Thanks

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

My pleasure mate, thanks so much for your support!

This panel can put out close to 100 watts kzread.infoUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.

@TheMusingGreg

10 ай бұрын

Which one did you like the best?

Amazingly informative, very thorough testing with all variables accounted for. Well done!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it Jock! Please subscribe if you haven't already as I have more solar content in the works!

Greg this is one of the easiest to understand comparison I have seen. Great job.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Mate I really appreciate that comment, glad to know it hit the mark for you. Cheers!

Brilliant testing and video mate, well done!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much! Glad it was helpful!

Honest, Fair review. . Thanks for the video and the time you put into this.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Craig, thanks very much for the feedback. I'm glad you found it helpful. Please subscribe if you haven't already (apologies if you have, YT makes it hard to check individual subscribers!)

Very thorough, excellent review and shoot out

@TheMusingGreg

Ай бұрын

Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it! 👍

What an incredibly in-depth review!!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks mate, glad you found it helpful! Which one do you think is best for you?

@task82

2 жыл бұрын

​@@TheMusingGreg between the two, I think I'd go the Kings, purely because of costs. But to throw a curveball, it would be great if Hardkorr could provide you with their 200W heavy duty solar matt for the same rigorous testing against the Redarc. Pricing is pretty reasonable, but the 3yr warranty is what stands out to me.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

@@task82 That would be an interesting shoot-out for sure! Unfortunately the Redarc blanket's now gone back to Redarc but I probably have enough data vs the Kings to do a comparo with the Kings and be able to extrapolate how it would have compared to the Redarc.

A well detailed and fair comparison video. Thanks for sharing.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Mr Glass, glad you found it helpful!

Understand kings stuff is the bottom end of the scale but Redarc should be held up to false advertising because of the price premium.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Mate this unfortunately is a problem with all solar panel / blanket manufacturers, it's not just Redarc. I agree that Redarc's sin might be seen as worse because of the price premium, but as per 15:30 the problem is there's no real-world testing standard, so every manufacturer is forced to advertise ideal lab condition results, otherwise it looks like their product's inferior to their competitors. The fact we're discussing a 150W Redarc blanket vs a 200W Kings blanket, when testing showed the Redarc performs BETTER than the kings, just proves this point. If Redarc advertised this as a 120W blanket for $1600, the situation would be even worse (although you could argue at least they're being realistic).

thanks for this video, it was realy clear and easy to understand everything you went through. youd make a great teacher!

@TheMusingGreg

8 күн бұрын

Glad it was helpful and thank you for those kind words! Redarc has since updated their blanket so make sure you check out the updated review kzread.info/dash/bejne/ooStwZeFnZCzn5M.html particularly parts 3 and 4.

Great honest appraisal thank you 👍

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks David, appreciate your feedback! Stay tuned and subbed for more solar content!

excellent evaluation. thank you sir

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure John, glad you found it helpful. Stay tuned and subbed for more solar content coming soon!

Great review mate!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure mate, glad it was helpful! Which one do you reckon's better for you?

Very thorough review 👍

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it, thanks for the feedback! Please subscribe as I have some more solar / MPPT content coming!

Thank you for this fantastic review!

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

My pleasure! Stay tuned and subscribed as I've got another Redarc solar blanket video coming this year!

Excellent review. Thank you Sir.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure!

Thanks for an informative interesting video

@TheMusingGreg

7 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Please share on your socials! 🙂

Great review

@TheMusingGreg

8 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it mate! The Redarc blanket has since been updated, and I covered it in this shootout: kzread.info/dash/bejne/ooStwZeFnZCzn5M.html

Thanks heaps for your work and sharing. Great information. Appreciated

@TheMusingGreg

11 ай бұрын

My pleasure! Did you see the updated Redarc one? kzread.info/dash/bejne/ooStwZeFnZCzn5M.html

Thanks for the informative video.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure mate!

Very thorough review, thanks

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful! Stay tuned for the next one where the updated Redarc blanket goes up against some 200W units!

Very thorough review!!!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks mate glad it was helpful!

Very thorough test.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Shane, glad you found it helpful!

Really thorough - thanks!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure, glad it was helpful!

This is a great vid mate, thanks!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback - make sure you stay subbed as I'm planning more solar-related videos soon!

Great review..much appreciated

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Andy, glad to hear it was helpful for you!

Good test mate !

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Glad you found it helpful! Cheers!

Great review and valuable information, thank you! I bought a Hard Korr blanket. I added a soft cotton/nylon tie loop to all points (cut from a small tent rope) for easier handling to move around and hang with hooks. I devised a 'stand' using my spacer bars (normally used for my annex) - using a bolt and nut to join 2 together to make an adjustable A x 2 - the 5th I threaded in the loops I had already attached and fed it into U bolts on the outer A type frames. It is a little bit of work to set up, yet you can adjust the angle during the day by extending the individual spacer bars. I've also tried using some lightweight coreflute sheets to place at the back of the blanket (for stability) and used a cut down noodle as legs which you do have to add a rock or something to keep it in place. After much trial and error, I worked out to park my van east/west (when I can) to prop it at an angle for am/pm on the windscreens and lay flat in the middle of the day. After 3 months it is already showing those small circular bubble holes of the surface lifting. Which is very disappointing. *My head is not even close to understanding the output and percentages as you have explained so well. So thanks so much for this information.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

No worries at all Lexa, glad it was useful. Thanks for sharing how you made the stand, that sounds a good approach. Sorry to hear of the problems with your Hard Korr blanket though, if I were you I would be looking to get it replaced while it's still under warranty. Cell delamination is the beginning of the end for solar panels as it can allow air and moisture into the cell and cause corrosion. Let me know if you need clarification on any of the geeky data! Cheers, Greg

@lexaharpell5196

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg I sent off an email to them Friday night and received a reply 9am Monday. Filled out the forms photos etc and shall see how the next one fairs. Need to watch more on your chanel. Always learning while travelling. Thanks again for your valuable information.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Great so they honoured the warranty then? Glad the channel's been helpful, travelling is a constant learning experience!

Love your work mate

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Cheers mate, appreciate it! Stay tuned for the next solar blanket shootout currently in testing!

Fantastic review Greg. Subbed based on this one vid... will now binge watch some more! I have Kickass solid folding panels that I can't fault, but also have the Kings folding solar blanket for the times when I need a bit more space in the vehicle/camper. I replaced the original PWM controller with a Kickass controller and have taken the Kings blanket around the country a few times... never had an issue. I'm all about buying Aussie made where I can, but given they are both made in China and the ridiculous price of Redarc stuff, I'll continue with my Kings blanket if/when it gives up the ghost... been a few years now and still going strong though. Great review as I said.... keep them coming. Cheers 🍻

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Mate it's great to have you on board, hope you enjoy checking out the other content! I can't say I had a great run with my the Kings blankets, and would not want to rely on them. It's true they're both made in China, but Redarc has a lot more involvement in the process and specifies better components which is why I'd trust it much more. Pity about the price! But thankfully Redarc listened, they've got a new blanket out that's half the price which I'm testing at the moment along with Hard Korr, itechworld and Companion kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZKeGsZmanLvPkcY.html so that review should be along in a couple of months. Stay tuned!

Keep up the good work very good video

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark, glad you enjoyed it. I'm currently testing out Redarc's updated blanket which is half the cost, so make sure you're subscribed if you'd be interested in seeing that when it's done!

The information and stats were well presented.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul, I appreciate your support!

Great review thankyou

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure, glad it was helpful!

Congrats mate! That was a perfect review 👌 especially the testing graphs and who should buy summary! I hope to see more like this in the future. I'm currently trying to decide between a Safiery 250W solar blanket and a 300W kickass solar blanket (high vs low pv voltage)

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful mate! I've got some similar content coming so make sure you subscribe! I'd be interested to know which one you decide and why! Cheers, Greg

@watto_2445

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg Looking forward to it! Have you seen this? kzread.info/dash/bejne/fZxnxcpuY7nOZrA.html. Impressive if true. I'll get back to you on our decision. Also its interesting to compare the panel average watts per m². Redarc is almost 50% larger then kings. Using your average power values for the panels and the surface area: Redarc = 44W/m² vs Kings = 60W/m²

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

@@watto_2445 That Safiery does look impressive, although without seeing how the whole setup was configured it's hard to be sure. Regarding the power per square metre, not sure how you worked those out, but if you look at the ACTUAL average power measured in the test you'll find the Redarc is comfortably more efficient for the same surface area as it produces more power for a slightly smaller surface area: Kings surface area: 1.11x1.15m = 1.27sqm Kings average power: 76.5W Kings power/sqm: 76.5/1.27 = 60W/sqm Redarc surface area: 1.21 x 0.92m = 1.132sqm Redarc average power: 83.44W Redarc power/sqm: 83.44/1.132 = 74.95W/sqm

@watto_2445

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg yes you're correct! I was looking at the wrong dimensions for the redarc blanket.

@brent7344

2 жыл бұрын

@@watto_2445 the main point of difference is the solar controller I reckon. You'd get much more out of those 2 blankets with a top quality mppt controller like the victron that safiery use in their products and builds. Safiery are a top notch no bs company. But like redarc, they're bloody expensive!

Excellent review mate well done you should be very proud of yourself. Bloody good job mate ✌️💚🍄

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Oh thanks very much mate, I appreciate it! 👍 Glad you found it helpful. Cheers!

@T.J-and-Soul

Жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg yes and I probably won't buy the kings. I did buy their new 45lt fridge though. Very impressed

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Yeah some of their products are better than others that's for sure! Nice to hear the fridge works well.

Comprehensive testing and data collection...well done....... My kings blanket does the job asked of it. Previously running thru a Projecta DCDC charger is was a bit slow to start, but now running thru an Enerdrive DCDC and it is working great. For 1600 bucks I would buy another 7 kings blankets and have about 600w feeding my battery, which btw is only running a kings fridge, ARB compressor, some camp lights and charge points, so the one blanket is fine........

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback Darrin, glad it was helpful!

@lyndonkain4749

Жыл бұрын

I'm confused with this pricing, I've just ordered a 300w Redarc, $1400. I'll post how it goes

I agree with comments relating to Redarc solar blanket pricing. Gouging is the word that comes to mind. I agree with your comments Greg about it being more suitable for someone doing a lot of travelling (although the price is too rich for me). Yes, you can buy 8 Kings blankets for the price of the Redarc, but that would be a huge hassle if you're on the road a lot and relying on solar input. And why would you want to keep purchasing the same product that fails regularly ? I wouldn't. On a very minor side note, surely the Redarc can be easily held by cupping your hand under the blanket rather than trying to hold it from above. Thanks for the video - it was informative.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dunnart100, I appreciate your comments, and you've clearly 'got' the message in terms of he value proposition of Kings vs Redarc. If you're travelling a lot then the inconvenience of failed Kings panels, returns, credits, trips to the post office to pick up replacement units etc has to be taken into consideration (and that was a reality for us with all three failed Kings units). That's why I recommended the Redarc for full-time travellers. Yep you could hang your arm down and cup / wrap your hand around the underside edge of the blanket, I don't think I ever tried that, although I think the size might make it a bit of a challenge. If it was smaller like a ream of paper you could carry it that way and it would come just above your wrist; if it was larger like the Kings blanket it'd come close to your armpit and still be OK as your armpit would stop the top from wobbling around. But I reckon the size of the Redarc means it's going to be up around your elbow where the top half is going to want to wobble around. Interesting thought though, I wish I'd tried it.

I've had one of the early Kings 120w blankets for many years now (no longer available) and it's a beast. Similar power output to these two and zero damage so far. I run a high quality MPPT controller and it charges everything I need it to with ease. I guess I got a good one before the quality dropped away.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

I'm sure that's exactly it. Wouldn't be the first time a company gets a good product to establish a passable reputation, then the bean counters get involved and things slowly die away!

@cackle067

2 жыл бұрын

For the price difference ill stick with kings and just buy 2 to make up the power difference

@samartz

Жыл бұрын

What MMPT brand you run? heard the Kings ones are crap. Thanks

@loveknowsnoborder

10 ай бұрын

@@cackle067 you'll still save a lot of coin for fuel :D

thank you for share a detailed video

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

No worries at all Robert, glad it was helpful!

Good to see I’m not the only one that had a kings blanket drop off in efficiency after a few months of use.

@brucemcgeehan8255

2 жыл бұрын

This amature testing at best

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

@McGeeNZ No I think that's about standard for the newer Kings panels at least. The older ones sound to have gone for longer.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

@@brucemcgeehan8255 Let me know when you've done a better job.

Thanks great job

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

No problem 👍 Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for this fantastic review. I need more solar panels when I can afford them, and it's really, really doing my head in. Be it the massive differences in price, the coatings that allegedly make them work better and so on... Yeah Kings are certainly appealing when you think of price, but--- Yeah. There are so many bad, non-detailed reviews and/or influencers who've made a video in absolutely optimum conditions with their brand new supplied blankets! I love that your video is very in depth, considers multiple options and situations and is absolutely fantastic, thank you! I can appreciate the time and effort taken to make a video like this too. The 2 ones I initially got were rated at 100 watts but got maximum about 65 watts (usually less). They also have the damage happening to them that the Kings one you showed have amongst other things as they are used every day (I currently do not have the right amount of solar panels for the power I wish to use as I cannot afford it). I was thinking once I find some good ones (is it possible, I'll watch some more of your videos!), I want them on a thing with wheels, already at the right (ish) angle, so I can just roll them out and turn them to face the sun instead of mucking around moving them in the dirt 3 times a day.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your comment mate, I'm glad you found the review so helpful! You are right in the money with the quality of many reviews, that's actually why I got started doing these myself so I could determine real world results in a range of conditions. Your idea of panels in wheels sounds a good one if you have room to store them. The other video you commented on, the solar blanket review, is coming, I've got another two weeks of travelling and testing to go and then it's putting five months of data all together into something hopefully clear enough! Thanks for your support!

@unintentionallyoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg Thanks I'm really looking forward to the other video - I will have enough money saved by then hopefully to buy one of the reviewed blankets, which hopefully performs somewhat or exactly as it claims (crosses fingers). I also hope I have some extra $ by then to be able to send you on KZread like you showed. I really want the panels on wheels (like say maybe 4 positioned in a way/angle on one side as to not throw shade on each other, I'm picturing the base to be triangular ish and stable/able to be weighted down if needed due to wind) as my hands look like that of a gardener due to mucking around with the dirt. I have a big house which I paid $12500 for, so plenty of room if I make it right. But there's got to be something out there similar already or something that can be hacked to make it happen.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Cheers mate, your support is really appreciated as it does take a lot of time to test everything out, plus buying the products to test too. Preliminary findings show there are some candidates which definitely perform better than either the Kings or the Redarc, so I'm pretty sure you'll find something that works for you there. However you may find the panels on wheels idea works better for your situation, if you've got the room for it. Blankets are great in that they're very compact and portable (especially the incredibly light Redarc), but the fixed or folding panels are certainly better value (dollars per watt), and according to others generally perform better too. So a blanket may not be the right solution for you if size and weight aren't a factor.

Well done great review mate, I’d like to see you do a KT blanket review 🌞👍🏽

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! I'll pop that on my list. At the moment I'm testing itechworld, Hard Korr, Companion and Redarc's updated 160w blanket, hopefully you like that review when it's done!

Good suggestion is to let people know how much extra the cables and accessories will cost on top of the initial price. But, this was a great video comparison, well done.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestion Peter, good point! I've actually already got that info for their updated 160W Redarc blanket which I'm comparing at the moment with a few other blankets so I'll make sure that goes in. Make sure you subscribe if you'd be interested in seeing that when it's done.

We spent 6 months on the road with a Kings blanket (an earlier model, but similar) charging our caravan battery. We did this via the cheaper Redarc solar charger. We had to replace the product before our trip, as the previous one failed, so were starting with a new unit. Generally the blanket preformed as required, keeping our 120 amp hour AGM battery charged with two or three hours of sunlight each day. Battery was used for lights and general charging of phones etc so if you are trying to run a fridge your experience will be a lot different. I didn't really baby the blanket, with it occasionally getting blown around in unexpected storms, but it survived the trip with only surface damage (dodgy cell coating) and having most of the stupid little cloth tabs ripped off giving me a chance to practice my sowing. Generally happy, although I'm expecting to have to replace the blanket in the near future as it's certainly starting to show its age. Personally for our caravan charging needs and If we had the room to store it, I'd go with a fixed solid panel rather than a blanket, given you get more power, cheaper and you don't have the difficulty of propping things up.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Peter, sounds like your experience is pretty similar to mine! It would be interesting to know how much output you're getting from yours now compared to when it was new! Is yours still a 200W or one of the older 10 panel 160W setups? We had 2x100Ah batteries and an inverter for charging laptops so our power needs were a bit higher. Yep a panel is probably the way to go if you have the space.

@peterstewart3563

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg I think ours is the 160W version, the cells are smaller than what you demoed. Certainly it charged pretty quickly and did the job we needed. Incidentally we've the same van as you, except the on road version.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds good. You might like to try one of those power meters to see how much power you're actually getting going into the batteries. Can be useful to have for diagnostics down the track too if you "think" it's not working so well, as you have some hard data to back it up.

next test Kickass vs Hardkorr Vs Redarc. Thanks for the testing super helpful!

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Almost! It's going to be kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZKeGsZmanLvPkcY.html plus Redarc!

great testing. i own a kings and wish i saw this before i brought it. if kings blanket was advertised as 100w it would be great because thats about the most i have seen out of mine

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks mate glad it was helpful. Yep the unrealistic advertising on Kings in particular really bothers me, because people buy it thinking they're going to get something they're not, and they buy it in preference to a different which will actually get them more what they wanted.

Kings make crappy stuff agreed. Redarc on the other hand is simply not realistic with their pricing. You could buy 6 x Kings Panels and allow for 3 failures and you would be ahead.

@officialWWM

2 жыл бұрын

Not all Kings stuff is crap though. I have loads of their stuff that’s lasting and working well.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

You would be, although there's the e-waste and inconvenience side of things, and long-term you might be better with Redarc. It's a very long horizon though!

@MrFastFarmer

Жыл бұрын

KIngs is unbelievable value for money. Crappy stuff.. hardly!

@shiraz1736

Жыл бұрын

Yep more and more and more landfill. Great attitude champ.

@blake9358

Жыл бұрын

@@MrFastFarmer Not with their solar blankets. Kings fridges are quite good

I would love to see you do this with the Enerdrive folding panel.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll add that to the list of candidates for potential future videos!

Awesome vid. Wow. That redarc price!!!!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Tell me about it! 😲😲 Still, probably a better choice than the Kings if you're using it daily.

Great review. Hard to beat the kings for $ per output. Would be nice the find a quality panel for a reasonable price

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark! Check out my Kings vs Allspark review kzread.info/dash/bejne/fmyh3LCNlrm5Ybw.html Maybe that's the product you're looking for?

I have the hardkorr 200w blanket with "crocskin armour". I paid around 400 for it. Comes with cables and a regulator! Its fantastic! Would definately recommend 👌

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Very nice! Thanks for the recommendation!

@MrFastFarmer

Жыл бұрын

I have both and in hindsight I should have just bought 2 more kings.

I've owned the Kings and you're spot on, especially with alignment to the sun. I sold it on pretty quick for ridged KickAss 350w which is about $800AU, much better.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers thanks Peter!

Panel rating is a wierd one. They can be made of different materials which leads to worse efficiency. Then the material of the protective cover and glass or plastic can lead to a higher working temperature which also leads to worse efficiency. Great video mate love the depth of information

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the input Hugh and glad you enjoyed it! Yes there are lots of factors but this is why there should be a testing standard which reflects real world use so all those factors can be considered, rather than just say the bare panel before adding the coating.

Great review. For me not nearly enough difference in performance to justify the price differential. Wold love to see a Kings vs Mid Tier e.g. kick ass or similar as others have mentioned around that $800 price point. Given you can buy around 8 of the kings blankets for 1 redarc, not to mention if you do a true cost comparison and buy the leads and PWM charger also from redarc it's probably 10:1.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment mate, yeah upfront the Kings is certainly very compelling, although I guess after a decade you'll probably end up more out of pocket and still have no working blanket. It's a long horizon to get that payback though. I'm hoping to get a few mid-range blankets together and do another shoot-out, so stay tuned and subbed for that one!

I have had a Kickass 300watt Portable Panel for 3 years now and only recently bought a proper DCDC/MPPT dual charger, Battery monitor, and an Enerdrive Btech 200ah Lithium set up. Although the panel is now permanently flat mounted on the roof of my Van due to its bulky size and weighing in at 35kgs.... But I can finally see how much power I am getting from it. From what I have gathered after 6 months of being on the road in Victoria I typically get around 9 amps mark around 11am-3pm when the sun is directly above it. Which amounts to around 108watts which is a third of it's rated out put. In the most ideal conditions I have seen it max out and sit around the 14 amps marks which is still only slightly above the rated output at just 168watts. Have to say I am pretty damn annoyed, but I did only pay $350 for it at the time. I am currently looking into either fitting a few more panels on the roof to get around 650watts (think that is the max input the DCDC charger can handle), or trying my luck at making my own mechanism that'll allow me to raise the panels on the roof to get more out of it. The most realistic and practical approach is to look into something similar to the REDARC blanket panels to fit inside the Van more easily and just have it connect up to the total watts from the flat mounted panels. It is certainly a damn shame they cost so frigging much though, it really doesn't seem feasible. Luckily my DCDC charger outputs 50ah from the alternator when driving when I forget to switch off the 2000watt inverter over night and drain the battery more than I'd planned haha I live fulltime out of my Van and need more solar though so I am grateful you have done such a thorough study of these blankets though. Gives me a much more educated idea of what to spend my hard earned cash on. Maybe I may have to just fill my roof with more panels instead, definitely much much much cheaper than REDARC, here's to hoping they'll start to drop dramatically in price.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that perspective mate, always good to hear from someone who's got longer-term experience and some hard data behind their thoughts. And glad you found the video helpful in determining your best course of action - that's the ultimate outcome of these videos! I can relate to your frustration with your panel's output, however remember it's 3 years old now so it's quite possible it's not producing what it would have when new, just like the Kings blankets. Also having it permanently mounted means it's generating power and heat even when possibly not needed, so it will probably degrade more than if it was only put out in the sun when needed. But then you're trading off the convenience of having power there all the time. Solar is very much a series of compromises! Solar blankets like the REDARC are brilliant as far as convenience goes, but as I said they're more of a pain to set up than a folding panel (unless they have integrated legs) and if they're flat against a surface they get pretty hot which reduces their efficiency. If I were you and the funds allowed: If you want to have a permanently installed panel then I would be getting a new ~350W unit and seeing what sort of output you get from that, and then keeping your current one as a backup / additional power source to pop out in the sun when you need it. Good luck with whatever you decide! Cheers, Greg

I bought the same Adventure kings blanket. 2 of the 6 panels bubbled up but was still charging at 13.8 volts instead of hitting 14.8+ as it did when i first tested the output. I called them up I got sent a new blanket whithin the week. Even if does break they still warrant it. Now I have a 2 blankets for the price of 1.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Same issue with me and the same result, except in my case it was 3 blankets for the price of 1 at one stage! Their service is great, pity the product quality is so poor.

@Neilhoh3

Жыл бұрын

Volts largely irrelevant. It's the amps that would drop and what you need to charge a battery.

Good review mate! I've got the old kings 120w as well (mentioned a few times in the comments) and it's still producing the goods after 3 or 4 years of use up north in WA as well as Wilbinga to Jurien Bay. I got it for about $130 on one of their specials and although some of the polyester is starting to show signs of wear n tear, I can't really fault it (I gently wipe it before and after use!). But yeah, get a good controller as the one it ships with is not that good. Guess I could get about 13 or 14 (if you add the accessories) of these for the redarc price... Keep up the good work ;)

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Patrick, glad you enjoyed it! A few people have mentioned on my other Kings blanket reviews that the earlier ones lasted longer than the newer ones so it's possible you might have an older better one. The 120W unit I bought would have been 3 years ago now and only produced 40W in pretty good conditions (Buxton, QLD, April so sun was overhead, clear skies). I'm glad to hear you're happy with yours - do you know what sort of power output you're getting from it? The Kings MPPT controllers are pretty ordinary too I've found. You're right though that the old Redarc was very expensive. Fortunately Redarc took on the feedback and have released an updated version (160W vs 150W) for about half the price. I'm taking that through its paces at the moment so make sure you're subscribed if you want to hear how that stacks up against some other mid-range blankets. Love Jurien Bay, we've been through there a few times and it's a beautiful spot!

@patrickeijkenboom3649

Жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg Good to hear manufacturer's take your feedback on board! Come to think of it, I got the panel before covid so it'll be 5+years since I got it. It has recently started to drop off but I don't know current output as I haven't been camping for several months now. I do recall it raised a few eyebrows when it put out close to 90W - similar to the two tested in your video but with only 120W advertised (!). Anyways, keep up the good work and I'll check out your other vids too. Next time you visit Jurien Bay, make sure you take the side track north of the camping site (free camping and some beautiful little quiet coves and reefs)

Great Review. Everything you outline makes sense. The important factor when you are away you want the power regeneration efficiency and the Kings doesn't deliver enough power. It's so frustrating to get the power. The fixed panels make more power and are more durable but so hard to transport. I think blankets have a long way to come. Good quality MPPT regulators are important too.

@officialWWM

2 жыл бұрын

A fixed panel permanently mounted on the roof is the go. It gets sun almost all the time…

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Not necessarily, it completely depends where you're parked. On hot days we always try to park your van under a tree so a roof-top panel would get shade all day. That why I like a portable panel or blanket, you can put it in full sun and keep it rotated at the optimal angle, but have the van in the comfortable shade.

@officialWWM

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg I guess so. That’s less of an issue here in Tassie. I just like that I can be charging while I’m driving around, or parked at the supermarket or even in my driveway or out in the boat for the day etc…

@andrewberg2361

2 жыл бұрын

There are panels in the middle price range that would perform as good as redarc and still be reliable . $1600 for a redarc that doesn't even give the advertised rating , surely they are taking the piss .

yes kings works nowhere near as much as a Redarc, i'l still buy one 100% tho, becuase for the price of 8 King's you get 1 redarc, thats either 7 replacements or run 2 and outperform the Redarc easily for still waaaay cheaper

@fatchunk3678

2 жыл бұрын

There is literally no brand worse than kings. From the product, to the practises of the company themselves. You’re incredibly short sighted if you buy on price alone. Even if you are on a budget, there are so many budget options out there that perform better, and are sold my companies with less questionable morals.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

You're right you could get 8x Kings blankets for the price which is the biggest mark against Redarc, although I'd still be backing the Redarc to be still going strong well after the 8th Kings panel's gone to landfill :(

@shane0yourgod

2 жыл бұрын

@@fatchunk3678 you have to be selective. Some of their gear is good, some not so good.

@michaelhermans4753

2 жыл бұрын

@@shane0yourgod I would stay clear of kings electrical gear

@greghalliday4226

2 жыл бұрын

You like to support Australian companies...they are both Australian companies selling Chinese made products...

Great and thorough review. I have just installed a 2nd battery in my hilux (under bonnet wet cell) and have the solar connection fitted to the bull bar ready for my next trip away. I currently have a folding 200W solid frame pannel I have used in the past for a portable battery, works great, but am looking for a compact folding panel for keeping in the back and had been considering the Kings. I consider Kings kind of like the "it'll do..." quality, nothing I see in their range is designed with longevity in mind but gets the job done and at the right price. Kind of shocked at the $1600 of the redarc, could buy 8 of the kings one, keep 2 on board and have 6 spares. I'd personally be looking for much better wear and tear for that cost after 6 months, but the upside is it would fit in the rear draw where the kinds one wont. Will have to keep on the lookout for something else I think.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

I would do that mate, there are some other recommendations in these comments, including Allspark, Safiery, XTM, Ridge Ryder and others. I hope to look at some of those down the track.

One of the best reviews i’ve ever watched! Companies like kings need to stop making crap for the environments sake! As you said a lot of wasted resources!

@TheMusingGreg

6 ай бұрын

Mate so glad you found it helpful, please share it on your socials! You might also like the follow up video kzread.info/dash/bejne/ooStwZeFnZCzn5M.html where I look at the updated Redarc blanket along with a few others!

Really good video review! To be honest, it makes me wonder for my application why would want a solar blanket at all because I camp in a small camper type situation. If they're really making only about 85 watts, and rigid 100 watt panels are usually about 110 x 50cm for the same weight as these blankets, why would I get a blanket when it would be much easier for me to angle a rigid panel to capture the sun better? I have the storage space to store the panel when I travel so I'm not seeing an upside to the blanket. It does give me ideas for when I want to travel by motorcycle or do backpacking trips, though, so thanks!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks D W, appreciate your feedback. You're 100% right - if you've got the space for a panel then I would say go with a panel. The big selling point of the blankets is that they're compact for storage, so if that's not a priority for you there's no point getting a blanket. Setup, packup and orientation towards the sun is easier with a panel, and panels will also tend to be more efficient and last longer as the back of the panel is open to the air so they don't run as hot as a blanket, which usually has to be laid against a solid surface (or a pile of camping chairs!).

@veneratedmortal4369

2 жыл бұрын

My kings 200w panel can only deliver 80w. Which is still OK for the price, but not if you calculated you need 200w. Everything kings is garbage.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

@@veneratedmortal4369 Sounds like you've had the same experience as me! 80W is about the average power I got out of the Kings in my test. You're spot on that the trouble here is that people (as I did) use those ratings to calculate what size blanket to buy, so when it only reliably delivers 40% of what you need you're going to be disappointed. That said the Redarc was better, but not by a whole lot.

Would love to see the itechworld 300w panel tested by you.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Well stay tuned mate because I'm currently testing the 200W itechworld blanket! kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZKeGsZmanLvPkcY.html I thought about the 300W version but the 200 makes for a fairer comparison with the others in the mix, however I actually got my hands on a 300W blanket for about half an hour and did some testing which will be in the review, so stay tuned!

Thankyou

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

My pleasure, glad it was helpful!

thanks for the video mate, sums it all up perfectly! 👌 id say the kings blanket is the GWM to the Redarcs 79 series 😁

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Good comparison. While a lot of commenters here are aghast at the Redarc price (as am I), I do think we need to keep the long-term total cost of ownership (and potentially resale value) in mind when looking at these products, not just the upfront cost. From a quick survey of the carparks we saw in the Kimberley earlier this year, clearly many people are happy to spend extra on a 79, so maybe we shouldn't be so critical of Redarc's price in the same context. Cheers.

Great review, but there seems to be a strange haze around your head in the video, might need to get that looked at 😂

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Haha yeah I'm sometimes not as clear-headed as I'd like to be! 😂 Glad you enjoyed it! I'm currently reviewing an updated version of the Redarc blanket (160W vs 150W, and only half the price), so if you're interested in that and you haven't subscribed yet, please subscribe so you get notified when that video's released.

thanks

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

Check out the Sunman 235w folding solar panel. 5 years warranty and will out perform both.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip David!

Very good video ! I am a believer of if you buy cheap you’ll buy it twice. Most Kings products are very cheap and you get what you pay for ! I don’t and I won’t buy cheap crap. Hopefully, with this very informative video Red Arc will actually look ! Review and make some changes ! Hopefully drop the price to a sensible price as they do have a better quality but probably not worth the price ! my opinion only

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

You're absolutely right! Of course Kings is so cheap you can afford to go through several before reaching the cost of the Redarc. But it means you still end up with a cheap blanket. Redarc has definitely listened; their new version is half the price and I'm currently testing it, so make sure you're subscribed as that should be along in the next few months!

I just want to say that this review is very well done and very accurate to real world testing. The result would have been the same for any solar panel tested by Greg in these conditions. Having said that there is something not mentioned in this review that is very important information for those relying on solar panels for rv-ing and camping. Temperature. Temperature of the solar panel greatly affects the power output of a solar panel. In fact temperature can have a greater affect on the working ability of your solar panel than the sunlight it relies on to work. Solar panels efficiency drops off greatly above 25C, 25C being their optimal maximum efficiency temperature as tested in a laboratory by the manufacturers. Temperatures above their optimal temperature can see as much as 40-50% reduction in efficiency, reduced power output as shown in this review. Does your car still run great and get good fuel economy when it is overheating? My personal experience is that my panels will see temps in excess of 60C in the Northwest of WA sun, this is why I have learned to not rely only on solar for recharging my batteries. If you are going to use a solar blanket don’t lay it on the ground. Put them on the roof of your car or caravan where they won’t absorb the hot ground temperature and they’ll get a little air flowing over them, they will reward you by work a lot better. Just like the solar panels on your house they are not attached directly to the roof because they are more efficient with air flow to cool them down.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your thoughtful comment Richard, I appreciate it! You're quite right that temperature is very important, and it's one of the things I would have liked to have mentioned if it wasn't already a 20+ minute video! This is one of the problems with solar blankets, as they tend to be leaning up against a solid surface, unlike a portable panel which normally has ventilation around the back and can be easily propped up towards the sun. Cheers!

@borisgross5143

2 жыл бұрын

L

Great review What solar do people recommend? I'd prefer a solid roof rack mounted panel.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed the review Steven! As far as fixed panels go, I'll defer to the experience of the community here as I've only used folding blankets. I would expect the brands mentioned here to do a similar job in panels as they do blankets but that's just a guess.

great review . I run a kings 200W blanket for my trailer .I know it's a low end blanket but honestly for the money how can you justify a $1600 blanket that doesn't perform that much better than the kings. Redarc is overpriced . I Only running a cfx355 and some strip lights in the camper and charging chromebooks etc i don't have huge loads . The kings blanket for the money performs very well . hooked up to an intervolt dccpro charing 2 x 100ah gel .

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Kings certainly has the upfront value proposition stitched up, you're right there Tim. In terms of power output the Redarc isn't that much better that's right - it will last longer and keep going, but I find it hard to justify THAT much more of a premium for that feature unless you're a full-time traveller and need the ultimate in reliability.

An update to our previous comment. The Kings turned out to be pure rubbish and died and that seems to be a common experience. Redarc is still far too expensive for us but our Allspark is still going strong.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the update guys, long term experiences are very useful and it sounds like your experience is exactly matching mine! Glad to hear the Allspark is going strong, I didn't have it long but have only heard good reports from those who have them.

Excellent video.. I guess you get what you pay for, but Redarc are taking the proverbial with their pricing!

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Glad you found it helpful mate! Yeah the Redarc pricing was pretty ambitious, but fortunately they've released a new version which is only half the price. I'm reviewing it now and so far I like it more, so if you're interested in seeing how that stacks up make sure you subscribe if you haven't already.

Is that a Kickass power meter? Great gear at an affordable price. Hit 'em up for some sponsorship. Love the video Thanks!

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

No it was just one I picked up on eBay but I suspect like many things it's a Chinese generic one which many other companies have slapped their brand on.

Good review. The location of the power meter doesn't matter, so the better redarc charge controller will make a difference to overall performance. The price of redarc is absolutely ridiculous.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it Andrew. The solar charge controller will consume a small amount of power, so having it before the controller eliminates that and gives a slightly more precise measurement of blanket output; but I doubt it will be very much. But I'm looking at regulators in a separate video anyway to hopefully get some more data on that.

@MegaRyan123456

6 ай бұрын

it will make a difference there is losses in the mppt from heat ect

I have two Kings blankets and one older Redarc solid sandwich type panel. The Kings do scratch up, but I have learned to put an old towel over it prior to folding, which stops the damage. The Redarc panel is awesome but just way too heavy to carry in the car and also to get out and set up. My decision was two Kings blankets……and I am way in front on power, ergonomics and price. There is just no way I could justify the current pricing on the Redarc blanket!

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Yeah a towel is probably a good idea if you remember to use it and keep it out of the dust. I've not used their solid panels so far. The Redarc blanket in this review has now been superseded and they've replaced it with a 160W unit for about half the price. I'm testing it at the moment so if you're interested in seeing how that stacks up make sure you're subscribed!

My red arc solar panel on the roof is a fix one. It’s 160W I drove the tunnel through real thick vegetation. Hard large branches that managed to even bend a awning a little and the panel still intact. Real good stuff But so expensive Second hand is the go

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Wow sounds like a great panel, and good job getting it second hand! They sure are expensive new but second hand is a really good way to get them.

Cheers

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Ben, glad it was helpful!

I use a fair bit of King's gear but wouldn't touch their solar blankets again. I had a 200-watt blanket and didn't use it. I ended up giving it to mate, and when he eventually connected it up, it was a dead blanket. I now have 2 x 160-watt fixed panels and have designed a system so I can tilt them in any direction with the removal of a couple of straps. Of course, I haven't built the design that's still in my head, so it may work in theory...but maybe not in a practical context.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I won't be buying Kings solar again! Your adjusting angle design sounds good, maybe you should manufacture 'The Griffin Frame'! In the current video I'm working on (itechworld vs Hard Korr vs Companion vs Redarc) I've already seen the benefit gained by a small adjustment in panel angle under certain conditions.

@BradGryphonn

Жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg Sounds great, Greg. I look forward to seeing the results.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Cool stay tuned! :)

Hey Greg, Just found your channel, great information and easily understandable. I have had a particular interest in your head to head solar blankets. Q: have you seen / tried the iTechworld blankets. I am new in this area and want to have as much information before spending the $$$. My use will be on the medium to higher end and thus reliability and power generation are my key drivers. Thanks again. Paul

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Hi Paul, Thanks for the comment and welcome aboard! Glad you've found the content helpful. I've seen but not used the iTechWorld blankets so far. Ironically I've just in the past 24 hours started a six month road trip and am tossing up if I can justify buying a few solar blankets to test along the way; but at $500-1000 per blanket, it gets a pretty expensive exercise to fund privately! iTechWorld was one of the possibilities I was considering so I approached them to see if they were interested in loaning me one but they never replied. So this one is still in the planning stage at the moment. In the meantime, Allspark is one good alternative to look at and one I've already covered (kzread.info/dash/bejne/fmyh3LCNlrm5Ybw.html). From what I understand, some other options you might like to look at in that range are Hard Korr, Bluetti and Safiery - Safiery use a higher voltage panel so you need a Victron regulator but you allegedly (and theoretically should) get better performance than from other panels which run lower voltages. I can't say yet if the mid to upper end panel shoot-out will happen, but if you're really keen and want to push it along, feel free to hit the Thanks button on this video and send a donation which will help purchase these blankets - note I only receive about 45% of what people donate (KZread gets the rest)! While everything I do is unbiased, I prefer to remain independent of supplier gratuity as much as possible which is where viewer support is really helpful. I can't guarantee the review will happen, it will depend on broader support and possibly supplier support, but it'll help move things in the right direction. Cheers, Greg

Pretty unhappy with the 200w Kings solar blanket we bought. The connection on the back of the panel has come completely off and so now there is no output from the panels. The unit may be out of warranty but it really did not see a lot of use. The Allspark 130w panel we have is much older and still working fine so I have to say we are never likely to buy another Kings solar blanket.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the update, yeah recent Kings blankets don't have the best track record. Good luck with the fix!

I use a redarc 190w. I just set and forget regardless where the sun is and charges a dead battery runing a 50ltr Waeco in a few hrs. I payed $600 second hand of market place and saved alot of money to a new 190w which is very expensive. My mate runs a 120w Kings" we fish together alot " and has know problems with his. I think its worth buying the Redarc if remote touring when you need absoloute reliability or need solar regually. But if a weekend warrior or just a person that goes camping ect a few times a year then a kings will be enough

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Yep spot on mate. I reckon $600 is a pretty good buy for the 190W unit, good catch!

Good review, very thorough and balanced. I'd love to see how they compare to mid-range products like the iTech world blankets where a 200w is around $600.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Well mate stay tuned, I am working in exactly that! kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZKeGsZmanLvPkcY.html

Good review mate, I have a question though. What sort of load was placed on the electrical system at time of testing? As when I go camping with my wife and kid's we have a 60ltr Engel and various other things to power, day and night and I couldn't see much in your video in regards to this. Cheer's 🍻

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Sean, thanks for the comment. Check out 11:07 - the blanket was charging a single 12V 100Ah AGM battery so that was the only load on the system. The battery was only about half charged during the testing so was able to absorb all the power the regulator (and thus the blanket) could throw at it. You shouldn't run devices directly from the regulator as the regulator is expecting to see a 12V battery there that can absorb large amounts of current. You'd use the blanket to charge the battery, and then connect the battery to your devices. To work if either blanket is going to work for you (and what size batteries you need) you'd just have to work out what your total electrical load draw is across 24 hours. So for example if your Engel fridge draws about 3A DC when it's running, and it's running 2/3 of the time, that means on average it would draw 2A - so across an hour that would be 2Ah. Do this for all your devices to get a total load, work on having about 4x the battery capacity of your combined loads (you shouldn't run a battery all the way to flat, and you'll only charge it for about 9 hours a day), and you'll be able to work out what size battery and blanket(s) you need. If you're charging from the vehicle's alternator too you can maybe go back to 2.5-3x instead of 4x. Cheers, Greg

I bought the Kings 200w panel and mppt controller two tears ago and have had no problems.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

That's good to hear David. What sort of output are you getting from it now compared to when you got it, and how are you measuring that output? Or do you just mean the physical appearance of the panel?

@davidcondie1880

Жыл бұрын

@The Musing Greg I haven't measured the amps for a while, but it comfortably recharges the 110 amp agm, which runs a 35 ltr fridge freezer plus Led lighting and a cpap machine, on a good sunny day.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Hi there David, That sounds pretty good, but how much charge was the battery to start with? I ask because it's not possible for a 200W blanket to fully charge a 110Ah battery from empty in a single day. Please don't take what I'm about to say as me being a smart alec, but I just want to demonstrate why that is. Kings claim their blanket can deliver 10.42A of current at maximum power, so even assuming their claims are correct, to completely fill a 110Ah battery the solar panel would need to be delivering full power for over 10.5 hours (110Ah/10.42A - 10.55h). On a completely clear day, you're lucky to get more than 6 hours of sun capable of producing full power from a solar panel, so allowing for an hour's shoulder either side at partial power you might sneak in 7 hours' worth of full power in a full day. But never 10.5 hours. There just aren't enough hours of sunlight in a day. For this blanket delivering 10.42A, an optimistic 7 hours of full power would give you about 72A (10.42A x 7 hours - 72A), or 66% of a full charge. And that's all assuming there are no losses in the cables and regulator which never happens - if we allowed only 10% loss in all those, the max input current is likely to be only about 9A, which would require over 12 hours of full sun to generate 110A in a single day. That's why I figure the battery can't be completely empty at the start of the test, if you've observed it's able to give you a fully charged battery. If the battery was say half empty by the morning, it's certainly conceivable a 200W blanket might be able to deliver 55A during a day and top that back up - if you worked on 9A over 6 hours, you've got 54Ah (9A x 6h) or about half a full charge. I seek this level of clarification because I get that everyone's experiences are different, and some units may perform better than others; but similarly if people don't have an objective way of measuring the power then they can end up assuming a position which may not actually be correct, which others then read and assume must be so. I appreciate you sharing your experiences David, and I would be very interested to hear what you find if you happen to get hold of a power meter like the one I was using or something similar, and are able to measure the power coming out of the blanket before the regulator. Cheers, Greg

@davidcondie1880

Жыл бұрын

@The Musing Greg I keep the battery topped up at home with a ctek battery charger permanently connected. During a trip, apart from a bit of use during the day running the fridge in the car when stopped, I then put the solar panels out when setting up camp. So during the day the panels are enough to keep the battery charged enough to get through the next day. So far, it works for me, as I can't afford the prices some places are charging for solar products.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Perfect, that makes absolute sense, thanks for clarifying David. It should work fine for that, and it sounds like you've got some more capacity in the battery for if you get a shady day. Hope it continues to work well for you mate!

that kings panel is discontinued now, replaced by a 250watt panel which is 5x1 in layout so easy to lean against things

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting. I see it's on clearance so maybe that's what they're doing, although unless you're referring to a different unit the only 250W unit I see is the one with the legs which they've had in their catalogue for a long time. I briefly mentioned that unit in an earlier video kzread.info/dash/bejne/lZp3r8GpYpTJd9Y.html and at the time the price was $519 - so at least it's come down somewhat now. It will be interesting to see if they do indeed have a replacement for the 200W unit.

would have been good to know to cost of the extras for Redarc, guess it would be crazy

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Yeah that's a good point. I think they were about $300 but I'll put that into the next review I'm working on which includes an updated Redarc blanket.

Redarc is "havin' a laugh" with that pricing. A lot of Kings stuff is cheap and nasty, best avoided, although I have one of their winches and it's very good. There are plenty of "intermediate" solar blankets available, none of which will ever produce their claimed output in the field. I have a 120W Korr panel which will put about 6ah via a PWM into a nearly full AGM, which is good. From memory it was around $350.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Ein. It's that 'intermediate' range I'm particularly interested to explore in future videos, so thanks for the tip on Korr!

Great review. Both actually seem expensive given they don't last that long. Perhaps solid panel is a better, more reliable option?

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

What makes you think the Redarc doesn't last long? I agree the Kings doesn't last too long but in my experience with the Redarc its performance was consistent the whole way through. That said a solid panel will probably give better performance because you can prop it up at the right angle and that helps the blanket to run cooler too, but you then have a larger product to try to store. A blanket is much better if you're short on space.

@nzadventurer

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg I thought in your review it suggesting the folding blanket form was good for a few uses per year gao what I meant was if you are on the road permanently and use it say 180 days per year it will wear out way faster that a fixed or solid folding unit. So I mean compared to a folding or fixed setup this form factor doesn't last long.... Make sense? Accurate?

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

@@nzadventurer Ah OK I get what you're saying. -Look- If you have room for a folding panel you will *probably* get better performance because they're less likely to overheat, however I haven't tested this so I can't say for sure. That said, what I meant was that the Kings unit, not the Redarc, would be good for a few times a year because of its demonstrated performance loss, because although the Redarc would potentially suffer the same heat issues over time, its performance stayed rock solid in the time I had it and there was no sign of physical degradation to the surface. So if you needed a power solution for full-time travel and didn't have the space for a folding panel, I would pick the Redarc blanket over the Kings.

@nzadventurer

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg mate your content is excellent please don't take my comments as any criticism. I live on the road in a caravan and was assessing more fixed solar on caravan vs blanket vs folding. From what I can see the blanket has benefits but also introduces potential increased wear n tear due to the construction. Whereas at first I was thinking they will last ages I can sort of see from your review that they may not last the distance if I expect to use them 100 days/year and if I want long term reliability that's where fixed is probably king

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

@@nzadventurer No problems at all mate, and I was not at all upset by your comments nor thought they were critical. Sorry, my response must have came across as cranky or impatient but it certainly wasn't intended to read that way! The trials and tribulations of communicating by text only! :) I will go back and reword that response in case it misleads anyone else. There is really no perfect solution with solar unfortunately, but having done 12+ months full time on the road, if I had to pick between the three options you've suggested I would go with a portable folding panel if I had room to store it, otherwise if no room I would go with a blanket with folding legs to prop it up at the right angle and keep it cool. The reason I shy away from a fixed panel on the roof of the van is because here in Australia at least in hot weather, you want to park your van in the shade and then your solar won't achieve anything. I don't want to be stuck parking in the hot sun just to recharge the batteries. Also I have a DCDC charger installed to charge the batteries while driving, so I don't need the additional solar from the van while it's in transit. If I was to get a blanket again I would not be getting a Kings blanket but I'm not sure I'd be picking a Redarc as my first choice either. I hope there's a better middle ground for around maybe $400 that does 90% of what the Redarc does but for 25% of the price! Good luck, and sorry again if my comment came across the wrong way! 👍

thanks for the review, is there another brand that is better than Kings at around the same price or only 100 or 200 more but superior to Kings? Thanks..

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

I'm looking at testing some products in the $500-600 range but haven't yet. Others have recommended hard korr and itechworld which might be starting points. My concern about $200-300 blankets is they might not be much better, or could even be the same thing just with a different brand. But in the cheaper range you could look at xtm or ridge Ryder. Again I've not used these yet but they're alternatives to consider.

Are both panels amorphous? That makes a huge difference in the southern states that regularly have more cloud cover.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

I don't think either of them are. Redarc's website lists some amorphous blankets at a higher price point so I assume the unit I had was not, and in light of that I would think it almost certain the Kings is not either.

We avoided the Kings and went with a 200w XTM blanket from BCF. It has been excellent so far.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Another interesting unit I was considering! Thanks for the info Charlotte - do you have any data on its performance?

@jessiewhittaker9417

2 жыл бұрын

You are aware xtm and king's are the same just rebranded

@glmaguire

2 жыл бұрын

@@jessiewhittaker9417 incorrect Jessie. in fact it’s the Ridge Ryder and the XTM that are the same.

@reddyman6915

2 жыл бұрын

Was looking at the 200 XTM yesterday at BCF ....was wondering how good they are . Would appreciate your feedback .Thanks .

@glmaguire

2 жыл бұрын

@@reddyman6915 it’s been excellent- we are genuinely surprised at how good it is. I wouldn’t hesitate to get another one. Two things to be aware of with the XTM, one it isn’t waterproof- not major negative for us and as with most blankets they certainly don’t seem to produce as much power as the solid ones, again not a major issue for us. It charges our batteries super fast and doesn’t take up a huge amount of space.

Good review, unfortunately you have allowed a bias based on your previous experience of the King Blanket creep into to conclusions.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Peter. I have definitely taken into account my previous experience with Kings blankets, but I don't think that's the wrong thing to do because it means a more realistic recommendation on how the Kings is likely to perform longer-term. It would have been ideal to have had the Redarc blanket for 12 months too and really do a good side-by-side but Redarc couldn't spare the blanket for that long. However, the lack of any visible panel damage or performance degradation over the three months with the Redarc, compared to both occurring on the brand new Kings blanket over the same period, suggests the conclusions about quality would be valid even if I ignored my past experience with Kings blankets.

Gday. I have the same kings blanket. I also have the same meter u were using for input. Most the blanket ever fed my batteries was 1.8amps. That was cloudless day sun at 12 o’clock. Unfortunately money wasted.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Andrew. That sounds even worse than the performance I got from mine! Kings is cheap but I think it's cheap for a reason. Have you upgraded to anything else yet? I'm in the process of shooting out four mid-range blankets so if you're still in the market that might be of interest.

@andrewt3952

Жыл бұрын

@@TheMusingGreg that sounds great. I havnt bought a replacement yet, so a comparison would be very interesting. Amps input in different conditions from different blankets would be really helpful

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

@@andrewt3952 Perfect I've already captured a lot of that (overcast, morning, full sun midday so far, and a few tests of each). So stay tuned and subscribed, I'm sure it'll be of interest! If you'd like to help offset the cost of buying the blankets for the review, you can hit the Thanks button.

What about a test where a single panel (section) is in the shade?...

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

Yeah good point. I did do a video of this with a Kings blanket kzread.info/dash/bejne/lp6Yy6V6nMLgk5M.html but didn't in this test. I'm hoping to include a shading test in an upcoming video I'm working on which includes the updated and cheaper version of the Redarc blanket, so make sure you subscribe if you want to see how the newer version performs.

Regarding the Kings rubbing when folded. Seems like you could probably put some sticky foam strips on the borders, so when closed there is a gap between the panels. Pick the right thickness and hopefully it can still fold up fine. They should have included this in the design.

@TheMusingGreg

Жыл бұрын

It would have to be something tougher than sticky foam - that would just get squished when the blanket got folded up and not make much difference. You'd need something solid like thin strips of timber or plastic. In principle that might then work, but in practice the semi-flexible panels on this blanket would probably sag and still touch in the middle, unless you had such a wide gap that the blanket would take up a good amount of extra storage space. No harm in experimenting though if you've got one.

change that pmw controller that comes with kings to mppt and you will get better results.

@TheMusingGreg

2 жыл бұрын

I used a MPPT regulator for all tests, see 11:07. The Kings does come with the PWM regulator but I didn't use it for this test.