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This is a follow-up review of the excellent Allpowers R600 LiFePO4 portable power station. It is later than planned due to the atrocious summer the UK has had. But we are finally getting a small sunny spell and giving me the opportunity to test this properly, as well as my recent EcoFlow 100W flexible solar panel review.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALLPOWERS 100W Portable Solar Panel Charger for Laptops,... |
£129.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Specification
- Peak Power: 100W
- Claimed Efficiency: 22%
- Open Circuit Voltage (Voc): 22.4V
- Short Circuit Current (IOC): 6.0A
- Maximum Power Voltage (Vmp): 18V
- Maximum Power Current (Imp): 5.4A
- STC Irradiance 1000W/m²: TC=25℃, AM=1.5
- IP Rating: IP66
- Unfolded Size: 1220×650×10mm/48×25.6×0.4inch
- Folded Size: 10×650×30mm/20×25.6×1.2inch
- Net Weight: 3.6kg/7.9lb
- Included Cables:
- MC-4 to 5.5×2.5mm cable
- MC-4 to Anderson cable
- 8mm DC adapter
- 3.5×1.35mm cable
- DC 5.5×2.1mm cable
Polycrystalline vs Monocrystalline
You will notice that some brands use polycrystalline and others monocrystalline for their solar panels. As far as portable solar panels go, I am not sure you would benefit from one option over the other.
Polycrystalline tends to be cheaper and supposedly less efficient, so the end result is a larger, heavier solar panel.
However, looking at the competing options I have listed further down, there appears to be little difference between the polycrystalline and monocrystalline for either weight or claimed efficiency.
Design / Cables / Accessories
The basic design of this solar panel is much like the other 100W folding portable solar panels. It is a bifold panel with a briefcase-style design making it easy to carry around.
It has a couple of pop-out legs that allow you to prop it up at an angle, and this makes setting it up extremely simple. I am a big fan of EcoFlow products, but I am not overly keen on the way they use a bag that then holds up the solar panel at an angle. It is much more fiddly to set up.
Similar to many other solar panels of this nature, there is also a small zipped compartment which conceals the MC4 connection cable, plus all the included cables that will allow you to attach this to a wide range of portable power stations.
One minor gripe with this is that it doesn’t have a USB port. It is not super important, but it can be handy. The FlexSolar 100W solar panel I received in the past has a 60W power delivery USB-C port, but that costs about 35% more at £130.
The overall build quality feels good and durable. The outer part of the bag is a tough nylon material, and the panels are quite rigid, so this should handle the typical knocks and bumps of travelling.
Performance
It is worth noting that the Allpowers R600 that I reviewed this solar panel with can accept an input of up to 12~60V 12A with 300W Max. That means you could wire up two of these panels in series for 44.8v and 6A output or in parallel for 22.4V and 12A. You could then use a hybrid set-up with four panels, two in series and two in parallel, for 44.8v and 12A, but this would give a theoretical output of 537.6W which is well above the 300W max.
For this review, I only used one panel.
In the morning, before the sun had come out properly but with clear skies, I was able to pull 15W of power, which matched the EcoFlow 100W flexible solar panel I tested the day before.
In the middle of the day, I saw a peak output of 70W, which is less than what I saw with the EcoFlow, but it didn’t seem to be quite as sunny.
Price and Alternative Options
The Allpowers 100W SP-027 solar panel has an RRP of £99.99 but at the time of writing, it was £84.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| ALLPOWERS 100W Portable Solar Panel Charger for Laptops,... |
£129.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As for competing options, you have:
- ECO-WORTHY 12V 100W Monocrystalline Portable Solar Panel for £94.
- DOKIO 100W 12V Monocrystalline Foldable Solar Panel for £101 but included a separate controller for 12V.
- Nicesolar Foldable Monocrystalline Solar Panel for £140 with £20 voucher available.
- TP-solar 100W Polycrystalline Portable Foldable Solar Panel for £130 but with 20% voucher making it £104
- FlexSolar 100W Monocrystalline Solar Panel for £130 (includes a 60W PD USB-C port)
- Jackery SolarSaga 100W Monocrystalline Solar Panel for £260
Prices were correct at the time of writing on 17/08/2023.
Overall
The Allpowers 100W foldable solar panel is an excellent option to consider due to its incredibly attractive price point. At the time of writing, it undercuts all the well-reviewed competing options I can find.
Due to the inconsistent nature of the UK sun, it is a bit hard to have an objective test of the overall performance.
However, subjectively I would say the performance was about as good as expected based on my less-than-ideal scenario, and the peak output was close to what I was achieving with the EcoFlow 100W flexible solar panel I reviewed the day before.
I wouldn’t be surprised if other, more expensive options have superior performance, but you need to weigh up the price-to-performance ratio. The Jackery SolarSaga 100W has definitely been the best foldable panel I have used, but it is going to take a while for you to recoup the costs of its significant price difference.
These 100W portable solar panels are great for things like camping, where needs will likely be less demanding than at home. This should help to significantly extend the battery of any small portable power station.
Allpowers 100W Foldable Solar Panel Review
Summary
The Allpowers 100W foldable solar panel is an excellent option to consider due to its incredibly attractive price point. At the time of writing, it undercuts all the well-reviewed competing options I can find.
Overall
80%-
Overall - 80%80%
Pros
- Highly competitive price.
- Superb price to performance ration
- Good cable selection
Cons
- Performance may not be quite as good as others due to polycrystalline design
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
