Dokio 160W 18v Portable Folding Solar Panel - Kit Review - Boating with the Baileys

[@jon51]

Ty for taking the time to explain the controller. There is so many things there. I didn’t know where to start.

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

No problem, glad it was helpful. I must admit, I don’t really use most of the options as it tends to just charge a battery for me. Handy for other applications.

[@jon51]

@@BoatingwiththeBaileys it’s just hard knowing which options do what. They do a poor job of spelling it out in the manual. I just need to know what my battery is at and how much power my panels are bringing in lol.

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

It definitely will show that. Just in the main display menu, it shows panel volts, output amps and battery voltage.

[@halicon7475]

Thanks for the walk through

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Thanks for your comments 👍

[@sailingandpaintingtheworld538]

Nicely done, I'm looking for a solar panel to hook up to a Victron smart mppt, would you recommend one of these? All the best Rich 👍

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi, I’ve been using a 100w panel from them for almost 2yrs now and it’s been great. I think it will work well with a Victron controller as that’s something on my shopping list. If 160w is enough, they are well made for the price.

[@sailingandpaintingtheworld538]

@@BoatingwiththeBaileys thanks for the info

[@chessviewofficial]

Can it hook up to a JACKERY as I am new to this..please explain if possible..

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi, Yes, that should be possible. You would connect the panel directly to the Jackery without the charge controller. Connect the cable from the solar panel to the cable which has the different jacks on it and then pick the correct socket for your Jackery unit. These powerbanks have an inbuilt charge controller. Just note that some of the have a limit and might not use the full output of the solar panel. What model is your Jackery?

[@jimhafer212]

My Dokio panels arrived with a DOA controller. I contacted Dokio’s customer service in China to see about replacement. I am still without a replacement offer or solution fifteen days later. Brand new panels and I cannot use them without major modification. No customer service - no option to purchase replacement/repair parts. Keep this in mind when making your solar panel purchase. Caveat emptor!

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi - Thats not good at all. Are you able to go back to the supplier you purchased them off and get anything that way?

[@Purpledawn53]

Hi, thanks for the informative video, which is much easier to understand than the provided instructions. Can you explain to me which battery I would select for a wet acid filled leisure battery please?

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi, I think it was B1, around 14.4v max is enough for this battery type.

[@DerekCarrillo7541]

Can you hook this up to a solar generator ?

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi, to charge a portable battery? Absolutely, it comes with some of the common connectors/jacks in the kit. Just check the specs on the system for voltage and any maximum input values and it should work fine.

[@blasterkhan]

I´m planning on using this to charge a battery on a boat. On that battery I connect a electric motor. Should I rather connect the electric motor to this controller instead of having the motor directly connected to the battery?

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

I would keep your motor connected to the battery. That little controller is only really designed to switch on some lights etc, the motor might draw more than it can handle.

[@dawudabuadam]

How do I reset my system? I've had it for a year now and I have been having some trouble with it not charging my batteries. I just got new batteries a few weeks ago.

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi, have the batteries changed type? What's happening when you try and charge them?

[@roadforrunner]

Q it does say can just connect the USB W/O BATTERY CONECCTION.

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Sorry - are you asking if you can? The answer is yes, it will charge via usb without a battery

[@razorsazors]

I go hunting for about a week at a time each year. It's usually overcast with rain but random scattered sun. Just looking for something that can keep my phone charged and my kids tablet. Do you think this and a 12v car battery would work? Or am i just better off with a 5 dollar 12v cigarette lighter charger for the atv

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

It will definitely keep a phone charged, it doesn't even need to be connected to a 12v to use the USB function.

[@deanhakes5640]

Great video. Im looking at purchasing one of these and using it to keep our caravan battery topped over as we’ve got no electric hook up. Is it pretty simple just a case of clipping the crocodile clips to the battery and plugging them into the controller and then into the solar panels? Is there much needed to do with the controller for it to start topping up the volts? Cheers Dean

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi Dean, many thanks for your comments. I think this kit would do really well for what you are describing. Thats all you would need to do, i would add a fuse between the battery and the charge conroller if you are using this long term, thats how its setup on the boat and it works well. No real need to change any settings on the controller, out the box its setup for a standard battery and will charge as soon as the panel is connected to it.

[@deanhakes5640]

@@BoatingwiththeBaileys hi thanks for the reply. Yeah I think we would be using this process in any time we go somewhere on site where we don’t have electric. Would you think I would need to add a fuse if we’re just using it for a week and what do you mean by adding a fuse? Thanks

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

@@deanhakes5640 I would still add the fuse if you are planning to use it in this way, something like this amzn.eu/d/9nZuedp . I would remove the red crocodile clip from the wire, put this fuse inline and attached the crocodile clip to the end of it. So you have Solar charge controller, fuse, battery. That way, if anything went wrong, the fuse would go and everything would be fine.

[@deanhakes5640]

@@BoatingwiththeBaileys that makes sense thanks for the info it’s greatly appreciated. What size fuse would you recommend to use? Thanks

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

The controller is rated at 10amps and I think the panel puts out about 8 in perfect conditions, so 10amp fuse should be fine

[@henkvantienen1797]

is it possible to charge liontron lifepo4 too? (B3)

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Hi, yeah it does have B3 as an option for changing although I’ve not tested that

[@roadforrunner]

DOKIO=JUNK

[@BoatingwiththeBaileys]

Not had a good experience?