Brunton 26 Watt Foldable Solar Array
August 25, 2010 by SolarInfo
Filed under solar panels
| Brand: | Brunton | ||
| Average Rating |
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The next generation of Solaris foldable technology is here. CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide) is the most efficient thin film solar technology available. By maximizing performance while optimizing portability, it makes the Solaris 26 the most compact high output model available. The built-in blocking diode prevents reverse battery discharge. Provides a lightweight, compact design that includes; Storage Sack, Vehicle outlet cable, Multi-link cable, Battery clamp cable. One Year Warranty. Contact us for Customer Service, Technical and any other question at 1-800-443-4871 (or) support@brunton.com more info
Safari Power
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a GREAT product. Took it to Kenya for a photo-safari. We tied it to the top of the Land Cruiser and with an Impact universal charger was able to charge all of my batteries and most of the others’ in the group. Could have sold several over the course of three weeks.
Gave more than 40w of power in Brazil’s sunlight
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Gave more than 40w of power in Brazil’s sunlight, that is, more than 20V and almost 2A of current.
You can connect it directly to Tekkeon battery.
However, I’m worried with its durability. Read on the net that after one year its power reduced to 1/3.
Great portable solar array for camping and backpacking
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great product. Since it is foldable it works well for camping/backpacking. At the last campout, it was continously in use. It provides the needed power for charging an emergency phone as well as a gps device. When unfolded, this really becomes quite large. The grommets do help very well. Be sure to read the amperage and voltage your device needs prior to purchase. I would recommend this product.
The weight is 27oz for the array + 12V adapter. Or 25 for array only. This is a bit heavy for ultralight backpacking, however, it does have the power at 26W (15.4V/1600mA) needed.
Disappointing
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I got this to power my cell phone and perhaps a MacBook working from outside. I think this thing might power a mouse vibrator. Really disappointed as this panel doesn’t seem to have enough juice to do anything.
Stop debating gadget boy, just get one……
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Yes it’s expensive, no it wont run your 72 inch plasma… After much heel dragging and beating my self up over the price I purchased one of these panels. If you understand how 12 volt power works the thing is beyond wicked!I had basic 12 volt knowledge from working on cars and using power inverters in them but nothing like some of the reviewer’s here. First off don’t be scared to read and learn, I am terrible with math but after a little research it became much less complicated to know what the panel will and will not do. To simplify it in full Nevada sunlight (In December no less) this will run a 30 watt (DC) product in real time. If you need AC power expect about 15 watts unless you have an efficient (expensive!) inverter. I have a friend who also has this panel that has run his Nintendo Wii (45 watts!) in real time off of this in direct sunlight. It produces more power than advertised for the most part as other reviews have stated. This coupled with a Duracell 300 is a VERY portable and renewable power source. The Duracell 300 ran a Vizio 23 inch LED tv (27 watts) and a Sega Dreamcast (30 watts) for over an hour of gaming and still had power left over. Recharged from the panel during the day, gamed at night.
Pros- Not enough is said about how tiny this thing is, we are talking canvas thin and light.
Often doubles the stated output in direct light
Nice grommets for tie down (though I wouldn’t trust it in high winds)
Cons- Same as other reviews not enough 12V connectors included and linking panels without
splicing and making your own connector would be difficult at best
Final opinion: I think it rocks and will be getting another (Maybe the 52) to link and have a real renewable
and portable power source for more gadgets. It has changed my thinking about power and I now count watts like
most people count calories! My goal is not to be cheap and save money but to be mobile and still always have
my laptop and toys because I’m just that attention deficit that I need to!
Hope this helps make your decision!
Absolutely Amazing
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This panel, is perfect, I have used it to charge everything, it is amazing, everyone should own atleast one. I don’t think I have ever been happier with any online purchase.
better than expected
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got this to charge my Duracell 600 and to use to charge D batteries, run fans, play music etc. It has exceeded my expectations. The first time I used it the day was overcast in my treed yard, but it still put out plenty of power for mp3 player and external speakers. It also charged a phone at the same time. It puts out 12-18v even on a partly cloudy day in Va. It has sufficient amps to run a netbook in realtime.
My only complaint is with the cords, or lack of cords. I purchased a variety of 12v adapters and cigarette lighter plug adapters. You will probably like a cigarette lighter extension cord. If you are at a table in the shade, the provided cord isn’t long enough to run to the array in a sunnier spot. It would have been nice to have the omni adapter cord much longer and to provide another shorter cord solely for joining two panels [which I will be doing]. I will make a patch cord for joining.
If you purchase the Duracell 600, the ac charging inlet will allow you to use this array for charging and I guess even trickle charging without getting any kind of regulator, as the Duracell uses the onboard ac regulator, which also trickle charges. This was a huge benny for me. Just plug and go. This fact is documented in the manual as well as the correct jack to use on your solar panel. Nice touch for the Duracell.
This is well made and really sci fi cool looking. What I didn’t immediately realize is that these panels actually use mono crystal cells. It doesn’t look like it, though. I expect that it will last a good while.
Even Better Than Advertised
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am a nature photographer, and spend significant intervals a long ways from a power outlet. I recently used this solar charger to keep lithium ion batteries charged for my digital camera. I am pleased to report that it works even better than specified. I was able to charge two Olympus BLM-1 batteries simultaneously, in a couple hours in sunny conditions and in six hours in cloudy conditions. Even when the temperature fell as low as 25 F, the charger worked just fine.
The units folds up into a small comparatively small bag. You wouldn’t use it for ultralight backpacking, but it worked fine for me, and is comparatively light in relation to my camera gear. The charger got rained on, got mud splashed on it, and was stepped on my a small child, and survived it all just fine.
Sturdy, durable, portable, powerful and effective. Highly recommended.
(I saw one review complaining the unit wouldn’t power a laptop computer. That’s true. You’d need two. It won’t power a refrigerator or a dishwasher, either. But if you need to charge batteries, this works great.)
Superior Product. Way beyond my expectations
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
When our Bruton solaris 26 was delivered I could not wait to test it. I purchased this thinking at best it would keep a few items charged for me while camping.
I was amazed at our test results.
All batteries (on every item we tested), we 100% fully discharged. Absolutely drained! When we plugged them into the Solaris I could not believe it not only charged them, but it operated them as well as soon as we plugged them in! Even a Sony PSP!
(some of the tests included a radio and a GPS unit).
I did not test our laptop since I need either an invertor (it’s on the way), or a DC plug for it (which I don’t have at this point)….. but I would be willing to bet it would definately extend the life of a laptop while you operated it.
Don’t even ‘think’ about buying this product, just buy it now! I cannot wait to link 2 of them together and see what kind of power it will provide.
Highly recommended. (Ok, I just cannot say it enough)
Super
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was able to charge my mobile in 2h in full sunshine and my small tv. I am really happy of it.
Really nice
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After just recently installing solar panels on my roof (and loving it), I’ve been going a little solar crazy and have been buying all kinds of solar toys.
I bought both this and the “30 Watt Mono-crystalline Portable Briefcase Solar Panel 12V Charger – temper proof glass” from “Exciting Products”. I connected both to a light duty tire inflator with a 12v cigarette lighter plug (with both PV systems in direct, noon sunlight). The briefcase panels never got the compressor moving while the Brunton started it up right away. Although listed at 26 watts, the Brunton generated more power for me than the “30 watt” briefcase panel.
The Brunton folds easily and neatly into something that fits in a glove compartment, the finish of it is nice and you can tell it’s made of good materials and workmanship.
It’s a great unit that truly exceeded my expectations.
Great Product!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a very useful product. I’ve used it to power essentially any low-draw 12V equipment that I normally charge via my car’s cigarette lighter. I live in Georgia (not a tremendously strong solar area) yet I was able to run anything I wanted to with moderate cloud cover. I used it today to charge my cell phone with a dead battery to full charge in less than an hour (as advertised). I haven’t used it to charge my boat/auto battery yet but I have purchased the Brunton Solar Controller to utilize it. The panel is very easy to use and comes with multiple adapters. I’m not an electrician but I was able to open the box and use the product in less than five minutes. I’m excited to take it camping and on my boat. It’s just a really, really useful product all the way around and comes with the Brunton name.
More energy than I expected
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this with the Xantrex Technologies 852-2070 XPower PowerPack Energy Pack for the inverter and energy storage. They complement each other really well. The panel is able to collect a great amount of energy and keep things running for hours.
Very good product, exceeded expectations…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am a ham radio operator and I have been operating Picnic Table Portable all summer long from a city park in the middle of Chicago. I have added the Brunton 26 watt solar panel to my portable station and it has been a tremendous asset. It folds up into the size of a sheet of paper, and in full sun I am able to get about 1.65 amps out of it. Even in partly cloudy and ambient light it can produce enough power to keep my 9aH gel cell battery topped off while I operate.
See pictures of my setup at http://www.kg9e.net
[...]
This weekend we had wind gusts of 50MPH. I was operating portable again, and had the solar panel bungee corded down and it withstood the wind very well. Before I set up, I measured the 9aH gel cell battery voltage across the terminals it read 12.42v (about 75% charged). After operating for about 3 hours in cloudless skies while having the solar panel attached, I measured the voltage across the terminals and it read 12.9v (easily 100% charged). I’ve been able to stay on the air for about 12 hours, drawing a maximum of 7.5 amps from the battery. 8 hours during the day, and 4 hours after sunset. It makes a big difference in the amount of time I can stay on the air with a single battery.
This is one durable and fun solar panel. It has been the subject of much curiosity and an invaluable to my portable/disaster communication radio station.
[..]
Works well even in cloud cover…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this mainly to power my satellite radio boom box by the pool and when camping… and it works great.
Even with moderate cloud cover it can power the boom box (which needs 12V 1900mA)… and in full sun I can run the boom box and charge a cell phone.
Its also great to just have around as an emergency power supply for cell phones, radios, etc. should the power go out for an extended period.
works very well, lightweight
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I live off-grid, and have been researching solar chargers for two years…it works perfectly for iPods, handheld games (we only have the Nintendo DS), cell phones, and battery chargers (AAA and AA)…i hope to use it with my mac laptop, but cannot find a car/lighter type charger (am still looking!)…it also works well even with long term haze or some clouding…if interested, I recommend to put this item in your shopping cart and watch the prices, i’ve seen it from $299 to well over $400, so unless you need it asap, you can buy it when the price falls.
Great backup and recharging resource
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have a portable 600W backup battery for my laptop and other electronics that I keep for emergencies, and I wanted a way to recharge it if the electricity were to ever go out for more than a day. I ordered this Brunton solar array because I had been reading a Blog belonging to a US serviceman in Iraq who mentioned that he used one to recharge his laptop in the field. I ordered one and spent a day testing it, and I’m very happy with it. In direct sunlight it seems to work as advertised and I’ve used the Brunton solar array to recharge my Duracell backup battery, my cell phone, and my laptop. I have even continued recharging on overcast days, although the energy output must be reduced, it still seemed to produce a respectable charge. The overcast day piqued my curiosity, so I decided to test the array. I went inside to see how low of a light could still generate a charge. I was shocked to find that I was able to recharge my cell phone using the incandescent light over my dining room table. With the exception of the position of the connection ports (as mentioned in other reviews of this product) I’m very happy with the design and use of the Brunton solar array. If it wasn’t so expensive I’d buy a second one.
Good panel with one problem (4th Update)
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I like this panel, I like it a lot. Right now I use it to charge a all of my electronics. It folds up nicely, and doesn’t weigh much. I agree with the other posters on the positive things about these panels.
These panels as individuals (not linked) are serving me and my teams very well in Iraq. We use them to power everything from MP3 Players and cell phones to advanced GPS tracking systems.
There’s only one problem I have, and that is linking more than two panels together. The instructions and box say it can be done, and the box says it includes a linking cable, but there is nothing that says how. You are supposedly able to link up to three panels together, but I am unable to accomplish this no matter how I configure the cables. I’ve written directly to Brunton’s service department for guidance, but after a month I’ve only gotten the read receipts from them. No answer so far. No one on any blog or forum can tell me how this is done. They are expensive, so finding someone that has bought more than one is rare.
All three panels came with the exact same cables, so I don’t think I’m missing anything. There are two connection ports on each panel (it will charge two small items at the same time). As far as cables go you get one with clamps (like the kind that connects to a car battery), one female car cigarette lighter-style outlet, and another cable that has four adapters on one end and a single adapter (for plugging into the panel) on the other.
You have to use the four-ended cable to link panels. The problem is that when you plug the end with four ends into a panel there is no more room to plug in another cable. The two prongs sticking out of the sides prevent this.
Anyone with one panel could see what I mean. Try plugging both ends of your linking cable into your one panel, as would be the case on the middle panel in a series of three. Then consider how you would link three of them together.
I would love to hear from anyone that has accomplished linking more than two of these together.
Linking them together would allow us to power (real time) our field laptops and mini-satellites, we could even recharge our military satcom radio batteries. Unfortunately this isn’t the case yet.
The panel is excellent and I like it a lot. I gave it a three star rating because it claims to be able to do something that it cannot (link three panels). The instructions are also lacking in this area. Brunton’s customer service also leaves something to be desired, which should be your only negative consideration if you’re buying only one.
Update:
I finally got a reply from Brunton concerning linking the panels. Here it is:
“To your question… The four-pronged linking cable can make the
connection between panels a bit tight. Admittedly, the design isn’t the
best, but I’ve got three of our 26s here, hooked them up, and read
increased amperage. On the panels where you’re forced to use both the
single and multi-tipped wire, I’ve found it’s best to turn the four-tip
plug perpendicular to the flat ground, making it easier to fit the
single wire. I’ll be the first to say it isn’t pretty. It creates a
slight fold in the panel, and doesn’t allow it to sit completely flat,
but it does make the connection, and since there’s no solar receiver
over the output, it doesn’t affect the efficiency.
As I said, the multi-prong cord isn’t the best design. It’s something
I’m trying to get them to change in the development department. Keep in
mind that hooking multiple panels together doesn’t increase the total
voltage coming out of your last panel, but rather simply increases the
amperage. ”
Update * Click on “See customer Image” underneath the main product pic to see what this looks like *
So I broke out my panels and gave it a try. Yes, by bending the panel you can make the two fit. This causes me some real problems. My initial intent was to take some cord and tie the panels down (using the nicely grommeted holes in each corner). I can’t do this because the corner that’s bent can’t be tied down tightly. When I pull on the corner that’s bent down (see pic), you can hear the plastic under strain. The four prong outlet tries to straighten out with no where to go, when you do this. I wouldn’t want to tie the panel down tightly for fear of breaking something.
The answer to this of course is to make your own single male-male cable. In the rest of the email the service rep offered to send me some cables and cords that I could splice together.
One other thing I noticed is that the female cigarette outlet is completely smooth on the inside, there are no ridges or insets. Any male connector you insert into it will not “lock” into place. There is some resistance that will keep it from just falling out, but it doesn’t take much to come loose. I don’t think this would be a problem if the panel were laying flat. I imagine that if it were hung up the weight of some cables could cause it to come out. I’ve had no problems at all with powering any device using this outlet.
Update: * Added another image showing the hook up to an EEE ASUS*
I also own an Asus Eee PC 900 16G. One of the prongs on the four ended cable will fit directly into the laptop. It being such a small laptop the panel WILL run it real time while charging the battery (just like it was plugged into the wall).
According to Brunton the panel kicks out 26 Watts, and says it’s at 12 Volts. This means that
12 Volts X 2.2 Amps = 26 Watts
(i’m rounding slightly up on the Amps)
The EEE ASUS Power pack says it has an output of :
12 Volts X 3 Amps = 36Watts
There’s obviously a little play in here, but the Brunton panel is using the same Volts at less amps, so it’s safe to plug it into your EEE PC. In testing this personally it did in fact run the laptop real time and charge the battery at the same time.
I would raise my review to four stars (I can’t modify it), because the panel does do what it says it will do, but it has a design flaw that makes it hard to deal with.
4th Update:
For some reason all the pictures I uploaded months ago are now gone. I don’t know if that’s an Amazon thing, or what. I’ll try to replace them.
Might as well say something about the panel….
It’s been over a year and a half and it’s still holding up, no problems with wear and tear. I’m very pleased.