER* continue to charge a battery directly from solar once it has reached MAX voltage or you will damage it. (solar panels are a current source, not a voltage source). If you are in doubt, use a dedicated charge controller.other than that, it works great! Works just as well as the bikes included wall adapter (which is only 50 percent efficient, a common problem with ebikes)**form factor**this is something i dont like as well. These things fold in half and snap together with a magnet. They are maybe the size of an artist's folio. There is no way to carry them in even the largest backpack. If i want to take them with me, i have to put them in a large travel bag and strap it to my bike.By comparison, last year's 100 watt model folded in fourths and could be carried in a large backpack. Models from previous years folded in 10ths (size of a college textbook). These could easily be carried in *any* backpack!I wish topsolar would revisit these more compact form factors! This 2024 model is *just barely* "portable" in my opinion.**build quality**One other reviewer mentioned that his panels warped in the sun. I experienced the same thing when using the panels at 100F+ temps. The warping has not affected the performance.The same reviewer mentioned that the plastic film on the panels was bubbling off.. That was protective film which is intended to be removed before first use.That said, this new 2024 model kind of needs protective film when transporting. The new glossy topology is much less rugged than previous year's offerings.The panels can easily become scuffed when transporting. This scuffing, while unsightly, has not affected output. (and i do measure the output frequently, given my use case)The new topology is slightly more efficient and has slightly better low and indirect light performance than previous years, but i still prefer the older, more rugged, more compact models, which will still do 10 watts in the rain, if oriented correctly.And that brings me to my last concern about the 2024 model: They *removed* the solar insolation meter! WHY?? In some lighting, it can be difficult to correctly position the panels just by eyeballing it. Having a meter right on the panel was brilliant!**conclusion**Would i recommend this panel? I would say that it is the only "portable" panel i have tried that i *can* recommend!It actually does everything it claims to! And does it well.with typical cheap folders you are lucky to get 30 percent of the rated output in full sun... and most of these will discharge your battery if they become occluded by a hard shadow (or if you forget to disconnect before sundown)I don't love the new topsolar build quality and form factor which have stretched the limits of the term, "portable". But if you dont move them much, or if you move them by car or truck, then the new form factor is fine...I dont recommend them for a bike trip although they certainly work great for it! I am carrying my own, infinite fuel source on my vehicle! How cool is that?and the pricepoint is *truely* a dollar a watt! Plug and play!

Needed a 100wt Solar Panel Charger to charge an older Duracell 600 powerbank and a DC 12volt car charger adapter was a must since it is hard to find the right AC adapter for the powerbank due to the age of the unit.Pros -- Unit folds up nicely to a compact size with a convenient storage bag- DC adapter allows me to charge an older "solar generator" before the market exploded with them thus saving me the expense of upgrading (for now!)- USB charging ports on the unit allow for direct charge options for phones, tablets, etc.- Simple indicator informs optimal positioning toward the sun- Surface is textured and appears robust- a number of other AC adapters included- Metal stands included to help prop up unit- Gromlets embedded in panel to facilitate hanging- Charged the powerbank and other USB devices fairly quicklyCons -- Panels are VERY THIN and LIGHT thus hard to keep in position in moderate to heavy wind (ended up just laying flat on the ground which worked well enough)- Panels have a number of folds for compact storage but this makes it a little awkward to keep on the provided stands, especially in any moderate wind.Overall, this was a great choice for intended purpose.

My Topsolar 120W Portable Solar Panel arrived today in good condition. However, the delivery did not include a User Manual or Instructions of any kind. I am impressed by the apparent quality of the product as my initial look at it indicates that it appears to be very well made. I'll have to to test it tomorrow because it arrived very late this afternoon after sundown.Here is a reality-check for the many Reviewers that are disappointed that their solar panel does not produce 100% of its rated Wattage capacity. Keep in mind that solar panel Wattage ratings are calculated under PERFECT conditions (the PANEL at 77 degrees Fahrenheit [not the air around it], 100% clean air and the panel perfectly aligned to the sun's rays). Virtually all solar panels will produce only about 70-80% of the panel's rated wattage in hot summer temperatures (-5% per 18 degree increase in the PANEL's temperature over 77 degrees). On the other hand, they can typically produce MORE power than the panel's rated wattage on very cold and bright sunshine days (+5% per 18 degree decrease in the PANEL's temperature below 77 degrees).So don't be disappointed if your panel is not producing all of its rated power in Watts unless you are testing it under the PERFECT Conditions described above AND the device you are charging is not at least 50% discharged. Solar Charge Controllers will limit the amount of power going to batteries dependent upon the existing charge condition of the battery. If the battery being charged is almost fully charged, the solar charge controller will reduce the amount of power from the solar panel to prevent over charging the battery. Under those conditions, if you are measuring the amount of power between the charge controller and the battery, you are actually not measuring the full capability of the solar panel.I will update this Review if Topsolar will please send me a User Manual or Instructions for this 120W Portable Solar Panel. I will also update this Review after I test it to see how well it performs.Update 10/22/23 - I've upgraded this product by an additional Star. I tested this 120W Solar Panel yesterday with high clouds blocking direct sunlight and it was producing between 50 and 70 Watts depending how the cloud cover thinned or thickened over time during the day. I used it to charge up my 400Wh Suaoki Power Supply that was down to about 25% charged. I realigned the 120W Solar panels several times during the day as the sun moved across the sky. After roughly 5 hours, it had brought the Power Supply's Lithium Battery up to approximately 85%. I set it up again today with even thicker cloud cover that lasted all day. With the heavier cloud cover blocking direct sunlight even more than yesterday, the TopSolar panel was producing only 25 to 30 Watts today but after 3 hours it had topped off the Suaoki Power Supply's Lithium Battery to 100%. This indicates to me that the TopSolar 120W solar panel was well worth the cost due to how it performed under cloudy conditions. I highly recommend it but I am still waiting for a User Manual or Instructions from TopSolar.