BLUETTI PV200 Folding Solar Panel VS RENOGY 200W Glass Panel. Which performs better. Pros and Cons

Reviewing the Bluetti PV200, 200W folding solar panel and comparing it to the Renogy 200W glass solar panel. Which performs better in the same conditions. Pros and Cons of each.
Bluetti Links for the PV200:
shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=226500...
shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=190666...
Link for Bluetti and a $200 discount on the AC200Max: shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=224630...
Bluetti Amazon Link: amzn.to/40NrTyY
Renogy Amazon Link: amzn.to/3JWtz3b
Contact Info: Craig. Email: [e-mail]

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Bluetti Links for the PV200: shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=226500... shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=190666... Link for Bluetti and a $200 discount on the AC200Max: shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=224630... Bluetti Amazon Link: amzn.to/40NrTyY Renogy Amazon Link: amzn.to/3JWtz3b Contact Info: Craig. Email: [e-mail]

[@cinza6670]

Great review. I want to get mine out and start using my BLUETTI Max and panels! Thank you 😊

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Glad you got value.

[@allynonderdonk7577]

Great video Craig!!! Nothing to add here, I think you covered it.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Glad you liked it!

[@ronkmiecik7442]

Great review!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Glad you think so. Thanks

[@patrickrobertson7290]

Great video. Thanks a lot man.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Glad you liked it.

[@blt1]

Hey there Craig! It's nice to see you again. Nice review and video. I'm happy to see you're doing well up there in The Great White North! I'll bet you have a calendar countdown to boating season. What are your sailing plans for '23? Any blue water time maybe?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks. No Bluewater time. I need to be invited on someone else's boat for that. I retire in less than 2 years to so the hunt for our permanent liveaboard Cat will have to serious soon. Last summer we had out transmission crap out on us at the beginning of our sailing summer vacation so that screwed things up. It is fixed so we plan to do the full circumnavigation of Lake Ontario that we planned for last year. We couldn't go into the USA waters during the COVID lockdown years prior. So that should be fun.

[@saintkenny9296]

Nice video, Greg. I have the Bluetti 120w and a 350w. I haven’t really been able to fully test them as of late. I also have that 200w Renogy solar panel and an EcoFlow 160w. I am shocked it didn’t do as well as that 200w in your test. 😮 I have a Bluetti 800w power station 🚉. Looking 👀 forward to really testing them out.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I just got the PV350 to test. Hope it does as well as the PV 200 did. It is hard to have a filming day with perfectly blue skies. It is unrealistic to test in those conditions anyway because most days are either hazy or partly cloudy in the real world. Or, just all day cloud, so a solar panel has to also be good in those conditions.

[@saintkenny9296]

@@Bowmans-Woods100% I do agree with you on sky conditions. Love the panels. Thank you for replying.

[@SydneyBuilder]

Hi Craig, great video, thanks for the review. I too have the Bluetti panels and i agree with your measurements. I’m really happy with the Ac200max, B300, and a bunch of their accessories. I’m looking for permanent, thin and flexible panels for my RV - not sure which way to go yet. I am comparing panels on a watt per m2 area basis to work out real world efficiency and output. After all, the space for fixing permanent panels on an RV is limited so the maximum watts per m2 of solar panel is really important. When comparing panels, consider shading 30% of the panel to see how they handle partial sun. I hear that panels handle partial shading or overcast conditions differently. Some struggle, some not so much. Can you compare the m2 area vs wattage output of the panels that you reviewed. You may find that the glass panel was in fact more “productive” for the total area of the panel.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

In reading the Bluetti Page on the PV200 Panel, they have wired all the individual cells in parallel vs Series so that it allows for part of the panel to be shaded without a total drop off in Watts output. Are you looking for glass panels or the type of panels that you can walk on? Renogy and others build panels that you can walk on, so just make sure the panels advertise that they are in parallel and can stand up well to shade. The PV200 does say that but this folding style is not meant for permanent mounting or for walking on. Most people are not constrained in space so much that it would be worth a dedicated video on just Watts per M squared. With folding panels people usually just fold them out when you need power and they place the in a free area beside an RV, Campsite or deck of a boat. I do not own any walk-on style to test at the moment. Maybe in the future if producers want to send me some to test. We shall see.

[@lisahurst1940]

Super helpful info. Thank you! I too wish it had grommets on all 4 corners. Wondering if two of these 200w solar panels are needed to charge the Bluetti AC 180z I would like to see a review on that. The set up and time to charge. Thanks for your honest and detailed review!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks.

[@tommylee004]

Thanks for the video! I just received this PV200 Bluetti panel and looking for more clarity regarding rain weather resistance. I only plan to use this for spans of 1-3wks at a time for camping/rv. My main question is about if this can be left outside in the rain considering the manual states “Do not use in extreme weather conditions like thunderstorms, floods, typhoons….The solar panel is IP65 water-resistant that provides protection against water splash. Please do not leave in the rain or water for a long time”.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Right. Folding panels are best suited to only be used in decently dry weather. A light rain from time to time, sure but not to be left out 24/7

Wow it’s crazy how expensive they are. Two or three years ago I went to an outlet here in Arizona that sells returned items from Home Depot and bought three 200 watt solar panels for a total of $300. $100 each. So $700 is just crazy

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ya. Everything is getting more expensive. Inflation is a hidden tax.

[@albreaud000]

Hi! Super appreciate your review as I'm comparing the Bluetti PV200 to the Renogy E.Flex 200. Would love to see a comparison there, as both are lightweight, flexible and use the newer coatings. ONE QUESTION THOUGH: You say the Bluetti is IP65 waterproof and can be left in a sudden rain if you are camping and away from your RV. But their lit specifically says "don't leave out in the rain" in multiple places. It doesn't say "not submersible," it specfiically says, "don't leave in the rain." I called Bluetti customer service today and asked specifically, and they said "it's best if you can fold it up and put it away before it rains." For us, that is a non-starter, as we are typically down a trail, looked like it would be sunny all day, when it starts to pour back at the campsite. Some places get an afternoon shower every day - staying home to take the panels down defeats the purpose of having them! But I'm being persistent, because in every other way I really like the Bluetti panels, and I'm trying to determine if the rain warnings are Bluetti lawyerspeak, or really will wreck/shorten the lift of the panels. Have you or other folks had them out during afternoon showers? Will that wreck them or shorten their lifespans? Risky? What do you think? Thanks for your opinion/reply!

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Never been sent a Renogy to review.

[@randyperkins2076]

I don’t think your test is valid. The BLUETTI was receiving light reflected from the snow in front of it. When you tested the Renogy, the BLUETTI was in front of it and it did not get any light reflected from the snow. Thoughts?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I have tested now in the summer when there is green grass in front. The Bluetti still does better. Having snow does help a tiny bit but having a solar generator anywhere in front of the panels is not going to make a difference, as long as it is not throwing shade on the panel

[@kurtburkhardt5862]

I have 4 Renogy flexible 100 watt panels mounted to our trailer. I also have two Renogy folding rigid 200 watt panels I can move and follow the sun. Will be interesting to see how well they work together. hopefully 800 watts will be enough to charge our LiTime 300 AH battery through a Victron solar controller. I guess we will see on our first trip as we will not have a hookup.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Sounds like you have s decent amount for a trailer. Glass panels will last longer as they dont break down over time as much as soft or folding panels but soft panels can be mounted in unique areas that glass panels cant so there are pros for both.

[@Bellasafari]

Durability ==my 350w Bluetti panel ripped in 1/2 with wind storm-I had them laying flat with a huge rock on top to hold them down. I just bought 2 RICH 200w foldable panels…can’t wait, as they can stay in the rain/wind/etc. ss

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Ya, folding panels are not built to be out in storms. See one coming in the forecast and you have to take them in

[@Bellasafari]

@@Bowmans-Woods Thankfully the RICH portables can be out in storms! I love them so far. Just had someone run into them with their car. Left a nasty scratch on their car, no damage to the panels!

[@stevenmaniscalco1439]

Do you happened to have any data on the renegy eflex 220 portable panels? Im curious of those compared to the bluetti. Thanks

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Sorry, no. Never been sent one to review

[@southerngentleman5321]

clear sky, good angle, cold temp, clean new panel = ideal conditions

[@Bowmans-Woods]

True. You wont get that most times

[@Div3r]

it would be interesting is to set up the panels and then angle them away from the sun say in 15-degree increments and see how much difference it makes to the output. I'm guessing surprisingly little but I've been wrong before.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I have not done detailed calculations on each angle off perfect, but I can tell you that the closer you can get to perpendicular to the angle of the sun the better and the drop-off is fairly substantial. If I had laid both panels flat and the ground and let the sun hit them at that shallow angle the Watts would have dropped a ton. So if you have panels mounted on an RV or boat it is best to have them mounted so that you can angle them when needed. It is not always possible with permanently mounted glass panels but with the folding ones you should be able to match the angle of the sun fairly easily. It will make a big difference.

[@debbyconnor9498]

Just an observation that the Bluetti seems to have more surface area for collecting light that the older panel that you compared it to. I have also read that many of the panels deteriorate with age and are not as efficient as they get older. This and the smaller surface area could explain some of the differences. There is also the fact that newer models, even using the same technology will have improvements in the design. Just look at the engine of a car. It is similar in the base design but many improvements have been made to improve efficiency and longevity of the engine.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

This Glass panel is not old. It is a modern (New) 9BB version. I assumed with this latest 9BB version it would have done better than the folded version. Obviously not. Yes the folded one is longer when it is unfolded but it is not as tall as the glass panel. The folded one takes up more area because it also has material between the panels to allow it to fold. But, the bottom line is they are both 200W panels so it should be an apples to apples comparison regardless of which one takes up more space.

[@dronescape9991]

I have a Bluetti pv200 and am currently in Germany. Under clear blue skies, with the sun high in the sky I can't get more than 117 watts out of this panel. I've covered each panel individually to see if I have faulty section, but no they are all working. The Open Circuit voltage measures around 22.9 volts. The specs state it should be 26.1 volts. Do you think I have a faulty panel????

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Sounds like it. You should definitely get more than 117w in perfect conditions.

[@Drewboo1968]

I do believe I have found a small error. At 2:25 you say that most semi-flexible panels are poly, but I think the image you put on screen is of mono 2 BB flexies.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I mean the cheaper flex panels were often Poly.

[@davidcarrico3385]

You mentioned the specs for the Bluetti, but not the glass panel. What was its ocv and amp ratings?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

I was just comparing a Rated 200W panel vs another 200W panel. Each one will have a slightly different OCV.

[@davidcarrico3385]

@@Bowmans-Woods yes, but those rating will impact the number of watts you can actually get into a particular solar generator.

[@gmcjetpilot]

Your other review of the PV200 was lukewarm. I bought an AllPower SP033 per your recommendation. In that review you compared the PV200 to the Allpower. you recommend the Allpower for the money over the PV200? I just returned my AllPower SP033. It was not bad, but produced 20W under my Renogy glass 200W (2x 100W) panels. Just bought a PV200 for $249 on sale Refurbished. I have not got it yet. Strange you got so much from the PV200 this time? Last time it was just slightly better than the Allpower. Of course conditions vary. However my experience was the Renogy 200W glass panels, out performed the Allpower, from 5 to 20watts. No surprise and the Allpower was not bad. I think the Bluetti PV200 will be more durable and more efficient. (we shall see)

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Glad panels are generally more efficient than the same Watt of folding solar panel. What the folding panel loses in slightly less efficiency, it gains in portability. If you have a static spot for your solar, then just get a good glass panel.

[@gmcjetpilot]

@CruisingOffDuty Yes I'm an Engineer. I understand folding panels make less typically vs. ridged glass panels of same watts. I did not expect allpower would make more power, but a solid 20 watts less under the same conditions a little disappointing. It's not a bad panel but got a PV200 for same price! The PV200 is making more power than the Renogy glass panels. Got PV200 2 wks ago. Paid $249. Score. It is great. I returned the allpower. Very happy w/ PV200 higher output. I also sold my two ridged glass Renogy 100W panels I had for a few years. The ridged PV's worked but heavy and bulky. The PV200 is better for my camping application. PV open voltage and short current of the PV200 was over spec. My test load was charging a 505 Watt Pwr station limited to 125 Watts charge internally. The PV200 pegged it on a partly cloudy day. Power meter said it was making 149 watts with charge throttled abs some clouds. The AllPower could not do that was my point. The quality is there; cables are heavy duty. I'm glad I got the PV200 and not stick w/ Allpower, which were OK. However for the same price, $249 for the PV200 free shipping no brainer. At Bluetti's normal price, they are too much. At $249 no contest. It was supposed to be a refurbished unit. It was new. Should have bought two, but did not know. This will be perfect to run my 12v frig camping, which uses 24W/hr average. I don't have a lot of reserve power and 24 hrs of clouds would sink the boat. However when camping I typically have other options like buying ice or AC power somewhere to charge the battery pack.

[@Maximus01776]

This so called content creators are like that, they will say anything to get views or have you to but from links that they get $$$$ from

[@user-vm7db1gn6k]

That was not the result I was expecting! Bluetti also have another 200 watt solar panel - BLUETTI MP200 Solar Panel | 200W 479,00 €euros (€20 more expensive than the one that you tested which was the BLUETTI PV200 Solar Panel | 200W 459,00 € ). I wonder what the difference between MP200 and the PV200(your test I think) would be? Maybe you could shed some light on the subject!!! (Pun intended). SkipRay, Kerry(known as "The Kingdom").

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Well if Bluetti decides to send me more Solar Panels to test, like the MP, I will certainly run them up against each other. :-)

[@SirFartsAlot1]

I'm in southern California and I've tested my bluetti at around 4pm and also at 10 am and 1 pm when the sun is highest and I only get 125 max. Maybe I have a crappy panel?

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Maybe. I’d the skies are blue and you have the panel perfectly pointed at the sun you should get more.

[@MrFredrictai]

I live in South East Asia, I got about 165W max so far, 189W is really high~

[@SuperChriscunningham]

Now the solid panels are more durability aren’t they compared to foldable panels

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Yes. Glass will last much longer and can stand up to all sorts weather abuse.

[@vincentstouter449]

The Bluetti has an MPPT controller. Does the Renogy also have an MPPT or is it a PWM controller?

[@ebikecnx7239]

Neither have a controller.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

The sol gen has the MPPT controller. Not the solar panels.

[@vincentstouter449]

@@Bowmans-Woods 👍 It sounds like the Renogy may be reducing the PV output (PWM) before the Input to the Bluetti. It might b interesting to try a PV panel with an MPPT output. Thanks for a very interesting video. Between boats, RV’s and off-grid prep, there is much interest in this subject. 😎👍

[@xxcelr8rs]

350 too much Doesn't work on AC 180?

[@cindysegar1426]

The whole video was the Bluetooth panel. Not both

[@StonerAR10]

Not impressed with Bluetti. I ordered two AC180 SOGEM's on Black Friday on Amazon. They shipped the next day only one. I went to the BBB website and was shocked at the thousands of complaints against Bluetti Power and stories of bad customer service.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Hmmmm. I haven't experienced that but I also can't rule that out either.

[@Hindukushsailing]

👍👍🤙🤙

[@Bowmans-Woods]

Thanks

[@Freakphoto]

The renogy didn't benefit from the snow reflection that the bluetti did.

[@Bowmans-Woods]

That may be true.

[@AlexanderAlexandrovich-fm2xj]

Its impossible!