Portable Solar Panels from Solar Blvd.

Great info! Thanks for the heads up.

Hi,

You might also want to look up SunElec.com They have been advertizing in Home Power Magazine more than 3 years, and showing that they will sell solar panels for about $1 per rated watt upwards to some panels at $2 per rated watt.

So if Solar BLVD has portable solar panels for about $150 for their system, it is probably a great deal. However if they are making a case to hold the solar panels, my guess is they are spending time and money to build that case, and the hinges, assembly, wiring, and will charge a lot more for the portable system than someone can buy a perminate installed solar panel.

I went with a pair of 120 watt and a single 75 watt solar panel to supplement my original 1994 pair of 45 watt panels on my RV. This was a economical system, and it has saved me thousands of dollars in camping fees, while I got to camp hundreds of days in wonderful places like Lake Tahoe, Yellowstone, Sequoia National Park, many times for free, all without "Hookups" that I find are not needed in a modern RV.

I would only hook up to shore power sometimes, during a 2 year long trip around the United States during 2006 and 2007. Even if I did spend a day in a full hookup campground, I might only hook up to the septic and fresh water systems, not the 120 volt system, as I had plenty of power.

Fred.

Solar blvd has affordable, usable products and it shows in their sales. I was ready to downsize to the 160w kit when they first came out but at that time they couldn't keep those in stock either. The smaller kits seem popular with the pup up crowd too. I started a thread on PUX for Black Friday and it's still going now.

I also suggest people look at windynation and eco-worthy mainly for their 200w kits for $300. Not as portable but it takes minutes to drill and rivet in a few hinges.

JiminDenver wrote:
Solar blvd has affordable, usable products and it shows in their sales. I was ready to downsize to the 160w kit when they first came out but at that time they couldn't keep those in stock either. The smaller kits seem popular with the pup up crowd too. I started a thread on PUX for Black Friday and it's still going now.

I also suggest people look at windynation and eco-worthy mainly for their 200w kits for $300. Not as portable but it takes minutes to drill and rivet in a few hinges.

Do you have a link to that Black Friday post?

Good info! FWIW, I've bought from Solar Blvd and Windynation and it was a positive experience from both.

NinerBikes wrote:

JiminDenver wrote:
Solar blvd has affordable, usable products and it shows in their sales. I was ready to downsize to the 160w kit when they first came out but at that time they couldn't keep those in stock either. The smaller kits seem popular with the pup up crowd too. I started a thread on PUX for Black Friday and it's still going now.

I also suggest people look at windynation and eco-worthy mainly for their 200w kits for $300. Not as portable but it takes minutes to drill and rivet in a few hinges.

Do you have a link to that Black Friday post?

Sure thing.

click

I had a post on them the year before too I think. I know there was one on rvforum too but they are not so solar friendly. lol

Anyone have a used 160W folding panel kit they are not happy with, want to sell, or are thinking of changing and mounting something else permanently? PM me.

Here is my review of their 160Watt panel:

Solar Blvd 160 Watt Folding Panel

vermilye wrote:
Here is my review of their 160Watt panel:

Solar Blvd 160 Watt Folding Panel

Thanks for the link.

Interesting about that guy from Canada who found a dealer in Toronto on one of the "for sale" sites that has close to American prices.

Same thing around here. You can pay twice as much at a "regular" solar place, or find one of those guys who has some sort of funny arrangement out of his garage or something. Couple of examples still going here.

Last year I found a guy on the Island here who had great prices, but he has shut down due to some financial thing with his Chinese source. He used to be able to order the panels etc and then pay for them after he sold them and keep the profits.

Last year China banking changed the rules on his parent company in China, and now he has to pay for everything up front and what he buys is his. (This may have been a scheme previously approved by the Chinese govt to destroy the "West" but it fell through, who knows?)

Then he can sell it and make some money. In his case he was caught short by the change of rules and could not buy more after he sold his last batch. (no "deep pockets")

Some of those guys on the "for sale" sites here seem to be buying $15 solar controllers on eBay and offering them for $40. I guess they are hoping the people who look at the "for sale" sites locally, don't also watch EBay! :)

It is all "buyer beware" in the solar racket. :)