The smallest of the series, made with backpacks in mind
When the boot is full and every centimetre matters, a panel that packs almost like a thick book is welcome. This 110 W model lists 25% efficiency for its monocrystalline cells, a figure given in the data sheet, and settles for a mass of 3.3 kg. It is a good basis for supplementary charging on foot, on a loaded bicycle or in a kayak.
Concrete uses
- Keeping a small portable power station going during a multi-night bivouac.
- Powering the lighting and camera charging at a camp.
- Supplementing a van whose roof is already occupied.
- Serving as a backup source in a workshop, a garage or a garden shed.
Deployment and connection
The integrated XT-60 cable spares you from carrying a separate lead to link with the station. Just unfold the panel, place it facing the light and plug the end into the solar port of the device. If the device uses another connector, look into the adapters recommended by its manufacturer rather than improvising a coupling.
Placement tip
At only 413 mm wide, the panel is narrow: lay it lengthwise along the sun’s path, and check from time to time that no shadow is creeping across it late in the afternoon.
What the dimensions say
Folded, 544 x 413 x 36 mm; unfolded, 1944 x 413 x 26 mm. In other words it goes from the size of a school satchel to that of a board almost two metres long. The 26 mm thickness when flat makes for a relatively thin surface, to be handled without folding it abruptly.
Resistance
The IP68 level listed is high. It does not excuse you from following the manufacturer’s guidance, nor from drying the panel and the connector after a shower or sea spray.
Summary of qualities
- Cell efficiency of 25%.
- A weight of 3.3 kg that remains easy to carry.
- A cable that is already attached, one less thing to forget at departure.
Figures
- Power: 110 W
- Open-circuit voltage: 23.5 V
- Voltage at maximum power: 19.5 V
- Current at maximum power: 5.9 A
- Short-circuit current: 6.1 A
- Cells: monocrystalline, 25% efficiency
- Cable: integrated XT-60
- Protection: IP68
- Weight: 3.3 kg
Safety
Never bend the panel around a hard object and do not coil the cable too tightly. Unplug before moving it. Check that the voltage range of the connected device covers the values above. Do not leave the panel flapping in a strong wind where it could strike people or objects.
Storage
Once clean and dry, keep the folded panel in a cover or a soft crate, away from heat, humidity and pressure points. Before a long trip, unfold it once at home and make sure the surface and the plug look intact, so that any problem shows up before you leave rather than on the trail.
