Solar Panel Showdown - Rigid Vs Folding - Which is best?

It's the compromise between portability, affordability and power that fuels the ongoing debate over whether a rigid solar panel is better to have rather than a folding solar panel.
So I got a 600 watt version of both to get this debate rolling, which is lightest, cheapest, more adaptable and, most importantly, produces more power?
The Allpowers 600 Watt folding solar panel can be purchased here - amzn.to/3L80am6
The rigid solar panel I have is sadly no longer sold.
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[@Andytreblezero]

The roof mounted panels are lifted off the roof so air will circulate under and keep a little cooler. This will improve efficiency. Just a thought as to why there's a difference.

[@andrewsmith5639]

Informative and hilarious! Absolutely love the soundtrack lmao! 😂😂😂 Is that's an app or a program John?

[@GadgetJohn]

I might have a new AI music app 🤭🤣

[@welshieonwheels]

I’m thinking folding cause it’s easier to clean it , where the blinking heck did you get the backing track , was it Mandy singing well done very interesting good 👍👍👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇨🇦🦢

[@GadgetJohn]

I’m starting in the music business now 🤣

[@karenholdaway8284]

Good summary, thanks. Just had 2 weeks on a campsite in South of France, van was parked under trees to keep cool, so roof mounted panel wasn't so efficient. Also a bugger to have to keep climbing up there to clean it off (tree sap, Sahara dust in the rain showers...). I could move my flexible panels around the pitch to get more sun, but it was a bit painful - those 'legs' on the flexible panels are not so easy! Am going to add some fixing points when I get back to make it easier to handle. But the opening tune! Who wrote a song about solar panels?!

[@GadgetJohn]

I wrote the song 😁

[@sarahobes2758]

I love my folding panels, having dogs I can park in the shade and put the panels In the sunshine. Horses for courses x

[@geoffcampbell7846]

Interesting John, thanks. Are we getting into AI music now? 😅 £1000 for a panel is a bit scary, I'd have to invest in a fence to keep everyone and everything away from breaking it😂 Take care. 👋🇬🇧🇪🇺🇺🇦

[@GadgetJohn]

I thought I’d try my hand at music creation to go along with the video creator 😂

[@geoffcampbell7846]

Not a bad job either.😊 it certainly opens up the scope for getting a message across 😅

[@grahamunderwood9353]

really like the idea of having both roof mounted and folding panels especially for harvesting the winter sun ,thank you for your informative vlog ,have seen on an American video a socket on the side of the van for plugging folding solar panels into but cant seem to find similar in the uk

[@PazLeBon]

foldables, whilst useful are overpriced imo, particularly when they feel more like 6 x 100w panels. maybe possible to buiild something yourself with smaller panels or at least people could make kits etc

[@JP-mu5ic]

Thank you John, have appreciated many of your informative videos. One point that might be interfering with this particular test. I have noticed that the Aferiy and similar build power stations when they are 80% charged will reduce the available charging rate by up to 50%. This is very obvious when charging from the mains - If say 500w charger input selected, the Aferiy will only draw 250w at above 80% charge. This reduction could well be being applied to the solar dc input as well? Keep the vids coming! Jim

[@matauboy]

Great summary where did the music come from 😂 and what's that "invisible" van parked next to you?

[@GadgetJohn]

I made the music myself, the invisible van you definitely can’t see.

[@clifftricker3024]

If and when I build another campervan, I'll put mine on a hinge built on a roof rack, I've seen some that can then tilt towards the sun. I've currently got 3 x 120 fixed solar panels and have never really had a problem so far, fingers crossed.

[@jamesmackay4652]

Allo,do you know of anyone or has panels mounted on the back doors [no punn intended]hehe been tried? cheers

[@GadgetJohn]

I once saw I van that had solar panels covering every panel

[@briandevitt6903]

Lots of good info there, thanks John.

[@GadgetJohn]

Any time!

[@Mary-fq6sm]

Good video. Here in the US we decided on the suitcase panel. With so many trees, it’s nice to be able to locate the panels in the sun yet park in the shade. Plus we have a vintage trailer & I really didn’t want to drill holes in the roof. Our southern summers are so hot that we still need an inverter generator when boondocking for a/c this time of year. Its great to have options though.

[@TrotterDel]

I'm using a similar setup John. 2x250 on the roof, although I can tilt them. And 200 folding . They work well through two separate Victron MPPT's. I'd bought a Bluetti off of a friend, along with the panels. Kept the panels, because I'd broken 2 100's having them free standing and then having them blow over in the wind. I sold the power station on, to someone who needed a hair dryer (?) I'm now able to run the van (almost) gas free. Still like the shower, although I do know, that only dirty people wash. On a different subject, Will you be at the Willow Field event this weekend ? It'll be good to catch up. Trotter.

[@GadgetJohn]

Yes I’ll be there, dirty or clean 😁

[@TrotterDel]

@@GadgetJohn See you (both?) Thursday, Friday 😇

[@PazLeBon]

lol

[@welshieonwheels]

So I was wrong , but maybe because you are 8 ft closer to the sun 😂😂 I’m sure the solar panel future is bright no pun intended, as the technology is improving all the time thank you well done 👍👍👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇨🇦🦢

[@pageant1fd]

Very informative John, as per usual. Thanks for sharing this , it’s appreciated.

[@travelcampervansandmore]

The purpose of a folding solar panel is that it can be easily positioned to face the sun to produce the best yield. I'm a bit perplexed by the usability of such a big one.

[@GadgetJohn]

That’s what she said 🤭

[@PazLeBon]

@@GadgetJohn

[@mortenleinan]

About your split charinging. Say the batterybank is full, will it charge the powerbank all the time? Or will it still switch from one to the other?(like shown in the video)

[@GadgetJohn]

It keeps both topped up automatically

[@richardhewitt.easyvanlife.6957]

The one on roof, is closer to the sun.

[@gwrclarke]

Another useful video - it seems strange that the manufacturers can make these claims on efficiency! Great music - interesting song.

[@GadgetJohn]

Thank you!

[@DA11NOON]

Great vlog John 👍

[@gadgetfellow]

👌👌👌

[@victor007ven]

😊

[@elizabethlyons9919]

👏👏👏

[@doobiedootwo3517]

Cheers John 🤗👍. I would find it really useful to know how to size solar panel array based on the size of the power station. I have a 900kw ecoflow delta mini and just bought the dabbson 2300. So far ive gone ehu every 3-4 days and topped them nothing up and that has been fine, but i plan to avoid ehu entirely soon so im after the largest folding solar i can use for the Dabbsson ( i have an old 140 solar which is fine for the delta mini)

[@GadgetJohn]

The usual thing is to get the biggest panel you can afford that will be compatible with the power station you have.

[@doobiedootwo3517]

@@GadgetJohnyeah thats the thing - compatability 😩 would be unfortunate to fry my power stations 🤪

[@PazLeBon]

@@doobiedootwo3517 the delta should say its maaaaaaximum input somewhere :)

[@doobiedootwo3517]

@@PazLeBon thanks Paz - ive since gone back to the manuals and got the max input for the Delta Mini ( 300w solar panel 11-75v) and Dabbson (800w max 12-60volts). I found a really good youtube channel which explained solar output to power station input, what figures are the important ones, and should i ever need to how to daisy chain in parallel and series and the differences and advantages of each 👍

[@PazLeBon]

@@doobiedootwo3517 cool man. tbh electricity isn't something ive really ever got my head around, prob cos makes me a bit nervous haha

[@wobby1516]

It would also be quite interesting to see how much better the folding panel would be if set at an angle towards the sun. 🙂

[@beepythevellfire]

Thank you for this, really interesting to see a direct comparison. I've currently got a folding panel for my van but I find it heavy and awkward to set up, and in a small van it takes up a *lot* of space even when folded. Have been looking at getting a decent fixed solar panel on the roof and this is definitely swaying me towards getting that done!

[@Rob.1340]

Thanks John. All the best. 👍🚐🚐😎