Description
- 24% HIGH CONVERSION RATE: Made of well-build monocrystalline silicon, an important specification of this solar panel is a conversion efficiency of up to 24%, which is one of the highest available. It is a ready-to-go solution for the outdoor off-grid
- MULTIPLE OUTPUT PORTS: Built-in smart chip with 3 output ports: 1* 45W USB C output; 1* QC 3.0 USB output; 1* DC output (5.5*2.1mm size). Suitable for charging a variety of products to meet your daily needs
- DURABLE & IPX5 WATERPROOF: Made of high-quality ETFE laminate material, making the solar panel durable. IPX5 water-resistant for protecting the charging box and cables, convenient to carry the solar panel suitcase on the go or to hang it on the RV, tent, cabin, roof, tree or beach
- HIGH COMPATIBILITY & VERSATILE: Built-in a DC cable plus extral 10 DC ports and the DC5521 to Anderson/ XT60/ 8020 cable support most of the portable power stations; Type-C PD45W / USB QC3.0 can quickly charge your smartphone, laptop, tablets, ipad, GPS, USB fan, camera or other USB devices at the same time
- WHAT YOU WILL GET: 1 x ELECAENTA 120W Portable Solar Panel, 1x DC 5.5 x 2.1mm to Solar Connector Cable, 1 x DC 5.5 x 2.1mm to Anderson/ XT60/ 8020 Cable, 10 x Connectors, 4 x Carabiner Clips
AUgie the Prospector –
Oct. 10th, 2021 Update, see below, photos added – DO NOT ASSUME that the 79 watts shown in the photo is the limit of the panel – the Bibene Portable Power Station’s MPPT charge controller is limited to about this wattage (85watts +/- 5 watts), and the Bibene did show 80 and 81 watts early in the test.
Others have noted the weight and size, not good for back-packing, but fine for use at campsites not too far from a vehicle. It could be carried in some distance as part of a larger amount of radio equipment handled by several people, rather than a solo event. I don’t evaluate it against the very light, small or flexible panels, more expensive per Watt, so I do not remove points for size or weight.
On a 103+ degree day, around 2:15-2:30 PM PDT, July 16th, in the Mohave desert, I was not in the mood to set up a lot of equipment and make detailed measurements of the panel in use. Instead, to verify basic operation, I deployed it in the sun, aimed it fairly accurately, noting that the built-in supports had it angled very well for the sun at that hour, allowed it to warm up for a few minutes (while I was inside keeping cool!), and then measured VOC (Voltage Open Circuit) and ISC (Current Short Circuited). These numbers indicate the limits of the panel’s performance. It will produce slightly less current at operating voltage than into a short, and the MPPT maximum power operating voltage can be guessed, so a MAXIMUM LIKELY power output can be estimated, for my test conditions. Note that solar panels always lose some efficiency when they get hot, so it would likely perform somewhat better with lower air temperatures to keep it cooler.
The open circuit (no load) voltage was 21.2 Volts. Short Circuit current was around 6 Amps (5.9 to a bit over 6 Amps). Assuming an MPPT voltage of 16 volts (conservative, it could be higher), and 6 amps of current (optimistic), that gives a likely maximum power output of 16 A x 6 V = 96 Watts. Other reviewers have seen power input to “solar generators” with MPPT charge controllers of around 90 Watts – entirely consistent with my estimate based on simple measurements. My particular panel appears to be typical, not defective or notably under-performing.
I did not try any of the USB outputs, only the “12V” charging output, as that will be my primary use.
Testing for loss of power with partial shading, a 6″ x 10″ rectangle of cardboard was moved around on it (sometimes with the added shadow of part of my hand and wrist, etc.), to form a movable area of deep shadow. Short Circuit Current dropped to around 4.5 Amps (4 to 5, depending on position and angle of the board). Then, flopping over the far end (away from the electrical ports) shaded two of the panels (of the four) and produced almost exactly half the current (3 Amps).
Why is this panel so resistant to partial shading? A further test suggested the answer. Shading a strip about 3″ wide across the bottom of all 4 panels suddenly lowered the Short Circuit Current to around 0.1 Amps (1/10 of an Ampere). Evidently, each panel is a “12V” panel, on its own, with all four connected in parallel. Completely or partially shading one panel knocks it completely or mostly out of the mix, but the others continue to contribute their full power. If you need lower power, say to directly charge a modest-sized battery without a charge controller, just shade as many panels as needed, and get power from only the completely insolated (illuminated) panels. Note that two of these complete panels CAN be paralleled, though you will have to provide your own cable to do so – another result of how they are wired internally.
Finally, I moved the whole array into the shadow of my balcony, while affording it a view of a good deal of the nearly cloudless sky (there were a few very small cloud whisps, covering a fraction of a percent of the sky, that did not interfere noticeably with my tests). In direct shadow, but getting scattered sky light as well as some scattered from the ground (concrete), it produced 0.4 to 0.5 Amp (around half an Ampere). I’d expect it might well produce enough power to charge a small device like a cell phone under bright cloudy sky or partial diffuse shade, as some have reported.
The supplied Anderson Power Pole connector is wired “correctly” for amateur radio use (look into the end of the connector – see “Red Right/Tongue Top”, tongue is the metal contact, red is positive). Anderson connectors can be assembled either way, but this polarity is essentially standard in Amateur radio. Still, ALWAYS test polarity (not just physical assembly, but electrical polarity) of any Anderson Power Pole connector – trust but verify! This applies to any DC power source, with any connector, used for any purpose. Many people have suffered equipment damage from reversed polarity on connectors they have trusted. Cables with some connectors (e.g., SAE) can easily be stacked to create reverse polarity.
Some have noted that the far panel (away from the power connector) is poorly supported by the two built-in props and tends to sag. I plan to use the grommet holes on that end to attach some kind of simple prop.
Performance Update (Oct 10th, 2021):
I tested the Elecaenta 120W folding panel with a new Bibene 500 W / 614 Wh Portable Power Station (“Solar Generator”), available here on Amazon. The panel came with a DC5525 adapter to match the input of the Bibene, which arrived 83% charged. Starting at that charge condition, and at about 2:30PM today under a clear sky, about 75 degree air temperature, the Elecaenta panel initially provided 80 or 81 watts to the Bibene. NOTE: the Bibene’s MPPT charge controller is LIMITED to 80 watts +/- 5 watts, so this is entirely consistent with the panel providing full power to the Bibene. It is possible that a panel with a higher peak MPPT voltage point could have boosted this by a few watts. After a few minutes, the power delivered reduced to 79 watts, where it stayed without variation until 3:42 PM, when the Bibene was 99% charged and I stopped the test. The photos were taken at 2:50 PM, when the Bibene showed one hour to full charge (which turned out to be about right). Slight misalignment of the panels with the sun made no difference – a clear indication that the Bibene was maxed out with this panel, and the panel was not the limiting factor. This panel and the Bibene make a good combination, with the panel maxing out the Bibene’s (admittedly modest) charging rate even under less than perfect conditions.
End of Update.
Second Update: A second panel has been purchased, and tested briefly at ~80 degree outdoor temperature, ~ 1PM, Oct 28th 2021. It gave similar performance, though the Isc (short circuit current) was even higher, at exactly 7 Amps. Perhaps the cooler weather benefited this second panel, or slightly earlier time of day. Now I am at two good panels, well constructed and performing. This one had a “deal” for a “free” 12V battery charging clamp set with a 5 LED charge controller, tested briefly and successfully, reviewed separately.
This panel appears to be typical in performance for this type, based on reports by many reviewers, yet is (currently anyway) attractively priced and of solid construction, with a good selection of included connectors and a decent power cable. It may, or may not, be the absolutely best Watt per Buck with solid construction, but it is a worthy contender at the least.
Based on my preliminary testing, and consistent reports from others – recommended.
DJS –
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I am absolutely thrilled with this solar panel set up. This is one of the best examples I have recently had of a somewhat “Chi-FI” style product (but not an audio product) delivering excellent results with great componentry and versatility without breaking the bank. I have heard that this panel uses some of the top-quality solar cells (whatever they are called) that some of the top household names use. Although this company is not one of the big ones like Jackery or Bluetti, the price is 60% of their similar offerings with all the right quality being present.
I used these panels on a two-day Overland-style camping trip with setup and tear down of camp each day. Ergo, I needed panels that I could move around easily and pack up tightly to fit into our gear totes in the 2015 Tacoma short bed. This ELECAENTA (still can’t pronounce that I don’t try when I have told people about it) portable solar set up suited us perfectly. On a cloudy day today, we had patchy sunlight but I got up to 80 watts into our cheap PryMax power bank with an average of 14-66 watts with spotty cloud coverage. This was perfect for powering and charging my 2015 Apple MBP 13″ while I did remote work and online school! Additionally, the USB A and USB C plug-in feature of the controller on the solar panel actually came in handy too since it gave us additional locations to charge our phones and portable lights without even breaking out the power bank! Very handy, but I will come back to this review if I find any issues with moisture ingress to those spots.
Altogether, this is a highly versatile solar panel setup that seems to deliver all that it promises without my wallet (and wife) bellyaching about it too much, haha! Best of luck to you and happy charging!
*Update 5/6/23*
With my new higher efficiency Bluetti Eb3A Power Station, I was able to get 110-112W power input from this solar panel on a partially cloudy day! That is 90%+ efficient of the advertised 120W! I am so unbelievably impressed. Can’t Recommend these enough.
Michael Kohlman –
This is well built a produces efficient energy
Chris SInclair –
Did a lot of research and settled on this guy for its price per watt and also lots of reviews from others online praising the wattage output compared to others. I can say they are right, I’ve got 100 watts under direct sunlight which is amazing as you’ll never get full power out of any solar panel. Plus all the additional attachments for connecting to any battery bank they have you covered.
TechRN –
I have 2 of the 120 panels from Elecaenta and love them. they have the antireflective (ETFE)coating on them. The 120w panels surface is super durable. When I powered the panel up to my Anker 767, the unit got 103W (85.8%) of power, which is great. I live in FL and had a perfectly sunny day and aligned the panel to the sun perfectly without obstruction, compared to the Elecaenta 200w unit that only produced 133W (66.5%) of power. I returned the 200W unit, but the 120W units are terrific and a great value. I bought a new Grecell 200W Pro unit that was $10 more and has the ETFE coating to replace the Elecaenta units and it is great.
AUgie the Prospector –
I bought this as a second panel because a friend recommended it and it was on sale. The two are fairly comparable, but if I were starting from scratch I’d pick this one. It is a bit bulkier than the Ecoflow, and I’d say slightly more involved to set up – not that rocket science is involved. On the positive side, it puts out a bit more current (theoretically – I haven’t tested it), has a USB-A port for directly charging a device, and a zipper pouch on the back for cable storage. The big plus is that the Elecaenta has multiple adapters for use with a variety of power supplies – including my Ecoflow units. That alone tips the scales – since I don’t want to be forced to buy an Ecoflow if I purchase another power station at some point. The Elecaenta was also cheaper, although sales can affect that. I’ve learned not to ever buy an Ecoflow product unless it’s on sale – because it WILL be on sale at some point – probably about a week after you’ve made your purchase.
TechRN –
I did some testing on Apr 16th at high noon to 1pm in Toronto. Temperature 21C. A nice 28km/h eastern breeze over the panels to keep them pretty cool. Watts per square meter: 796. Panels are tested at 1000 w/m2. Humidity low at 40% Used the coke can trick to make sure the panels were directly to the sun at proper angle. I got 65.5 to 66w max. Pretty disappointing. If we extrapolate to 1000w/m2 the theoretical maximum would be 79.96 watts.
For a comparison I tested it against my very battered, 2 year old, Almost $100 cheaper eco-worthy panel and I was getting 73.5 to 74 watts. I dragged that thing everywhere and it’s taken quite a beating. It’s fallen over on the panel side many times in the wind and dragged. It’s been rained on, you name it. So the question is why is a used up, cheaper panel outperforming a brand new in the box panel by %11? I’ve seen that eco-worthy panel do 97 watts. Things that make you go hmmmm…..
I see everyone on You Tube and in these reviews getting a minimum of 80 up to 105+ watts on less solar radiation than my testing day. It wasn’t hot, there was a nice breeze over the panels so heat efficiency loss shouldn’t have been much of a factor. I think I’ll send this review to the company and see if they respond. I could have been just unlucky, or that cheepo eco-worthy panel is extra good. I’ll try some more testing when I can just to see if it’s an outlier.
Updated:
I contacted the company and they have awesome support they offered to send me another replacement panel which is great but I want to find out what is going on. I’m going to shade one panel at a time this weekend to see if one of the panels is bad. Review up to 5 for the factory support.
Just an update:
It seems the panel has gotten worse not better. I did a comparison with my ecoworthy at 18v draw and the Elecaenta at 18v draw and the Elecaenta is pulling 20w less than my ecoworthy at it’s rated max power draw at 18v. I have a feeling it’s that USB “idiot box” sucking 20w of power to power up those USB’s. I hate those USB boxes. If I do an open circuit voltage and amperage on both panels they are almost identical but under draw the Elcaenta is pulling 21% or 20w less power than my old, beaten up cheapo ecorworthy 120w panel. The company offered me a replacement so I’m going to take them up on it and hopefully the new panel is up to spec. I don’t think it’s the panels themselves, I think it’s that silly USB box that’s being faulty and drawing power even though no USB devices are plugged into it. When I get the new one, I may open up that silly box and have a look inside. Maybe I’ll wire up the main leads to the 5.5×2.1 output and bypass the box altogether and see if that fixes it and send the info back to the company as a favor for providing me another panel for free.
Update2: Ok I got a new panel and I’m impressed! 1 hour after sunup through some wispy clouds and was getting 81 watts. We have major storm center moving though Toronto right now so I can’t do a full test and post a video on my tech channel, but I’ll leave the problems that I’ve been having there if you want to see what I was getting with the faulty panel(@chrissinclair8075) on You Tube. If you look at my second picture you can see what the problem was on the old panel. The USB-C had a manufacturing defect which was shorting out the parallel board and causing power draw on the USB-C. I’m going to see if I can repair it and give it away to charity or a subscriber. Stay tuned.
Chris SInclair –
Works well with the power pack and charges it within the time frames specified. Comes with a great carrying case for the cords etc. easily stored in its carrying bag. Easy to hook to unit.
Alyssa –
I bought this portable solar panel set for use with a VTOMan 600X portable LiFePO4 power-supply. The price was very attractive compared to the competition, and it comes with almost any imaginable connector, plus a nice protective case that is easily and quickly unfolded and setup for use. While I never saw the full 120 Watts on a sunny day just after noon, the reading on the display of the 600X did reach a maximum of just over 80W without a lot of fiddling with orientation or angle. I was able to recharge the PSU in about 3 hours from about 15% power capacity remaining, which is just slightly longer than using the laptop-sized AC adapter that VTO Man supplied. If you are an avid camper or hunter, or have a remote cottage without AC power, this unit would be an excellent investment. Even considering the remarkable drop in price for solar panel technology in the last decade or so, this unit is a genuine bargain that will pay for itself with frequent use.