Review on 🌞 PowerECO 100W Portable Solar Panel Kit with Waterproof 20A 12/24V PWM Charge Controller - Lightweight and Efficient by Michael Langelius

I have a Jeep and an off-road trailer for off-road adventures. My trailer has a 105Ah AGM battery that powers the headlights, water pump and accessories and my Jeep has an additional lithium-ion battery that powers a Dometic 50 liter fridge along with its normal one Starter battery powered. One of the biggest challenges of working offline (especially when you're relying on a 12-volt refrigerator) is managing power usage, charging, and storage. I used a 100 watt fixed solar panel on the roof of a jeep and used a long SAE cable to connect it to my trailer when/if the trailer needs to be charged. This means I have to park the jeep next to the trailer, but I often try to park the trailer in the shade. This also means that if I use this panel to charge a trailer, it cannot charge the LiIon battery that powers the fridge. So it was always a balance. With this complete package I now have FULL flexibility - using the 30ft MC4-SAE adapter cable I made I can disconnect the charge controller that came with it and plug the panel directly into my trailer's charge controller and charge its battery. Or, if my Jeep is parked in a location that isn't ideal for solar charging, I can use the same MC4-SAE cable and connect this panel to an external port on my Jeep. which is connected to a LiIon battery, allowing the panel to be up to 30 feet from the sun. After all, one of my biggest fears is somehow accidentally draining my Jeep's starter battery while driving in the middle of nowhere. Now when that happens I can use this panel along with the built in controller and battery clips and charge my starter battery (or ANY battery) directly. It will also be very convenient to take a boat for multi-day trips when I'm worried about running out of batteries at anchor, running lights, listening to music, etc. In terms of design and performance, I noticed the following in this record: 1 The coating on the outer surface of the panels themselves is like a strong transparent textured resin. it does NOT look like glass (like my other solar panel on the jeep) and yields easily to fingernail pressure. This leads me to believe that it will be fairly durable and will not chip or crack. The outer edges are covered with plastic bumpers that also increase durability. I am very satisfied with the overall quality.2. The included storage and travel case is of surprisingly good quality. Most of this type of stuff (imported electronics) comes with REALLY cheap bags made out of flimsy material and crappy zippers that break very quickly. This bag is a pleasant surprise. The zippers, while not YKK, still feel like mid-range zippers that should last a while. The Cordura-like fabric feels thick and durable and the stitching looks great throughout and there's about 1/4 inch of foam on the sides. I love how the panel's handle itself protrudes from the pocket so you don't have to rely on a sewn-on handle to carry it. The exterior zippered pocket also has enough room for my 30ft adapter cable, Anderson plug adapter, and other adapter cables I've made and carried. Inside the folded panel is storage space for the included cables and connectors, including battery clips. Everything can be in one place!3. At over $300 for a 100W panel, this is on par with something like the Renology Goal Zero or Jackery Folding Panel, but this panel is geared more towards "do-it-yourself" folks like me - it has real MC4 connectors instead of the usual . branded round plugs or USB chargers (I have them in the trailer and in the car). It also includes a charge controller, while the Goal Zero and Jackery panels don't (they rely on a "solar generator" that has its own controller). While performance would be much better with an MPPT controller, it's definitely on par with other 100W panels and PWM controllers. (I compared it to the Zampf controller on my trailer and the power draw was almost the same under the same conditions).4. The MC4 connectors have longer tails on the sockets which means they can be assembled and disassembled without tools which is a HUGE bonus for me. They can be easily connected and disconnected.5. The footrests are not adjustable. This is a minor issue, but it would be nice to see something where you could adjust the angle of the panels. So when open they sit at an angle of about 45º.