Brunton Solaris 62 Foldable Solar Array

*****UPDATE TO REVIEW AT BOTTOM OF PAGE******The newest heavy hitter in the solar power category from Brunton. The Solaris 62 is a 62 Watt 12 Volt solar panel that weighs in at a little over three pounds. It is flexible, durable and very effective at generating power in very tough conditions.First, the panel is large, but so was the previous model, the Solaris 52. The 62 is separated into 2 parallel lines of panels, the Solaris 52 was separated into 3 lines of panels. This has the advantage in the Solaris 62 of making the folded panel thinner and longer when closed, which makes it much easier to pack. It also reduced the number of folds done at the factory which I am sure makes this a little cheaper to manufacture. Why is the thinner and longer profile better than the Solaris 52s thicker but smaller folded profile? Well, it has to do with bag construction for hiking and camping, where an object the shape of a textbook is out of place and harder to pack effectively (the 52). The 62's thinner and longer profile allow it to be packed vertically, saving you a good chunk of space by putting surface area to good use.The panels of the Solaris 62 are CIGS (more about that later) which is the industry standard for this application, no matter what other manufacturers might say. The panels are laminated onto a tough Cordura nylon backing. That nylon is a type of canvas used by the military for packs, boots and a variety of other applications for products that need to last in harsh environments. The material is flexible but very strong, and light weight considering the size of this panel.There are two DC power ports on the Solaris, and they are located at the top of the panel and face the ground while the panel is open. It is designed to protect these ports from the elements while in use. The ports use 12 Volt DC connectors and cables provided by Brunton, and the panel comes with three such connectors. There is a pair of alligator clips, a vehicle type power adaptor (cigarette lighter), and a four pronged multi-adaptor designed to power devices such as a Netbook or the Brunton's Axiom Charger (A GREAT addition to this package, go read my review)  Brunton Axiom UBC .There are two pockets with Velcro closures integrated into the main flap of the Solaris 62, and these can be used to store the cables or connectors you frequently use and keep everything together in a nice and easily-packable way. The cover flap also uses a strong Velcro to keep the panel in its folded position, and when the panel is open these flaps can serve as a sun shade for any batteries or electronics you are charging so that they do not overheat.These panels can be linked to provide higher watts/Amps for whatever you need, but you should only do this with panels that have the same wattage output (two Solaris 62's vice one 62 and one Solaris 12). I have purchased a second 62 so I will update my review with the output of both panels linked. I am excited to see the results.Now, a little bit about CIGS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_indium_gallium_selenide_solar_cells). CIGS is one of three thin film solar technologies out there, but don't be fooled by other manufacturers trying to downplay the CIGS cells. Powerfilm especially has a nasty habit of telling potential consumers that CIGS needs to be "sun soaked" before they reach full potential, whereas Powerfilm panels do not. Powerfilm has comparable and higher wattage panels, but they use "a Si" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorphous_silicon). The difference is the wavelengths of ultraviolet light that the two panels can absorb, and the lifespan of the cells.CIGS can absorb more of the UV spectrum, a lot more in fact. What that means is that as long as the sun is in the sky, your CIGS solar panel will generate power. The Powerfilm "a Si" panels, like other silicone based cells, needs peak sunlight hours to operate effectively. They need the sun in exactly the right place and shining in full to produce their output. Also, CIGS cells do not degrade over time like Silicon cells do. Over a like period of time Silicon cells lose about 10% of their power production capabilities, whereas most CIGS cells will actually see a slight increase in their output.I cite all of this for two reasons. First, Brunton doesn't use the gimmick of downplaying another manufacturer's capability with a half-truth in order to steer customers away. That speaks volumes to me as I was evaluating the two products for purchase. I personally find it underhanded, especially considering the price of these panels. Second, Brunton's panels (and all CIGS panels for that matter) are designed to provide continuous power as long as the sun is in the sky. Cloud or fog, the UV will get through and let you charge what needs to be charged, all day long.I've tested my 62 recently on an overcast day here in Kansas. The wattage was spot on, with a voltage hovering around 23 while the unit was under no load and hovering nicely at 12 volts while the unit was under load. I tested using the Brunton AXIOM charger with an iPhone 5 plugged into the Axiom's USB port. I calculated out that the panel was producing about 3 amps, plenty enough for most charging applications. I am hoping to see double the number when I link the two Solaris 62 panels.One thing I have to comment on with Brunton Solar panels is that they can be linked, but Brunton doesn't make it easy. To link them you use the four head adaptor plug and connect one DC outlet on the first panel to the DC outlet on the second panel. The problem is the four head adaptor has to be twisted to make it fit, or you have to do as I did and splice a new cable using two to make a single male cable with the same head at each end. Brunton gets a low mark for this because it is a bad design. If you advertise a panel to be linkable with other panels, you need to provide a cable to make this easy (and cover it in your instructions).Also, you might see the Brunton Solar Controller advertised with the "customers who viewed this item also viewed this" on Amazon. The solar controller is a good option if you want to use the Solaris 62 to charge a vehicle battery, but it is not a good option if you are attempting to use power from two or three Solaris 62's. The Solar Controller from Brunton isn't designed to handle the amps a set of linked 62's would produce. Seek another Option.I will be fully field testing this unit on a hiking trip through parts of Europe, so along with the update to the linked panels I will also update the performance of the device in the field.As a side note, I'm in the Army and this type of portable power is right up my alley. It's tough, it's powerful and it looks really cool. I HIGHLY recommend this product for whatever power or survival need you might have, it's the best there is in my opinion.******UPDATE 4 June 2013******I finally had a good patch of sun to test my two panels with. I linked them using two Brunton cables spliced together, and was able to measure the amps hovering at 8.1 steadily. I was surprised by this because the individual panels are rated to produce 3.1 amps individually, so to see an additional 1.9 amps to the doubled amps of the panels was a nice surprise. I need to test how high the amperage can go to make sure I am not breaking the 10 amp threshold of most of my test and conditioning equipment I have bought for these panels.The voltage, under no load, stayed between the 28.1 and 28.19 range. Again, this was higher than expected but these panels are capable of large voltage numbers. I had nearly the same situation with my old Solaris 52, which spiked in voltage during tests. I took three readings on the linked panels and averaged out the numbers for Voltage and Amperage, and calculated that the panels were putting out 227 Watts. That's really high, even for two panels of this size, but again this test was conducted while the panels were under no load so I am guessing that once they are connected to something like a battery I will see these numbers pair down to the specifications listed by Brunton.I have a solar charge controller on order that will be here on Friday. It is rated for 10 amps, and I think anyone investing in one of these panels should look for that specified range (10 amps) when purchasing a controller. I bought a cheaper model with good reviews, and it is only going to be used to test these panels so I know what I am dealing with. I also plan to make a new set of cables once Brunton writes me back with the specifications of their barrel plug connectors.All in all I have to say I am thrilled with the results. I wanted to test out Brunton's numbers for the panels, and those numbers have exceeded my expectations. The panels are easy to maintain, sleek and VERY powerful. I can't help but recommend them to anyone looking for a powerful, portable off-grid electricity source. You cannot go wrong.