RENOGY Foldable Solar Suitcase Kit 100W Mono Without Charge Controller

[RMarkH]

Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone has had experience with this suitcase solar panel. It is on for a good price, in fact the cheapest I have seen for 100w. I have the Zamp port so the version I am looking at has no controller. Also, I know I will need to buy a reverse polarity adapter.

Anyone with experience with this one happy with it? Are there other models or brands I should consider? Looking for only non-controller versions.

Thanks! Mark

[lonewolfjb]

We have a Renogy mono 100 watt folding suitcase with built in controller. We used it for 8years when we had our Aliner expedition. Our19 has solar so I use it now as a back up only. It has been a great panel for us over the years with no problems. I paid 165.00 for it.

[RMarkH]

Thanks! Right now it is $189 CAD or about $142 USD so seems like a good price still (although no controller). Given that you have a controller on yours, I assume then you just attach it directly to the battery to avoid the controller with your installed solar system? We may need it more here in BC, especially on the coast as I find most camping spots are in the shade, which makes the roof solar less effective. Still leaning to pick this unit. Just wondering given that this unit came out 8+ years ago whether there are better options now (lighter or small for the same watts?).

[Effie]

I bought the 100 watt suitcase few years ago, at the time Renogy sold it on eBay without a controller. I don’t use is very often now that I have roof solar but when needed it works well.

[AndNeitherDoI]

I have this panel (without the controller) and use the zamp port with a polarity reverser. I’m quite happy with it. It’s sturdy and the zip up case is helpful for storing & travel.

In the year I’ve been using it, here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Definitely get longer cables. Like get a 10-15 ft section of cable and another 15-20 ft one. Sure there’s some small loss of power in the longer cables (and someone on here will chime in, I’m sure of it). But if you’re in the shade, you lose all of it!

2. Get a bunch of the little polarity reverse adapters. They’re like $10 for 5 of them on Amazon. They seem to break after six months or so of use. No big deal.

3. It is a little annoying to move the panel throughout the day, set it up and take it down each day. It takes about two minutes max to set it up or put away. Small trade off for having more solar in spots that are shadier spots. It’s also a big help in the winter months when the sun is lower. I have 390w of solar on the roof and this little 100w panel really helps in a pinch.


Here’s a previous post where I put up a few pictures of it: https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tml#post364489

[lonewolfjb]

Correct hook up straight to battery since it has its own controller built in.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by RMarkH

Thanks! Right now it is $189 CAD or about $142 USD so seems like a good price still (although no controller). Given that you have a controller on yours, I assume then you just attach it directly to the battery to avoid the controller with your installed solar system? We may need it more here in BC, especially on the coast as I find most camping spots are in the shade, which makes the roof solar less effective. Still leaning to pick this unit. Just wondering given that this unit came out 8+ years ago whether there are better options now (lighter or small for the same watts?).

Originally Posted by lonewolfjb

Correct hook up straight to battery since it has its own controller built in.

Absolutely not correct. The OP states the folding panel does not have a controller. The panel has no controller. If connected directly to the battery you could overcharge it. It should be plugged into the Zamp port which, if installed by ETI, goes through the existing solar controller if you have the rooftop solar panel. If not, you need to purchase a solar controller. The solar controller monitors the battery voltage and stops sending power to the battery(ies) when it/they are fully charged.

Just make sure the polarity from the panel is correct. Renology uses the opposite polarity used by many solar manufacturers. You can test the Zamp port and the panel’s output with a meter.

[RMarkH]

Thanks C&G,
Lonewolfjb has a controller so yes, you would only connect directly to the battery if you have a controller with the unit. I am looking for one without a controller as my E19 has one already. I have a meter so will be sure to check the polarity. Probably can also tell by looking at the wire colours as well.
This has all be great help. I think the Amazon price is pretty good and way cheaper than getting a Zamp panel.

[AKCamper]

We have the Renogy 100 watt suitcase without controller and we have a 20 amp EPSOLAR controller mounted in our storage box near our 6 volt batteries. We have 50 amp power pole connections on the panel and on a lead out the bottom of the storage box. I have a 6 gauge silicone cable that is 40 foot long to put the panel anywhere I want. It’s a great panel.

[Perry Butler]

We also have the Renogy 100 watt portable panel with no controller.

We have three 15' cables to go from the panel to the Zamp port. So far we've only needed the third cable one time, but the second well over half the time.

I don't want to have to deal with polarity reversers, so I wrapped the red cable from the Zamp port with black electricians tape and the black cable with red electricians tape to reverse the polarity.

The Zamp port cables are connected to a separate Victron 100/20 controller that is connected to our batteries.

We also had ETI install a 170 watt GoPower panel on the roof when we ordered our 5.0 in 2019. Since then I have replaced the ETI installed GoPower controller with a Victron 100/30 controller.

I also installed a Victron 712 battery monitor. Using Bluetooth we can monitor all three Victron devices with our phones. It works great.

This spring/summer I'll be installing a second panel on the roof that will connect with the cable from the 170 watt rooftop panel to our Victron 100/30 controller.

I find the 100 watt portable panel a PITA, but when you need it, you need it!

Enjoy,

Perry

[AKCamper]

I didn’t mention I also have two tiltable 100 watt panels on the canopy of our truck that use the same connectors. It tilts in all four directions. Easy to tilt, easy to clean.Have another 20 ft cable that can also deploy the portable panel or extend the truck to 60 ft out. I have yet to use the truck panels yet, but it should work great.

[sherminator]

Originally Posted by Perryb67

I don't want to have to deal with polarity reversers, so I wrapped the red cable from the Zamp port with black electricians tape and the black cable with red electricians tape to reverse the polarity.

I hope you took at least one more step. I'm pretty sure electrons are color blind.

[bookerb]

I bought this unit with the attached voyager controller and installed it this weekend. Our battery is on the tongue but as other's have mentioned the supplied cables are pretty short so we will be getting longer extender cables. It would be nice to have a bluetooth compatible controller for monitoring but I think for our minimal electrical needs the stock controller should be find.

[Illinois Joe]

I'm confused, need more information please. If you have the Zamp solar port on an Escape and a portable solar panel without a controller, why do you need a polarity reverser? Don't the Zamp and solar panel wiring come with correct +/_ ?

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Illinois Joe

I'm confused, need more information please. If you have the Zamp solar port on an Escape and a portable solar panel without a controller, why do you need a polarity reverser? Don't the Zamp and solar panel wiring come with correct +/_ ?

Unfortunately, the solar industry has not settled on the polarity for the SAE connector. ZAMP wires them opposite what the automotive industry as well as many other panel suppliers follows.

You may or may not need a polarity reverser, depending on how Escape wires them. My suggestion would be to check the polarity of both the solar controller output and the trailer connector. If both are the same, good. If not, I'd reverse the internal connections in the trailer. This is a better long term solution than remembering to add a reversing adapter.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Illinois Joe

I'm confused, need more information please. If you have the Zamp solar port on an Escape and a portable solar panel without a controller, why do you need a polarity reverser? Don't the Zamp and solar panel wiring come with correct +/_ ?

The Zamp port is an SAE prong connector like some of the small battery maintainers use. Ione side is a socket, the other a prong. If I remember correctly, Renology uses the socket side for positive and the prong for negative, I presume so the user won’t grab the prong and touch a grounded object thereby getting shocked. Other manufacturers do the opposite. I’m not sure what side of the port, prong or socket ETI wires into the solar controller as positive. But I believe if one is capable of using a screwdriver, it is relatively easy to move to positive to the negative and the negative to the positive at the controller if necessary for whatever the polarity of the portable panel that is purchased to supplement the fixed panel on the trailer’s roof. Having a short polarity reverser allows a user to quickly hook up any portable panel if it’s polarity is not the same as the trailer’s Zamp port.

[Illinois Joe]

Got it. Thanks

[marsman]

I have a Zamp port installed on my trailer but I think the wires from the Zamp port just hang loose inside the dinette box, if I hook them up to the controller paying attention to get the polarity right, I assume that the rooftop panel and solar panel with then both be charging through the one solar controller; sorry, I'm new to all this solar stuff. if so, maybe I'll get that 100w solar suitcase from Renogy, it does have a good price right now, may come in handy if we go to Quartzite next year.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by marsman

I have a Zamp port installed on my trailer but I think the wires from the Zamp port just hang loose inside the dinette box, if I hook them up to the controller paying attention to get the polarity right, I assume that the rooftop panel and solar panel with then both be charging through the one solar controller; sorry, I'm new to all this solar stuff. if so, maybe I'll get that 100w solar suitcase from Renogy, it does have a good price right now, may come in handy if we go to Quartzite next year.

You assume correctly........

[rjbny]

Originally Posted by RMarkH

Hi all,
Just wondering if anyone has had experience with this suitcase solar panel. It is on for a good price, in fact the cheapest I have seen for 100w. I have the Zamp port so the version I am looking at has no controller. Also, I know I will need to buy a reverse polarity adapter.

Anyone with experience with this one happy with it? Are there other models or brands I should consider? Looking for only non-controller versions.

Thanks! Mark

We have a Renogy suitcase solar panel without the controller. Installed a Zamp port in our 19 and use a reverse polarity connector. Has worked great when the roof mount can't keep up.