For its price point, the Itehil 100W foldable solar panel provides ample power while maintaining its accessibility for newcomers to solar power.
How can you source power in an emergency or when off-the-grid?
One such option is the Itehil 100W solar panel that provides a foldable briefcase of eco-friendly power generation on the go. Thanks to the velcro, double support legs, and hanging holes, you can also place it anywhere the sun is facing in a snap.
The Itehil 100W solar panel offers a user-friendly experience in power generation for those looking to power their essentials while maintaining affordability. Read on to find out more, then enter our competition at the end of the review to win your own Itehil 100W foldable solar panel.
Unique Emergency Foldable Solar Panel Design
One of the things you'll notice about the Itehil 100W solar panel is a high value placed on accessible information. When it comes to solar power generation, there are various things to learn when you're new. To help with this, Itehil has added technical specs and instructions directly on the panels.
This information covers a wide array of things graphically, including technical specifications, components, usage, and connectivity.
While not everyone will need this information, it's a unique direction worth noting. If you stash away your solar panel for an emergency or specific use, you won't have to worry about locating information online or via a manual. Instead, you'll have everything you need at hand.
Outside its educational design angle, the Itehil 100W solar panel has taken cues from what works for other folding solar panels. First off, it features monocrystalline silicon for its cell type. These are coated with ETFE film to aid in light transmittance and to improve durability.
Rather than the buckles, the panel utilizes velcro to secure the panels, and two rigid fold-out supports that angle the panel up to 45 degrees. For those wanting to hang the device, it features four secure holes at each corner of the panel.
In terms of water-proofing, Itehil's solar panel is rated IPX4, so it's considered splash-proof from all directions. The double zippers lining the accessory bag also make it fairly easy to position any cords away from possible water exposure while also protecting your outputs. Should you get any excess dust, grass, or dirt on the panel, the fabric was easy to clean by hand.
ITEHIL 100W Solar Panel Technical Specifications
With the ITEHIL 100W solar panel, you can expect to be able to power multiple small electronic devices at once. To expand your connectivity, it can also charge a portable power station. So what's behind this?
The Itehil's foldable solar panel features a rated power of 100W, consisting of at most 18V (open circuit 22.2V) 5.5A via the direct DC output. It also features a USB 3.0 port (up top 12V 1.5A), and a USB 2.0 port (5V 2A).
Many foldable solar panels feature two USB ports, so this isn't a surprise here. However, we would have preferred to see a USB-C port as well, or instead of the USB2.0 port.
What's in The Solar Panel Accessories Bag
Besides the previously mentioned connector box and its ports, there are eleven different DC adapters, four carabiners for hanging, and a two-meter DC to DC cable. One of the included DC adapters is for Itehil's 500W power station, while the rest help you connect to almost every other variety you might find. In testing, the two-meter cable allowed me to keep any portable power station at a shaded distance for warmer days.
When you're ready to put your accessories up, the pocket provides ample space for them and anything small you want to tuck inside.
Transport and Placement for the Foldable Itehil Solar Panel
The Itehil foldable solar panel measures 20.5 x 14.2 x 2.0 inches when folded up into its briefcase form. However, when fully expanded for use, it measures out to 67.5 x 62.5 x 1.2 inches.
The Itehil 100W weighs 5 kilograms or around 11 pounds, which is ever so slightly more than other portable photovoltaics like the Jackery SolarSaga and Rockpals. The briefcase-style handle was comfortable, so it felt natural while carrying it for short distances. When on the go, it's pretty easy to stow away in a car, RV, or caravan as well.
For those looking to suspend their solar panel, the four carabiners come in handy. I utilized all four of the hanging holes to suspend the Itehil 100W solar panel across one side of my home gazebo for testing. To secure the weight load, I used some commonly available camping rope with a sixty-pound working limit.
From there, it was easy to open the accessory bag, extend the cables, and take a seat at the nearby table to take a break outside while charging up. Overall, it was a fairly easy process, and the solar panel itself could easily mount to various set-ups.
Power Efficiency With the Itehil Solar Panel
When looking at solar panels, power efficiency tends to range between values of 21-23.5% at the higher end of the spectrum. In the case of the Itehil 100W solar panel, official specs report between 21 to 22% power efficiency, which is average for its price point.
However, a variety of conditions can affect this. Cloud cover, shade, and the ever-moving sun are all factors that can affect the efficiency of your solar panel. Unlike stationary panels, the Itehil 100W can easily reposition to a sunny spot.
For those looking to daisy chain multiple panels, Itehil 100W also supports parallel connections. The required cables, however, are not included, so you'll have to source them yourself.
Utilizing a Portable Power Station
While I don't have the Itehil IT500 500Wh battery pack for testing with these, I do have an equivalent power station. To test out the charging capacity of the panel, I used the XXX PS500N (our review). While the Itehil 100W panel does come with various DC adapters, the default DC connector plug worked fine with the XXX PS500N.
For initial testing, I charged up the battery under heavier albeit variable cloud cover. From empty, it took about ten hours total over the course of a few days. Although the XXX battery doesn't display exact charge rates, we can estimate it to be around 50W. That's not bad, considering it was mostly cloudy. On a good day, charging a small 500Wh battery would take no more than a single day.
This was also roughly equivalent to what I experienced during the initial XXX testing with a 100W Rockpals foldable solar panel.
Should You Buy the Itehil 100W Solar Panel?
If you're looking into an affordable eco-friendly power option, the Itehil 100W provides the essentials you need. It's affordable, powerful, and portable, thanks to its foldable design.
With this said, negatives to the solar panel largely come down to personal preferences. If it doesn't match your preferred USB options or you want more power efficiency, you may wish to look at another brand.
Also, you need to keep in mind your use case here. Foldable solar panels typically cost more, so you need to consider if you're going to be taking advantage of their portability. The Itehil 100W solar panel works great on the go, so it's ideal for the outdoors or traveling in general.
If you consider what the Itehil 100W solar panel offers and its unique, informative design, it's a great option to keep for an emergency or on the go.
