SunPower Flexible Solar Panel, Gen II, 50W

Made with SunPower’s highest power Gen III and Gen II back contact cells that are an industry leading 22-25% efficient, SunPower’s flexible panels deliver the highest power output and the highest charging capacity in their product class. SunPower’s panels are constructed with top-grade, light-weight polymer materials, allowing for easy transport, installation and panel flexing up to 30 degrees.

Designed for Toughness - The SunPower Maxeon Solar Cell is the only cell built on a solid copper foundation. Flexible panels made with SunPower cells are resistant to power loss via cracking and corrosion, unlike conventional cells, which are much more likely to lose power when bent or subjected to a moist environment. SunPower flexible panels are the #1 choice for customers due to the combination of high power and cell ruggedness

Easy and Low Cost Installation - The panel includes MC4-compatible quick connectors and can be installed with adhesives or by using the included stainless steel grommets.

For more information, please consult the specification sheets below - or for help calculating what size solar controller you should purchase for your panel installation, we recommend looking at the Victron MPPT sizing calculator, located here.

FAQs

Can SunPower flexible solar panels connect directly to batteries or devices?
We do not recommend connecting to batteries or charging devices directly from a solar panel because it could be harmful to your equipment and void warranties. Instead, we highly recommend charging a battery via a compatible solar charge controller (e.g., MPPT or PWM solar charge controllers made by Victron, Mastervolt, Magnum or Outback and available from Fisheries Supply), and then charging or powering your device from that charge controller and battery. A compatible charge controller will regulate voltage and current from the solar panel(s) to the battery, and from the battery to your devices. A charge controller that can prevent overcharging, over-discharging, and overloading damage to the battery and your devices is highly recommended.

What size solar charge controller should I buy?
Victron Energy provides a helpful calculator to help you determine the appropriate solar charge controller for your system. Sizing depends in large part on combined maximum open PV open circuit voltage of all of your panels as well as their maximum charge current. To determine the size you need, take the appropriate specifications from the back of your panel, or the specifications on this page, and input them into the Victron MPPT sizing calculator, located here.

Do SunPower flexible solar panels come with connector cables?
Every SunPower flexible panel comes with MC4 connector cables (male and female). 
An MC4 connector is a popular solar output connection. Some charge controllers accept MC4 connectors while others accept bare wire, in which case you would need to cut off the MC4 connectors that come with the panels, strip the wire of their protective sheathing, and then insert the wire directly into the solar charge controller’s input (following the manufacturer’s instructions).   
Please note, MC4 connectors do not include any electronic components that control current or voltage levels. Accordingly, the various components of your particular system may not be compatible simply because they have MC4 connectors. You still need to verify the electrical operating conditions of each component of your system to ensure compatibility.

How long does charging take?
This will depend on your panel wattage, your battery watt-hour (Wh) capacity (a measurement of storage capacity) and the weather. A 150 Wh battery will charge faster than a 500 Wh battery because the 500 Wh battery has more storage capacity, therefore requiring more time to fully charge. In addition, a 100-watt panel will charge a battery faster than a 50-watt panel exposed to the same amount of sunlight. 
Charging time will be affected by weather, shade, time-of-day, age and use of battery, efficiency of the charge controller, placement of the solar panels, and other operational factors. 

For higher battery capacity (greater than 150 Wh) we recommend using at least 100 watts of solar panel capacity. Before doing this, however, please ensure that the battery you are charging is compatible with this wattage and use a compatible charge controller. 

If you aren’t 100% sure about how to set up your solar system, we highly recommend that you hire an experienced installer.