20 Best Solar Panels To Buy For Home (2023 Updated)

Weight was my concern and reason for purchase. Bought 4. They work well and produce the power as advertised. Issue I have is with mounting, I had to use 3” eternabond tape to tape down to the rubber roof of our 5th wheel rv.

The dislike is I would have preferred to actually mount it using the 6 eyelets on the panels. I could have rigged some roof mount system but the eyelets are too small for the standard “strut” systems.

The eyelets only allow #10 size bolts. It would be better it they would accept 1/4 -20 bolts. So Renogy should either “engineer” some mount system so the panels are removable and can be affixed to rv roofs, or increase the eyelet hole size to accept industry standard bolt hardware so we the end user can engineer a removable mount system.

I was debating between these and a more efficient rigid panel for a 37 foot sailboat. I decided to save weight and purchased 2 of these flexible panels and affixed them to an ABS frame I built. After almost a week at anchor my expectations were exceded.

We ran a 12 volt fridge, 4 cabin fans and a few lights and our 200ah bank would drop to between 70 and 80 % overnight. By 9 am our batteries were fully topped off everyday and the panels powered everything during the day.

I also contacted customer service several times and while wait times take a while once you get someone on the phone they are extremely helpful and understanding. In truth I was reluctant to go with Renogy but now I highly recommend them.

Just received my panel this afternoon & hooked it up to test it, connecting it to a Suaoki S270 power supply. Hooked it up, pulled it out of the box, and the Suaoki immediately began charging. My only real concern is the MC-4 connector that came with the Suaoki.

it uses 22 AWG wiring with a 5. 5mm x 2. 5mm DC plug. Since this panel only puts out 2. 9 amps, I might just be worrying for nothing. During my test, the adapter’s wiring didn’t get hot, so it may be just fine.

I bought the 50w panel for my upcoming retirement/extended desert camping trip, mainly to keep my laptop and digital camera batteries charged up. I’ve got two Nomad 7 panels (four total) and a Venture 30 battery pack for the small stuff.

It’ll be interesting to see how all this stuff performs under real-world, constant desert use. But it’s a solidly-built panel, monocrystalline cells and pretty light-weight, so I see no problems with it failing to meet my needs.

I’ll have more in-depth test results later this summer in my blog.

I’m happy with this panel so far. I’m using it to power an auto-watering system for a series of planters on my patio. It charges a Lead-Acid battery through a Renogy charge controller which powers a small Raspberry Pi computer.

The Raspberry Pi controls the solenoid valves which turn the water flow off and on. My calculations suggested a 30W panel was enough, but this was based on some assumptions for sun time, etc. The charge controller display has shown 2 amps being delivered to the battery, so I feel it deserves the 30W rating.

I bought this to power a fruit dryer in my greenhouse which uses an ex PC fan with a 12V gel battery to provide a constant flow of air through the drying fruit and it does the job really well. The panel is solidly constructed and delivers a reasonable output even though it is in the greenhouse.

The panel works in conjunction with the Renogy PWM controller (which in itself is a superb product). This is definitely a monocrystalline panel unlike some of the oriental wannabees. The panel arrived well packaged-Renogy have without doubt done their homework with this panel.

Well built with nice mountable frame. Weather resistant for use outdoors. Good output even on overcast days. The output is just as the specs say.

I use this panel to replace a (physically larger) older 10W panel on my 15′ boat. It keeps the battery charged so that when it rains, the pump has plenty of power and I never have to bail the rainwater out.

Great !.

The amount of amperage is more designed for a 12v led light bulb maybe. Too small for an RV 12v charging system.

I expected a lower than rated as usually seen with panels. I hooked upped two panels should be 400 watts. But in direct sun, california summer day, i was getting 290ish watts out of 400 rated, which was even lower than i expected.

I could only get 130 watts out of 200W panels in full Nov sun – a little disappointed. And if sun is filtered AT ALL – ie, coming thru a few thin twigs at the top of adjacent trees at quite a distance (no hard shadows) – I get half that.

It’s not a good value as solar panels; especially the higher watt ratings are less than $0. 50/watt. For a product made in Vietnam, it’s not. The only reason why I bought this was I already have 4 earlier.

Moving forward, I would jump to higher wattage panels.

It’s of decent size and of durable material. Has anchor holes in the backside of frame to afix it to a wall or other solid surface. Although it doesn’t come with any connecting cables, I was able to find the ECO DC 5.

5mmx2. 1mm 18AWG MC4 Connector Solar Panel Adapter Cable for solar panel to power charger pack for a reasonable price.

I only have (2) of these panels, but so far I’m impressed with both the output & the quality. These were slightly less to buy than similar panels & seem to perform just as well. I’d certainly buy again if needed, and recommend to anyone with DIY projects requiring 100W solar panels.

I use the product as a 15-watt replacement for a five-watt solar panel that did not have the power to keep my battery properly charged when unforeseen leaks caused the bilge pump to drain the battery of all of it s charge, thus eventually rendering both the bilge pump and the battery useless–unable to function.

Will the 15-watt panel be powerful enough, in conjunction with my new battery, to hold up is strong rains or other stresses put pressure on the electrical system? It’s too early to say but I do feel more secure with a 15-watt panel–with which one must use a charge corrector–than with a five watt which was clearly insufficient.

when.

Here is how I put together my solar charging system. One: RDK PRODUCTS 15W Semi-Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel. The solar panel was mounted on my t-top. Made my own Y-connector so I could run a charge controller to each battery.

Two: RDK PRODUCTS 8 Amp Charge Controller, Dim 5″ x 4″ x 1 1/2″, 120W/8A. The charge controllers were installed in the center console. All connections were silver solder and then adhesive-lined heat shrink tubing.

Ring terminals directly to the battery terminals with dielectric grease. The system is working brilliantly for now. The charge controllers don’t look to be marine grade not sure how long they will last.

Only time will tell.

Ordered the necessary Nature Power 8A charge controller for my 15W panel and hooked up to battery in the living room with panel in SE facing window. System appears to work flawlessly. We will see how it works outside on a boat deck this summer.

Will be using to trickle charge a diesel starting battery using ole sol !!.

The outer layer is a PET variety on these Sunpower Panels which I was looking for the ETFE initially. But my research led me to believe that the only way to get the real deal “Sunpower Cells” Grade A was to purchase directly from the source.

As the competitors that offer ETFE outer layer solar panels seems more durable but the ones mostly available online are by China direct ship. As most use non Sunpower cells and the ones that do are usually grade B and below plus the hassle of tariffs and shipping costs plus custom taxes.

I know their are some quality ones for marine use but they are usually sold for a $1000. 00 each for a 100w panel. And then again the distributors are normally unknown and have crazy warranties. I decided to buy from Renogy as I know they stand behind their products and they are offering the best flexible panels you can buy made by sunpower.

The reason for all this information was my decision making as I was skeptical of the PET outer layer panels as I have seen and heard they don’t last very long. Well let me tell you these Sunpower 100w solar panesl arrived all 6 and they are just Perfectly made as they got a really thick smooth layer on top made of PET I can assume and not just some thin layer top that would scratch easily as you would have to dig in with a knife to get to the cell.

And the back which seems like a white plastic backing that is really a high tech material I am told and not just plain plastic. These things seem tough as the warranty said don’t put anything on top or touch the top etc.

etc. which made me think twice about buying them in fear. As I originally figured to get 5 years out of these but now after seeing them I think well over 10 years is realistic and I believe now these are just as durable the ETFE panels I was desiring.

How thick the outer layer is I don’t think they will cup plus compared to the ETFE the water will slide off more easily. Plus I can’t tell you how happy I am after paying the high price of these as my B+ 2018 Dynamax REV 24RB has unheard of limited Cargo Carrying Capacity as why I went flexible due to low weight on the roof.

Whats even better is my wife is happy too knowing how worried I was getting flexible panels and now feeling relieved and confident of these 100w Sunpower flexible panels which I believe will serve us well for the years to come.

After a lot of research and you tube watching, we finally decided that a flexible solar panel was best for us. We did not want to waste time or money on a cheap panel that would not perform nor last long, so we went ahead and spent the dollars to go with a trusted brand through a trusted dealer.

It arrived in a very timely fashion, in perfect shape and we got to work installing it on our RV. We are happy to say that the panel is performing flawlessly, just as we wanted! It is made to last with a super tough outer coating, and stands up to daily use.

We couldn’t be happier. Thanks Renogy for bringing back a flexible solar panel, and for offering this top of the line product.

Feels a little bigger than I thought it would. If Sunpower can figure out how to compact the panel any more, that would really help. Seems like very good quality.

I purchased 2- 200 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panels, Rover Li 30 Amp MPPT Solar Charge Controller, 1000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter, cables, mounting brackets, & all wiring. I would say I’m totally satisfied.

Installation was easy & straightforward. Customer service & tech support was excellent. They helped in correctly sizing my system & making sure all necessary items were bought. 1 solar panel was damaged in shipping, Renogy immediately shipped out a replacement panel, it arrived quickly.

They are very responsive to customer needs. I am very satisfied with the results.

These Renogy solar panels are more powerful than I expected. Shading and clouds don’t affect them as much as the experts had warned. With haze, I measured 23. 9 volts at noon. Most of the day output was over 20.

0 volts. Shipping was faster than another supplier of the identical solar panels at identical price. FedEx keeps boxes cleaner, with less damage to the box. Packing seems minimal, but is sufficient. After purchasing, I read a review on another site.

The reviewer said the hook up wires are aluminum. I looked on the Renogy site and didn’t see where they addressed that subject. If the wires had been copper, no doubt that would have been listed in the Specifications.

Good extension panel cables, even from Renogy, are copper. Be sure your extension panel cables are for solar panels. Regular cables won’t last the lifetime of the solar panels. Even the cables with some other panels won’t last the lifetime of their solar panel.

One reviewer stated the insulation on a competitor’s panel cable deteriorated within a year. Loom or conduit can be installed to keep the cables safe from UV and the elements. That’s more time and expense.

But may be required by your code even if you have good panel cables. Another hint: Check out your roof frame or decking before you order any panels. The panel mounting must match your roof and panel dimensions.

My shed’s metal roof has a pattern that prevents using adhesive mounting brackets as I had intended. So I’ll have to use a rail system. Best to figure this out first, because panels are available in many sizes.

The trick is in the amount of batteries you have not on the amount of panels. I run a ton of electronics including a 50/100 watt tube power amp and have 4 100mono panels, 40amp controller and 700watt inverter with 2 cheap Walmart deep cycle batteries and I’m very pressed after the second battery l.

I’m considering a third one and a much higher inverter and that should do all my needs. The RENOGY 40amp controller sucks though and had to put screws to wedge tight the cable tighteners on the holes, they don’t tighten well and constantly was screwing up the power till I literally screws the wires to the inserts, all of them! Besides that I’m happy.

Brilliant, so easy to use. Even picks up the sun’s rays when it’s overcast. Free energy, what’s not to like. We use the panels to power the Ecoflow Delta Pro Smart Energy Battery and then use the free energy around the house.

The solar charger didn’t work when I first took it out of the box. I placed it in direct sunlight and checked the output with my DC meter. It was 0, nada,nothing! Using my troubleshooting skills that I learned as an Electronic Technician I was able to determine that the negative lead was B.

O. It was open where it was soldered to the panel and appeared to be corroded. I was able to put a ring connector on the wire and screw it to the panel. It works now and I have been able to use it as a trickle charger for the house battery on my motorhome.

Great and has the solid glass top not a plastic coating. Aluminum frame has good depth to it. Got this and a car socket adapter and car fan and use on the porch to have a nice breeze. Also helps keep bugs off.

I use these to charge marine batteries and they do a good job. It would be nice if they had a 10 wire, but otherwise Ive had good luck with these so far!

This solar panel does the job, for now, but I’m concerned that it may not last very long. The panel itself is good, but the mount is really cheaply made plastic. The mount is not adjustable at all and you are stuck with just one angle.

I wanted to hang the panel below the eave, along side of the Ring Outdoor Camera. No can do. I had to mount it on the wall, set back a couple of feet from the camera. I positioned it to where it would receive 2 hours of direct sunlight every day.

That wasn’t enough. my battery would still discharge about 10% per day. I had to reposition the panel lower to where it gets about 6 hours of direct sunlight. That is sufficient, but it is about shoulder height from the ground and if someone walks by too close, they could snap that cheap plastic mount right off.

I’m happy with the product overall, but disappointed that a $50 item would have a 10¢ mount.

We have a spotlight ring camera on our deck. Due to the location, a direct connect power source wasn’t possible and we had to go with the battery powered one. It’s mounted kinda high for someone short like me and having to take the battery out when it was low was not an easy task.

Since they only come with one battery (but can hold two) we were trying to decide between a second battery or the solar panel. The solar panel costs a little more, but it was well worth the investment.

It keeps the one battery charged perfectly. No more waiting for my husband to get home to pull the battery to charge it, and no more camera down time. I now also am using the camera to the fullest of it’s capabilities with pictures every 3 minutes instead of hourly to preserve battery life, and I have been able to link the lights to come on whenever motion is detected on other cameras.

I have more options now for mouting additional lights and camers with solar panels.

This is great. Keeps the battery fully charge at all time and never have to worry in taking the battery00 out. I have couple rings cameras around the house. Every time my other devices need charging, I just swap the battery with my spot light camera which holds two battery connected to the solar panel.

Only down side is, the connection to the camera, it didn’t comes with anything to hold the power cord. I can just imange a stormy day, it could knock the cable out of the camera. Also if you camera is south facing, cable is not long enough to go around the house to install in north side.

First of all, the panels were the 180w 5BB variety, not the 170w as in the title above. Secondly, I primarily bought them as a newbie to solar and largely through recommendation by Hobotech and was influenced by his assessment & offer price.

In 34f and clear sunny skies, a single panel hit 209w! It transpired that BougeRV title the panels at 180w as being a ‘guaranteed’ value rather than a maximum capability and that panels generally produce better wattage in cooler, clear conditions.

In the heat of Summer therefore, it’s likely the panel will not be so effective however, this didn’t deter me from buying a second 180w to support charging my Ecoflow Delta Mini. The thing which did irk me though was the price.

Via Hobotech’s site, they were listed at the bargain price in early March 2020 at $199 but by Easter, they were listed at $167 direct from BougeRV which was a disappointment but being a newbie I failed to understand certain business models! All in all, the panels perform as they should; they’re heavier than I imagined & are slightly awkward to manhandle physically to manually orientate to gain maximum solar input; appear to be durable & complete with solid MC4 connectors; and, overall, represent good value for money in my opinion.

I’ve been using this panel every day as my source for power to power my power station that powers my cooler that I have in my man-cave. It works just fine. I’ve had it bring in over 160 watts which is pretty good for a 180-watt panel.

It only takes a couple of hours each morning to top off my power station and then I bring the solar panel in until the next morning. Great product.

maybe i don’t know enough about solar panels but i used this to charge my bluetti 240 and it only put out 56 watts at most on a full sunny day adding 20 percent more power to what i had when i hooked it up.

Firstly I’ve got to say Hampshire have been really helpful when I’ve asked questions. As regards the panel I bought it to pair up with my EB55. The EB55 was originally bought to make best use of solar panels on our house roof and take with us when campervanning to provide extra power off grid or make a fresh cup of tea in van or car when in transit (650 watt kettle).

But since the whole energy price surge I’m going to camp off-grid more often and being about to store “free” electricity appeals. Tried it in the garden yesterday and pulling in as low as 14w up to maybe 40w but early days yet in terms of learning best orientation etc.

Seems well designed and packs and unpacks easily.

Bought two of these to compliment my PV200 panel for camping, since my AC200P needs more than one panel to get the necessary voltage to operate. I got the 120 watt panels since they are far better for me for camping since they are considerably smaller that the 200 watt panel and are easier to transport and set up.

Same Bluetti quality and the 3 panels give over 300 watts input. Great panel!.

Built well. A 120 watt panel in full Las Vegas sun never reaches 90 watts. Makes me wonder if it is really only 100.

Just what we needed! It charges very quickly and we found a creative location to store it in our 1997 WV Eurovan Camper. When we park where the windshield is facing the sun, we lay the panel across the windshield.

This solar panel gives our lithium batteries more than enough charge to run our refrigerator, lights and USB ports when we are not plugged into electricity.

Ecoflow just does it right; these are my favorite solar panels yet. You can tell right away that they are very well manufactured; not a flaw in them and they’re built with great materials. They’re chainable, lightweight, powerful, and tough – couldn’t ask for anything more.

Also IP67 waterproof (can survive 30 minutes under 1 meter of water, so leaving them out in a rainstorm is no problem). The best part though is the portability – each 110watt foldable comes in at less than 10lbs; and they are very thin even when folded.

So with two of them you can get 220watts of panels for half of the weight of comparably sized solar panels that come in bulky aluminum frames. The only downside I’ve found is that I don’t really like the carrying case which is also used as the prop to angle the solar panels towards the sun – it uses a couple of carabiners hooked through holes in the panels to hold it up and it can barely keep the panels square when you have the entire panel unfolded.

It’s kind of awkward to use and doesn’t keep the panels propped up & angled well. Would be better to have some legit kickstands instead. But overall that’s not a big deal since you can just prop them up using anything, and they charge really well even just sitting flat all day (in full sun I average around 165-175watts input out of two 110w panels wired in a series).