A**R
Some good, some bad. Needs some attention by manufacturer.
I went ahead and gave this solar panel suitcase a 3 star rating just to be somewhat fair.When the unit arrived the packaging was somewhat intact but it was hard to tell which pieces of tape were put on at the factory, perhaps by Amazon, and then by UPS which was the delivering company. The cardboard looked like it had been scraped along the road behind several vehicles or chewed on by rodents. So much for the packaging. The product actually survived without a scratch or dent.HOWEVER--When I opened the panels I found that the latches, which the word "Cheap" doesn't even begin to describe, I found the Anderson Connector (which the manufacturer brags about in their literature) to have to pieces broken off of one end. The plastic it's made of is extremely cheap and definitely not impact resistant. So much so that it broke while being shielded by the PV panels themselves without leaving even a mark on the inside surfaces. Some Gorilla Glue and a clamp allowed me to put the unit to the test after letting the glue cure overnight.Bending all the latch parts back to where they should be so they'd at least function took about 1/2 hour with a pair of pliers.About 10 AM I set it up and hooked the controller wires to my travel trailer's battery bank. Everything worked perfectly. Initial voltage to the batteries was 14.7 and a couple hours later it dropped to 13.6. Batteries were fully charged so this is normal. Controller, although it looks as cheaply made as the Anderson Connector and Latches works just fine. With a heavy overcast the panels were generating an Open Circuit Voltage of 21 volts.Wires were rather light in gauge but for a setup that will provide a max of just over 8 amps I'm sure they are more than adequate. Legs and leg adjustment is again heavily "under engineered" and at first the adjustments were quite stiff. Brackets holding the legs are loose as whoever was pop riveting them in place didn't do so properly. Luckily I have some J-B Weld and will fix that.Overall, the most important things work just fine. The panels are where the company put their money and the frames are solid. Output is good even on a day with no direct sun. Nice carry case to protect the panels while transporting.Considering that the next Suitcase up the scale with enough power to charge my batteries in a "solar day" sell for $400 more and the one recommended by the manufacturer of my Travel Trailer sells for $600 more this isn't a bad value. It will help though if one is somewhat of a handyman and is prepared to deal with the results of some areas where the manufacturer went cheap.I give it 3 stars based on the operating core. Some might rate it a one star due to the broken connector and sticky leg adjustments. Me? I'll use the money I saved to upgrade the controller to an MPPT (from the PWM that comes with it and get up to 30% more efficiency.
J**S
Functional and inexpensive
It functions well, putting out over 14 volts in full sun. But the latches that hold the two halves closed arrived broken. No really big deal, but it looks like an attempt to cut corners on an otherwise great charging panel.It was able to almost keep even with the power demands of a 43 foot trailer, running the furnace each night and providing 3 current needed for the 18 cubic foot fridge's propane system.
R**O
Easy to set up
Worked out perfectly with our travel trailer and pick up camper. Easy to set up. Excellent product !!
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2 days ago
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