I'm getting less power than I expectedUpdated 10 months ago

Do you have concerns about the power output of your AIR GEAR Portable Solar Panels? Consider these factors:

Solar output varies

The power that is produced by any solar panel is highly variable, depending on many factors such as:

• cloudiness or haze
• sun angle relative to the panels (time of day)
• dust or shading on the panels (even shading from a single leaf can have a large impact)
• heat (hot panels don't work as well)
• the type of charge controller used (MPPT used by AIR GEAR is much better than PWM)
• wiring gauge (thickness; the AIR GEAR uses very heavy 8-gauge wires)

You will never get the full rated output of any panel. Ratings should be used for comparison purposes only. A 200-watt panel will typically produce a net maximum of 150 watts in ideal conditions (full sun, at noon, in June, in the southern half of the US, on a cool day).

With heavy haze in the sky, or in wintertime, output will typically be much lower. If you frequently camp in challenging solar conditions, you may wish to add a second Portable Solar Kit. This is possible for Airstream trailers made from 2017 onward, with factory-installed Solar Port on the A-frame near the spare tire handle (except Trade Wind trailers). Connect one AIR GEAR Portable Solar Kit through the solar plug, and another AIR GEAR Portable Solar Kit through the 7-way cable. 

Consider losses in the electrical system

Not all of the output of the solar panels will reach the batteries, either. There are many reasons why, including:

• appliances (refrigerator, lights, fans, chargers, inverter, standby drains, etc) that are using power at that moment
• the current state of charge of the batteries (empty batteries charge quickly, nearly full batteries will accept only a slow charge)
• temperature (cold batteries charge more slowly)
• the condition of the batteries (old or abused batteries will not charge well)
• battery chemistry (Lithium charges faster than Lead-Acid)

Be sure you're getting an accurate reading

If you are gauging your batteries' charge level with the built-in Airstream volt meter, you're not getting a very accurate picture. Read this blog to understand why.

If you are accurately measuring the amount of power that reaches your batteries using an amp-hour meter, and it's less than you expected, consider the factors listed above. Most likely the cause is something other than the solar panels or charge controller.

Also, note that the charge going into the batteries is not necessarily the maximum the solar panels can output. If the batteries are nearly full, they will not accept as much charge (whether measured in amps or watts), and so this can lead to the false assumption that the panels aren't working well.

Consider a custom charge profile for lithium batteries

The default charging profile programmed into the AIR GEAR charge controller is suitable for charging lithium batteries, but you may wish to make a custom charging profile for your particular lithium battery setup. If you are comfortable using the ETA Solar app with your AIR GEAR panels, please refer to these instructions.