It might seem like one of the strangest questions you might have encountered out there, but portable solar panels powering an entire home isn’t a far-fetched idea. After all, many campers use them to juice up their outdoor lights or RV systems to take advantage of the wilderness’ solar excesses. However, portable solar panels are too expensive to buy and use to power an entire home. So instead, we highly recommend using traditional solar panels.
Many homeowners across Golden, CO, feel that portable solar panels are a great alternative to traditional solar panels. They don’t require a foundation to install and are lighter. Plus, their portability and easy storage make them versatile for at-home use and travel usage. They can easily fit on boats, ships, cars, buses, and other vehicles.
The problem with portable solar panels is due to their advantages too. When a storm arrives, you can’t remove traditional solar panels, but their sturdy foundations lock them in place and guarantee they won’t suffer from any damages. On the other hand, portable solar panels will fly away and suffer from damages because of their feather-like weight, making traditional solar panels much more practical.
Bob Vila’s guide to choosing portable solar panels for outdoor use is essential reading for any homeowner contemplating using solar energy for their residential power needs. Read more about it below.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Portable Solar Panel
Whether looking for a portable solar panel for the RV or a smaller solar panel for backpacking, learn about the various products’ features and specifications to make certain it’s the best portable solar panel for your purposes.
Size and Weight
Size can actually refer to both the physical size and the size of the power output, but here, the focus is on physical size and weight.
A solar panel’s size can be limited by its intended purpose. For instance, hiking with a 36-by-24-inch solar panel in the backpack might be difficult, but this size solar panel is an excellent option for an RV. Choose a solar panel that’s large enough to gather the required energy, but small enough that it’s not a burden. A lightweight portable solar panel could weigh as little as 1 pound, while a heavy-duty portable solar panel can exceed 60 pounds.
Efficiency Rating
The efficiency rating is typically dictated by the type of portable solar panel.
Monocrystalline portable solar panels have the highest efficiency rating because they use a single piece of pure silicon crystal. Their efficiency ratings can exceed 20 percent.
Polycrystalline portable solar panels, with an efficiency rating ranging from 15 to 17 percent, are close to monocrystalline in efficiency, but they fall just short because of the impurities in the silicon wafers used to make the solar cells.
Thin-film portable solar panels vary in efficiency among products because they’re made with a variety of different materials. However, they typically have an energy efficiency rating of just 11 percent. (Continue reading to learn more here)
If you have yet to find a dependable solar panel installation service in Golden, CO, you can always count on us at Roper Roofing and Solar. Contact us today to learn more about everything that we can do for you.
