| Brand |
ELECAENTA
|
| Manufacturer |
ELECAENTA
|
| Item Weight |
13.9 pounds
|
| Efficiency |
24% High Efficiency Conversion
|
| Style |
300W
|
| Connector Type |
XT60 to Solar Connector, XT60 to Anderson, 8020, XT60
|
| Folded Size |
24.4 x 28.3 x 1.57 inch
|
| Included Components |
1x XT60 to Solar Connector Cable, 1x 300W Portable Solar Panel, 1x 3M XT60 Cable, 4x Carabiner Clips, 1x XT60 to Anderson, 8020 Cable, 1x User Manual
|
| Maximum Power |
300 Watts
|
| Product Dimensions |
28"L x 24"W x 1.57"H
|
| Material |
Monocrystalline Silicon, Rubber, Oxford, TCPC
|
| Item model number |
Uranus-300-US
|
| Country of Origin |
China
|
| Size |
300W
|
| Finish |
Monocrystalline, TCPC
|
| Pattern |
Ultra light, Flexible, Foldable, Portable
|
| Item Package Quantity |
1
|
| Certification |
CE, FCC
|
| Usage |
XT60, XT60 to Anderson, 8020, XT60 to Solar Charge
|
| Batteries Included |
No
|
| Batteries Required |
No
|
| Warranty Description |
Manufacturer warranty for 24 months from date of purchase
|
TruBlue –
The 75W ELECAENTA folding solar panel was a bit disappointing, with a Voc slightly below published but an Isc of only 80% of the published 4.5A and producing only about 50W (70% of rated power) on a day when some other ‘cheap’ panels were producing 80-84% of their rated power and an EcoFlow panel was producing an impressive 97% of its rated power. Either I got a slightly defective 75W panel or this is really a 60W panel that is being marketed as ’75W’. It is inexpensive (when on sale), lightweight, and very convenient to use. I particularly liked the attached 9½’ cable which make it very easy to reposition when it was being used with other panels. The USB-A and USB-C charging ports both worked and make the panel useful as a standalone.
Based on my experience with this panel I’d say that if you are expecting a 75W panel you might be disappointed but if you are expecting a 60W panel and get it on a good sale then you might be happy with this one. Fortunately I got it on sale for a price that was similar to the cheapest 60W panels and it is sufficient for what I needed so I don’t see a reason to return it for its somewhat disappointing under-performance. It does make me worry a bit about the advertised specifications (specs) of the other ELECAENTA panels and whether any of them are similarly exaggerated (or if the 75W panel that I received was a quality control issue then if any of the other ELECAENTA panels has similar issues). I haven’t tried any of the other 60W bi-fold panels I see on Amazon but I’d say that if the ’75W’ ELECAENTA is similarly priced to what you can find in those 60W panels (or cheaper) and you like its output connection options and accessories then go ahead and get the 75W ELECAENTA. From looking at the pictures of the 60-75W solar panels on Amazon, it wouldn’t surprise me if all the 60-75W panels that look similar to this one (bi-fold with plastic handle with magnetic closure) were made in the same factory.
UPDATE (9 April 2023): I have tried my ’75W’ ELECAENTA on several different clear days where other solar panels I own produced 98-105% of their rated power when they were first opened and were producing 85% or more of their rated power when they were fully heated under the sun — I have never seen even 60W from the ’75W’ ELECAENTA. I consistently produces Watts in the low 50’s when first opened and tends to produce ~48W when heated, a rather poor 48/75=64% of the panel’s rated 75W. However if the panel was really only a 60W panel then it would be producing a reasonable 48/60=80% of its rated power (I had other panels producing 85% of their rated power on the same day at the same time, so 80% would be well within expectation). While it is possible that my panel’s underperformance is just a manufacturing defect, I have compared the advertised size of various 60W and 70-80W bi-fold solar panels on Amazon and the size of the ELECAENTA ’75W’ panel is more similar to 60W panels than it is to the 70W or 80W panels. From this I conclude that my panel is probably typical and the ELECAENTA panel is actually just a 60W panel being advertised as 75W and not really a 75W panel. It is a decent panel and very convenient to use but don’t expect any more performance than you would get from a panel that is advertised as 60W.
TruBlue –
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I recently bought the Anker PowerHouse 767 Solar Generator. I did not want to buy the Anker 531 200W solar panel that was made for this power station at the time because at the current price, you are paying $2.75/Watt. Even though this Anker solar panel was well-built and well-reviewed, I feel it was too expensive for what you get, so I started looking around for other panels that are compatible with the Anker 767.
A few weeks later, I found these Elecaenta 300W solar panels on Amazon with a coupon for $150 off their original price. At that price, you are paying $1.50/watt, still expensive compared to rigid panels but much better than what Anker is charging for their solar panels and very competitive with other manufacturers. After doing my research online (reading reviews and watching YouTube videos), I decided to take a chance on this brand and bought two even though I have never heard of them before. I am so glad I did. Hint: if you buy more than one panel, buy them in two separate orders so that you can apply the $150 coupon to each panel 😉 that’s what I did, and it worked for me.
At 13.9 lbs. this 300W panel is 50% lighter than other panels that are rated at only 200W. I was worried that the light weight means the casing supporting the panel would be flimsy but that was not the case at all (excuse the pun). The solar panel itself is very thin and flexible but covered with a tough layer of oxford material and the 4 kickstands are fairly sturdy albeit slightly short for my liking. The lightweight panels make it very easy to unfold and set up on their kickstands. Thumbs up for the materials/construction and weight of this panel.
Next up is how well this panel can generate power because let’s face it, this is the raison d’être for why we buy these things. No matter how well-built they are, if they can’t produce the power we need then they are no good to us. Well, these panels did not disappoint. I laid them out at 10:30am in February in the Northeastern part of the US where we are not known for our sunny weather. I pointed them in the general direction of the sun but because of the layout of my backyard, I wasn’t able to line them up perpendicular to the sun without running into some shade. I then plugged them into the Anker 767 using the supplied parallel adapter from Anker and observed an average of 450W input on the display with a high of 480W. That power average had exceeded my expectations considering the time and location. For those not familiar with solar panel technology, you can expect anywhere from 70-80% of the panel stated wattage no matter which brand you buy.
The panel also came with several cable adapters that allow this panel to connect to the majority of power stations currently out there. The cable they supplied to plug from the panel into the power station has XT60 connector on both ends and is also nice and long at almost 10ft. Most other brands will give you a cable that’s barely long enough to reach your power station (or none at all, looking at you Bluetti and Ecoflo) which means you will have to spend more money to buy an extension cable if you want to have some flexibility on where to place your power station. If I had to nitpick, I would have to say the rubber cover for the XT60 port that this panel came with is not tight enough and will become loose if you are not careful but since it’s attached to the panel, it won’t be lost.
If you are looking for a great solar panel, I highly recommend this Elecaenta 300W solar panel, especially for pairing with the Anker 767 (which is another great product that I also recommend heartily).
I was not paid or given this product to write this review and have nothing to do with this company in anyway. I hope my review will help someone else to make a decision since these solar panels are fairly expensive and one does not always know how good they are from just looking at the specs.
Albuquerque hiker –
This is my first “portable” solar panel, so I can’t compare it to other portable panels. I do have another pair of solar panels that are in aluminum frames which I use on my Travel Trailer.
It is a nice size and weight. It definitely feels very well made and solid. I like that it has grommets in the corners and comes with carabiners.
I was not looking for USB A and USB C ports when shopping, but now that I have it, I think it would be very useful. I measured 61 watts at my power station on a sunny day in April {in Canada) which I think is acceptable. I am thinking the power output will be higher in the summer.
The leg of the panel has a nice range of motion and well made. My only gripe, and it is a minor one, is the velcro is quite strong. I guess being too strong is better than not strong enough.
James K –
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The Solar panel works but it should be rated differently. In full sun not a cloud in the sky the most I have seen is 40 watts. But averages 36 watts in full sun. If it’s even a little cloudy it will only get 8 -10 watts. Not very good in my opinion. Definitely not what I was expecting. The panel is easy to use and I like the design.
James K –
The panel works ok. Nothing exceptional. Max power probably 45 to 55watts at the peak depending upon the angle and intensity of sunlight. Initially I had written a detailed review with 5 stars and spent almost 30 mins writing it only to get flagged by the seller and Amazon. Too bad the company can’t digest the truth about their stuff.
Adeehan –
I bought this so that I can make a cup of coffee during a power outage. This thing is great ran a little 500 watt heater, my computer for close to 5 hours and was able to make the coffee low watt single cup and only dropped 1 bar
yash baddap –
I bought it when on sale. I’m very happy with the product. Very portable and easy to install. Good product!