Goal Zero 12201 Nomad 27M Solar Panel

• 27 watts of mono-crystalline solar technology, tested and certified by CE
• Small, lightweight, foldable soft case for convenient carrying
• Water-resistant to protect from the elements
• Built-in pocket to hold connector cord and three aluminum support rods to provide more rigidity during charging
• Four sturdy grommets provide various hanging options

This review is for the Goal Zero Nomad 27 solar panels Goal0 12201 Nomad 27M Solar Panel.

I bought these solar panels to use on a backwoods trip to keep the Sherpa 120 battery Goal0 11102 Sherpa 120 Battery charged that I used to run a CPAP machine while I sleep. Since this would be running a medical device, I felt it was important to know I could trust the system.

I carefully measured (using a Kill-a-Watt) the power my CPAP was consuming and knew that in good conditions the battery as found in the Sherpa 120 should last nearly 3 nights, so the solar panels wouldn't need to fully charge the system in a single day. I have also measured the CPAP using (using a Watts-Up) when running directly from 12v and it consumes about 30 watts a night (vs 37watts a night on 120v).

In field testing and subsequent follow up this is how I would rate the solar panels. These panels delivered the full 27 watts and worked well, actually charging my system quicker than I had anticipated. When solar charging the Sherpa 120 battery it takes longer than it does to charge from Grid power. To get the most from your solar panels, you'll need to adjust the panels to face the sun 2-3 times in a day. This was especially important for me when we were in a forest and the sun moving through the day changes where you need to be to get them in the sunlight. I was able to top off my system in a full day of Arizona sun using the Nomad 27 solar panels.

The panels fold up nicely which allows storage during transit and backpacking. On boating and a recent canoe trip, I packed the panels and battery in a Coleman dry bag for safety from the water. Coleman 29x13 Dry Gear Bag

The system is nicely rugged and in my case even blew over and down some rocks with no damage. I bought the available silicone sleeve for the battery which is a nice way to protect your investment. Use tent stakes in the provided grommet holes to keep things from blowing around. Focus on using 12v loads directly and make sure you are running your necessary equipment as efficiently as possible to maximize your run times. If you can get away without using an inverter, all of your devices will run longer from a fixed battery capacity, plus your weight will be physically lighter.

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I currently own a number of the Goal Zero line. I have two 13.5 Nomad panels, a Nomad 7 and now, a 27 watt. In addition, I have a couple Estrella lights and a couple Light-a-life, a Sherpa 120 and various accesories. In short, the system works well and the watt hours are quite accurate. The system has seen me through various backpack and camping trips. It was great to be able to power up laptops while climbing. The lights were a welcome addition to an anniversary dinner in the wilderness. The Battery lives on my bike to power lights, sound and charge my phone while I ride.

The thing I appreciate most about the system is how compact it is. It is very solid and light (relatively) for the amount of power it offers. People have stood on the panels. The battery was dropped on the street from my bike. (bad securing on my part.) They've been in the rain and the battery had taken a small dunk in a creek and kept on running.

Like another review had noted, the unique connector ports did put me off at first. But the connections all are strong except for the bendable short connectors for the Estrella lights.

I found a great price for the Nomad 27 and jumped on it. I'm now able to charge the Nomad in a few hours. All of the panels fit into a small pannier on the bike.

Overall, a great product on a mostly superb line of products.

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These are the same ones the military use in Iraq, except they are not camo. I got two of these nd they fully charge my Sherpa 120 in about 4-5 hours on a sunny day.

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I chatted with their online help before ordering and was assured that the output plug on this unit would fit the 5.5/2.5 mm receptacle used by the Duracell DPP-600HD Powerpack 600 Jump Starter & Emergency Power Source with Radio. The 5.5/2.5 is pretty common. I was disappointed when the unit arrived and its output jack was a 4.7 mm. I imagine it fits their battery, but I bought the Duracell only a few weeks ago when they were on sale on Amazon, and don't really want a new powerpack so soon.

Their online chat told me I could get a cigarette adapter output from the nomad 27 free of charge and could use that to charge my duracell. I accepted even though that is not ideal because of the huge size of the connector and the fact that cigarette adapters never seem to keep a good continuous circuit with even the slightest movement. They rush shipped it to me, which was a nice touch. However, when it arrived, it had yet another off-standard male barrel jack on it that would not plug into any output on the nomad 27! (The nomad does have a female receptacle for "chaining" which takes another 4.7mm jack, but this one is even larger than a 5.5mm.) Maybe it fits some other device they sell? I figure I better return the nomad 27 before my time runs out. I'll never know if it produces electricity, I guess.

The unit is less expensive than the Solaris 26 Watt Foldable Solar, folds into a nice compact package, seems sturdy enough, and the Photovoltaic cells are supposed to be a few percentage points more efficient than the brunton. However, if you can't connect it to anything, it's not very useful. [Yes, I could make my own adapter, but I really hesitate to have to cut their lead to do so. Plus my soldering on these small connectors has never been very good.]

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I purchased this with the sherpa 120 battery. The cordura is very durable and the kit folds up nicely, if I can remember the fold sequence. Very light. Can strap on back of rucksack to directly recharge any USB item or recharge the sherpa 120 on the move. Can't think of any improvements to this product. Rapidly recharged my sherpa 120 after use.