If you are currently in the market for A flexible solar panel or if you’re looking to upgrade your old, bulky monocrystalline rigid solar panels, listen up! Bougerv recently released the yuma cigs thin-film flexible solar panel, and guess what? They are incredible.
BougeRV is a small company that specializes in rigid solar panels, flexible solar panel, portable refrigerators, and power stations. The first solar panels I ever installed were the 180-watt BougeRV rigid solar panels and they worked fantastically.
Although I haven’t personally tested out the power station or portable refrigerators, I have heard very good things. BougeRV recently came out with a new flexible solar panel that I am very excited to share with you.
Don’t forget to use the discount code explore16 for 16% off the entire site!
BougeRV Yuma 200W CIGS Thin-film Flexible Solar Panel
What is CIGS?!
CIGS stands for Copper Iridium Gallium Selenide. This is completely different from monocrystalline because CIGS doesn’t actually contain any glass. Because of this, CIGS solar panels are super flexible and much more durable than monocrystalline solar panels. Another huge benefit to CIGS solar panels is that they absorb more solar energy in low light conditions. This is because the cells have a higher sensitivity to solar rays.
CIGS vs Monocrystalline
Although monocrystalline solar panels are more affordable, they are harder to install, heavier, and less effective in low-light conditions. Side by side in direct sunlight, monocrystalline will perform slightly better. Over the course of a year, however, CIGS will provide more energy overall.
Both rigid and flexible monocrystalline panels have a high risk of micro-cracking. This decreases the expected lifespan dramatically. Since the CIGS solar panels have no glass, they have a potential life span of over 25 years. The CIGS solar panel will also operate normally even if some cells are damaged, which is not the case with monocrystalline.
100 Watt or 200 Watt Flexible Solar Panel?
On average, most systems use between 200-500 watts of solar power. With that being said, there is no generic “one size fits all” answer. There are many factors to consider before choosing how many solar panels you require.
Battery Capacity
How long will your battery storage last until you need to recharge? That depends on your daily consumption of power. If you have a high daily consumption of power (charging electronics, operating a diesel heater, cooling a fridge, using appliances, etc) and a small amount of battery storage, you’re going to need more solar panels to recharge your batteries more frequently.
If you have a large amount of battery storage and low consumption of power, you may be able to last a week or more without recharging. This can be ideal if you live or spend the majority of your time in a cloudy environment.
Driving Time vs Down Time
How frequently do you travel? Do you drive long distances and stay for a few weeks in each place or do you drive for a few hours every day? While driving, your alternator will charge your solar batteries. This means that if you are driving more frequently, you may be able to get away with fewer watts.
Power Consumption
Before finalizing the size of your solar system, it is important to calculate how much power you will be consuming on average per day. Some of the most common uses of power are:
- Charging electronics such as cellphones, laptops, and cameras
- Kitchen appliances such as a toaster, blender, or air fryer
- Lighting
- Heaters
- Roof fans
- Water pumps
- Fridges
Nate, over at Explorists Life has an awesome post and excel spreadsheet to help you calculate How Many Batteries Are Needed for Your Solar System.
Don’t forget to use the discount code explore16 for 16% off the entire site!
Climate
Living in Canada, we use our campervan during the winter months for snowboarding and cross-country skiing. The shortest day of the year only offers about 6 hours of daylight and the sun remains very low in the sky. This means that our window to gather solar energy is short and the amount of energy we are collecting is small. Because of that, we have 525 watts of solar power.
If you live in a coastal city that is cloudy during the winter, you will have a similar problem. To compensate for this issue, you may want to install more solar panels to gather as much energy as possible on these short or cloudy days.
Flexible Solar Panel vs Rigid
Flexible solar panels are much more expensive but there are a few reasons that they outperform rigid panels. First, they allow you to stealth camp more easily.
Second, they are more aerodynamic and lightweight. This allows for an increase in fuel mileage and less road noise while travelling. Third, they are much easier to mount and only require a strong silicone structural adhesive. Lastly, they can be mounted to a flat or curved surface.
Durability
Every product I have purchased from BougeRV has been built solid and their solar panels are no exception. We often go snowboarding during the winter months which means leaving our van parked at ski resorts. In these locations, it is not uncommon to wake up to 12″ of fresh, heavy, powder! WEOOOOO!
Throughout the years, we have also travelled through numerous hail storms and incredibly strong winds. We always rest easy knowing that our solar panels can handle the elements and will not let us down when we need them. This solar panel has yet to show the faintest sign of wear, which is hard to believe given what it has been through.
Weight
This is yet another area where these flexible solar panels really shine. They are 75% lighter than rigid solar panels! The Yuma 200W CIGS Thin-film Flexible Solar Panels weighs only 7 pounds. For reference, a 180 watt rigid solar panel weighs 22 pounds. This makes these panels easier to move, install, maintain, and reduces the load making your rig more fuel efficient.
Installation Tips for Flexible Solar Panel
Always consider how much room you have to mount your panels before you order. On our van, we made sure to have enough room for 3- 180 watt panels. When you’re designing your roof layout (fan, skylights, kayak or SUP rack, etc.), it is important to take into account the size of panels you would like for your system.
BougeRV solar panels are lightweight, durable, and very easy to install. Unlike rigid panels which require brackets, these solar panels can be installed using double-sided tape or holes depending on your application. If you are using double-sided tape, make sure to clean the surface thoroughly beforehand to ensure proper adhesion.
Lastly, always use MC4 connectors and fuses on the exterior of your van. These connectors are completely waterproof and easy to use. To penetrate through the roof or side of your van, use an entry gland to ensure a weather-tight seal for your wiring.
Don’t forget to use the discount code explore16 for 16% off the entire site!
Simple Solar System Guide
We have developed a Simple Solar System Guide that is perfect for beginners wanting to install a complete solar system in a campervan, RV, or boat. The guide is broken down into 3 sections: Component Overview, Electrical Schematic, and Price & Quantity Chart. It will teach you how every component functions, where to buy each component (with discount codes), and how to wire them, including wire and fuse sizes.
We hope you enjoyed reading our review of the new bougerv flexible solar panel! If you have any questions please feel free to contact us or comment below. We would love to know what you’re using your solar panels for.
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