Despite the temporary improvement in the electricity situation, everyone realizes that this problem will continue for quite some time. In this case, people are looking at charging stations, large batteries, inverters, and solar panels. The latter are installed in a variety of places, including balconies, roofs, windows, etc. To understand the situation with solar panels, we tested the 300-watt portable model 2E PSPLW300. This form factor definitely has its advantages, but the disadvantages, as always, have not disappeared. In the review below, you will learn all the details about the solar panel, so don’t hesitate and let’s get started.
Content
| Type | Portable solar panel |
| Appointment | Batteries, smartphones, tablets, laptops |
| Power | 300 W |
| Interfaces | DC 12-40V/7.5A (max), MC4, Anderson, XT60, DC5.5 |
| Conversion rate | 22-23.5% |
| Features | Folding design and carrying handle |
| Dimensions in unfolded form | 2355×718×25 mm |
| Folded dimensions | 718×630×45 mm |
| Weight | 7.1 kg |
The 2E PSPLW300 comes in a large flat square box with a comfortable handle.
Inside is a solar panel that is packed in a protective layer of plastic. We also have a set of detachable cables with different inputs (DC 12-40V/7.5A (max), MC4, Anderson, XT60, DC5.5) that are suitable for a variety of devices.
The 2E PSPLW300 solar panel has four sections, a folding design, and a convenient handheld carrying case. When folded, it looks like a large folder of some architect or engineer, where they carry their projects. The material here is tarpaulin-type, it is not afraid of moisture (IPX4), but the existing black color is likely to fade in the sun over time.
On the back, there is a large pocket with zippers labeled 2E, which contains all the available wires. We also see one retractable Velcro support on each of the sections. They help to place the solar panel at an angle, as it collects light most efficiently.
If this is not possible, then we have round reinforced holes in the corners. They are needed to fix the 2E PSPLW300 somewhere outside a window, on the roof, on a balcony, or anywhere else you can find a place for it.
The dimensions of the 2E PSPLW300 are 718×630×45 mm when folded, and 2355×718×25 mm when unfolded. It can also be unfolded not completely, but into two or three sections, if there is no room for more. The solar panel weighs 7.1 kg. For such a powerful model, this is an adequate weight, especially if we remember the easy-to-carry handle, so in reality this weight feels much lighter.
2E PSPLW300 is a monocrystalline solar panel. That is, its panels are made of a single silicon crystal. Such a solution has the highest efficiency (in this case, 22-23.5%) and the longest service life, but it greatly affects the price because monocrystalline solar panels are the most expensive.
The declared power of the model is 300 W. This is the one we reviewed. But there are also versions for 250 (2E PSPLW250) and 400 W (2E PSPLW400).
I have already mentioned the presence of different types of inputs: DC 12-40V/7.5A (max), MC4, Anderson, XT60, DC5.5. Through them, the solar panel can be connected to various types of devices, including popular and not so popular charging stations, batteries, etc. With additional cables, solar panels can be connected to each other and then connected to charging stations and other devices to supply them with significantly more energy.
2E PSPLW300 is more suitable for use outdoors, in a private house or in a large apartment. In the first two cases, it opens to its full size and is placed at an angle without any problems. I also liked that in addition to the legs, the manufacturer thought about other mounting options and made reinforced holes in the corners, which I mentioned above.
I also mentioned the comfort of its use because of the handle and foldable form factor. The weight of 7.1 kg also really feels smaller, and I was even surprised to see this figure in the specifications. I thought it weighed 5 kg maximum.
If you have a long balcony but no space inside, you can hang the solar panel behind it. It’s also good that this model is foldable and portable. The latter makes it easy and convenient to carry it from place to place and open it not completely, but only for two or three panels.
That’s exactly what I did in the tests because as you can see in the photos above, my apartment is too small for full opening and even the balcony doesn’t have that much space. Therefore, for the tests, I used only two sections out of four and placed them on legs on the windowsill in the children’s room. There was even theoretically room to open the third panel, but I needed access to the charging station to control the charge, to move it easily from the windowsill to another room after it was charged.
I also want to note that the maximum efficiency of solar panels is achieved when they are placed outdoors. That is, ideally, there should be no glass, frames, etc. between them and the sun. In my case, it didn’t work out that way, but you should think about it carefully before buying. Where can you place something like this in your house, so that it is outside the window, or behind the balcony, or somewhere else.
So using two panels out of four and doing it through the window glass, I realized that I would have a maximum of 150 watts, but probably less. In fact, the maximum output of the panel was 125 watts because in addition to the glass, it was hampered by the shadow of the frames that fell on the panels. But even so, this is a good result, so if you open it completely, and even on the street or outside the window, you will probably have the declared 300 watts without any problems.
It’s worth remembering that not all charging stations support such power. It depends on your model. Some can handle a maximum of 200 watts, some 300 watts, and others have two 500-watt ports. So you also need to look at this when buying. You would rather not have a situation where the panel delivers 300 W, and your station can only receive 200 W from solar panels. Or your unit can receive 500 watts, for example. Then it may be worth looking at a 400 W version to increase the charging power.
So, on a sunny day, at the best times, and for me, it was somewhere between 12 and 16 hours, the panel was delivering 125 watts. It collected energy even when the sun was covered by a small cloud, but it was about 30-50 watts. It was up to 30 watts on a cloudy day, but sometimes there was 0 watts at all. I didn’t understand how it worked, or how it could collect even up to 30 watts without the sun, or not collect anything at all because nothing actually changed in the sky. Everything was still in the clouds.
I connected the solar panel to a 1000 Watt-hour charging station (there will be a separate review of it later). Therefore, I deliberately did not charge it from the mains, but used only the 2E PSPLW300 charger.
When the station arrived, it was at 80%. Then I discharged it to 24% during the review tests and from that moment on I tested it with a solar panel. I will say that it was no longer 100%, but I will note that I charged smartphones, a tablet, a smartwatch, and also connected an Xbox Series S and a 32-inch TV.
Of course, with a maximum of 125 W from the panel, the station charged very slowly, but this happened almost constantly when there was sunshine, and it shone through the window. That is, on a sunny day, no matter how you look, you always have a dripping charge. A little bit, but it drips. And it was enough for something simple, as described above. The situation would have been much better if all four panels were working somewhere outside, on the roof, or outside the balcony. But even this limited power was enough for the simplest but often important things — charging smartphones, laptops, tablets, etc.
The 2E PSPLW300 sells for a price of 17400 UAH. For some, it will definitely be expensive, but we must remember that we have a portable version here, plus it is the most expensive single-crystal version with the highest efficiency. And in general, this is an adequate price judging by the price tags of competitors.
Among the competitors, we looked at portable models of similar power and also monocrystalline. First of all, pay attention to a similar model from 2E, only with 250 watts 2E PSPLW250. There are also BLUETTI PV350 350 W and Goal Zero Ranger 300 Briefcase. Also take a look at PromAvtomatika Bandera Solar 300L.
