I love solar panels, but using them isn’t as simple as plugging a rechargeable battery into the wall. 400W panels often provide 200 watts of power, and that number can get even lower if you’re not using them properly. Fortunately, with the right knowledge, it’s easy to give those panels a boost.

Move portable solar panels to avoid shade

Make adjustments even if the panels are only partially covered

Credit: Bertel King / How-To Geek

We people may like to seek out shade on a sunny day, but solar panels want to bake. They desire a direct line of sight with the sun at all times. It can be remarkable how quickly they stop generating energy if they’re placed in an area where they get even partial shade. This is because most solar panels can’t compensate by producing high amounts of energy in the uncovered parts and low amounts in the covered parts—the entire panel produces the same amount of energy as the weakest link.

This dip in energy production even affects large solar arrays if they’re all wired together to a single inverter. You may have 30 panels on the roof, but when four of them are covered, energy production for the entire array takes a dive.

When using portable solar panels, pay careful attention to any obstructions when setting up your panels. It’s not enough to see that there’s no shade at the moment. Look around and make sure no shade will fall on them later as the sun moves across the sky. If you’re trying to survive a winter storm using solar, you also want to make sure snow isn’t accumulating on any part of your panels as well.

Dimensions

6.46″L x 6.34″W x 9.45″H

Weight

4.1 Kilograms

AC Output ports

8

Anker’s SOLIX C300 solar power station weighs just 9 pounds but offers a 288Wh capacity and a large selection of ports, including three A/C outlets. It’s an excellent option for camping, travel, or short power outages.

Aim your solar panels south

If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, make that north

No matter where you are in the US, be that the contiguous 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, or any territory aside from American Samoa, you want to aim your solar panels directly to the south. This is true of any location in the Northern Hemisphere. Pointing your panels in the right direction guarantees that they get the maximum hours of sunlight. This is important when setting up portable solar panels, but it’s absolutely vital when setting up fixed-mounted ones.

I’ve experienced the difference this makes first hand over the course of a decade living with rooftop solar. In that time, I’ve had solar panels installed onto the roof of two separate homes. My prior home faced southwest. My current home faces due south. Even though the solar array we installed on our new home was less than twice the size of our previous one, it produced closer to three times the amount of energy.

If you live or vacation in the Southern Hemisphere, the rule is inverted. There, you want to aim solar panels north in order to boost your solar production. Panels will still produce energy even if they face entirely the wrong direction, but it’s going to be a fraction of the amount.

On days when you are able to make adjustments to portable solar panels throughout the day, head outside every few hours and align the panels to be perpendicular to the sun. You’ll know you’re facing the right direction when the shadow from the solar panels falls perfectly behind them.

Match your panels with the angle of the sun

There’s more precision involved than merely pointing them at the sky

Credit: Bill Loguidice / How-To Geek

Solar panels don’t merely want to see the sun. They want to face it head-on. This is why some people install automated ground mounts that rotate to face the sun throughout the day and adjust the alignment of solar panels as the sun rises in the sky.

If you just need to toss panels up and won’t be able to tweak them later in the day, your best bet is to angle them around 45 degrees. This way, they can see the sun when it’s low on the horizon in the morning and evening hours while still getting light at noon when the sun is directly overhead.

Portable solar panels usually come with at least three angles of adjustment so that you can give their production a boost. You can angle them around 30 degrees in the middle of the day or place them up at a steep 60 degrees if it’s winter time and the sun never quite gets as high as it does during the rest of the year. Whatever you do, don’t just toss the panels flat on the ground.

Make sure your panels are flat and clean

Dirt and dust are also an obstruction

If your solar panels spend most of their lives in a shed or closet, then, like everything else, expect them to gather a layer of dust. You can give them a boost simply by wiping them down. Just be gentle, and use a soft cloth. Foldable panels are quite delicate, and you don’t want to damage the cells by rubbing away with a rough fabric. Best to avoid spraying them with chemicals as well.

If you’re still not producing enough power, then it’s time to consider a larger solar panel or stringing together more than one. Just be sure not to try to connect more power than your inverter or battery can handle. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way.