Sun catchers: great solar panels for your next 4×4 adventure Posted on 15 April 2015 We tested three rugged, adventure-proof solar panels fit for the wildest of wild camping. Test conditions Each unit was placed in the sun simultaneously between 11am and 3pm to ensure the best possible solar retention. A Fluke Meter was used to assess how each panel charged an 80-amp, 12-volt deep-cycle battery (the kind used to power up a portable fridge or a similar appliance / lights at a campsite) in one hour from a standardised reading. 1. BushPower Portable Solar Kit R5 250, bushpower.co.za The BushPower Portable Solar Kit is built tough. It comes in a sturdy metal case that can withstand the kind of abuse you might encounter on a hardcore, denture-rattling 4×4 trail, making it the perfect companion for wild camping. It weighs 13kg, and has 110W of panel power and an output of 5.7A and charged our deep-cycle battery up by 2.6 volts in an hour. They are also available to rent from BushPower for R240 a week. 2. SnoMaster Folding Solar Panel R5 000, snomaster.co.za It’s the neatest, and most affordable, panel of the lot and comes with lots of handy accessories like connector cables you need to hook it up to your batter (on some of the panels, you have to buy your own connectors). In our battery charging test, it used its 100W combined panels and 5.5A of output to charge our deep-cycle battery 2.72 volts in an hour. This 8kg panel also comes with a built-in regulator and built-in storage compartments. 3. Flexopower Kalahari-158 R9 958, flexopower.co.za Locally made and seriously heavy-duty (the South African Defence Force uses them in the field), the Flexopower Kalahari 158’s amorphous silicon panels took top spot in our battery test, using its 158W combined panel power and 8.2A output to charge our deep-cycle battery a full 4.8 volts in one hour. It also works well in low-light conditions and its roll-up design makes it relatively lightweight – at 6kg it’s easy to pack and transport. The Kalahari’s amorphous silicone panels are seriously hardy, check out this video of the Flexopower being driven over by a truck. Related Posts Trialed and tested: our top camping chairs 3 August 2022 Nothing ruins sundowners or fireside chats like the lack of a camping chair. We scoured... read more Now this is the (van) life – nomads who live on the road 19 August 2021 Can anything quite compare to the freedom of having all your needs behind you and... read more Hiking gear that won’t break the bank 7 April 2021 It’s no secret that expensive hiking gear usually means lower weight, higher quality and a... read more PREV ARTICLE NEXT ARTICLE
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