“Large folding solar panels are the fastest way to charge your portable power stations.”
Benefits of large (200w+) folding solar panels
- Lightweight when compared to glass panels
- Easy to setup and use
- No concern for breaking or damaging glass
- Easiest form factor for large portable generators
- Most can be connected in series or parallel
- Most are weather resistant
Drawbacks of large (200w+) folding solar panels
- Not as durable as glass panels
- More expensive per watt than glass
- Not as efficient as glass panels
- Cannot be permanently mounted
- Difficult to use in windy conditions
- Most weigh over 30lbs
- Not backpackable
Recommended Folding Solar Panels 200 Watts Or More
How We Rate Solar Panels
Solar panels are rated on the following criteria:
- Output: How much power the unit outputs under full sun compared to its rated output
- Durability: How well built the unit is and how long it should last vs. competing folding panels
- Compatibility: How compatible is the unit with different generators available (as of March 2022)
- Ease Of Use: How easy is it to setup & tear down and how intuitive is its use
- Features: How many cool features does it have vs. the competition
- Accessories: How many accessories does it come with vs. the competition
- Cost: How does it compare on price vs. the competition (higher is better)
- Overall Value: This is the average of all the above ratings
Note: Only retail products (no crowd funds, prototypes, pre-orders, vaporware) are considered in this list!
This page was last updated on 3/26/2022
2nd Place
EcoFlow 400w Solar Panel
IP67 water resistant and made with SunPower cells the 34lb EcoFlow 400w is one of the largest folding panels available in 2022, but is heavy and lacks a proper kickstand.
- Midrange value at around $2.80/watt
- High quality scratch resistant panels
- Separate carrying case is bad design
- Kickstand is completely inadequate in weather
- No accessories or USB charging, short MC4 cable
- Only a 12 month warranty
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The Ecoflow panel is high quality, but its lack of features and poor design such as the “kickstand case”, short warranty, and lack of accessories and USB charging puts it in 2nd place. It is still a good buy if you want a lot of power in a barely portable package and plan to hang the panel or camp in locations without wind.
Rated at 48.0v Voc @11A via MC4 connector only
Retail $1199
$1149 W/Code EFHOBOTECH50
1st Place
Bluetti PV350 350w Solar Panel
IP65 water resistant and made with SunPower cells the 30lb Bluetti PV350 has an ETFE coating and MC4 connectors standard at a fantastic price.
- 23.4% efficiency rating for high output
- Higher voltage panel (46v) good for MPPT
- Long MC4 cable suited for series and parallel
- Hard to beat price at around $2/watt
- 4 panel design makes it more unstable in wind
- No accessories or USB charging
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The higher output voltage, and standard MC4 connection makes this one of the best panels for large power stations that can handle over 45v solar input. We do wish Bluetti had incorporated its neat adjustable leg design from the PV200. This is a tall 4 panel design with fixed legs that can be difficult to setup and control in windy conditions.
Rated at 46.5v Voc @10.8A via MC4 connector only
Retail $769
$744 W/Code HOB350
3rd Place
Jackery “SolarSaga” 200w Solar Panel
IP65 water resistant and made with SunPower cells the 18lb Jackery 200w is the go to panel for Jackery generators and with one of the quickest setups thanks to its magnetic closure system, but it earns 3rd place due to its high price and proprietary 8mm connector.
- Highest power output with Jackery generators
- Magnetic closure system makes for quick setup
- Most expensive at $3/watt
- No accessories or USB charging
- No standard MC4 connection (8mm output only)
- Cannot easily be setup in series connections
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Despite the proprietary 8mm connection, this solar panel works with Bluetti and other generators with an 8mm (7955) solar input. Others will require an adapter to MC4 or 5521. Use of MC4 adapter does allow for two panels to be used in series which is required for some models. This panel is designed to output extra power when combined with the Jackery 1500w & 2000w generators.
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