How to Choose Solar Panels: Buying Guide

What matters most

Real output is usually 70-80% of the rated watts, depending on sun and angle.
Foldable panels are for travel; rigid panels suit van and RV roofs.
Make sure the connector and voltage match your power station’s solar input.

How to choose

Solar panels are rated in watts under ideal test conditions. Real output at a campsite is lower and depends on the sun, the angle and shade.

How much a panel really makes

A useful rule: daily energy = panel watts x peak sun hours x about 0.75. A 200 W panel with 5 peak sun hours makes roughly 750 Wh on a clear summer day, much less in winter, in forest shade or on a cloudy day. Tilting a portable panel toward the sun gains noticeably over lying flat, especially in spring, autumn and winter.

Portable or roof-mounted

Folding portable panels can be placed in the sun while you park in shade, and turned through the day. Roof-mounted rigid panels are always ready and safe from theft, but lie flat and often end up in the shade of trees.

Matching the panel to the battery

Check that the panel's open-circuit voltage (Voc) stays inside the solar input range of your power station or charge controller - also on cold mornings, when voltage rises. Panels in series add voltage; in parallel they add current. Connectors (MC4, XT60, Anderson) must match or need the right adapter.

Monocrystalline and efficiency

Almost all good panels today are monocrystalline. Higher efficiency means a smaller, lighter panel for the same watts - useful for portable kits. ETFE-coated panels resist scratches and UV better than cheap PET coatings.