Every friend and family member who has seen my van has asked when I plan to put solar panels to my setup. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, but frankly every YouTube video I’ve watched regarding solar panels has confused me. Like most vanlifers, I have a large battery in the rear of my van which powers everything from my MaxxAir fan to my microwave and my CPAP machine. I also use it to recharge my tablet, laptop, phone, and every other USB device I happen to bring. You can think of that battery like a jug of drinking water; eventually, it needs to be refilled. I charge mine up at the house before I leave and try to charge it from my 12v cigarette port, although that hasn’t been very reliable for some reason and only works while the engine is running. If you’re staying in the same spot for more than a day or two and don’t have access to shore power, solar is the best (and possibly only) way to recharge those batteries.

Last month, a company named Allpowers mailed me one of their solar panels to test and review. My concerns before receiving it were would I be able to figure out how to use it, would the panel be compatible with my off-brand power station, and is 100 watts of solar power enough to bother with?

I was able to answer my first question moments after opening the box. The Allpowers SP027 100W solar panel is essentially idiot proof. Everything from the cables to the legs are attached to the panel. There was nothing to assemble and nothing can get lost because it’s all connected. The panels fold up and are held together by a flap with Velcro. The kickstand legs are sewn at the top and held in place while transporting with Velcro. Setting the panel up takes about ten seconds.

The rear of the panel contains a zippered pouch that holds a few useful accessories. The cable coming out of the panel is a standard MC4 connection. Included with the panel is an MC4-to-Anderson cable, and an MC4-to-DC/barrel cable. If you’re planning to recharge a Jackery, Bluetti, or any other solar generator/power station with a round barrel connection, you’ll want to use the second cable. The end of the cable has a 5521 (5.5mm x 2.1mm) barrel connection, but also included are three adapters (5.5mm x 2.5mm, 3.5mm x 1.35mm, and an 8mm). Combined, those two cables and three adapters sell separately for around $50, so I was surprised to see them included for free with this budget panel.

With the panel open and your power station within reach, all you have to do is connect the single charging wire and the panel will begin collecting the sun’s rays and converting them into free energy! The efficiency of the panel depends on a few factors. The panel works best on clear, sunny days when it is pointed south and at the proper angle. While testing the panel I was frequently reminded that the weather is out of my control. On multiple occasions I discovered clouds or a winter haze are enough to drop the incoming watts significantly — that’s less the panel’s fault than Mother Nature’s. In nearly perfect conditions I was able to draw about 80W, and I’ve read about people getting as much as 85W. On a nice sunny day I’d plan on the panel pulling in 400W-600W a day.

At just under 8 pounds this panel is easy to carry (thanks to its built-in handle), but that lack of weight also made it a challenge to stand up to Oklahoma’s winds. To be fair we’re having a particularly windy winter, and the first line of our state’s song describes Oklahoma as a place “where the wind comes sweeping down the plain,” but the panel did have a hard time staying upright during moderate wind gusts. Also, I suspect more knowledgeable advanced owners may be frustrated by the lack of options when it comes to adjusting the legs’ angles. For people like me who are content to set up a panel, point it south, and get what you get, it works fine. Those who use smartphone apps to find the most efficient angle down to a specific degree may find themselves using rocks or other items to change the panel’s angle — or, do as I did, and simply lean it up against something.

There’s a lot of information about solar panels available on the internet, and more seasoned solar experts tend to write off panels like this one that are polycrystalline (vs. monocrystalline) and use PET coating (vs. ETFE). The Allpowers SP027 is a budget-friendly, entry level solar panel and I don’t begrudge it for using less expensive materials. As I mentioned in my video review, it reminds me of the time my son told me he wanted a skateboard. We didn’t buy him a $200 skateboard to find out whether or not he was going to like it; we bought him a $50 one for him to learn on. He rode that thing for a year and learned a few tricks and eventually we did buy him a better one. On the other hand, I remember the time my friend’s son decided he wanted to play the guitar. His parents spent $1,000 on a guitar and amplifier for him. He got bored with it after a month, and a few years later they sold all of it at a garage sale. My point is, if you haven’t used a solar panel before it’s difficult to know whether or not a foldable panel like this one will meet your needs. At $99, this is a good, solid panel to learn on. It’ll get you used to using a panel and help you determine just how much incoming power you need. I’ve read that PET-coated panels have a lifespan of five years or so, and just like the guitar and the skateboard, you’ll likely know long before then whether or not you want to invest in bigger and better panels, no panels at all, or another one from Allpowers.

Allpowers was kind enough to provide me a 10% off code, so if you’re interested in trying this one out, the code BIGROBSVAN will get you an additional 10% between now and February 15th. If you don’t currently own a solar panel and are looking to try one out, the SP027 is a good entry level panel that will get you started.

Link: Allpowers SP027 100 Watt Solar Panel — https://bit.ly/48J1NjC
10% Discount Code: BIGROBSVAN (valid through 2/15/24)