Review on PROGENY 120W Portable Solar Panel: Fast Charging USB-C, Foldable Charger for Jackery, Flashfish, BALDR, Goal Zero Power Station in Car/RV by Ken Kowal

At first glance, this Progeny 120W looks like a wannabe Jackery SolarSaga 100 with its color scheme, foldable design and magnet-closing handles. But there are some important differences. It's much smaller than Jackery and comes with 4 panels instead of 2 like the other. The number of panels doesn't matter, but the overall package is rated at 120W. This made me expect this panel to put out a little more power than the SolarSaga 100. Is it true? Yes, that's right. BRIEFS Progeny 120W really surprised me. While many panels in this class either snap into place or fold multiple times into a briefcase, the Progeny easily folds into four pieces and is held together with powerful magnets, highlighted by a sturdy bright orange top carry handle. The built in carrying case contains an integrated Anderson Connection Cable (APP) which can be connected to the battery generator with the appropriate extension cable. On a cloudy morning, it hit 58 watts, while the Jackery SolarSaga 100 hit 51 watts. The difference was small, so I tested it again on a clear sunny day. The offspring reached 83F and Jackery reached 68F. This is a pretty good level of efficiency as most monocrystalline solar panels lose at least 25% to energy conversion. A built-in kickstand helps position the panel at the optimal 45-degree angle for maximum sunlight exposure, while a built-in pocket lets you store your cables. There are also two USB ports for direct charging of mobile devices and accessories. Please note that this solar panel is NOT waterproof. It should be protected from rain, but if it rains, the sun is unlikely to come out. Several adapters are included, and I've tested connecting to Jackery, Goal Zero, and another manufacturer's iRozce battery power station. All three worked as expected with this panel. As long as the power station is capable of accepting an output voltage of 18V, you're in gold. I also connected it in parallel with the Jackery SolarSaga 100 as both panels are rated for 18V and this increased the power of the panels from 51W/58W to 93W. You should almost NEVER connect multiple solar panels in series/side by side - you should almost ALWAYS connect them in parallel with a Y-splitter or combo cable. (Goal Zero has a 4x connection cable for connecting up to 4 solar panels). All in all, Progeny 120W solar panels are beautiful, durable, efficient and portable, and work well with a variety of battery power and solar panel providers. The presence of an Anderson connector out of the box makes the Progeny compatible with a standard connection. The company also included a Y-cable so you can connect 2 solar panels (just make sure they're both the same 18V voltage and that the power station supports that rating). TIPS/HINTS - Module Lifespan: Modules typically die/become inefficient between 25-30 years - They can last longer but produce less energy - Solar panels work best outdoors in direct sunlight - Although the modules are in the shade or behind Windows work, charging efficiency is significantly reduced-- Panels STILL charge in cloudy weather. So leave the panels outside even if you can't see the sun. Operating temperature range: -10°C to 65°C (14°F to 149°F). ONLY solar panels can (and should) be placed directly under the sun while the battery is charging. Station---Keep the power station in the shade to avoid overheating--ALL panels must be open to charge--Do not cover one or more panels completely, otherwise charging will be interrupted-To improve solar efficiency panels must be stored clean- - Remove dust with a soft brush and wipe with a damp (NOT wet) cloth -- Any residue such as wood resin should be removed as soon as possible -- Keep the panel away from water that Splashes on 60+ degree corners -- Keep plate away from low pressure (or higher) water jets. -- Do not submerge the plate under water. -- Panels last longer when fully protected from water. - Keep the panels away from fire and heaters. CHARGING TIME When using solar panels. For example, to charge battery power plants, the amount of energy the battery can hold can be limited to prevent overcharging. Example:Jackery Explorer 1000 reduced its power consumption from 70-80W to around 50W after reaching 70% battery charge. USE OF THE DEVICE? - Calculation: power consumed by the device = voltage x current - if the vacuum is 120V and 9.5A, it consumes 1140 battery (Wh) / (panel power x [0.5 or 0.75]) - ideally lab environment, Solar panels charge at advertised power (ie 100W) -- On a good sunny day, expect only 50-75% (ie 50W - 75W) depending on ambient conditions, age of panels and component quality -- Tip: Even if it is cloudy, the modules STILL collect solar energy. Keep loading! - Charging with 100 W solar panel -Jackery Explorer 500: from 6.7 hours [500 Wh / (100 W x 0.75)] -Jackery Explorer 1000: from 13.3 hours [1000 Wh / (100 W x 0.75 )]. )]