Ultralight Hike
While looking for a solar panel that is as light and compact as possible, I came across this product on AliExpress. At a price of a good 12 USD including shipping, you can’t really go wrong. I was genuinely positively surprised by this panel.
The package from the Far East was delivered within a week, and I tried the panel out right away in November. Given its small size and low price, my expectations were very low.
The panel weighs just 84 grams. Its dimensions are 21x14.5cm. The panel consists of two high-quality SunPower solar cells with an efficiency of up to 25%, cast in epoxy resin. On one side there are a number of holes so the panel can be filed in a DIN A5 folder.
Using scissors, I cut off some material along the edges of this perforated side so that the now rounded corners are gentler on the rest of my gear.
Opposite the perforated side, there is also a little space in the corners where more material could be removed. Here, however, I decided against removing the material and instead drilled two holes into it. Now the panel can be attached to a backpack at all four corners with a little cord.
These measures reduced the weight of the solar panel to just 78 grams. These modifications do void the warranty, which is easy to bear given the low price and the added benefit for attachment.
These measures reduced the weight of the solar panel to just 78 grams. These modifications do void the warranty, but that is easy to bear given the low price and the practical value of the new attachment option.
At the next opportunity, I recorded the panel’s data. For the record: the data correspond to a sunny November day in northern Germany. I will update the values again next summer to show the comparison between the seasons.
A1 - output in amperes with the solar panel aimed at the sun
A2 - output in amperes with the solar panel not aimed at the sun
A3 - output in amperes in diffuse sunlight
| Product | Output | A1 | A2 | A3 | Weight | Weight Red. | Grams/watt | Price |
| China A5 | 5W | 0,7 | 0,2 | 0,01 | 84 | 78 | 15,6 | 10€ |
These values amazed me. In late-autumn sunshine, the panel rated at 5 watts still delivers an output of 3.5W. This summer I will see how it performs on the trail with my MYOG power bank. By the numbers, the 5W panel with a 3000mAh power bank and a 3000mAh smartphone should just barely suffice to be independent of the power grid with a daily consumption of one third of the phone battery and 1-3 hours of sun per day.
All in all, a good, inexpensive panel for people who are on the trail with low power consumption and good weather.
To charge an Android smartphone directly with the panel, the tips from Solar on the Trail must absolutely be followed. With an iPhone, I explicitly recommend charging via a power bank.
Edit: The solar panel is now available at Amazon, where it is, however, incorrectly listed as a 10-watt module.
Note: I bought the panel at the regular price on AliExpress via the Sunshine’s Consumer Electronics Store.
