How do I compare

Re: How do I compare

The search came back with Amorphous and Flexible solar panels...

In general, Amorphous can loose 20% of their output in just 6 months of sun exposure. And Flexible solar panels can develop moisture/water leaks where the leads join the panel--and may only last a few years at best (just my humble opinion after reading complaints about flex panels used on sail boats).

However, if they meet your needs and the price does not scare you off--They are better than not having any portable power.

It has been recommended that you purchase your solar panels made from mono- or poly-crystalline solar cells as these will last better than 20 years of direct sunlight with 20% or less degradation...

One thing to look at is how much power they really supply and will one (or several) of these panels really fulfill your needs.

Small panels do not supply much power and need full sun for many hours to even charge small batteries (for example, a single 2,500 mAH * 1.2 volt NiMH battery will require an hour with a 10 watt panel charge system to recharge (lots of variables here--charger type can make these times much worst)...

For 4 AA NiMH batteries can you leave the charger in a safe, sunny location during the middle of the day for 4 hours? Will you need to guard it against theft? Will you have 5+ hour of sun when you need the power?

You can compare to small wattage good quality panels at our host's store...

In the end, conservation, lithium primary cells, and a flexible recharger (perhaps one that can take AC, DC, and an external solar panel, may be the best mix...

If solar does work for you (long term camping/base camp type site), then you really need to identify the charger/batteries you want to charge, then work backwards towards a panel that will meet your requirements...

Picking a panel and not knowing the loads is, at best, usually a waste of money and power (poorly matched panel output to charger input requirements).

-Bill