Bought the 80w Dokio (very cheap from Amazon) just for "fun". I bought another 30W panel with charger (about the same price) year before. The charger I got from the 30W panel is exactly the same as yours (but with a different "skin" but functions the exact same) and its a cheap PWM China charger ofc but it works for my application. The one I got with my 80w Dokia looks exactly the same as yours but missing a button... So I can not configure anything, I can "check" but not configure... Maybe it's an upgrade (plug and play) and maybe it's a severe downgrade... I don't know... the only thing I know atm is that the 30W panel actually is more stable sort of then this 80W Dokio... but again it's lightweight, foldable and it does put some power down... and it was dirt cheap... so can not complain much...
@@BoatingwiththeBaileys Just actually tried it today sort of. Connected the same batteries (small 12v, 7,2AH AGM batterys) to both of them just to check. They are standing next to each other so getting the same sun with the same angle. And the Dokio is almost doing worse from what I can see (then again only from their charge controllers so not a true test ofc). I think the panels on the Dokia is actually what is rated (in my case 80w) but the plastic cover/protection and what not is hindering the panels... like puttin you "bare" panels behind a glass pane. So it is probably 80w (in my case 2x40w) panels for sure... but maybe delivering maybe 40-50w tops... I bought a long time a go a chinese solar panel for soldering (no covering, bare panel) and it was (as far as I remember 2w maybe just maybe 2,5w) but it was rocking... that 2-2,5w was pretty much every angle, and low sun light... bought another panel same dimensions but with a "cover" and it was not near the same output. So I'm guessing the panels is exactly what is rated but the product (with the protective cover) is not actually so great... Again my 30w panel is delivering the (it has no plastic cover) better... I don't know really the plastic does a good job also, easier to clean, longevity when you bring it to places... But I think it hinders the output of the panels for sure. I think it scatters the waves, and maybe with perfect placement it does works but remove the plastic and you don't need that perfect placement... Just my thoughts... I will test it some more, but for now my 30w (fixed panel) does seem to produce more energy then my 80w Dokio... and I think I know why. ----edit Just checked both panels (they are side by side) and now it's really low light, sun is setting)... Dokio 12,1v (so not charging as much) and my 30w doing 13v still so charging battery (somewhat). As the Dokio was so cheap (campaign of sorts) maybe I will get another one and take the plastic cover off to check the differences). I think it with the plastic cover of it will get more scattered light into the panels sort of and actually get better output overall... but yes will be prone to damage)... Would be cool to check what the difference is though... ---edit2 🙂 www.amazon.se/dp/B07JVJJH47/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07JVJJH47&pd_rd_w=GaTj4&content-id=amzn1.sym.7a4fbf23-63c0-49ba-afa3-64d64b9ffe92&pf_rd_p=7a4fbf23-63c0-49ba-afa3-64d64b9ffe92&pf_rd_r=ZPPVKNJQ3P0E8TZBV778&pd_rd_wg=ybcLJ&pd_rd_r=7a55f7f6-7a94-4575-b1f4-d68469c6c9e9&s=industrial&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw This is twice the price of what I payed (in my country from the same Dokio brand) and should output only 20w more. But I bet theese output actually 100w for longer than theese 80w (my variant) foldable does. But again... If I get 60-70w with perfect placement I'm happy with them. They are more portable and lightweight...
@alexanderwingeskog758 interested results. You will definitely get better performance from the rigid panel in the link above than a flexible one. I might take the covers off one of mine and give that a try
My Dokio panels arrived with a DOA controller. I contacted Dokio’s customer service in China to see about replacement. I am still without a replacement offer or solution fifteen days later. Brand new panels and I cannot use them without major modification. No customer service - no option to purchase replacement/repair parts. Keep this in mind when making your solar panel purchase. Caveat emptor!
In the middle of similar projects too. Almost same boat and motor👍 Great videos, subscribing! Best tip for me in this video was the “mate and lok” connectors. I have really wondered where to get the proper pins. Did you have a link for the correct type to attach to the upper connector? Male pins right?
Hi, Glad to have you onboard. If i remember correctly they were these www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140938481472 and i think that same clip appeared in this video at the end. ua-cam.com/video/eki4hB7lMUM/v-deo.html We also had to repair a couple of the light switches but other than that all good.
Hi, they don’t do the same job. The lightbulb output can be used to switch a light on for example and will switch off at a predetermined battery voltage. You can use the usb outputs without a battery but anything else needs a battery to be connected.
ahh right thanks for clearing that up,mine is slightly different to yours it has the 2 usb outlets but instead of an xt60 it has a wire with 2 crocodile clips. i’m planning to cut them off and fit mc4 solar connectors instead. would you see that as a problem ?
Yeah, I haven’t secured mine it’s just sat on top of the battery charger. It’s never got hot so I don’t see why you couldn’t attach some sticky Velcro to it. I have considered upgrading the controller to see what a difference an MPPT like a Victron for example would do to the performance.
Got kne year or so ago and works really well. I wish it had Gromet anchors so i can attach it to vehicle when parked in windy weather.
Glad to hear this. Yeah that’s a good point, we have to tie ours all the time.
Bought the 80w Dokio (very cheap from Amazon) just for "fun". I bought another 30W panel with charger (about the same price) year before. The charger I got from the 30W panel is exactly the same as yours (but with a different "skin" but functions the exact same) and its a cheap PWM China charger ofc but it works for my application. The one I got with my 80w Dokia looks exactly the same as yours but missing a button... So I can not configure anything, I can "check" but not configure... Maybe it's an upgrade (plug and play) and maybe it's a severe downgrade... I don't know... the only thing I know atm is that the 30W panel actually is more stable sort of then this 80W Dokio... but again it's lightweight, foldable and it does put some power down... and it was dirt cheap... so can not complain much...
Hi, interesting - how are you finding the output of the 80w panel?
@@BoatingwiththeBaileys Just actually tried it today sort of. Connected the same batteries (small 12v, 7,2AH AGM batterys) to both of them just to check. They are standing next to each other so getting the same sun with the same angle. And the Dokio is almost doing worse from what I can see (then again only from their charge controllers so not a true test ofc).
I think the panels on the Dokia is actually what is rated (in my case 80w) but the plastic cover/protection and what not is hindering the panels... like puttin you "bare" panels behind a glass pane. So it is probably 80w (in my case 2x40w) panels for sure... but maybe delivering maybe 40-50w tops...
I bought a long time a go a chinese solar panel for soldering (no covering, bare panel) and it was (as far as I remember 2w maybe just maybe 2,5w) but it was rocking... that 2-2,5w was pretty much every angle, and low sun light... bought another panel same dimensions but with a "cover" and it was not near the same output.
So I'm guessing the panels is exactly what is rated but the product (with the protective cover) is not actually so great...
Again my 30w panel is delivering the (it has no plastic cover) better...
I don't know really the plastic does a good job also, easier to clean, longevity when you bring it to places... But I think it hinders the output of the panels for sure.
I think it scatters the waves, and maybe with perfect placement it does works but remove the plastic and you don't need that perfect placement...
Just my thoughts... I will test it some more, but for now my 30w (fixed panel) does seem to produce more energy then my 80w Dokio... and I think I know why.
----edit
Just checked both panels (they are side by side) and now it's really low light, sun is setting)... Dokio 12,1v (so not charging as much) and my 30w doing 13v still so charging battery (somewhat). As the Dokio was so cheap (campaign of sorts) maybe I will get another one and take the plastic cover off to check the differences). I think it with the plastic cover of it will get more scattered light into the panels sort of and actually get better output overall... but yes will be prone to damage)... Would be cool to check what the difference is though...
---edit2 🙂
www.amazon.se/dp/B07JVJJH47/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07JVJJH47&pd_rd_w=GaTj4&content-id=amzn1.sym.7a4fbf23-63c0-49ba-afa3-64d64b9ffe92&pf_rd_p=7a4fbf23-63c0-49ba-afa3-64d64b9ffe92&pf_rd_r=ZPPVKNJQ3P0E8TZBV778&pd_rd_wg=ybcLJ&pd_rd_r=7a55f7f6-7a94-4575-b1f4-d68469c6c9e9&s=industrial&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw
This is twice the price of what I payed (in my country from the same Dokio brand) and should output only 20w more. But I bet theese output actually 100w for longer than theese 80w (my variant) foldable does.
But again... If I get 60-70w with perfect placement I'm happy with them. They are more portable and lightweight...
@alexanderwingeskog758 interested results. You will definitely get better performance from the rigid panel in the link above than a flexible one. I might take the covers off one of mine and give that a try
My Dokio panels arrived with a DOA controller. I contacted Dokio’s customer service in China to see about replacement. I am still without a replacement offer or solution fifteen days later. Brand new panels and I cannot use them without major modification. No customer service - no option to purchase replacement/repair parts. Keep this in mind when making your solar panel purchase. Caveat emptor!
Hi - Thats not good at all. Are you able to go back to the supplier you purchased them off and get anything that way?
Thank you for your very good vidéo... I will try the same, 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
Thanks for your comments
In the middle of similar projects too. Almost same boat and motor👍 Great videos, subscribing! Best tip for me in this video was the “mate and lok” connectors. I have really wondered where to get the proper pins. Did you have a link for the correct type to attach to the upper connector? Male pins right?
Hi, Glad to have you onboard. If i remember correctly they were these www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140938481472 and i think that same clip appeared in this video at the end. ua-cam.com/video/eki4hB7lMUM/v-deo.html We also had to repair a couple of the light switches but other than that all good.
hi would you know if the battery and lightbulb symbols on the solar charge controller do exactly the same job ?
Hi, they don’t do the same job. The lightbulb output can be used to switch a light on for example and will switch off at a predetermined battery voltage. You can use the usb outputs without a battery but anything else needs a battery to be connected.
ahh right thanks for clearing that up,mine is slightly different to yours it has the 2 usb outlets but instead of an xt60 it has a wire with 2 crocodile clips. i’m planning to cut them off and fit mc4 solar connectors instead. would you see that as a problem ?
@paulrigley8457 yeah I don’t see a problem with that. Is that the connection to the battery?
yes it is , i’ll only be using it as a way of charging my ecoflow powerbanks when camping off grid
@paulrigley8457 you might be able to change the Ecoflow directly from the panel. Don’t they have an inbuilt charge controller?
How did you secure the controller in one place? There is no screw holes to fix it anywhere
Yeah, I haven’t secured mine it’s just sat on top of the battery charger. It’s never got hot so I don’t see why you couldn’t attach some sticky Velcro to it. I have considered upgrading the controller to see what a difference an MPPT like a Victron for example would do to the performance.