Most people know what a solar panel is and what it does. And while they might not understand the inner workings of how a panel produces electrical energy, they know that the higher the power output, generally the better it is for their 4WD or campervan. This is especially true when paired with reliable 4WD batteries or campervan batteries , ensuring consistent power supply for off-grid adventures.
Unfortunately, many unscrupulous vendors are well aware that customers are looking for high-power solar panel, but they also know that only a very small percentage of buyers will actually test the power output themselves. Because of this, some of these vendors take advantage of the situation by listing panels that don’t meet their advertised specifications. If you take a look on eBay, you’ll find dozens of listings for these kinds of panels. It’s a bit of a wild west out there, and it’s important to be cautious and do your homework to avoid falling for misleading claims.”
The Reality of Solar Panel Efficiency
Apparently, this panel has a size of 975*560mm and can be had for less than $120 including shipping. Bargain, right?
Well, perhaps not quite. According to Clean Energy Reviews, the highest efficiency panel is the SunPower Maxeon 6 440W with an efficiency of 22.8% (measured at an output of 1000W/m2 ). Taking the non-descript eBay solar panel’s claimed power output at face value, we can calculate the efficiency using the following formula.
- Electrical Power Out / (Solar Radiation × Panel Area)
Electrical power out is easy, that’s 300W. We know that solar radiation is 1000W/m2 but to convert it to a power, we’ve got to get rid of the area term by multiplying it by its area. So we get 52.2% efficiency! This is close to two and a half times the efficiency of the most efficient panel, so obviously something is not right.
The issue is of course that the 300W is just false advertising. They will be an actual 100W panels at most.
It’s very difficult for the average user to discern what panel rating is real and what panel rating is made up, so we have created an easy tool that will tell you if your panel rating is likely correct or just completely made up:
How to Avoid False Advertising in Solar Panels?
What should I do? Customers frequently ask me about what panels to use and I tell them about this rampant lying within the industry. There is fortunately one practical thing you can do (other than using the calculator above), and that’s to buy a high-quality residential solar panel. Click here to choose.
Residential solar panel have to be accredited by the CEC (Clean Energy Council) in order to be eligible for RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates). Because of this, vendors can’t just make up the power ratings like they can for unregulated panels. So if you buy a 300W residential panel, it will be a lot bigger and heavier than the falsely advertised panel, but it will also be capable of outputting 300W of power under the right circumstances!
Ensure Reliable Solar Power with Muller Energy
Choose Accredited Residential Solar Panels
Don’t fall for misleading solar panel claims—trust a reputable source for your solar energy needs. At Muller Energy, we provide high-quality, reliable solar panels and energy solutions tailored for 4WDs, campervans, and residential applications.
Take advantage of our Outdoor Adventure Sale to upgrade your setup with trusted products at unbeatable prices!
Visit us at 38/3 Cal Cl, Somersby NSW 2250, Australia, or give us a call at +61 493 274 334 today to explore our range of trusted solar products. Let Muller Energy help you power your adventures with confidence!
