The BougeRV 100W portable solar panel is a lightweight, suitcase-style solar panel that excels in converting sunlight into usable energy. It comes equipped with 9BB monocrystalline technology to increase performance efficiency and charge your devices faster under any type of sun conditions.
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The BougeRV 100W 12V 9BB Solar Panel is powerful, modular solar panel that delivers high-performance energy capture, for a very affordable price tag.
It’s also optimized for camping and off-grid living, with a lightweight, ergonomic design that makes it easy to carry around and setup.
In this review, we’ll provide an in-depth analysis of the BougeRV 100W Solar Panel design, setup, compatibility, monocrystalline technology, 9BB half-cut solar cells and real-world testing with a portable power station.
Key Takeaways:
- The BougeRV 100W 12V 9BB is a high-efficiency portable solar panel, and uses advanced half-cut cell design and monocrystalline technology for greater sunlight capture and conversion efficiency.
- The solar panel is compatible with 12 volt chargers, making it ideal for home, boat and RV use.
- The BougeRV 100W 12V 9BB features a lightweight, folding-suitcase design that can quickly be setup to capture energy, and is certified to be waterproof and dust-resistant.
BougeRV 100W Solar Panel Review
Disclosure of Product Sample: We want to be fully transparent with our readers. In the course of creating this review of the BougeRV 100W Solar Panel, the manufacturer provided us with a sample product for testing in order to write an honest review. This sample product was provided to us at no cost.
Pros:
- Made with Monocrystalline Silicon for superior performance and conversion efficiency
- Features innovative 9BB half-cut cells to increase energy absorption, reduce power loss and extend the solar panel lifespan
- Constructed with durable ETEF material, which is a more sturdy alternative to glass that’s more resistant to extreme heat and cold
- Lightweight design that’s easier to carry than many competitors
- Quick installation and setup with built-in kickstand legs and 4-corner mounting holes
- Certified at the highest IP67 rating to be dust, dirt, and water resistant
- MC4 connector works with the majority of modern portable power stations
Cons:
- Does not include adapters
- Does not have a built-in usb to directly charge small devices, like a mobile phone or tablet
Unboxing the BougeRV 100W Solar Panel – What’s Inside?
- 100W Solar Panel
- MC4 connector cable
- Protective sleeve (attached)
- User manual
Hardware Specs
- Maximum power: 100W
- Cell type: 9BB
- Solar cells efficiency: 23%
- Maximum power voltage (Vmp): 19.8V
- Open circuit voltage (Voc): 23.7V
- Maximum power current (Imp): 5.05A
- Short circuit current (Isc): 5.33A
- Maximum system voltage: 1000V DC
- Compatibility: Anderson, DC5521, DC5525, DC7909
- Operating Temperature Limits: -40 to 185 degrees F (-40 to 85 degrees C)
- Weight: 4.5kg / 10lbs.
The BougeRV 100-watt is a foldable, suitcase-style portable solar panel that weighs 10 pounds (4.5kg), making it one of the lighter models in this category. Apart from conversion efficiency, weight is one of the most important features of a portable solar panel – and this is one of the device’s most appealing features.
The BougeRV 100-watt is composed of two linked solar panels, and their total dimensions when unfolded is 3.55 x 2.15 x 0.12 feet (1082 x 655 x 35 mm).
In addition to being light, portable solar panels also need to be easy to carry, especially when you’re carrying lots of other camping gear. Thus, the BougeRV 100-watt can be folded into a very narrow suitcase, with dimensions of 1.77 x 2.15 x 0.21 feet (538 x 655 x 63 mm), with a water-resistant fabric exterior shell. There are large orange handles on either side of the panels, that come together for easy grip, in addition to magnetic elements embedded into the sides that ensure the panel won’t come open when you’re in transit.
Foldable, Lightweight Design
Portable solar panels need to be as light as possible, especially when you’re carrying lots of camping gear. One of my favorite features of the BougeRV 100-watt is its light weight of only 10 pounds (4.5kg). In comparison, many solar panels in this category weigh 15 to 20 pounds, or more.
Weighing a sleek 10 pounds and folding into a compact suitcase-style, the BougeRV 100W is one of the lightest portable solar panels on the market, with many comparable panels weighing about 15 – 20 pounds.
In addition to being light, portable solar panels also need to be easy to carry. The BougeRV 100-watt folds in half into a very narrow suitcase, with dimensions of 1.77 x 2.15 x 0.21 feet (538 x 655 x 63 mm). There are magnets at each end to make sure the solar panel doesn’t open when you’re in transit, and a water-resistant protective fabric exterior that ensures it’s ready to travel anytime and anywhere.
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- 【COMPATIBILITY 】: Compatible with different brands of energy storage in the market,the converter needs to be prepared separately to connect to different mobile power sources.The charging speed is fast, and it supports multiple solar panels connected in series and parallels to give the power station a faster charging speed.
- 【23% Higher Efficiency】: Made of 9BB batteries, lighter, smaller in size, and more convenient to carry when going out.
- 【Durable and Waterproof】: ETEF integrated pressure-bearing shell technology is used, dustproof, and dirt-resistant; with IP67 waterproof function, don't worry about sudden rain or splashing water will damage the product.
- 【Better User Experience Upgrade】: the handle design position is more humanized and more convenient to use; the four-corner hanging hole design can provide customers with more DIY options. (RV, yard windows, roof, etc.)
- 【18-month Warranty】: 18-Months product warranty backed and Lifetime Technical Support will help you solve any product problems. Feel free to contact us through your Order Number, User Manual, or BougeRV Online Customer Service.
Easy Setup
Everything about the BougeRV 100W portable solar panel is optimized so that it’s easy to transport and fast to setup. Thanks to the lightweight design and built-in, fold-out kickstand legs that stand the panels up at a 45-degree angle, the BougeRV is ready to go in a matter of minutes. The construction is solid and the solar panel doesn’t feel flimsy, despite it being very thin.
The four-corner hanging hole design also makes it easy to setup the BougeRV 100 watt wherever you need, such as on RVs, yard windows, and roofs. I easily attached the solar panel to my wooden fence, where it can capture maximum sunlight.
There are also kickstands built into the back of each panel, making it easy to setup on the ground at a 45-degree, if you prefer. The handles are placed on top of the panels, rather than on the side, which makes it easier to open and close. This foldable suitcase design is much preferable to the side handles plus carry bag that many portable solar panels have.
Compatibility
The BougeRV 9BB 100W comes with built-in MC4 cables, which makes it compatible with more than 95% of portable power stations, including Anderson, DC5521 and XT-60. The MC4 connector cable is folded into a storage pouch on the front of the suitcase, and extends out to connect to the power station.
Monocrystalline Solar Cell Technology
The BougeRV portable power stations are made with monocrystalline cells, designed to provide higher efficiency and improved performance as compared to traditional polycrystalline solar panels.
👉 Using mono solar cells increases the receiving surface of individual cells by 30% to capture more sunlight and increased efficiency.
What is Solar Conversion Efficiency?
“Conversion efficiency” tells you how much of the sunlight that a solar panel absorbs is actually converted into usable energy. The average range of conversion efficiency is between 15% – 20% for most solar panels. Anything above 20% is considered “high conversion” efficiency.
The BougeRV 100-watt solar panel has a conversion rate of 23.5%, which makes this solar panel one of the highest efficiency models available.
Monocrystalline versus Polycrystalline and Thin-Film Solar Panels
Monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar panels are the two most common types of solar panels.
Monocrystalline solar panels offer a higher efficiency rate than other types of solar cells, such as polycrystalline and thin-film panels. They also use half-cut or multiple ribbon technologies that increase the conversion rate of sunlight to electricity.
| Type of Solar Panel | Efficiency | Color | Manufacturing Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monocrystalline | 17% – 22% | Black | Single silicon crystal |
| Polycrystalline | 15% – 17% | Blue | Multiple silicon fragments melted together |
| Thin-film | 10% – 13% | Varies | Photovoltaic material deposited onto a substrate |
Polycrystalline solar panels
Polycrystalline solar panels are created by melting of multiple smaller fragments or crystals together into a single larger panel form, which is more cost-efficient than producing individual cells from silicon wafers.
These types of solar panels are more affordable, but have a much lower efficiency range of 15% to 17%, which means they convert less sunlight into usable energy. In addition, polycrystalline panels usually deliver lower power output; which means that you may need more panels to reach your desired energy goals.
Additionally, polycrystalline PV components can look visually different due their uniform grainy appearance when stacked side by side with mono-modules since they possess no prefabricated cell structure within them like mono does, thus it’s much easier and cheaper to produce these.
Thin-film solar panels
Thin-film solar panels are the newest and most advanced type of photovoltaic technology on the market today. They are created using a single layer of incredibly thin, semi-conductor material that is extremely flexible yet also highly durable in extreme temperatures.
Compared to traditional crystalline solar cells, thin-film offers superior flexibility which makes installation easier and faster than ever before. Additionally, the lightweight design allows for larger units to be mounted with minimal effort.
Thin-film solar panels also have lower up front costs due to their efficient manufacturing process and small individual cell sizes. On top of that, they generate more energy per square meter due to their superior temperature performance and long lifetime expectancy making them an ideal choice for many renewable energy projects or situations where space constraints may exist.
9BB Half Cut Solar Cells
BougeRV’s utilize the modern 9BB half-cut cell technology, instead of the older 5BB cells that many older portable solar panels use.
“9BB” stands for “9 Bus Bars”, which each connect to individual solar cells within the panel. Conversely, 5BB panels have “5 Bus Bars”. The more bus bars, the more efficient the solar panel is at conducting energy, and the less power is lost, even at high temperatures.
9BB cells also have less shadow obstruction and more working area on the solar panel to absorb sunlight. Overall, 9BB cells are more stable than 5BB and tend to have a longer lifespan because they are more resistant to micro-cracks.
The 9BB solar cell design also eliminates weak elements on two sides of the cell which extends the solar panel’s life and allows to to operate at peak performance for longer.
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Durability
The BougeRV solar panel is constructed with an ETEF (ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene) integrated pressure-bearing shell, which is a material often used in roof construction because of its durability, especially in harsh weather conditions like extreme cold, heat and wind. ETEF material is also dust and dirt resistant.
Weather Resistance
BougeRV solar panels have the highest IP67 rating, which certifies that the panel is resistant to dirt, dust and shock impact. This rating also guarantees that the solar panel is water resistant and will not be damaged if it’s sprayed by something like a water hose or jet spray, for limited amounts of time.
“IP” stands for “Ingress Protection” and tells you how dust and water resistant a product is. The (6) certifies that the product is completely dust-proof and is shock-resistant to objects larger than 1mm in diameter. The second digit (7) means that the device can be placed underwater to depths of 150mm to 1000mm without getting damaged, for a short amount of time.
Expandability
BougeRV 100W are scalable and can be expanded to multiple solar panels, allowing you to double and triple your energy capture.
- 【COMPATIBILITY 】: Compatible with different brands of energy storage in the market,the converter needs to be prepared separately to connect to different mobile power sources.The charging speed is fast, and it supports multiple solar panels connected in series and parallels to give the power station a faster charging speed.
- 【23% Higher Efficiency】: Made of 9BB batteries, lighter, smaller in size, and more convenient to carry when going out.
- 【Durable and Waterproof】: ETEF integrated pressure-bearing shell technology is used, dustproof, and dirt-resistant; with IP67 waterproof function, don't worry about sudden rain or splashing water will damage the product.
- 【Better User Experience Upgrade】: the handle design position is more humanized and more convenient to use; the four-corner hanging hole design can provide customers with more DIY options. (RV, yard windows, roof, etc.)
- 【18-month Warranty】: 18-Months product warranty backed and Lifetime Technical Support will help you solve any product problems. Feel free to contact us through your Order Number, User Manual, or BougeRV Online Customer Service.
Real-World Testing the BougeRV 100W Solar Panel
The BougeRV 100W solar panel charged a 500-watt portable power station with 80W max input from 0% to 95% in five hours in both partial and full sunlight.
Test #1: BougeRV 100W Solar Panel in partial and full sunlight
👉 In test #1 it took the BougeRV 100W Solar Panel 5 hours in partial and full sunlight to charge a 500W power station to 95%, reaching 73-watts of a total 80-watts max input.
- Cloudy, partial sun
- Charge Level: 0% – 54%
- Charge Time: 2 hours
- Input power: 7-watts
I live in Southern California where we get a lot of sunlight, but the skies were partially cloudy when I started charging in the morning. This gave me the opportunity to test the solar panels in limited sunlight.
I connected the BougeRV panel to the power station’s PV 80-watt input using the MC4 cable adapter, setup the panel at a 45-degree angle facing the sky using the kickstands and left everything for 2 hours to charge. When I returned, the Grecell portable power station had charged to 54%, and the PV input power level was only at 7-watts.
- Full Sun
- Charge Level: 54% to 95%
- Charge Time: 3 hours
- Input power: 73-watts
Once the clouds cleared, I started charging again with full, direct sunlight, and adjusted the panel to make sure it was facing the sunlight at a 45-degree angle. The PV input power eventually reached 73-watts, and the portable power station charged to 95%. Success!
Test #2: BougeRV 100W in full sunlight
👉 In test #2, the BougeRV 100W charged the 500W power station from 0% to 72% in 3 hours in full sunlight, reaching 48-watts of a total 80-watts max input.
- Full Sun
- Charge Level: 0% to 72%
- Charge Time: 3 hours
- Input power: 48-watts
Once my portable power station was depleted to 0%, I setup the BougeRV 100W and the power station again in full sun, hanging the solar panel from its corner loops on my fence, so that it was flat and facing the sun. Within 3 hours the power station was charged to 72%, reaching a PV input power level of 48-watts.
Competitor Comparison
| BougeRV | Renogy | DOKIO | EBL Solar Apollo | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency | 23.5% | Unknown | 23% | 23% |
| Portability | Foldable Suitcase | Foldable Suitcase | Bag | Foldable Suitcase |
| Wattage | 100 watts | 100 watts | 100 watts | 100 watts |
| Compatibility | 12-volt | 12-volt | 12-volt | 12-volt |
| Battery Cells Type | 9BB | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Temp Limits | -40°F to 185°F (-40°C to 85°C) | -40°F to 194°F (-40°C to 90°C | -40°F to +185°F (-40°C to 85°C) | 68°F to 140°F (20°C to 60°C) |
| Material | Monocrystalline Silicon | Aluminum | Monocrystalline | Monocrystalline Silicon |
| Connector Type | MC4 | MC4 | MC4 | MC4 |
| Built-In USB | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Max Operating Voltage (Vmp) | 19.8 volts | 12 volts | 18 volts | 18 volts |
| Open circuit voltage (Voc) | 23.7 volts | 21.6 volts | 23.7 volts | 20 volts |
| Weight | 10 lbs. | 16.5 lbs. (7.5 kg) | 27 lbs. | 11.97 lbs. |
| Waterproof Rated | IP67 | IP66 | IP65 | IP65 |
| Price | $219 | $159 | $144 | $219 |
Final Verdict
The BougeRV 100W 12V 9BB Portable Solar Panel is an excellent choice for those looking for a durable, high efficiency portable solar panel, featuring innovative half-cut cells technology designed to maximize performance.
We love the high conversion rate of 23.5%, 9BB cell technology, and weatherproof construction to survive any type of weather or environment that you throw at it. The solar panel charged a hefty 500-watt portable power station from 0% to 95% in five hours in both partial and full sunlight.
Our only critiques are the lack of a USB port to directly charge small devices and cable adapters in case you want to connect to a power station in other ways beside an MC4 connector.
All in all, the product delivers a lot of functionality, in a lightweight, affordable package that’s easy to take with you anywhere on the go.
