| Wagan Solar ePanel Charger for 12 V Battery converts daylight into electricity to charge 12 volt batteries, extending battery life. This power supply is ideal for batteries stored in caravans, boats and vehicles in long-term storage and is suitable for trickle charging a wide range of batteries and power packs. It can also be used to charge laptop computers, cell phones and other DC powered items. This power supply requires only daylight (not direct sunlight) and is ideal for indoor and outdoor use. The Solar Panel is made of high efficiency mono-crystalline solar cells embedded in transparent vinyl acetate behind tempered glass with heavy back sheet ensuring maintenance free performance. Specs: Peak Wattage (Pm): 12W, Peak Voltage (Vmp): 15V, Peak Currency (Imp): 0.77A, Open Circuit Voltage (Voc): 18.8V, Short Circuit Currency (Isc): 0.87A. |
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- 12.4 watts, folds up for convenient transport and storage, ideal for indoor and outdoor use
- Use to charge laptop computers, cell phones and other DC powered items
- High impact tempered glass to resist hail, ice, flying debris or force wind
- Requires only daylight (not direct sunlight), monocrystalline solar panel charges even in cloudy and overcast weather
- Suitable for trickle charging a wide range of batteries and power packs
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 Used |
| Review Date: December 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: D. W. Campbee, denver |
| The unit had no instructions and appeared to be used. The protective covering on the panels was wrinkled and on only 2 of the 3 panels. I couldn't get a charge so I returned the item and assumed it had been previously returned for that reason. It looks great and the portability is great but I am discouraged when a package arrives already opened. I expect that at a retail stores where customers may want to look at the item before purchasing it, but not when shopping online. I left a note on one of the solar panels in case it's reshipped again. |
Excellent
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| Review Date: October 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: W. Douglas Silvester, Florida |
| I took this with me camping and connected it to a power inverter, a $20 Black & Decker unit and it charged my phones and the battery in my laptop; yes I brought my laptop (I own my own business). I would buy it again. |
Check with product service at Wagan
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| Review Date: September 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: J. Brekke, Los Angeles |
| I received the solar charger in excellent shape. It did not have instructions so I called customer service at Wagan to ask a few questions. They were extrememly helpful and I determined that it was not the right product for charging my laptop computer. If you are considering it for that purpose be sure to call them and talk it over. I returned the product and purchased something else. |
Not initially impressed
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| Review Date: August 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kenneth S. Mitchell, Durham, NH United States |
I received the package on time. It appears that this particular item was previously used, judging by the greasy fingerprints on the panels and lack of any instructions. I am NOT happy about that.
This versions has a wire connector built into the panel fabric, like in the picture. The end doesn't have the female adapter (in which a standard car cigarette lighter plug will fit). There is a second wire that plugs in and has the female connector. Not a big deal.
The female plug is really cheap. To get a solid connection, the plug has to be seated exactly right or else it won't work. The slightest movement will cause the connection to fail. That flaw makes this unit practically useless.
The panel works. The design of the tri-folding panels is nice. I haven't measured the voltage or how well it works since I'll be returning this. |
Pros and Cons
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| Review Date: May 16, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Antonio P. S. Forster, Campinas, SP, Brazil |
To be objective..
Pros:
- Well built (although has those sharp edges as mentioned in another review)
- At 9AM, clear sky, mid May in Brazil, around 17 degrees Celsius (it is Autumn and the temp is dropping), it is generating about 8 watts (18.8 volts at 0.44 Amps.. probably around noon is going to be even more powerful)
Cons:
- 18.8 volts! Depending on the device you are connecting to it, it may be burned if not tolerant to higher voltage. It should be around 12v, and I think 50% it too much variation.
- The picture shows a girl with the panel hung to a backback. Indeed, you will need to make holes in the fabric in order to do that.. there is no way to hang it as it comes from factory
- Those sharp edges and the pet finish over the panels can be improved. Something that would be more scratch-resistance would be best, especially if you are taking it outdoors.
I surely recommend the item, but I'll definitivelly look for a small solar charge control to use with the panel. I'm no electric engineer and I've read you dont need one for panels that dont go beyond 12w, but 18v is too high IMHO, so I'm kinda scared of connecting my Garmin GPS to it. I'll probably look for "Sunforce 7 Amp Charge Controller".. never tested or seen it, but the reviews shows that it may worth the try.
Edit:
With direct sunlight, from 9AM to 11AM, it fully charged two CR123 Tenergy batteries in about 2 hours, what is really amazing. On the other hand..
Now I'm measuring the power generated by the panel with the sky covered by clouds. It is noon, pretty clear on the same day, but no direct sunlight. It is quite a surprise it is still generating those 18 volts, but now, at 0.04 amps ONLY. Since the Tenergy batteries are charged already, I cant measure how long it would take to charge them, but I believe it would take quite long... I'll update this later whenever I can test charging them again w/o direct light. |
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