[TESTED] KINGS vs REDARC solar blankets - shoot-out! 🤠

[@mattway9434]

Thanks

[@TheMusingGreg]

My pleasure mate, thanks so much for your support!

[@wholenebaleba]

This panel can put out close to 100 watts kzbin.infoUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Which one did you like the best?

[@jonwing6523]

Understand kings stuff is the bottom end of the scale but Redarc should be held up to false advertising because of the price premium.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Mate this unfortunately is a problem with all solar panel / blanket manufacturers, it's not just Redarc. I agree that Redarc's sin might be seen as worse because of the price premium, but as per 15:30 the problem is there's no real-world testing standard, so every manufacturer is forced to advertise ideal lab condition results, otherwise it looks like their product's inferior to their competitors. The fact we're discussing a 150W Redarc blanket vs a 200W Kings blanket, when testing showed the Redarc performs BETTER than the kings, just proves this point. If Redarc advertised this as a 120W blanket for $1600, the situation would be even worse (although you could argue at least they're being realistic).

[@deanrwilson]

Kings make crappy stuff agreed. Redarc on the other hand is simply not realistic with their pricing. You could buy 6 x Kings Panels and allow for 3 failures and you would be ahead.

[@officialWWM]

Not all Kings stuff is crap though. I have loads of their stuff that’s lasting and working well.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You would be, although there's the e-waste and inconvenience side of things, and long-term you might be better with Redarc. It's a very long horizon though!

[@MrFastFarmer]

KIngs is unbelievable value for money. Crappy stuff.. hardly!

[@shiraz1736]

Yep more and more and more landfill. Great attitude champ.

[@blake9358]

@@MrFastFarmer Not with their solar blankets. Kings fridges are quite good

[@TheLilninja92]

yes kings works nowhere near as much as a Redarc, i'l still buy one 100% tho, becuase for the price of 8 King's you get 1 redarc, thats either 7 replacements or run 2 and outperform the Redarc easily for still waaaay cheaper

[@fatchunk3678]

There is literally no brand worse than kings. From the product, to the practises of the company themselves. You’re incredibly short sighted if you buy on price alone. Even if you are on a budget, there are so many budget options out there that perform better, and are sold my companies with less questionable morals.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You're right you could get 8x Kings blankets for the price which is the biggest mark against Redarc, although I'd still be backing the Redarc to be still going strong well after the 8th Kings panel's gone to landfill :(

[@shane0yourgod]

@@fatchunk3678 you have to be selective. Some of their gear is good, some not so good.

[@michaelhermans4753]

@@shane0yourgod I would stay clear of kings electrical gear

[@greghalliday4226]

You like to support Australian companies...they are both Australian companies selling Chinese made products...

[@einfelder8262]

Redarc is "havin' a laugh" with that pricing. A lot of Kings stuff is cheap and nasty, best avoided, although I have one of their winches and it's very good. There are plenty of "intermediate" solar blankets available, none of which will ever produce their claimed output in the field. I have a 120W Korr panel which will put about 6ah via a PWM into a nearly full AGM, which is good. From memory it was around $350.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment Ein. It's that 'intermediate' range I'm particularly interested to explore in future videos, so thanks for the tip on Korr!

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

An update to our previous comment. The Kings turned out to be pure rubbish and died and that seems to be a common experience. Redarc is still far too expensive for us but our Allspark is still going strong.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the update guys, long term experiences are very useful and it sounds like your experience is exactly matching mine! Glad to hear the Allspark is going strong, I didn't have it long but have only heard good reports from those who have them.

[@OffTheBeatenPathAus]

Great review. For me not nearly enough difference in performance to justify the price differential. Wold love to see a Kings vs Mid Tier e.g. kick ass or similar as others have mentioned around that $800 price point. Given you can buy around 8 of the kings blankets for 1 redarc, not to mention if you do a true cost comparison and buy the leads and PWM charger also from redarc it's probably 10:1.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment mate, yeah upfront the Kings is certainly very compelling, although I guess after a decade you'll probably end up more out of pocket and still have no working blanket. It's a long horizon to get that payback though. I'm hoping to get a few mid-range blankets together and do another shoot-out, so stay tuned and subbed for that one!

[@EyeRedDr]

All Kings products are the same, good for the stuff you dont need to save your life with. I'd be buying a Kings blanket each time I went on a long trip. Redarc are just taking the piss with their pricing.

[@TheMusingGreg]

I agree the Redarc price is hard to swallow. Although to be honest I would not be relying on the Kings for anything in remote areas, it's just not worth the risk. Weekend trips, sure, and if you're staying within a few hours of civilisation, sure. But I wouldn't do a long trip through the centre with this as my only power source. As per 0:25 all my Kings blankets have either failed or significantly underperformed well within 12 months and have done a nose-dive on output during that time too.

[@douglaslin5469]

Unfortunately your main comparison is flawed - you use a percentage of advertised power. You may have well as multiplied that by cost ratio. Then Kings would have easily won another of your categories. When people buy panels, they are aware of the relationship between price and performance. It is the output that matters. I have a costly camping setup, and bought a Kings panel with MMPT charger and also the extra 10 metre cable which added $40. I thought all up it was a great deal - if it worked. I realised that the gear was price compromised - such as the Anderson style plugs were not as good as the original maker's Anderson plugs. But the panel has worked surprisingly well. I test its output via my battery management system, inside my caravan. And Australian Off Road made van. I've seen quite high outputs too. I am suspicious too, about your treatment of the panels. I simply fold mine out, either on the windscreen of my tug, or typically, on the ground. And I leave it there. The fact is, that moving it around a lot, will wear a cheaper blanket. Although mine hasn't shown much wear at all. The compression wear you showed, is likey due to your squeezing the folded blanket together in your storage space. The blanket should not be squeezed - especially if you have the MMPT enclosed, plus the cables in the convenient pocket of the fold up blanket. As you did. If you're going to squeeze it into a tight space, then remove all the cables and solar controller from the fold up pocket - that pocket should be empty for yourself. Its best to have a space for it. It store it on top of other things. As far as the Redarc goes, they are in fact very tough. I know of someone whose driven over his a couple of times. He's had his for many years. So for him, its durability has paid for itself. Also, the Redarc is weather proof. So if it rains, it will still work. The Kings won't - it'll likely fry itself if it gets left out and condensation happens, or worse, it rains. For many though, the Kings is an outrageous bargain, along with its solar controller and cabling. If one saves a heck of a lot of money, one has to respect that their are cost savings involved in the King's product. Namely weather proofing and durability. But treat it right, from my experience, it has been fantastic. I've met others with the Kings panels, and they've only praised them - which was why I bought mine - based on users out in the bush. But if I was a pro, and expecting to use it for 8 years, and things were mission critical, I'd buy the Redarc. But I'd realised that the warranty would expire a long time before my return on expenditure. And by then, blankets would likely be better than they are now. The technology continues to improve. And finally, you said you bought the Redarc. But then you said it was lent to you. That was annoying for me, when you asked for sponsorship. Bit I will sign up and thanks for your efforts. Like blankets, I expect your reviews will get technically better! Good luck!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the detailed comment Douglas! I agree that people are generally aware of the relationship between price and performance; but what isn't clear from that broad understanding is IN WHAT PARTICULAR WAY the performance might be inferior in a cheaper product. Is it raw output less than advertised? Is it lack of bells and whistles? Is it inferior durability or longevity? 'Performance' could be any of those things, which is why impartial testing is helpful to understand in what particular way the 'performance' of a cheaper product is affected. I would suggest many folks who buy a cheaper blanket DO expect it to perform as advertised, but they feel it may not work for long or as reliably. They would therefore expect a 200W Kings blanket to give them around 200W of output, as I did when I bought mine. If they knew they'd only actually get about 75W out of it instead of 200W, I'm pretty sure a good number would reconsider their purchase. As such, a comparision looking at the ACTUAL performance vs the ADVERTISED performance is a useful way of assessing how happy someone is likely to be with their purchase. I mentioned this rationale towards the end. For this reason I don't agree the comparison is flawed, especially as I provided the raw output figures as part of the review too. You may not move your blanket as much as I do, but I don't think my use case of moving a blanket around during the day to catch the optimum sun is unusual or out of what a consumer could be expected to do. Kings certainly make no mention that we shouldn't do this, so I don't think this can be marked down as user error. I'm not sure what you mean about 'compression wear' on my blanket, but I don't store it with the regulator or cables in the bag, and it's not squeezed into a tight space for storage. Could you clarify what you mean by this? As far as general user satisfaction with Kings blankets, this is tricky because everyone uses them differently and peoples' ability to measure performance varies too. One factor is that many users may simply plug their blanket in and leave it assuming all is as advertised, and may be blissfully unaware they're getting a lot less than they expected. It sounds like this is something you monitor yourself, and I certainly do, but I don't know if this is true for the majority. Also, some comments from my other Kings blanket reviews indicated that early Kings blankets performed very well compared to newer ones, so this could account for apparent discrepancies in experiences. Given I've had four Kings blankets now in the past two years and have tracked performance on each of them with the same equipment, I think I've got a pretty sound information base to work from to give a fair indication of how current blankets perform. I never said I bought the Redarc, I said from the beginning Redarc loaned it to me. They sent it to me for a review, I used it, then sent it back. The only value I got from it was the power it generated for my batteries while I was using it. Redarc didn't compensate me in any way for my review. Can you please point me to the part of the video where I said I bought it? Thanks again for the feedback, look forward to continuing the discussion. Cheers, Greg

[@longy6612]

You'd be mad to spent 1600 bucks for only 150watts of charge

[@TheMusingGreg]

At first glance yes, but if that investment lasts you 10 years and never lets you down, compared to paying $200 for a product that only lasts one year and the hassle of it failing when you need it and getting it replaced... well it does change the equation a bit.

[@stephenthomson2196]

EVERY KINGS PRODUCT I HAVE PURCHASED HAS SHAT ITSELF TOTAL SHITE

[@TheMusingGreg]

I have definitely not had a good run with Kings either!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Note Redarc is aware of this video and is trying to post a comment but KZbin's not letting them. Hopefully it'll be fixed soon.

[@darrindouglas1]

Comprehensive testing and data collection...well done....... My kings blanket does the job asked of it. Previously running thru a Projecta DCDC charger is was a bit slow to start, but now running thru an Enerdrive DCDC and it is working great. For 1600 bucks I would buy another 7 kings blankets and have about 600w feeding my battery, which btw is only running a kings fridge, ARB compressor, some camp lights and charge points, so the one blanket is fine........

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the feedback Darrin, glad it was helpful!

[@lyndonkain4749]

I'm confused with this pricing, I've just ordered a 300w Redarc, $1400. I'll post how it goes

[@surfing4theloveofit]

I thought redarc was made in Australia, but like all this made in China 😢, disappointing test why do they over aggregate the pannels wattage, just not helpful, great video very informative thanks, rick in Perth Australia 👍

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment Rick. Yeah I was surprised and disappointed about that too when I first found out it. Kings and Redarc are both Australian companies, and Redarc does manufacture a lot of their electronics in their SA factory, just not the solar stuff for some reason. However don't assume it's just your typical generic Chinese product with a brand slapped on it - the assembly might be done in China but Redarc does at least do all the design, component selection here in Australia, and quality control monitoring in China, so it's still a vastly superior product to the Kings even though manufacture is done in the same country. My experience with China is that they'll make whatever quality you're willing to pay for, it's just that most people want the cheapest so that's the quality most factories produce.

[@surfing4theloveofit]

👍🤗

[@LongStraightLines]

I've had one of the early Kings 120w blankets for many years now (no longer available) and it's a beast. Similar power output to these two and zero damage so far. I run a high quality MPPT controller and it charges everything I need it to with ease. I guess I got a good one before the quality dropped away.

[@TheMusingGreg]

I'm sure that's exactly it. Wouldn't be the first time a company gets a good product to establish a passable reputation, then the bean counters get involved and things slowly die away!

[@cackle067]

For the price difference ill stick with kings and just buy 2 to make up the power difference

[@samartz]

What MMPT brand you run? heard the Kings ones are crap. Thanks

[@loveknowsnoborder]

@@cackle067 you'll still save a lot of coin for fuel :D

[@SlinkSquash327]

Amazingly informative, very thorough testing with all variables accounted for. Well done!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Glad you enjoyed it Jock! Please subscribe if you haven't already as I have more solar content in the works!

[@TheVeganTravelShow]

I use Redarc and I would buy again. I’ve used kings before and that experience is why I use Redarc now. Speaking of charge controllers though, not panels like in this review. The poor man buys twice should be the Kings motto. Powertech would be a better Kings panel comparison.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment. I'll be posting a review of some solar charge controllers soon which I did as part of an upcoming review on several different blankets. I agree they are definitely not all the same! Redarc is expensive but if you're happy to spend the money it seems you generally get a hassle free ownership experience which definitely isn't what I've had with Kings either!

[@troyhunter4740]

for the price of the redarc, i could build a whole solar array!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Haha yep that's pretty true!

[@Mick_4591]

Well you get what you pay for. Think you were " nit" picking about the redarc packing unpacking ect. You should do a comparison with the Bluetti range of solar panels. Nathan's channel Explore OZ would be a goid olace to start in regards to bluetti

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks Mick. I was documenting the things I found as I found them. I daresay with time I'd have gotten used to the Redarc, but it was definitely more cumbersome to set up and pack up than the Kings, and you have to think about it and concentrate on the order whereas the Kings is more intuitive. Bluetti has been on my radar for a while, and the current 4 way solar blanket shootout I'm preparing (kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKS1gGqXob2cl8U + the updated 160W Redarc blanket) was going to include Bluetti. However I couldn't justify buying yet another expensive blanket, and while Bluetti were prepared to loan me one, their extensive influencer agreement document wanted too much control over how long I took and their reviewing my work before publishing, and therefore how much freedom I had in thoroughly testing the product the way I wanted to. So it got cut in the end. I've seen Nathan's review already which looks nice, but having seen the document they wanted me to sign I can imagine the constraints it must have been done under and I wonder if the end result may have been different if he'd had complete freedom. I would rather buy one when I can justify it and independently review it without their oversight.

[@cdonuts7335]

Simple solution buy 8 Kings blankets for the price of 1 rip off Redarc! Plug the 8 Kings into a Victron 100/50 mppt controller and BAM!!! All the power you would need!!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah that would certainly give you heaps of power initially, but after a year or so you'll have lost about half the power in my experience. Plus 8 solar blankets is a lot to lug around! The old Redarc in this review certainly was expensive, but fortunately Redarc listened and that released an updated blanket (160W v 150W for the old one) and it's only half the price. I'm reviewing the moment so if you're interested to see how it stacks up make sure you subscribe.

[@iandibley2985]

Hi Greg I have a Redarc 190 watt folding panel pumps out 11 amps eats my mate's 200 watt Kings panels only thing was the price ..ouch but you get exactly what you pay for. Also I was a bit pissed to see it was made in China.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment Ian. I still think the Redarc is overpriced, but I agree the performance outguns the Kings, especially as time goes on. I would expect your Redarc panel will still be going strong well after your mate's sent six Kings blankets to e-waste recycling!

[@Chrazzari]

@@TheMusingGreg I hoped they'd be a bit cheaper. But it's nice to see a local company at least designing electronics. Redarc do heaps of components for mining trucks, like relays. They're pretty reliable considering the conditions and constant vibrations they go through.

[@TheMusingGreg]

@@Chrazzari I'd agree they have a great reputation, which is why I wanted to check them out.

[@dhern2613]

Very thourgh. Great comparison. Both disappointing performance compared to their advertised.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks mate glad it was helpful. As we speak I've got Redarc's updated version of this blanket out in the sun and doing a comparison with a few others which is proving pretty interesting. Stay tuned!

[@destinyangel5]

The cheaper KINGS is reliable and you are protected under Australian costumer laws its just the exaggerate about outputs because outputs are all unregulated in Australia. ALL of the solar blankets deteriorate over a few months of use even the $1600 buck ones . "REDARC out guns Kings by 10% " not worth it , who is buying REDARC ? weird you have to also buy 300 hundred bucks worth of connections as well as the $1600. crazy . The China made REDARC comes with eye watering prices are much more expensive than KINGS and are both made in communist China with questionable labour practices . How can the Adelaide Australian company that has exclusive rights to REDARC branding name , justify this massive difference in price ? . They are both protected by Australian consumer laws as well it seems dumb to spend $1600.00 plus more for all the cables for a REDARC set up is so dumb . With no regulation in Australia on the truth of outputs it's all a crap shoot .You are better off buying three or four of the 200$ quality and cycle through your three off four blankets and return on warrantee when they fail under Australian consumer laws . Still only spending half of REDARC that will as well deteriorate over a few months . REDARC is not fool proof either . Or go on Ali express they probably cost $50 bucks each all made with same Hoshine Silicon with the same Chinese labour force . Is that what these retailers are g doing by repackaging stuff re branding these panels putting massive mark ups on them ?Just like what going on with auto accessory stores do in Australia now when they buy in bulk off Ali express /Alibaba and rebrand creating exclusive store brands and repackage other products all manufactured in Chinese factories then massively mark up as much as 500% 1000% . But you can all avoid the high Australian prices, by going on line your self and discover how cheap these solar blankets and accessories really are and get them delivered to your door step.

[@TheMusingGreg]

I agree it's very hard to swallow the exorbitant price of the Redarc, but thankfully they listened to this review and have released an updated blanket which is only half the price. I'm reviewing that at the moment, so stay subscribed if you want to see how that stacks up against Hard Korr, itechworld and Companion kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKS1gGqXob2cl8U It still doesn't come with accessories, but at this price point it's likely most buyers would already have most of the accessories. Please note that while the Kings is probably just a generic Chinese product with a Kings logo, the Redarc is unique and you won't find it on AliExpress or anywhere else. It's their own product design and they specify what components are to be used and follow all the QC. So while they're both manufactured in China, the quality and performance of the end product is completely different, as my experience with Kings solar has shown kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZemfpKmZ5aWfdU But as I said in the review, the big problem is that the testing standard doesn't reflect what you'll get in the real world. Kings was far worse but neither were that close in regular use which was a shame. Hence why I'm here to measure that for you!

[@Vacublaster1]

The Redarc would be a viable option if it was $400 which is what it is about what it is worth, not $800 or $1600. We ALL like to buy Australian but not pay through the nose for a Chinese made blanket being sold by an Aussie company. Personally, I don't really care how good Redarc equipment may be, nobody minds paying more for Aussie made and owned. But, I would never pay that much of a premium just to get Aussie made stuff and this isn't even Aussie made, it is Chinese, what a con.

[@TheMusingGreg]

To be fair to Redarc, most decent solar blankets these days are in the $800-$1000 range - Allspark, Safiery, Bluetti etc. The $300-$400 range is really occupied by a cheaper grade of blanket, and having used Redarc and the Kings I definitely feel the Redarc's worth more than $400. That said, I agree $1600 is a bit much to swallow which is why I said about $800 in the review as the ideal price point. Their new 160W blanket is about that price now www.redarc.com.au/160w-solar-blanket-monocrystalline-cells - although it doesn't have Sunpower cells now. That might still be too much for some but at least it's in the right ballpark. You're right this is not Aussie made and I was disappointed about that, although it's still Redarc's design, component specification and QC, so while it's still manufactured in China at least it's not a typical Chinese product that's cheap and nasty just with a pretty label slapped on it. Thanks for the input VB, and great avatar! :)

[@simonr23]

I'm not a King's fan/apologist, but I'm more disappointed in Redarc here. The age old adage is that you get what you pay for... I'll accept the cheapie brand exaggerating, because its about 400% (maybe more!) cheaper than the brand name. If the brand name is saying their panel makes 150w, it better deliver it when it's sunny and it's between mid-September and mid-March.

[@TheMusingGreg]

I'm with you Simon, I had hoped for better. Although while the absolute performance wasn't much different, the Redarc is certainly superior in other areas which may matter a lot to a (probably small) percentage of consumers. Thankfully Redarc listened and have updated their 150W blanket. It's now 160W, drops the SunPower cells but it's also half the price. I'm testing it at the moment so make sure you're subscribed if you're interested in seeing how it works.

[@aussienscale]

I would say the percentage difference between the Kings and the Redarc verses the satisfaction, $200 bucks wins every time, If I was to pay $1600 bucks for a solar panel without any connections nor a solar controller, be it a PWM or MPPT, I would take the Kings every day of the week.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah certainly as far as initial raw performance goes I'd agree with you mate. The performance of the Kings seems to degrade fairly quickly where the Redarc didn't, so over time the performance gap will widen; and if long-term reliability is a big issue then Redarc has the edge. But still, $1600 is a whooole lot more to pay than the Kings, so it'll probably suit most people.

[@blake9358]

Red Arc are good for auxillary battery set ups, I wouldn't pay big money for stuff made in China like that Red Arc solar blanket, Adventure King's Solid panels are very good ,

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment Blake. I've not used Kings solid panels, based on my experience I wouldn't have wanted to try them but it's good hearing you've had a good experience with them. How long have you been using them, and how often? Do you have a way of objectively measuring power output now vs when you got them? I agree the price on the Redarc was hard to swallow! Thankfully Redarc listened and has released a 160w updated product for half the price, pretty well as I asked. I'm trying it out at the moment so make sure you subscribed if you want to see how that one stacks up. It's still made in China but the value proposition is different at $850 vs $1630!

[@vendreker]

I am happy to accept that the advertised power rating is a nominal amount based upon "ideal" performance conditions. That is, only during peak mid summer, mid day, no clouds or shade, angled correctly at the sun, no dust on the panel and no damage on the panel. As soon as you use it morning/afternoon, some clouds, not angled perfectly, some dust or some panel degradation, obviously you get less than 100%. This reduction varies a lot of how you use it and I would suggest its better for the consumer to know the ideal Watts and de factor according to their own intended use. I use a cheap unbranded 100W panel that came with cables and a charge controller for about $250. Rarely would I get more than 60W and probably averages more like 40W and gives me good value for money (similar to Kings review). If I really thought I need 100W actual power I would simply own 2 of them.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Hi Peter thanks for your comment. I agree with your first sentence and I feel the same, but the problem is that even under those ideal conditions which you mentioned, the blankets (particularly the Kings) still didn't come close to their rates capacity. As you would have seen I did various tests including those ideal conditions and didn't get more than 120W out of either blanket (ie 80% of the rating for the Redarc, and only, 60% for the Kings). That's why I wanted to do this test, to see how they actually work in the real world.

[@gazztracker]

red ark for $1648 and only produces 56% of its rating are you serious ??????the worlds gone mad since when have we accepted bad results like that and stil say we would buy one. you could buy 8 Kings solar blankets for that. you like to suport Australian companys but the are both made in china???

[@TheMusingGreg]

Did you check out the video on the updated Redarc unit kzbin.info/www/bejne/poHckGiCopKApZI I agree neither of these results are good, I don't like this situation and I said as much in the video. But until the testing standard changes, every blanket to one degree or another is in the same boat so my job is to help you understand what you WILL actually get, not whether it's right that you should have to rely on my work to tell you that (you shouldn't). The testing standard is of a single solar cell in a lab and manufacturers then calculate what the whole thing should produce. It may indeed be capable of producing that output in a perfect world, but it doesn't take into account all the losses you unavoidably get in the real world (e.g. cables, regulators, connectors, imperfect atmospheric conditions etc). Unfortunately until the testing standard changes, no manufacturer will want to use real-world power results because their product will immediately look worse than their competitor who still uses lab test results. That's why real-world testing like this is so important. But I don't like the fact it has to be that way.

[@spacewizard69r96]

Brilliant testing and video mate, well done!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thank you very much! Glad it was helpful!

[@andrewjones5416]

kings doesn't have anything answer for if you look a cost per watt, at $1600 REDARC should meet it's advertised wattage at a minimum

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah you're right Andrew as far as Redarc hitting its target. Kings clearly doesn't but at such a cheap price you might expect sacrifices; not so Redarc which as you say has no excuse for missing its target at that price. That said, I still think there's no excuse for a product failing to do what it's advertised as doing, regardless of price. Consumers buy based on this information so it should do what it says, maybe not for as long or as easily, but it should still do what it says when it's new. I needed 100w so I bought a 120W Kings blanket only to find out it only delivered 40W. It was utterly unfit for the purpose I bought it for and thus a 100% waste of money. I'm currently testing Redarc's updated blanket which is 160W vs 150W, and half the price. Make sure you subscribe if you want to see how that stacks up!

[@bobpfaff2258]

Kings pricing 0n most products makes it affordable for many people to go away camping. Many also only go away once a year. Few people go away to the real never never. And if you do go remote, you usually move every couple of days so alternator charges battery. Buy a first rate lithium auxiliary under bonnet battery such as DVS.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You make a good point about Kings, Bob. And as I said at the end Kings is probably good for weekenders, which as you say is what many travellers are. People just have to understand their limitations.

[@waynehobbs5175]

Buy 2 kings and over a year you will get more output for 20% of the purchase price. Forget the buy Australian spin, both are made in China but sold by Aussie companies. Redarc doesn't win an Aussie credibility over Kings for that attribute.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You're right on the output side of it Wayne, although I wonder for how many years that might be true? I found my last Kings blanket lost nearly half its power output in only 3 months. Both are made in China, you're right, but at least there appears to be design work on the Redarc unit done locally, whereas the Kings one appears to be just a generic Chinese unit with a Kings label slapped on it. Still, I'm with you that the Redarc is a hard pill to swallow at that price!

[@OldFellaDave]

I think I'd rather buy 6 Kings Solar Blankets and STILL have money to buy 2 more if needed than one RedArc. They're taking the piss!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah it's pricey that's for sure, although i hate to think of all the e-waste from all the failing Kings blankets. Redarc have released an updated version (160W) which is half the price now. I'm reviewing it as we speak so make sure you're subscribed if you're interested in seeing how that stacks up against similarly priced blankets!

[@chrissinclair8705]

Why not get the REDARC at 10 times the price so you can feel like an Apple product purchaser?

[@TheMusingGreg]

Haha! Yeah it's not going to suit many shoppers that's for sure! Although they've released an updated version for half the price which I'm reviewing at the moment, so without knowing anything else it would be a more compelling option at $850. Stay tuned for the review!

[@smileydave3907]

Looking at the percentages of advertised output. Both blanks provided 120W Therefore Kings is far better bang for the Buck

[@TheMusingGreg]

In one single test they did, but over a range of conditions which reflects normal use, the Kings was consistently lower. You cannot expect 120w in typical use from the Kings. That said Kings is still much better bang for buck than the 150W Redarc. Since this review, Redarc has a released an updated 160W blanket for about half the price which I'm testing at the moment, so make sure you subscribe if you're interested in seeing how that stacks up.

[@-Awareness]

So nearly 8 times the price for about 10% more average power output…

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep that's basically it upfront. However as per 16:28 - 16:59, in my experience I found the Kings blankets lost about half their power output in three months' use, so as time goes on that 10% gain is going to grow more in favour of the Redarc. So the Redarc isn't perhaps quite as expensive as it initially appears, especially if you're a regular user.

[@sheep3854]

Thing is panels are tested at what they call STC, or standard test conditions which is controlled temps and 1000w/m2, real world is much higher than 1000w/m2 depending on where you are.... Real world varies so much between areas you couldnt advertise it that way. your real world in the land of crocs is vastly different to say North canada...

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep you're right about the standardised test. The problem is there's a big difference in the output you get from sticking one individual panel under a bright lamp in a lab, measuring its output and then multiplying that figure by the number of panels on your blanket, vs having those same number of panels wired together, and the generated power being output via Anderson or MC4 connectors and then into some sort of cable. These extra links all create real-world losses which are entirely predictable and unavoidable in the real world, and in my view these losses should be catered for. As I showed in the video, I tested both these blankets at a range of latitudes and never came close to the rated output, especially on the Kings. I don't think I could have had better conditions for testing these blankets, being in a range of latitudes, clear skies and sun directly overhead yet I was still a long way from the advertised output. If in my ideal conditions it's so far from the advertised rating, it's going to be even worse in places like Canada or Tasmania. There will always be some variation between lab tests and the real world, but at the end of the day if the consumer's not getting close to what a product is advertised as producing then there's a problem. That's why I do real-world testing so people have some idea of what they're ACTUALLY going to get from it, rather than just what the company claims.

[@roxguitarman86]

I have a 160w redarc fixed on the roof and a kings blunket for extra juice when out bush. Running 3x 110ah marine batteries at rhe back with 3000w inverter and coffee machine eache morning for the crew and never out of battery Large 95 litres weaco at the back too I bought the redarc second hand for $100 otherwise i wouldntr have bought it

[@TheMusingGreg]

Wow that's an incredible buy! Good job!

[@dperk1757]

Excellent video.. I guess you get what you pay for, but Redarc are taking the proverbial with their pricing!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Glad you found it helpful mate! Yeah the Redarc pricing was pretty ambitious, but fortunately they've released a new version which is only half the price. I'm reviewing it now and so far I like it more, so if you're interested in seeing how that stacks up make sure you subscribe if you haven't already.

[@simonr23]

Please expand your data to include "$/watt" and finally a durability test of "days usage/$", that'll will give a better consumer focused result.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks Simon I'll see if I can add that into the next blanket shootout I'm working on at the moment. I really want people to have data that helps guide a purchasing decision that's right for them so that may well help. Cheers!

[@vidzilla1]

Just curious, because of your odd names of things. If the solar panel doesn’t unfold do you call it a “solar pillow”?

[@TheMusingGreg]

Do you mean the term 'solar blanket' or did I say something else which seemed odd? You could be onto a new trend with solar pillow!

[@fkn16v]

How are these tiny panels charging batteries when your are out and about using your battery? Say your battery has a 3amp draw during daily use and your only putting in 5amp if your lucky , battery only seeing 2amp, pretty dismal really. And this doesn't even include distance to battery and things like that, all these measurements are from the solar panel but what is the battery seeing? PS. its alot worse then you think! Buy the biggest panel and cabling you can afford, start there first before anything. Then onto the quality of your battery and regulators.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Good question mate. It all depends on your battery capacity, power requirements and if you have any other way of charging the batteries. We have 2x 100Ah batteries, and our van uses a gas fridge, no A/C and no TV. We use fans to keep ourselves cool and an inverter to charge laptops for work. So our power requirements are pretty low. We also have a Redarc DC-DC charger kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2TYdmx7gKZmo6M which gets the batteries fully charged when driving. So for us, a blanket like these are sufficient to keep the batteries charged especially on full sun days, or at the very least reduce the discharge rate in partial sun so we can stay in the same spot for several days. But everyone's situation will be different which is why it's important to calculate your power requirements and choose a blanket to suit. I'll actually be using that as an example in an upcoming video on Power - stay tuned. So if you're drawing 3A off your batteries 24 hours a day, then yes a blanket only putting out 5A won't do a lot to charge it up. In that situation I would be getting something like the 225W Allspark blanket kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmnQq4GKm7uGZ7s to get as much charge into the batteries as possible. And of course yes, good quality cable and regulators are very important too. Cheers, Greg

[@xftexute]

So buy 3 kings blankets, save $1000 and one of then should work. Not a fan of kings crap but redark are just taking the piss with there prices

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah it was pricey for sure! Thankfully they've discontinued that model, and cut the price and improved the performance on the new model which I reviewed a little while ago. Check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/poHckGiCopKApZI

[@watto_2445]

Congrats mate! That was a perfect review 👌 especially the testing graphs and who should buy summary! I hope to see more like this in the future. I'm currently trying to decide between a Safiery 250W solar blanket and a 300W kickass solar blanket (high vs low pv voltage)

[@TheMusingGreg]

Glad it was helpful mate! I've got some similar content coming so make sure you subscribe! I'd be interested to know which one you decide and why! Cheers, Greg

[@watto_2445]

@@TheMusingGreg Looking forward to it! Have you seen this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZmWlJtraLubbK8. Impressive if true. I'll get back to you on our decision. Also its interesting to compare the panel average watts per m². Redarc is almost 50% larger then kings. Using your average power values for the panels and the surface area: Redarc = 44W/m² vs Kings = 60W/m²

[@TheMusingGreg]

@@watto_2445 That Safiery does look impressive, although without seeing how the whole setup was configured it's hard to be sure. Regarding the power per square metre, not sure how you worked those out, but if you look at the ACTUAL average power measured in the test you'll find the Redarc is comfortably more efficient for the same surface area as it produces more power for a slightly smaller surface area: Kings surface area: 1.11x1.15m = 1.27sqm Kings average power: 76.5W Kings power/sqm: 76.5/1.27 = 60W/sqm Redarc surface area: 1.21 x 0.92m = 1.132sqm Redarc average power: 83.44W Redarc power/sqm: 83.44/1.132 = 74.95W/sqm

[@watto_2445]

@@TheMusingGreg yes you're correct! I was looking at the wrong dimensions for the redarc blanket.

[@brent7344]

@@watto_2445 the main point of difference is the solar controller I reckon. You'd get much more out of those 2 blankets with a top quality mppt controller like the victron that safiery use in their products and builds. Safiery are a top notch no bs company. But like redarc, they're bloody expensive!

[@peterlongland6862]

You state you like to support Australian companies but both products were made in China. Apart from that, I appreciate your video. I have found kings cheap, in fact too cheap so a person does question quality here. I agree redarc is way too expensive especially not to get a full usable kit.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You're right Peter, but at the time I arranged the blanket from Redarc I assumed it was made in Australia. It was only once it arrived I found it was made in China - although as I understand they control the quality very closely and have it made to their design, unlike Kings who appear to slap their label on whatever's the cheapest pre-made product available.

[@markcarleton7809]

Great review. Hard to beat the kings for $ per output. Would be nice the find a quality panel for a reasonable price

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks Mark! Check out my Kings vs Allspark review kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmnQq4GKm7uGZ7s Maybe that's the product you're looking for?

[@paulalmond7042]

Kings underperform. Yeah sure. Red arc over priced hell yes. I will take kings everyday of the week.

[@TheMusingGreg]

It's sure hard to argue against the huge upfront discount!

[@markaz2kk]

Remember…. Your supposed to go by manufacturer options. Boot, bonnet, windows or tent. On the ground is ok for long periods.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep angled is definitely best however in practice it's not always possible. I'm currently reviewing new Redarc's 160W blanket for a future video, and while page 13 of the 160w blanket's manual does show various angled mounting options, page 6 recognises that with their solar blanket (i.e. without legs) it's not always possible to have it angled to the sun. This is the drawback with not having legs on solar blankets and it's what I found in practice - your best camp spot might be facing west towards a stream or the sunset, and the mountains might shade the front of the car in the morning. Your only clear patch of morning sun might be in a clearing a few metres off to one side where you simply don't have a windscreen, caravan awning, bonnet or boot to choose from.

[@samartz]

Anyone recommend a good MPPT thats as expensive as Redarc? Heard Kings' MMPT are crap

[@TheMusingGreg]

Not I sorry. I've got 3 MPPT regulators but 2 are Kings and 1 is Redarc! I agree the Kings aren't that great. In some cases I've gotten better performance from a PWM regulator!

[@bigfishfishing-111]

I have to mention this sorry. I can't stand seeing all the 4x4 on the beach with Kings Awnings😆. I had to get that of my chest

[@TheMusingGreg]

Haha yeah there are plenty of those! Just left Perlubie Beach near Streaky Bay and saw plenty there!

[@roocrew86]

Red arc is a joke They make a handful of quality products then sell shit off the back of that for 10x pricing

[@TheMusingGreg]

I agree the price of the blanket is extraordinarily high relative to the competition. I just hope they review this feedback and bring a more competitively priced product to market in the future.

[@outdoors5352]

Redarc are dreaming with their pricing. Great products, but stupid prices on their solar. The Hardkorr solar crockskin blankets are half the price and have great reviews.

[@TheMusingGreg]

In that case you might be interested in kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKS1gGqXob2cl8U. It's also going to include Redarc's latest blanket which is half the price!

[@kieronmarshall2658]

Really how much carrying about you gonna do and instead crab claw grip how about cupping the hand underneath. As for folding unfolding test you looked to deliberately twist the redarc strap.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You carry it every time you set it up and pack it up. It may not be far but you'd do it every day. I noticed it as an obvious downside when I used it which is why I mentioned it - as my viewers would expect me to. Most of the time I just grabbed it from above like the Kings one. I did try holding it underneath a couple of times but it seemed to want to keep tipping one way or the other. The best way was with two hands like carrying a large tile or paver. As far as deliberately doing anything, I'm not here to make one product or the other look better, I just capture what happened, so you're off the mark there. It's an impartial analysis of both products and I have no reason to favour one over the other. If you're meaning at about 5:14, I get that it might look like that but if you run it through at 1/4 speed, you'll see the strap was actually already twisted after the blanket was folded up, and the twist got worse because I was holding the strap with one hand and rotating the blanket around the right way with the other hand. That's why I let it go to unravel itself and then fold it up. This would have been more obvious if I'd included the full length of that folding up clip, but there is always so much footage available that things often have to be cut down as far as possible to prevent it being too long and boring. But that all happened in about half a second, so I think you overestimate my sleight of hand skills if you reckon I could deliberately pull something like that off in such a short timeframe! :D

[@petermcmurtrie]

Good review, unfortunately you have allowed a bias based on your previous experience of the King Blanket creep into to conclusions.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment Peter. I have definitely taken into account my previous experience with Kings blankets, but I don't think that's the wrong thing to do because it means a more realistic recommendation on how the Kings is likely to perform longer-term. It would have been ideal to have had the Redarc blanket for 12 months too and really do a good side-by-side but Redarc couldn't spare the blanket for that long. However, the lack of any visible panel damage or performance degradation over the three months with the Redarc, compared to both occurring on the brand new Kings blanket over the same period, suggests the conclusions about quality would be valid even if I ignored my past experience with Kings blankets.

[@luke070299]

So can someone tell me which solar blanket does output close to claimed power as I bought 2 kings and already sent a new out the box one back and probably will the other after self testing and confirming what is said in this video. Max wattage output is 83w on the better one and 62w on new out of box one Thanks

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah it's a pain hey and that's exactly what I'm trying to discover! The best I've seen so far is the iTechWorld 300W blanket which I saw at someone else's camp. It was putting out 270W, or 90%, but curiously a 200W itechworld blanket under identical conditions only put out 140W, or 70%. The other pretty good one is the Allspark 225W unit which I got up to 80% in my review. I'm in the process of testing three 200W blankets so should have some more data to help you with in the next couple of months. Stay tuned!

[@inniscloete8957]

Just asking, why buy the Red Arc at that extortionate price if it is still made in china? Surely it can be sold much cheaper, or is the consumer paying for the brand again?

[@TheMusingGreg]

Good question Innis. Check out Redarc's official response: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3LGpYGwd79sfKM&lc=Ugz1_YUl2WkeBEvXyV94AaABAg In theory this should mean the Redarc blanket lasts longer and continues to perform in the long term, and this was certainly my experience as the Kings blankets all lost performance fairly quickly over time. So you're paying for long-term performance. I agree the Made in China thing is annoying, however our prejudice on that is often because the brand owner has prioritised price over quality and the Chinese manufacturer has simply made what they were asked to. Since most people are trying to make the cheapest goods out there, most Chinese stuff ends up being poor quality, however I know from personal experience that if you demand quality from a Chinese manufacturer you can normally find someone who is willing to produce it. The superior longer-term performance of the Redarc blanket shows their strategy has worked.

[@dachet10]

Good review! however you fell into the common trap of not saying the state of the battery. The claimed output of panels is when they are in full sun and have a load they can provide the power to. No matter how good your regulator is they all have to follow Ohm’s law. So a battery that is flat at say 10v will accept more power than one that is fully charged at say 14v. Just like any modern charger they have steps. Bulk, Absorption and Float as the voltage of the battery rises. If you want to test a little better then you need to have electronic battery simulators where the voltage can be adjusted. If you have solar on your house you can see that the panels work harder in the morning when your batteries are lower than in midday when sun is higher and directly overhead. Reason is once batteries are charged they will not take any more charge.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You're right I forgot to mention this! However I'm definitely aware of how battery voltage could affect performance, and I regularly checked the battery voltage to make sure I only did the tests when they were low enough to have the Redarc DC-DC charger (shown at 11:12) running flat out (Boost mode). When it's in Boost mode it's pumping whatever the blankets produce straight into the batteries, whether they'd be floating at 12.0 or 12.8V. If the charger is in Absorption mode, I've noticed the readings on the power meter fluctuate around a lot, so it's very obvious to me when I'm taking measurements if the charger's suddenly switched charging mode. You can be sure they were all fair comparative tests under full load conditions, but I'll make sure I specifically point out that detail in future. Cheers!

[@Kingofrestrrooms666]

thanks for the review, is there another brand that is better than Kings at around the same price or only 100 or 200 more but superior to Kings? Thanks..

[@TheMusingGreg]

I'm looking at testing some products in the $500-600 range but haven't yet. Others have recommended hard korr and itechworld which might be starting points. My concern about $200-300 blankets is they might not be much better, or could even be the same thing just with a different brand. But in the cheaper range you could look at xtm or ridge Ryder. Again I've not used these yet but they're alternatives to consider.

[@nenadstanojevic1427]

Final Answer. You don't buy eather of them. Both are duds.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Maybe! It remains to be seen whether there's another product out there which works better. Only at that time could I call either of them a dud. Stay subbed as I'm looking to do a mid-range blanket test in the future!

[@pinkcnc]

10 kings price vs 1 redarc...kings win outright....hahaha

[@TheMusingGreg]

Certainly on the initial outlay that's correct. Though over time my experience suggests you'll end up having to replace a lot of those 'cheap' Kings units, so it won't end up as cheap as it might seem.

[@GregRickard]

Solution? Use fixed panels. Would like to see Kickass thrown in.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep fixed panels help out in some regards but they have their own drawbacks. If you mean a fixed roof-top panel, the issue there is getting optimal sun angle as well as not getting any sun on them if you're trying to keep cool by parking in the shade. If you mean folding / portable fixed panels, they can get around the heat issue if they're up at an angle, but they're physically much larger and harder to store if you're tight on space. I'm getting a list of a few other brands to look at in future videos, thanks for the suggestion.

[@lyndonkain4749]

300w Redarc coming my way. $1400, I'll post how it goes

[@TheMusingGreg]

Wow good on you! Yes please keep us posted!

[@Chris-by8eh]

what about kings price per watt vs redcar price per watt . IE performance for the money you are paying for. Not all can afford redarc ?

[@TheMusingGreg]

Good point Chris. I actually did that initially on the claimed outputs, but decided to leave it until I'd done the tests, then forgot! Working on the average initial power outputs of 76W for the $200 Kings and 83W for the $1600 Redarc: Kings: $2.63/W Redarc: $19.86/W When both blankets are new, Redarc is 7.5X the price per watt. As per 16:45 - 17:00, the output from my old one dropped by 48% in three months (83W down to 43W), so hypothetically, if you assume this new Kings blanket does the same (which isn't guaranteed but has certainly been my and others' experience) t means it'd be down to 39.5W. Running the numbers again, you get: Kings: $5.06/W Redarc: $19.86/W Once the Kings loses half its output, the Redarc is 3.9X the price per watt. So the Redarc's still more expensive per watt, but the numbers are closed. However if you bought the Kings 200W blanket because you watched this video and decided 76W of power was sufficient for your needs, but several months later you're only getting 40W, well chances are it won't actually meet your power needs anymore and you might need to replace it completely.

[@cullengarrick9036]

The type of person buying red arc doesn't want a separate regulator if they are not using it e.g. if they already have a bcdc it won't be used and a mppt regulator would most likely be hard mounted if that was there choice of regulator

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep that's true and possibly why they left it out. But if they don't have a regulator at all, then it's a pain to have to buy it separately when Kings gives you at least a basic one.

[@officialWWM]

“Loaned” it to you? They should give you one! Mind you, at that price, it’s not really surprising!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Well I wouldn't have minded a donation of course! But I wasn't going fishing for free products and just reviewing products from whoever was going to sling me free gear, that's not how this channel works. I knew Redarc had a good reputation so I was just wanting to get my hands on one one way or the other to be able to find out what it was really like.

[@officialWWM]

@@TheMusingGreg fair enough.

[@charlesvella2431]

Buy cheap get cheap, as for angling the redarc panel I always park my cruiser facing north and lay the panel over the windscreen that way it serves 2 purposes

[@TheMusingGreg]

That's a great suggestion!

[@BennyBestt]

Neither are waterproof. Buy a smaller one for a windscreen shade or forget about them entirely😊

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yes neither are waterproof although the Redarc is a lot more sealed than the Kings. Blankets are a good choice if storage space is an issue, especially the newer ones I looked at some of which have legs kzbin.info/www/bejne/poHckGiCopKApZI

[@task82]

What an incredibly in-depth review!!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks mate, glad you found it helpful! Which one do you think is best for you?

[@task82]

​@@TheMusingGreg between the two, I think I'd go the Kings, purely because of costs. But to throw a curveball, it would be great if Hardkorr could provide you with their 200W heavy duty solar matt for the same rigorous testing against the Redarc. Pricing is pretty reasonable, but the 3yr warranty is what stands out to me.

[@TheMusingGreg]

@@task82 That would be an interesting shoot-out for sure! Unfortunately the Redarc blanket's now gone back to Redarc but I probably have enough data vs the Kings to do a comparo with the Kings and be able to extrapolate how it would have compared to the Redarc.

[@TimSargent77]

great review . I run a kings 200W blanket for my trailer .I know it's a low end blanket but honestly for the money how can you justify a $1600 blanket that doesn't perform that much better than the kings. Redarc is overpriced . I Only running a cfx355 and some strip lights in the camper and charging chromebooks etc i don't have huge loads . The kings blanket for the money performs very well . hooked up to an intervolt dccpro charing 2 x 100ah gel .

[@TheMusingGreg]

Kings certainly has the upfront value proposition stitched up, you're right there Tim. In terms of power output the Redarc isn't that much better that's right - it will last longer and keep going, but I find it hard to justify THAT much more of a premium for that feature unless you're a full-time traveller and need the ultimate in reliability.

[@kyfisher3662]

thanks for this video, it was realy clear and easy to understand everything you went through. youd make a great teacher!

[@TheMusingGreg]

Glad it was helpful and thank you for those kind words! Redarc has since updated their blanket so make sure you check out the updated review kzbin.info/www/bejne/poHckGiCopKApZI particularly parts 3 and 4.

[@Maddog00427]

Honest, Fair review. . Thanks for the video and the time you put into this.

[@TheMusingGreg]

My pleasure Craig, thanks very much for the feedback. I'm glad you found it helpful. Please subscribe if you haven't already (apologies if you have, YT makes it hard to check individual subscribers!)

[@martysewell4168]

Blankets are not like for like though. They are different types of panels. Hence the price difference in cost

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep that's true, that's why it's good to compare them in a review and see what benefit the more expensive panels brought - in this case better performance, a tougher coating and (presumably) longer lifespan. The Allspark blanket also uses Sunpower cells like the Redarc but it's only half the price - check out the Kings vs Allspark review kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmnQq4GKm7uGZ7s

[@mash5702]

would have been good to know to cost of the extras for Redarc, guess it would be crazy

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah that's a good point. I think they were about $300 but I'll put that into the next review I'm working on which includes an updated Redarc blanket.

[@alawadi911]

change that pmw controller that comes with kings to mppt and you will get better results.

[@TheMusingGreg]

I used a MPPT regulator for all tests, see 11:07. The Kings does come with the PWM regulator but I didn't use it for this test.

[@mustangdude11]

Hi Greg, I took your advice and bought a solar blanket other than Kings. It's a Baintech 180w and made in Aust. (Cheaper than Redarc, $750.00) What's your thoughts about laying it on the bonnet of a car? I see it as a recipe for disaster with regards to overheating. Most panels have a max operating temperature and I think without proper ventilation that temperature could be exceeded easily on a hot day. My friends "stick on panels" died prematurely because of excess heat.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the update mustangdude, I've never heard of Baintech so I'd be interested if you can comment back later to report how you find its performance! I agree 100% re the overheating thing. Resting on a bonnet or windscreen is a very convenient way to use the solar blanket, but the lack of ventilation will certainly make them run hotter and *likely* reduce the service life. If you can have some sort of a frame / spacer between the back of the blanket and whatever it's resting on it will certainly go a long way to reducing that issue. Cheers, Greg

[@peterstewart3563]

Thanks for the informative video.

[@TheMusingGreg]

My pleasure mate!

[@justcruising5856]

Where can I buy 1 of those digital monitors?

[@TheMusingGreg]

I got mine off eBay www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=12v+anderson+plug+power+meter&_sacat=0&mkcid=1&mkrid=705-53470-19255-0&siteid=15&campid=5338943146&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1 There were lots of sellers listing the same thing. The sticky plastic cover explaining what's displaying what on mine came unglued after a while but most of them still appear to be the same thing.

[@craigtomkinson2837]

Great vid and comparison, But all blankets that Ive seen and test my mates have used are crap, I would never own one, second hand house panels with MPPT controls eat them

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep I've heard that too. It's just the space issue with panels vs blankets. But if you've got room for panels then they'll probably give better results.

[@MEOxley23]

You mean one of the high voltage ones? What mppt controller would you recommend?

[@craigtomkinson2837]

@@MEOxley23 Yep any of the ones 30 to 60 volts I got 175watt 37 volt ones they put out 13 amps in good sun, with Victron Mppt controller

[@jonathonbrisbane2350]

@@craigtomkinson2837 what mods need to be done to make it work with 12v mate?

[@craigtomkinson2837]

@@jonathonbrisbane2350 Just hook the panel up to the Controller and hook controller to batteries, just depends on what size panel you buy a 180 size with put out around 13amp max, 250watt around 18 amps if you buy Victron 75/15 or 100/20 it does it all

[@dontrump4697]

$1600 for solar blanket! You got to be joking!!!

[@TheMusingGreg]

It was pricey that's for sure! But I've just gotten hold of their latest 160w unit which is about $800 and currently putting it through its paces, and first impressions are very promising! Make sure you subscribe to see the full review when it comes!

[@lexaharpell5196]

Great review and valuable information, thank you! I bought a Hard Korr blanket. I added a soft cotton/nylon tie loop to all points (cut from a small tent rope) for easier handling to move around and hang with hooks. I devised a 'stand' using my spacer bars (normally used for my annex) - using a bolt and nut to join 2 together to make an adjustable A x 2 - the 5th I threaded in the loops I had already attached and fed it into U bolts on the outer A type frames. It is a little bit of work to set up, yet you can adjust the angle during the day by extending the individual spacer bars. I've also tried using some lightweight coreflute sheets to place at the back of the blanket (for stability) and used a cut down noodle as legs which you do have to add a rock or something to keep it in place. After much trial and error, I worked out to park my van east/west (when I can) to prop it at an angle for am/pm on the windscreens and lay flat in the middle of the day. After 3 months it is already showing those small circular bubble holes of the surface lifting. Which is very disappointing. *My head is not even close to understanding the output and percentages as you have explained so well. So thanks so much for this information.

[@TheMusingGreg]

No worries at all Lexa, glad it was useful. Thanks for sharing how you made the stand, that sounds a good approach. Sorry to hear of the problems with your Hard Korr blanket though, if I were you I would be looking to get it replaced while it's still under warranty. Cell delamination is the beginning of the end for solar panels as it can allow air and moisture into the cell and cause corrosion. Let me know if you need clarification on any of the geeky data! Cheers, Greg

[@lexaharpell5196]

@@TheMusingGreg I sent off an email to them Friday night and received a reply 9am Monday. Filled out the forms photos etc and shall see how the next one fairs. Need to watch more on your chanel. Always learning while travelling. Thanks again for your valuable information.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Great so they honoured the warranty then? Glad the channel's been helpful, travelling is a constant learning experience!

[@Aussie_Damo]

You say false advertising on wattage, but you have to go off the lab tested results due to them being able to be replicated everytime coz real world everyday time and place outside is different and will give misleading results everytime. Not to mention you will never get the perfect world results they are rated to due to efficiency loss on ever panel and they vary due to the panel and bus bar construction aswell. To be honest I'd look at the bcf xtm blanket as it looks similiar panels to the redarc but is cloth and not rubber.

[@TheMusingGreg]

You're right Damien that they all rely on some form of lab tests. Redarc specifically states this in the manual (and even that it's the cell out of the blanket i.e. without any protective coatings), and I'm sure Kings would have said the same if I'd gone looking for it. I agree there needs to be a consistent testing standard, but that consistent standard should be reflective of the real-world conditions, not ideal lab conditions. For example, who cares if a blanket can produce 300W at -100 degrees C with a 10kW lamp held 2cm from the blanket's surface. The testing needs to give consumers a good idea of what they will be able to achieve from a fully assembled blanket in clear skies under full sun.

[@Chrazzari]

@@TheMusingGreg yeah I'd love an ISO standard or something they can use, even if they provide a few different scenarios to simulate a variety of climates around the world. Air gap, temperature and light can all play a bit of an effect on it. Was talking to a guy doing his PHD on lighting, and simulating the sun. Its is a bit of an imperfect balance, they can get it really close, but balancing it to get exactly the right peaks in the wavelength isn't easy. That said, it may not need to be that precise to get a rough indication of real world conditions. His use was a little different.

[@aussieadventurenerd8137]

If you got the space you could buy 3 of the kings blankets for less than the price of a redarc and if one fails you have back ups. That’s what id be doing

[@PhilShenton]

And ther Redarc will still be running when you have to buy a 4th, 5th 6th and so on.. Doesn't sound like good economics. Not to mention additional space and weight in the vehicle requirements.

[@aussieadventurenerd8137]

@@PhilShenton valid point. I’m looking at another cheaper option over the kings. Might be the same story but still can’t justify the price of the redarc

[@TheMusingGreg]

Exactly right Phil. That's where the Redarc SHOULD shine through. But you probably need to have a regular use for it to be able to justify the price.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Let me know what you choose and how it works. I might try to do a mid-range blanket comparo in another video.

[@shadowjohn2266]

redarc is not a australian product its made in china at 12 times the price of the kings one and i take care of my gear my 200w kings one is still working as good as the day i got it with no cracks and no tears i dont know what you do but your hard on the gear

[@TheMusingGreg]

Correct it's made in China like the Kings, but the components are much better than the Kings. I don't think it's 12x better though! Thankfully Redarc has released an updated (160W) version for half the price which I'm trialling at the moment, so stay tuned and subscribed if you'd like to see when it's released. No I'm not hard on my gear at all, I look after it well. However we were travelling full time so it got used regularly and three of them failed in normal use. I don't know how often you're using yours, but this is why I said at the end that Kings is probably a good option for occasional travellers but not full time travellers. In my experience they simply don't last and their performance drops off too.

[@Alberthoward3right9up]

It sounds like you have burnt to many times by king's.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yes I have. That's why I wanted to share my experiences with others.

[@petergrady8848]

so i could by 4 kings blanket's and return under warranty each year

[@TheMusingGreg]

Not sure mate, some places only honour the warranty from the date of your original purchase to prevent never-ending returns, so after 12 months you might be on your own even if you got a replacement unit at month 11. Check with 4WD Supacentre if you wanted to be sure.

[@sharynbradbury1054]

how long had you used these solar mats you look like your out camping long term

[@TheMusingGreg]

Hi Sharyn, both these units were brand new. We had been camping for about 15 months, and still do periods of travel but not for as long now. The Kings was a brand new warranty replacement from an earlier unit which failed (actually three earlier units!) while the Redarc was a brand new unit loaned to me by Redarc for the test.

[@PETERSTACEY1960]

just buy 6 blankets from kings more power

[@TheMusingGreg]

That'll definitely work upfront, although long-term you may be $1200 down and end up with no working panels.

[@Sam-hl7ks]

Mate , remember the price diff. Unfair comparison .

[@TheMusingGreg]

I addressed the price difference at the beginning of the video so I've definitely not forgotten that. The value is in answering the question of what you get for the extra money, or conversely what do you lose with a cheaper unit.

[@cbokorun]

Would love to see the itechworld 300w panel tested by you.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Well stay tuned mate because I'm currently testing the 200W itechworld blanket! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKS1gGqXob2cl8U I thought about the 300W version but the 200 makes for a fairer comparison with the others in the mix, however I actually got my hands on a 300W blanket for about half an hour and did some testing which will be in the review, so stay tuned!

[@BradGryphonn]

I use a fair bit of King's gear but wouldn't touch their solar blankets again. I had a 200-watt blanket and didn't use it. I ended up giving it to mate, and when he eventually connected it up, it was a dead blanket. I now have 2 x 160-watt fixed panels and have designed a system so I can tilt them in any direction with the removal of a couple of straps. Of course, I haven't built the design that's still in my head, so it may work in theory...but maybe not in a practical context.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah I won't be buying Kings solar again! Your adjusting angle design sounds good, maybe you should manufacture 'The Griffin Frame'! In the current video I'm working on (itechworld vs Hard Korr vs Companion vs Redarc) I've already seen the benefit gained by a small adjustment in panel angle under certain conditions.

[@BradGryphonn]

@@TheMusingGreg Sounds great, Greg. I look forward to seeing the results.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Cool stay tuned! :)

[@dunnart100]

I agree with comments relating to Redarc solar blanket pricing. Gouging is the word that comes to mind. I agree with your comments Greg about it being more suitable for someone doing a lot of travelling (although the price is too rich for me). Yes, you can buy 8 Kings blankets for the price of the Redarc, but that would be a huge hassle if you're on the road a lot and relying on solar input. And why would you want to keep purchasing the same product that fails regularly ? I wouldn't. On a very minor side note, surely the Redarc can be easily held by cupping your hand under the blanket rather than trying to hold it from above. Thanks for the video - it was informative.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks Dunnart100, I appreciate your comments, and you've clearly 'got' the message in terms of he value proposition of Kings vs Redarc. If you're travelling a lot then the inconvenience of failed Kings panels, returns, credits, trips to the post office to pick up replacement units etc has to be taken into consideration (and that was a reality for us with all three failed Kings units). That's why I recommended the Redarc for full-time travellers. Yep you could hang your arm down and cup / wrap your hand around the underside edge of the blanket, I don't think I ever tried that, although I think the size might make it a bit of a challenge. If it was smaller like a ream of paper you could carry it that way and it would come just above your wrist; if it was larger like the Kings blanket it'd come close to your armpit and still be OK as your armpit would stop the top from wobbling around. But I reckon the size of the Redarc means it's going to be up around your elbow where the top half is going to want to wobble around. Interesting thought though, I wish I'd tried it.

[@AH-wn6dw]

Great review. Both actually seem expensive given they don't last that long. Perhaps solid panel is a better, more reliable option?

[@TheMusingGreg]

What makes you think the Redarc doesn't last long? I agree the Kings doesn't last too long but in my experience with the Redarc its performance was consistent the whole way through. That said a solid panel will probably give better performance because you can prop it up at the right angle and that helps the blanket to run cooler too, but you then have a larger product to try to store. A blanket is much better if you're short on space.

[@nzadventurer]

@@TheMusingGreg I thought in your review it suggesting the folding blanket form was good for a few uses per year gao what I meant was if you are on the road permanently and use it say 180 days per year it will wear out way faster that a fixed or solid folding unit. So I mean compared to a folding or fixed setup this form factor doesn't last long.... Make sense? Accurate?

[@TheMusingGreg]

@@nzadventurer Ah OK I get what you're saying. -Look- If you have room for a folding panel you will *probably* get better performance because they're less likely to overheat, however I haven't tested this so I can't say for sure. That said, what I meant was that the Kings unit, not the Redarc, would be good for a few times a year because of its demonstrated performance loss, because although the Redarc would potentially suffer the same heat issues over time, its performance stayed rock solid in the time I had it and there was no sign of physical degradation to the surface. So if you needed a power solution for full-time travel and didn't have the space for a folding panel, I would pick the Redarc blanket over the Kings.

[@nzadventurer]

@@TheMusingGreg mate your content is excellent please don't take my comments as any criticism. I live on the road in a caravan and was assessing more fixed solar on caravan vs blanket vs folding. From what I can see the blanket has benefits but also introduces potential increased wear n tear due to the construction. Whereas at first I was thinking they will last ages I can sort of see from your review that they may not last the distance if I expect to use them 100 days/year and if I want long term reliability that's where fixed is probably king

[@TheMusingGreg]

@@nzadventurer No problems at all mate, and I was not at all upset by your comments nor thought they were critical. Sorry, my response must have came across as cranky or impatient but it certainly wasn't intended to read that way! The trials and tribulations of communicating by text only! :) I will go back and reword that response in case it misleads anyone else. There is really no perfect solution with solar unfortunately, but having done 12+ months full time on the road, if I had to pick between the three options you've suggested I would go with a portable folding panel if I had room to store it, otherwise if no room I would go with a blanket with folding legs to prop it up at the right angle and keep it cool. The reason I shy away from a fixed panel on the roof of the van is because here in Australia at least in hot weather, you want to park your van in the shade and then your solar won't achieve anything. I don't want to be stuck parking in the hot sun just to recharge the batteries. Also I have a DCDC charger installed to charge the batteries while driving, so I don't need the additional solar from the van while it's in transit. If I was to get a blanket again I would not be getting a Kings blanket but I'm not sure I'd be picking a Redarc as my first choice either. I hope there's a better middle ground for around maybe $400 that does 90% of what the Redarc does but for 25% of the price! Good luck, and sorry again if my comment came across the wrong way! 👍

[@davidmilledge221]

Australian company big price tag but made in cheapo China 🤔 there must be a medium brand that's cheaper ok China made still ☹

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yep that's what I'm hoping too David! There are some suggestions from some others in the comments here which may be a good starting point if you're looking for the 'middle ground' (as I will be doing too!)

[@WesternAustraliaNowAndThen]

Allspark.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Cool thanks for the tip!

[@zionistsarecommunists8373]

Buy 8 Kings - that’s 1600W which is actually 640 real watts- approx 7 times better than RedArc.

[@TheMusingGreg]

That would certainly work initially. But in a few years' time you've probably got 8 dead Kings blankets and have to start again. Redarc has released a new cheaper version of this blanket which I covered in a recent shootout - have you seen the review? kzbin.info/www/bejne/poHckGiCopKApZI

[@christate3523]

$ per output would be a better measurement than wattage vs advertising

[@TheMusingGreg]

I included that to show how realistic the advertised ratings were, but that's still a good point. I'm adding Watts per $ into the next review which includes the 160W Redarc which should be done soon. Thanks for the input!

[@alaadinhamawi]

As informative as this video is, I don't believe any of the tests you performed are accurate in retrospect to the either manufactures specifications. For example, kings only claims the 200w and 16amp in an "ideal" situation and using the MPPT regulator that it comes with and also the battery health at 50%. Now, I don't work for kings and I'm not affiliated with them whatsoever but these tests you performed actually prove nothing. Also, using a cheap unreliable tester to check watts and amps? I think if you want to properly test both these products then you should follow each manufactures instructions on how to use the product. You provided no details on the battery and or batteries you attempted to charge, state of the battery and such things. Not trying to be a dick I'm just pointing out the obvious because it seems that there is no decent reviews on any of the products online, just a heap of people that don't read instructions and then bash on product with no sense of how to use it ...... this obviously goes for the redarc blanket too.

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the comment mate. As a general response: 1) some of the setup / configuration info was covered in previous videos where I mentioned I had 2x100Ah batteries in parallel, but if a viewer hadn't seen those then I agree it could be misleading; 2) I unfortunately had to cut some footage I had intended to include in order to prevent the whole thing running too long. I was actually aiming for under 20 minutes and it's already over that, so some of that setup info was among footage which had to be cut; and 3) I am 100% confident the test methodology I used was fair on both blankets, that it was consistent with the manufacturer's guidelines in my testing, and that my results are an accurate and fair reflection on each blanket's performance; but I accept that a viewer only watching this one video isn't necessarily going to have all the background information so it's a fair comment I'll take on board for future videos to make sure all relevant scope / configuration is included. Thanks! None of the above invalidates the results I got; it just recognises that the viewer may not have every piece of information to prove this to themselves which is a learning for me for future videos. On your specific points: "Kings only claims the 200w and 16amp in an "ideal" situation and using the MPPT regulator that it comes with and also the battery health at 50%." The unit I bought actually came with a PWM regulator, not a MPPT (I believe that's changed now with their current offerings); however I used a Redarc MPPT for all tests to give both blankets the best chance to succeed. I never did tests when the batteries were close to fully charged in order to make sure all blanket power was going through the charger into the batteries. Most of the time the batteries were about 12.4-12.7V which is around the 50% mark, however the tests were only charger was always in Boost mode when these tests were done which meant even if the batteries were at 60% the charger was still throwing everything the blankets generated straight into the batteries. All tests were done one after the other, so even if there was any throttling of the charging rate both blankets would have suffered to the same degree, and it would have been obvious from test results if this was the case however as both blankets would have suffered an unexplained dip in output on a particular test which didn't happen. So I'm confident this didn't happen. "Also, using a cheap unreliable tester to check watts and amps? " If you've seen the earlier Kings blanket reviews you would have seen I did the initial tests with a digital multimeter. It was only once I'd confirmed the power meter I was using was accurate that I moved exclusively to that. It was also a more reliable and consistent way of measuring power with the meter connected via Anderson plugs, than relying on the banana clips on a multimeter which wouldn't be as consistent a connection or have as much surface area and could introduce variability of its own. Cheers, Greg

[@alaadinhamawi]

@@TheMusingGreg thanks for the response and yes now knowing all this additional information that wasn't in this specific video I can confidently say thank you for the video and additional info as it is definitely going to help me make my decision on a solar blanket. Thanks again mate.

[@TheMusingGreg]

@@alaadinhamawi My pleasure mate, and again thanks for the feedback, it's what helps me know what's working and what can be improved. Cheers!

[@stevomorisey6518]

Can you do a test with itechworld 200 watt blanket ?

[@TheMusingGreg]

Thanks for the suggestion Stevo, I'll add that to the potential list of candidates for a future video!

[@bearup1612]

ACCC would be the one to take this to on false advertising

[@TheMusingGreg]

Yeah that would be nice. Kings would probably come back that it's tested to a lab standard so it's all good!