Review: Bluetti Folding 350W Solar Panel vs 400W of glass panels. Wins in sun and shade

Review of the Bluetti PV350. 350W Folding Solar compared to 400W of Renogy Glass Panels. The Bluetti showed itself to be more efficient than the glass panels both in direct sunshine and in shade.
Links for Sale Prices on the Bluetti PV350 directly from Bluetti:
shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=190666...
Amazon:
BluettiPV350 - amzn.to/3MqZNnS
Renogy 200W Panels: amzn.to/3W2WV3L
Bluetti PV200w Folding Solar panel:
Amazon.com: amzn.to/3VhDns4
Amazon.ca amzn.to/41W1IGE
Bluetti AC200Max:
Bluetti Directly: shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=226501...
Amazon.ca: amzn.to/3LqB0yS
Redodo 100AH batteries:
Save some money if you decide to get a battery:
Surprise discount code:COD3(5% discount, becomes 3% discount after 30 days）
USA link:www.redodopower.com/?ref=Y5FZ...
CA link:ca.redodopower.com/?ref=3QzOMmh1
Amazon:amzn.to/41VAVd5
12V200Ah:www.redodopower.com/products/...
Smart LiFePO4 charger:
Amazon link: amzn.to/3V03nbt

[@junkerzn7312]

I'd turn around that explanation at 6:00. The panel wattage is irrelevant as far as a power station is concerned. The power station ONLY cares about the open-circuit and operating voltage of the topology connected to it. The power station will limit the ingress current (typically to around 8A) so over-paneling works fine as long as the voltages are compatible. There are workarounds if the panel voltage is too high and you really want to make it work with a particular power station. You can use a DC-to-DC converter to drop the voltage (just make sure it can handle the amps the power station accepts... usually 8 amps). My personal favorite (albeit somewhat more expensive than a cheap amazon DC-to-DC buck converter) is to use a Victron 75/15 or 100/20 charge controller to drop the voltage. That way I can program the output voltage to be precisely 1V below the maximum voltage the power station will accept, allowing it to accept the maximum possible watts under a very wide set of operating conditions. Gotta love that 🙂

[@Bowmans-Woods]

OK. Thanks

[@kensmith2839]

I have a PV350. It is a beast for sure. Performs great when it is cloudy.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

The PV 350 is a really well built Solar Panel.

[@user70331]

Ordered, can't beat 399 deal 👌. I already had 200w. Bluetti compared to others as close to tech specs as they can be

[@johnt1276]

Zamp Solar Legacy Series 230-Watt Portable Solar Panel Kit with Integrated Charge Controller and Carrying Case that I have now that is a real" beast" a little over 40Lbs. I camp where coastal breez is a freak of nature sometimes blowing 20-30mph. The Bluetti panels look like anything over 10mph is a knock over. Yes it needs a tie down or something. Wind is a big influence on a purchase.🌬

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Tie downs would have been nice.

[@BlueDroneBlues]

Hi there. I enjoyed your video. I wondered when you talked about having trouble holding the solar panel in place maybe buy a couple 6’ 1/2 inch plastic water pipe you can run on the backside of the panel through the handles and drill a couple small holes where each handle is and run a line through the holes around each handle to keep it in place? I have the same panel, but missing the boat and I love the panel. Super nice design. Curious to know what you do to make it work. Maybe just running a small rubber band only under and over the ends of the solar panel will help keep them down regarding wind. Now you got me thinking and figuring out a good idea. I’ll look at mine for reference and maybe make something simple and durable to keep your panel on your boat. Happy Holidays

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks. The thing with folding panels is you probably don't want to leave them out 24/7 as they will get weathered. If you get glass you can mount them and forget them.

[@larrycox6614]

Love your real life example failures...all of them i have experienced 😂 live & learn

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks. Ya, I have had my fair share of mishaps so I tend to roll play in my head what could go wrong. Hope for the best but always plan for the worst. :-)

[@will_ren]

I use a free app for Android that uses your location to tell you the proper angle for panels. This time of the year for me it's around 20 degrees. Also good to know when solar noon actually is so you can see when the panel should be outputting maximum wattage. Here in Michigan today solar noon was 1:35pm.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Interesting. Thanks.

[@kennethwilliams9668]

What's the name of the app

[@ChelseaJadeC]

What's the name of the app please?

[@will_ren]

Solar Tilt. By Karl Clark.

[@ChelseaJadeC]

@@will_ren thank you

[@Akira-gi6vz]

What are the specs for your glass panels to your bluetti so I know what I get is compatible? Great video. Thank you for this

[@Bowmans-Woods]

They are 2x200W Renogy Panels that you can find on Amazon. I dont have the open circuit voltage handy but they are easy to find online.

[@user-gz1tx2fm5l]

is it fine to install 2 200w panel even the open circuit is not 46.5 or above?

[@SamCarleton]

Nice video, thank you! I was wondering about water and hard rains. I am looking to build a WFA boondocking rig where I need to deploy solar in all weather, even on a rainy day you can collect something:) I have heard that the Bluetti is not 100% waterproof and should not be left out in the rain. The glass panels I have on my rig hold up in all weather. Any idea how the Bluetti hold up in a hard rain?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I wouldn’t leave any folding panel out 24/7. Hard rain will probably get into them. Go glass.

[@SamCarleton]

@@Bowmans-Woods I don’t have the space in my teardrop camper & Jeep Wrangler for glass panels🥲

[@brb669]

​@@Bowmans-Woodsbut Ecoflow 400w claim weather proof?!? Is Bluetti any different ????

[@BlueDroneBlues]

@@brb669you can submerge the EcoFlow in water. The Bluetti you can spray it with a hose and it can take some good rain, but don’t submerge it. It’s IP-65. 😅

[@seeking70]

Currently about $840 Bluetti vs $600 Renogy 2x200. Good comparison, but that's an investment decision for sure.

[@gypsyxxx]

you have to use the $220 coupon on the website $600 isn't bad

[@allynonderdonk7577]

The glass panels probably don't produce as much wired in series in shading because there are two sets in series and reduced too much by not having enough bypass diodes. Some panels have like 3 diodes and some only have two...or one. Likely yours have two. The folding panel likely has bypass diodes as well, but is all one panel and likely has more diodes so the voltage stays higher. Good luck on the transmission, but it sounds like you might have a bent shaft, or a misaligned engine.....This creates extra friction in the tube or cutlass bearing. The plates likely eat themselves because they never full engage due to a misalignment/bent shaft...maybe too big a prop/wrong pitch for the transmission reduction value. I would suggest a Sigma Drive or flexible shaft coupling to reduce the possibility or future events. The sigma drive is probably $600ish US but is the better product that can handle more deflection...a rubbery one is usually less than $200ish US but the deflection values are much less...SV Prisim did a good review of the Sigma drive.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ok. Thanks. I know this mechanic is good and said we will have to raise the engine to get the proper angle on the shaft due to the bigger transmission. Hopefully it all goes well.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

@@Bowmans-Woods Hopefully it will...the thing is you get the angle right and then putting the boat in the water changes the angle because the hull sides bend slightly. Then it is out of alignment again. Conversely taking the boat out of the water will also cause the engine to possibly go out of alignment. That is why a flexible coupler of some sort is so important. Think of it as a universal joint for your boat. Believe it something like a Sigma Drive saves thousands in maintenance costs. My buddy save 20k over 2 years because of the Sigma Drives he put on his engines. Granted he has a motor yacht but...the same issues plague smaller sailboat owners as well.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

@@allynonderdonk7577 it is getting installed while the boat is in the water.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

@@allynonderdonk7577 my prop is the right size. It the same prop that worked since 1994 when the boat was built. It worked until last year. The cutlass bearing seems good too. Just seems like the transmission just isn’t squeezing the clutch plates tightly enough so now they slip and burn out. New transmission should solve that.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

@@Bowmans-Woods Yes it should maybe the springs on your plate in there de-tensioned or some tolerances changed. Good luck on the new transmission. My point is though that alignment is a hard thing to keep in spec. Something that gives a little in the drivetrain reduces noise, reduces vibration, extends cutlass bearing life, increases engine bearing life, reduces transmission wear, and decreases the frequency of overhaul events. My friend kept going through motor mounts every thousand hours or so on his big diesels. The Sigma Drive stopped it from happening. There were other service issues it stopped or slowed down too which I can't seem to remember at the moment. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnzZdYymf8aUd7s Sigma drive review.

[@hellosathi]

Will PV350 work on EB3A BLUETTI as long as like we fold one or two panels or somehow lower the input below 200W?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

It may be too large. Folding would knock out 2 panels. Probably a better idea to just buy a cheaper 200w panel.

[@cacabrownftw]

how do i connect my bluetti 350w solar panel to my jackery 1500?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Not sure what connections a Jackery has. I do not own one of them

[@Knuckleheadlol]

I know these panels very well. very well because I'm on my 4th one. three have failed. So what do you think of that? You know the hilarious thing about it took me months back and back and forth emailing with him. there warranty them. Ohh no..

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Which pair are you referring to?

[@brettschleter8023]

The pv420 has 4 tie down points at the bottom and 4 at the top...

[@brettschleter8023]

Mine rocked up last week

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thats good

[@mikejohnson7768]

Don't leave it in the rain

[@itsallminor6133]

Been a while since you commented but I'm playing email tag with bluetti now. I live in a northern climate snow area. They said dont put it in the snow. I've now cancelled 2 other bluetti orders. Obvious reasons. What are people using for 300watt or so panels in all weather conditions?

[@cic-jakevanddalgeemyers.2739]

Why?

[@BlueDroneBlues]

I know the EcoFlow panel is a beast and has the tabs you like for your bungee cords and you can literally put them completely submerged and they are completely sealed and will charge very well.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Well my folding solar panels I only bring out on sunny days and put them away in the evening. So in the winter on a sunny day the folding panels work great. The sun keeps them warm. But soft panels do not do well if they freeze and thaw constantly. If you want to leave panels out, rain or shine, in the summer and the winter, get a good set of glass panels. I have mostly Renogy glass panels and they stay out year round.

[@JamesAmbrose48]

Not a direct link to the product

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks. It was a link to the ongoing sale. I’ll check it again.

[@hiramhaji7813]

What the hell does your PTSD have to do with your transmission failure?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Stress of having the transmission fail without warning is all I was talking about.

[@BlueDroneBlues]

Be nice.