Boss Watt, Los Angeles, CA (2026)

09/14/2025

Things ain’t looking too good out there…Time to fire the old page back up with some off-grid SCADA action.

Control Modbus RTU devices without leaving the comfort of your bug-out spot.

03/10/2020

Are you using more than one solar panel for your project? Time to learn about series and parallel wiring! We put together some infographics to help out.

From our experience: Small systems (under 400 Watts) should go parallel. Just use 10 AWG wire coming off your solar branch connector. If you go higher than 400 Watts, start to consider series.

02/08/2020

Do lead acid batteries still make sense for an off-grid power system? If you’re following solar technology, you’ve probably heard of lithium iron phosphate batteries (abbreviated as LiFePO4). In the last few years, this lithium chemistry has found its way into reliable, cost effective 12 Volt batteries for off-grid installs. Battle Born and RELiOn have both released excellent products in this category that are compatible with most inverters and solar charge controllers.

So does lead acid still have a chance? For vans, small trailers, campers, and any other mobile dwelling, LiFePO4 is usually the winner just based on weight and space. For boats, off-grid homes, lighting systems, and larger vehicles, lead acid is still a viable option in our opinion.

Before comparing lithium to lead, consider “depth of discharge”. Lead acid batteries are lazy. They don’t like to give out more than half of their stored energy during a discharge cycle. Although the lead acid batteries in this photo boast a “105 Amp-Hour rating”, it would kill them to give out this much energy. We don’t suggest discharging lead acid batteries past 50% of their nameplate rating on most days. That means cutting everything off at around 12.25 Volts for 12V system - if you can. This will make your lead battery bank last A LOT longer. On the other hand, LiFePO4 batteries don’t mind a deeper discharge. The can go down to 90% on a regular basis and be totally fine in the long run.

So with all this considered, who wins in 2020? When you work out the math, lead acid always wins on up-front cost. If you only discharge the batteries a few times a year, lead acid also wins on long-term cost as well. In our opinion though, LiFePO4 will always be worth the extra money if you decide to go that route.

Final note: The lead acid batteries in this photo are flooded. They require ventilation around them when charging. This means leaving them outside in a vented box, or adding a fan if they’ll be indoors. Sealed lead acid batteries (and Gel Cells) typically don’t require extensive ventilation if charged properly. The lead acid batteries sold in big box stores are usually flooded. Here in CA they run about $100 for a size 29. We count this as about 500 Watt-hours of storage on a good day. The bank in this photo is part of our first kW-Kit. Thanks for reading!

01/11/2020

Coming Soon: kW-Kits!

There's a lot of solar kits out there. This one is going to be a little different. Instead of sending you a bunch of parts, we ship a fully assembled power system in one box. You can install it without any experience. We promise. Everything is included expect batteries. Add solar to your camper, boat, or off-grid home - 500 Watts at a time! Multiple kW-Kits can stack together on one battery bank: if it’s big enough.

Each kW-Kit is an independent module with its own flexible solar panels and charge controller. It all ships together. Installation doesn't require special tools or multiple trips to the hardware store. The wires, fuses, crimps, and connectors are all hooked by us. We program the unit for lithium or lead acid and test it. Extension cables are included, along with an optional 120 Volt AC inverter.

This kit is centered around Epever’s 40A MPPT charge controller for now. We’re also considering an option with Victron charge controllers. This product still needs testing. For the time being, we just wanted to share the direction we’re heading: flat packed power systems.

01/04/2020

Happy new year! Scott here with some cool news for 2020.

This is a solar panel from Sol-Go: a new company started by former SunPower's employees. In 2017, SunPower set the quality standard for flexible solar panels with their E-Flex series panels. While proudly displaying the SunPower logo, these panels restored everyone’s faith in flexible solar with honest power ratings and durable designs.

Sol-Go is picking up where SunPower left off. They plan to offer an improved version of SunPower’s 100, 110, and even the 170 Watt panel. Instead of wasting space with a logo, these panels pack an additional 3 cells into the top to deliver more power.

This panel is still in production and we hope to stock it soon. In the meantime, it’s really cool to see bigger players making moves in off-grid solar. Welcome to the Roaring Twenties: Part 2!

12/17/2019

Here's a close look at a SunPower solar cell - as you can see, it has some serious flex to it. However, there is a limit to this "bendability". Flexible panels made with these cells can saftey bend to 30 degrees, but no more.

The square blue cells inside these panels are extremely durable, but not indestructible. For this reason, we don't suggest walking around on flexible solar panels. As you can see in the first video, the cells will bend and flex in response to abuse. In the second video, it goes a little too far and cracks the cell. Stepping on flexible panels has the same effect: you can easily put too much pressure on one side and crack it, reducing power output.

If you are using them for portable power, these bendable panels need to be protected from over flexing. As you move the panels around and pack them up with other gear, keep them supported. The SunPower 50W are very hard to damage, just be a little careful moving the 100W+ sizes. If you are mounting flex panels on a rooftop, they can be installed “as-is” without special protection, but please don’t stack anything on top and definitely don’t go dancing on them.

12/10/2019

A 50 Watt solar panel doesn’t give you 50 Watts all the time. In reality, that 50 Watt rating is a “peak power” figure for the panel, much like horsepower on a car’s engine. You only get about 50 Watts when the panel is facing the sun on a bright day. To avoid confusion, all solar manufacturers define a “bright day” as the same thing (1000 Watts per-square-meter).🔆🔋🔌

Here’s the kicker: the temperature of the panel is also standardized to 25 degrees C (77 F). To get that full 50 Watts out of our panel, it has to be a bright sunny day that’s also not too hot. Solar panels produce less power as they warm up, but it’s not a huge difference. On a sweltering 113 degree F day for example, estimated losses are only 6% for this 50W flex panel*. To get better performance in hot weather, we’re now offering spacer sheets with all our flex panels at no additional cost. This precut plastic spacer goes between the panel and a hot rooftops - providing a little more power. @ Los Angeles, California

12/03/2019

Adding solar to a vehicle? Flexible panels can be installed on curved rooftops without drilling holes or adding frames. They also have slightly better aerodynamics compared to glass panels, but we do have one tip to offer here.

If your panel will be flush with a rooftop, always make sure the entire leading edge of the panel is secure. Ever tried to move a mattress or a sheet of plywood? If the front isn’t totally held down, it will catch an edge and lift off. In practice, just be sure this leading edge is free from any air gaps - Our default suggestion has been a continuous strip of Eternabond roof repair tape, although we are testing some “cleaner” looking solutions. Securing this edge down with tape does give you a huge safety factor as no wind can get under the panel.

11/27/2019

SunPower Sedan! This is how we test portable solar panels - on a real car at 80 miles per hour. In this photo, sections of Eternabond roof repair tape are used around a flexible 110 Watt SunPower panel. There's an air gap made of twinwall plastic (polypropylene) between the panel and the roof. The tape goes around the perimeter of the panel, with gaps in the trailing edge for airflow and drainage. These photos were taken 6 months after install. 🔆🔋🔌

There are improvements to be made with this mounting method. Although the panel can be removed by cutting the tape, it could be detachable with fasteners. We're testing different arrangements to see how they look after a few thousand miles! Any ideas are welcome! @ Route 66 - Nevada/California

11/23/2019

Long time no see! We’re turning this page into a learning center for portable solar. Last year, you might have seen our Kickstarter for a plug and play solar panel: Boss Watt One. It’s been a little quiet after that, but we’ve been busy exploring new ways to use solar energy and it’s time to share some tips. To get started, check out a few of our videos on solar installation for RV’s and campers (links in comments below). Our shop is still going strong and we’re still supporting all our products. Thanks for checking in!

02/03/2019

It’s finally here! Say hello to Boss Watt One: the first plug & play solar panel. This solar generator works right out of the box: no set-up or wiring required. It’s perfect for running small electronics and lights when you’re off the grid. Power up radios, lights, speakers, laptops, and other portable devices with a built-in 120V inverter. After dark, you will continue to have power and light with the built-in battery pack and LED strip.

Boss Watt One is coming to major retailers for around $400, but for the month of February, you can still get the original Kickstarter deal of $325 with free shipping (limit 2 per customer). Check out our website for all the details and product specs. Thanks for following our journey!👍

10/29/2018

9 days left on our very first Kickstarter! There's still time to help us create the first "all-in-one" solar panel. This 60 Watt folding panel has a battery system and power inverter built right into the back: you can charge your gear off it just like a regular wall outlet!

It's a new idea and we just want to know if there's interest out there. We're selling the first batch at our cost, but the funding goal is all or nothing! ❤️ I hope we make it. Everyone on the team has been working hard to get the word out.

No matter what happens, we won't be going anywhere! Boss Watt will always be here to support your off-grid projects. 😊

Boss Watt

09/14/2025

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