Hey everyone! I just picked up a Bluetti Power Station to use while I'm off-grid, and I'm now looking for advice on solar panels. I'm planning to buy a solar panel that's between 150 to 200 watts. The power station has a connector that supports an input of 12-28V and 8.5A, which means it can handle up to 200W. I'm a bit confused about the 8.5A limit—does it mean I should choose solar panels that provide 8.5A or less? Also, what type of panel would give me the fastest charging and be fully compatible with my setup? Thanks in advance!
2 Answers
If you're looking for efficiency, two 100 watt panels connected in series is often a smart move. They can boost your total output and keep everything running smoothly! Have you checked if your station can handle that setup? You might want to look into that too.
You definitely need to pay attention to the voltage limits. While you can go over the amperage, it’ll simply cap the input at 8.5A. Keep in mind that a lot of 200W panels will realistically output closer to 185W due to various factors. You can check out this [panel spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19FPciMPMbm7WkYJ6eKN5KZLjzV27WWo6vLBNACQJHr0/edit?usp=sharing) to help you find options that fit your needs. Just make sure you're within those voltage limits!
Also, don't forget about temperature variations! My solar setup can exceed 200V in cold weather. Just a heads-up: if you're not careful with temperature specs, you could end up exceeding your voltage limits.