In this video, I review a 170-watt solar panel from a company called BougeRV. First, I check over the build quality and inform you of the dimensions, weight, and rated output voltage and amperage. We also have a quick look at the shipping packaging.



Next, I set up a testbed using one of my Lion Energy 105 amp-hour lithium batteries and my Bogart SC2030 PWM 30 amp solar charge controller. I set up the panels in optimum sunlight 90 degrees to the sun and first test the short circuit current.

Then I test the two panels paralleled together and charging the battery. Finally, I do the same test with the panels lying flat on the ground.

Here are the results:

Short circuit amperage - 9.26 amps and 9.32 amps
Charging amperage perfectly aligned with the sun - 18.28 amp
Charging amperage with panels flat on the ground - 14.29 amps
Charging amperage on a cloudy day - 4.6 amps
Total power to the battery via my PWM charger - 18.57A X 13.47V = 269 watts (Note: power may be increased 10-30% using an MPPT type controller)

Disclaimer: I received the products in this video free of charge for review from BougeRV

My opinion is the BougeRV 170 watt panel performs quite well and meets its rated specifications. Build quality is just OK, not bad, but not great.

The panel is economically priced and has free shipping, a great thing to have on a large 24 lb item. Also, it's a nice size and may be useful for some people's solar builds where dimensions are critical.

A big negative for me is the short warranty period of 1 year. Panels like the competition Renogy 160 watt model - https://amzn.to/3aqMFcs have a 5-year warranty material warranty and 25 years output warranty. But in fairness, the Renogy is slightly less wattage and higher priced.