Solar Panel Calculator

Choose the Best Solar Panels For Your Portable Power Station

No more confusion about voltages, wattages, or adapter cables.
Choosing the right solar panels for your portable power station isn’t always easy. Whether you’re outfitting a campervan roof or just want a folding panel for weekend trips, the wrong choice can damage your battery or leave you with parts that don’t work together.
 
That’s why we built this free interactive calculator to make off-grid charging easy. Just select your power station model from the dropdown list, and you’ll instantly see:

 

Top Solar Panels:

See our recommended portable and rigid panels that will charge your power station quickly and safely.

Right Adapters:

Find out which MC4, XT60, DC7909, or 8mm adapter cables you’ll need to connect everything.

Van Build Essentials:

Discover which Y-splitters, mounting brackets, and waterproof roof glands are needed for a permanent setup.

Pick your model to get your personalised solar list.

Solar Panel Calculator

Your Anker Solix C800 can handle up to 300W of solar input (Max 60V). To achieve the fastest possible off-grid charge without overloading the unit, we recommend selecting the Anker 200W Portable Solar Panel. It comes with the required XT60 solar charging cable built in!

 

 

Anker Solix 200W Solar Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: The Renogy 200W Portable Solar Panel.

 

 

Renogy 200W Solar Panels

 

 

If you are going with the Renogy panel, you will also need an MC4 to XT60 Adapter Cable, to connect the solar panel to your power station.

 

 

MC4 to XT60 Cable

Your Anker Solix F2000 is a heavy-duty unit that can handle a massive 1000W of solar input (Max 60V). To charge this power station off-grid, we recommend wiring 2 x Anker 531 (200W) Solar Panels in series. These are perfectly optimised for Anker systems and offer direct plug-and-play.

 

Anker Solix 200W Solar Panel

 

The Budget Choice: Two of the Renogy 200W Portable Solar Panels.

 

 

Renogy 200W Solar Panel

 

 

To plug these standard panels into the Anker's input, you will need an MC4 to XT60 Adapter Cable.

 

 

MC4 to XT60 Cable

 

 

For Permanent Campervan Roof Builds: The Best Rigid Panels on the market are the Renogy 200W Monocrystalline Rigid Panels. You will need 4 of these panels to max out your portable power station's solar input.

 

 

Renogy 200W Solar Panel

 

 

Required Roof Hardware: To mount these permanently, you will need a pack of Solar Z-Brackets. (4 per panel)

 

 

Standard Z Brackets

 

 

Note for the Anker Solix F2000: The F2000 features a massive 20 Amp single-input port, but it has a strict 60V limit. If you wire 4 panels in a single series, you will trigger an overvoltage error! Instead, you must wire them in a "Series-Parallel" configuration. The Roof Setup: Wire two panels together in series, and the other two together in series. Then, use a pair of MC4 Y-Branch Connectors to click all four panels into a single positive and negative output.

 

 

MC4-Solar-Extension-Cables.

 

 

The Roof Entry: Take a standard 9m 10 AWG MC4 Extension Cable and cut it exactly in half.

 

 

MC4 Extension Cable

 

 

Plug each half into your Y-Branch Connectors. Route the two newly cut, bare wire ends down through a Waterproof Roof Cable Entry Gland. To install the gland, drill the required hole in the van roof and seal it properly with a suitable sealant.

 

 

Single Waterproof Roof Cable Entry Gland

 

 

The Safety Switch: Route the two bare wires coming down through the van roof into a standard 32A DC Solar Isolator Switch. Mount the switch onto the van wall in a convenient location. Strip the ends of the 2 bare wires and connect them to the switch's top terminals. Then take the remaining bare ends of the cable halves (from the 4-panel solar array), strip them, and connect them to the switch's bottom terminals. You now have a secure, easy-to-access on/off switch for the entire solar array.

 

 

Solar Disconnect Switch

 

 

The Final Connection: You now have standard MC4 connectors inside your van. Simply plug them into an MC4-to-XT60 adapter cable, then connect the XT60 end to your power station to complete the installation.

 

 

MC4 to XT60 Cable

Your Bluetti AC180 handles up to 500W of solar input (Max 60V). Because this unit can be expanded with extra batteries (like the B80 or B230) to over 2000Wh, it is highly popular for van conversions.

For Portable / Camping Setups: The premium choice: The official Bluetti PV350 (350W) Solar Panel. This is direct plug-and-play with no adapters needed.

 

 

Bluetti 350W Solar Panel

 

 

The budget Choice: The Renogy 300W Portable Solar Panel.

 

 

Renogy 300W Portable Solar Panel

 

 

To plug this into your Bluetti, you will also need an MC4 TO DC7909 adapter cable.

 

 

MC4 to DC7909 Adapter Cable

 

 

For Permanent Campervan Roof Builds: The Best Rigid Panels: 2 x Renogy 200W Monocrystalline Rigid Panels.

 

 

Renogy 200W Solar Panel

 

 

Required Roof Hardware: To mount these permanently to the van roof, you will need some Solar Z-Brackets.  (4 per panel).

 

 

Standard-Aluminium-Z-Brackets-x-8

 

 

a Waterproof Roof Cable Entry Gland to feed the wiring through the van roof.

 

 

Solar Double Entry Cable Block

 

 

and a 5M-MC4-to-DC7909 Adapter Cable to connect the panels to your power station.

 

 

MC4-to-DC7908-Cable-5m

Your Bluetti AC200L handles a massive 1200W of solar input (Max 145V). Because of this incredibly high voltage limit, you can safely string multiple large panels together in series. Here are your best options for Portable / Camping Setups: to maximise your off-grid charging: The Premium Choice: Up to three of the official Bluetti PV350 (350W) Solar Panels. These are 100% plug-and-play with the solar adapter cable included in your Bluetti box.

 

 

Bluetti 350W Solar Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: Two of the heavy-duty Renogy 400W Portable Solar Panels

 

 

Renogy 400W Solar Panel

 

 

The Recommended Upgrade: You will need 2 extension cables for the Renogy solar panels. To keep your power station safely hidden in the shade or inside your van while the panels sit in the sun, we recommend purchasing 2 of the longer 3.5m MC4 Solar Extension Cables.

 

 

MC4 to DC7909 Adapter Cable

 

 

For Permanent Campervan Roof Builds: The Best Rigid Panels: 3 x Renogy 200W Monocrystalline Rigid Panels.

 

 

Renogy 200W Solar Panel

 

 

Required Roof Hardware: To mount these permanently, you will need Solar Z-Brackets. (4 per panel)

 

 

12 Aluminium Z Brackets

 

 

Plus a Waterproof Roof Cable Entry Gland: (to feed the cables through the van roof)

 

 

Solar Double Entry Cable Block

 

 

and a 3m MC4 Solar Extension Cable, to connect the solar panels to the power station.

 

 

MC4-Extension-3M-Solar-Cable.j

Your Bluetti Elite 200 V2 handles up to 1000W of solar input (Max 60V). For Portable/Camping Setups: Due to the strict 60V limit, panels must be connected in parallel. Here are your best options: The Premium Choice: Two of the official Bluetti PV350 (350W) Solar Panels.  These connect easily using the solar charging MC4 cable included in the box.

 

 

Bluetti 350W Solar Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: Two of the heavy-duty Renogy 400W Portable Solar Panels.

 

 

Renogy 400W Solar Panel

 

 

The Recommended Upgrade: The solar adapter cable Bluetti provides is quite short. We highly recommend purchasing a 3m MC4 Solar Extension Cable to keep your power station safely hidden in the shade while the panels sit in the sun.

 

 

MC4 Solar Extension Cable

 

 

For Permanent Campervan Roof Builds: We recommend 4 x Renogy 200W Monocrystalline Rigid Panels.

 

 

Renogy 200W Solar Panel

 

 

Required Roof Hardware: To mount these permanently, you will need a pack of Solar Z-Brackets 4 per panel, to fix the panels to the van roof.

 

 

Standard Z Brackets

 

 

A Waterproof Roof Cable Entry Gland to feed the MC4 cables through the van roof.

 

 

Solar Double Entry Cable Block

 

 

and an MC4 Branch Connector Pair to safely combine the wiring.

 

 

MC4-Solar-Extension-Cables.

 

 

The crucial extension cable: To route power from the roof-mounted solar panels to the van's electrical cabinet, you will need a 5m MC4 Solar extension cable. This connects to your Bluetti- supplied cable, which then plugs into the power station. 

 

 

MC4 Solar Extension Cable

Your standard EcoFlow Delta 2 handles up to 500W of solar input (Max 60V). To maximise this single input port, here are your best options: The Premium Choice: The official EcoFlow 400W Portable Solar Panel.

 

 

EcoFlow 400W Solar Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: The Renogy 400W Portable Solar Panel.

 

 

Renogy-400W-Solar-Panel

 

 

The Required Adapter: If you go with the budget panel, you will need an MC4-to-XT60i Adapter Cable. The "i" version is highly recommended to unlock EcoFlow's maximum charging speeds!

 

 

Solar Panel Connector XT60i

Your EcoFlow Delta 2 Max handles a massive 1000W of solar input, split across two ports (Max 60V each). To charge this power station in just 2.5 hours, here is what you need for both portable and permanent roof options. For Portable / Camping Setups: The premium Choice: Two of the official EcoFlow 400W Portable Panels 

 

 

EcoFlow 400W Solar Panel

 

 

The budget choice: Two of the Renogy 400W Portable Panels.

 

 

Renogy 400W Solar Panel

 

 

The Required Adapters: If you go with the portable camping budget panels, you will need 2 MC4 to XT60i Adapter Cables. (The "i" version adapters are needed for unlocking EcoFlow's faster charging speeds!)

 

 

MC4 to XT60I

 

 

For Permanent Campervan Roof Builds: The Best Rigid Panels: 2 x EcoFlow 400W Rigid Solar Panels.

 

 

EcoFlow-400W-Rigid-Solar-Panels

 

 

Required Roof Hardware: To mount these permanently, you will need some Solar Z-Brackets. (4 per panel)

 

 

Standard-Aluminium-Z-Brackets-x-8

 

 

a Waterproof Roof Cable Entry Gland (to feed the cables through the van roof)

 

 

Solar Double Entry Cable Block

 

 

and an MC4-to-XT60i Solar Cable to safely route the wires inside your van to the power station.

 

 

16Ft Solar Cable XT60i

Your EcoFlow River 2 handles up to 110W of solar input (Max 30V). Here are the two best options to maximise your off-grid charging: The Premium Choice: The official EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel. This is completely plug-and-play.

 

 

EcoFlow 110W Solar Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: The Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel.

 

 

Renogy 100W Solar Panel

 

 

The Required Adapter: To connect the Renogy panel to your EcoFlow, you will need an MC4-to-XT60 Adapter Cable.

 

 

MC4 to XT60 Cable

Your EcoFlow River 2 Max handles up to 220W of solar input (Max 50V). Here are the two best options to get the fastest possible charge: The Premium Choice: The official EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Solar Panel. This captures sunlight on both sides for maximum efficiency.

 

 

EcoFlow 220W Solar Panels

 

 

The Budget Choice: The Renogy 200W Portable Solar Panel.

 

 

Renogy-200W-Solar-Panels

 

The Required Adapter: To plug the Renogy panel into your EcoFlow, you will need an MC4 to XT60 Adapter Cable.

MC4 to XT60 Cable

Your Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 handles up to 400W of solar input (Max 60V). To get the fastest off-grid charge for this upgraded model, here are your best options: The Premium Choice: Two of the official Jackery SolarSaga 200W Panels. These plug directly into the unit's dual 8mm inputs.

 

 

Jackery SolarSaga 200W Solar Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: Two of the Renogy 200W Portable Solar Panels.

 

 

Renogy-200W-Solar-Panels

 

 

The Required Adapter: To connect standard Renogy panels to this unit, you will need two MC4 to DC8020 Adapter Cables.

MC4 to DC8020 Cable

Your Jackery Explorer 300 Plus handles up to 100W of solar input (Max 27V). Because this unit uses a unique USB-C solar input, here are the best options: The Premium Choice: The official Jackery SolarSaga 100W Panel.

 

 

Jackery 100W Solar Panel

 

 

You will also need the official Jackery DC8020 to USB-C Adapter to plug it in.

 

 

Jackery-DC8020-to-USB-C-Cable

Your Jackery Explorer 3000 v2 can handle up to 1000W of solar input (Max 60V). For Portable / Camping Setups: here is what you need: The Premium Choice: Two of the official Jackery SolarSaga 200W Panels. These are plug-and-play and plug directly into the unit's 8mm inputs.

 

 

Jackery SolarSaga 200W Solar Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: Two of the heavy-duty Renogy 400W Portable Solar Panels.

 

 

Renogy-400W-Solar-Panel

 

 

The Required Adapters: Jackery uses a unique input port. To use third-party panels like Renogy, you will need 2 MC4-to-DC8020 adapter cables.

 

 

Jackery - Renogy Adapter Cable

 

 

For Permanent Campervan Roof Builds: The Best Rigid Panels on the market are the Renogy 200W Monocrystalline Panels. You will need 4 x Renogy 200W Monocrystalline Rigid Panels to max out your portable power station's solar input.

 

 

Renogy 200W Solar Panel

 

 

Required Roof Hardware: To mount these permanently, you will need a pack of Solar Z-Brackets. (4 per panel)

 

 

Standard Z Brackets

 

 

Note: To get the maximum solar charging speed, you must use both input ports on the back of your power station. Do not combine all 4 panels into a single cable, or you will exceed the port's amp limit and lose half your charging power. Instead, wire two panels together in series to create "Array A," and wire the remaining two panels together to create "Array B." The Roof Entry: To get solar power inside your van, you will need TWO standard 6m MC4 extension cables.

 

 

MC4 6 Metre Extension Cables

 

 

Cut both extension cables exactly in half! Click one set of halves into Array A and the other set into Array B. Route these four newly cut, bare wires down through two Waterproof Roof Cable Entry Glands: Drill the necessary holes in the van roof and seal them properly with an appropriate sealant.

 

 

Solar Double Entry Cable Block

 

 

The Safety Switch: Inside the van route the set of 4 wires through a 2-in-2-out DC Solar Isolator Switch. Mount it to your van wall, strip the ends of the 4 bare wires from the van roof, and connect them to the top terminals. Take the remaining bare cable halves, strip the ends, and connect them to the bottom half of the switch. You will now have a secure off switch for the 4-panel solar array.

 

 

Solar Panel Isolator Switch

 

 

The Final Connection: You now have standard MC4 connectors inside your van. Simply click these into two MC4-to-DC8020 Adapter Cables, then plug them into Jackery's dual-input hubs to complete the job.

 

 

MC4-to-DC7908-Cable-5m

Your Jackery Explorer 500 v2 handles up to 200W of solar input (Max 60V). Here are the two best options to get the fastest possible charge: The Premium Choice: The official Jackery SolarSaga 200W Panel. This plugs directly into the unit without any extra cables.

 

 

Jackery-SolarSaga-200W-Solar-Panel

 

 

The Budget Choice: The Renogy 200W Portable Solar Panel.

 

 

Renogy-200W-Solar-Panels

 

 

The Required Adapter: To connect the standard Renogy panel to Jackery's input port, you will need an MC4-to-DC8020 Adapter Cable.

MC4 to DC8020 Cable

 
 

Discover the best portable power stations, solar panels, and solar generators with expert comparisons, buying guides, and real-world scenario reviews.

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