Posted: 3/26/2014 3:32:05 PM EDT
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So I'm working on piecing together a power supply for my emcomms box, both battery and solar power. Today I received my 100w foldable solar panels and so far I am impressed. I ordered the panels off of eBay.
I made an offer of $200 for the panels including shipping and they were on my front porch in a week. They came with both panels wired to one another in a weather proof housing that is mounted on the rear of one of the panels. Also included is a small PWM solar controller that is pre-wired on the output side with SAE style connectors. These will be changed to power pole connectors to match the rest of my equipment. Additionally there is a 15 foot extension cable with SAE connectors, a 12v light bulb and threaded socket with approx. 12 feet of cable again with SAE connectors, a short 10 inch adapter cable with an SAE connector on one end and large alligator clamps for a battery connection on the other end and lastly another short 10 inch adapter cable with an SAE connector at one end and a cigarette lighter style connector on the other. 
It was all packaged in just a tight fitting cardboard box without any additional padding material to cushion the "shipping experts" handling of the box. It arrived in good condition. The panels were supplied with a medium duty black (NOT GREEN  ) padded ballistic nylon carrying bag that closes with a zipper and has straps for a carrying handle. Also built into the carrying bag is a large pouch that closes with a cheap hook and loop style fastener.
The panel assembly weighs in at almost 20lbs. so these panels are semi portable at best. Certainly not something you would want to carry for any length of time. They are hinged with two medium duty aluminum hinges that are riveted to the frame. There is a spring loaded carrying handle that is secured to the panel folding frame with stainless steel hardware including nylon inserted lock nuts. There is a folding frame made out of powder coated steel (the seller's description says it is anodized aluminum…not so) that is designed to swing out and support the panels at an angle to better capture the sun. The mono crystalline elements are covered with tempered glass, aluminum frames on the four edges and what looks like a polycarbonate backing that has been sealed with a caulk type material. The manufacturer claims these panels are "weatherproof" and they claim to have a 25 year warranty. Folded size is 25" x 22" x 3" and unfolded they measure 44" x 25" x 1.5". 
Performance rating from the manufacturer- Output Power:100W Optimum Operating Voltage:17.5V Optimum Operating Current: 5.72A Operating Temperature: -40C to +85C Obviously since I just received these, I have not yet had the opportunity to put them through their paces and see how their rated performance stands up to real life. I currently have a better quality charge controller, so I will no doubt be experimenting with both. Hoping for a warm sunny day in the near future to do some testing…results to follow. First impressions are good as they appear to be build with integrity. The fact that they are supplied with a small solar controller, wiring and a decent padded carrying case, they are somewhat of a complete package for someone who is just getting started in the "portable" solar department. At $2.00/watt, the price seems reasonable. The only negative so far could be the 20lbs. weight, but I didn't buy these to go hiking with, so it's not a big issue in my application. Thought I would pass on my initial impressions, thanks for reading! 
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