best solar panel kitsLooking for places to get the best deals? In this article we review some of the best solar panel kits to help you choose one that best suits you.

A solar panel kit is a solar panel that comes together with all the essentials you will need to make up a system to run your electrical gadgets at home,camper van ,boats or shed.

Solar panel kits are good especially for newbies looking to switch to solar power as they cut off middle men and allow for DIY installation

Solar panel kits are ideal for powering RV appliances, small electrical gadgets, boats camper van and even large panel kits can even handle the entire power consumption of a household.

Depending on what you want to power, it makes it difficult to choose the best solar panel kits in the market. Looking at over hundreds solar panel kits priced under $200 on Amazon, it can be hard to find the right one for yourself .We’ve handpicked 3 of our favorite solar panel kits priced under $200 to make it easy for you to make a decision

BEST SOLAR PANEL KITS UNDER $200 QUICK COMPARISON

Renogy 100 Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit

Our Ratings
4.8/5

ECO-WORTHY 100 Watt 12 Volt Solar Panel Kit

Our Ratings
4.5/5

Topsolar Solar Panel Kit 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Off Grid System

Our Ratings
4.3/5

Criteria For Choosing The Best Solar Panel kits

Based on our procedure, we’ve narrowed down a competitive list of options to feature the top 3 best solar panel kits.

Watts

Most standard solar panels are 100W and above. Each kit can contain anywhere from 1 to 10+ solar panels, with a combined wattage of 100W to over 5000W.

The combination of the wattage is a determined factor as to whether the kit can be used for small or large loads. The average homeowner or off-grid traveler will likely only be looking to power a few small devices or appliances and will only need a small load kit.

The minimum wattage of 100W is enough to power a laptop or a little refrigerator. Our criteria base the standard wattage at 100W.

Volts

The average  volts of the kit  will determine the type of battery you’ll need to buy. Generally, most panels produce between 12V and 24 volts.

You’ll need a minimum of 12V to power basic appliances and devices. If needed, you can also purchase a solar invertor to convert the volts from DC to AC for everyday use.

Equipment

Each kit will come with solar panels, a set of  wirings or connectors, and hardware. 

Renogy 100 Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit

The 12v 100w renogy solar panel kits will get you started on using solar power for your daily needs. This package comes with a corrosion resistant aluminum frame, charge controller to prevent overcharging of batteries, connectors, a tray cable and a mounting bracket that can also fit when using RV or boat. It is also a monocystaline panel meaning it can get you about 21% efficiency in terms of solar power kit compared to similar polycrystalline cell type.

The 30a renogy charge controller can help you to upgrade to 400w in an off grid system. This solar panel kit supports all types of batteries: lithium batteries, lead-acid batteries, and gel batteries. This high-quality system can competently charge a 50A battery from its 50% status in just 3 hours. It also has an amazing 500Wh output per day. If you want a durable solar panel for hash outdoor conditions, then this might be the best solar panel kits for you.

With the addition of 100a battery and inverter(not included) you should be able  to power  most electrical appliances  and devices such as fans, bulbs, LED lights, and charging of your phones – as well as  powering higher demand electrical gadgets such as TVs, laptops, and refrigerators. A noticeable downside of the system is the wanderer charge controller of the kit that doesn’t have a meter to show voltage or current coming into the system.

Purchasing a meter or upgrading charge controller part of the solar panel kits would be an option for those that would prefer to know the exact numbers coming from their system.

Solar power installation can be a tedious work, but with this complete best solar panel kits kit from Renogy ,you are assured of a hassle free installation. It can be mounted on RVs, boats, and other vehicles. This kit is undoubtedly the perfect one for anyone going off grid.

What We Liked

What We Didn’t Like

ECO-WORTHY 100 Watt 12 Volt Solar Panel Kit

This 100W solar panel kits from Eco-Worthy is a rare find: it’s cost effective and includes a solar Panel, 30A PWM Charge Controller, Cables, and Mounting Brackets.

This is a great option for newbies looking to set up a small off-grid system either for their camper van, boats or homes. Coming to durability and reliability the panel has a heavy-duty aluminum frame that protects it from powerful winds and rains. In the box, you will find a 30a pwm charge controller that safeguards the connected devices from overcurrent and overvoltage.

The charge controller has LCD screen that shows you accurate output and has an on/off button as well. You can directly charge your phone or tablets with the solar panel, and there isn’t the need to use a separate battery or power bank. And what you’ll love is how it has a built-in USB port, and dual at that, so you can charge your mobile devices while you’re away.

Whether you’ll set this up on your roof, on your mobile home, or camper van, this gives you hassle-free installation so you’ll get solar power in no time.

What We Liked

What We Didn’t Like

Topsolar 100 Watt 12v Solar Panel Kit

Topsolar 100 Watt 12v Solar Panel Kit is an impressive solar panel kit for off-grid living, delivering 100w to power most electrical appliances. It includes a solar Panel, 12/24 20A PWM Charge Controller, Cables, and z mounting [2].The charge controller is designed to prevent over charge, discharge and short circuit.

Top solar panel kits are designed to be durable enough for people looking to power RVs, cabins, boats, and other small appliances. This system can withstand high winds of 2400Pa and snow loads of 5400Pa. It is made of a strong tempered glass and aluminum frame for various outdoor use, making it last for decades.

If you are on a tight budget this might be the go to system for you.

What We Liked

What We Didn’t Like

How much power does a solar shed need

You might ask how much power do I need before buying a solar panel kits. The amount of power required to power a shed , camper van ,a boat or a home is calculated base on the number of electronic gadgets you are using.

Here are tables of wattages for typical equipment, appliances and fittings you are likely to run in your shed,home,bats or campervan :

Item

Wattage (Running)

Computer

Printer

600 watts

400 watts

Smartphone or Tablet

10 watts

Portable electric heater or fan

2200 watts

Lamp

60 watts

Router

10 watts

Coffee machine

600 watts

Lighting (4 ceiling lights)

240 watts

lets say a desktop computer consumes somewhere between 600 watts,10 watts for a smart phone and takes about 240 watts for light bulbs. You add all the watts of this appliances to determine the total watts you needed.

In the above example the total running, wattage will be3420 watts

Quick note: Don’t just add up the wattage, it’s always good to consider how you’ll manage the power you produce. A bit of planning may mean you may get down with using less solar panels to power your shed,camper van ,boat or home. You may want to space out using higher loads on your system to bring down the demand for starting wattage. Example not running your coffee maker and printer simultaneously.

This article has reviewed  three of the best solar panel kits under $200 in the market.Our recommendation would be the Renogy 100 Watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit as it’s packed with unique features for a good solar power system.