Recommendation for Portable Solar Panel to Augment Current Roof Top Zamp Solar Set-Up

Question:

Have a Zamp 170w rooftop mounted panel with a charge controller and a 3 port roof cap that I can add 2 more panels. I would like to get a panel with a very long cord to plug into that Zamp cap. Panel should be close in rating, mine is a 170w, 9.4 amp. Any ideas?

asked by: Mike D

Expert Reply:

Currently we do not offer Zamp solar panels but we do have Goal Zero which is also a top quality manufacturer. You state you are looking for a very long cord to connect to your Zamp Charge controller by way of a roof top connection. I assume this means that the solar panel you are looking for needs to be a portable panel to augment the current setup. I suggest the Goal Zero Boulder 200 Briefcase Solar Panel, # 287-32409 at 200 Watts along with the 30' Extension Cable for Goal Zero Boulder 200 and Nomad 200 Solar Panels, # GZ42VR.

This will have the Anderson style connectors which are extremely common but not what Zamp solar uses. It has been stated that Zamp uses a proprietary connection but that is misleading, they use an SAE connection but wire it with reverse polarity. Apparently this is done so that the positive pin on the SAE connector coming from their solar panels is the shielded one, and not the exposed one. There are online vendors that sell pigtails for SAE to Anderson Connector for Zamp Solar Panels that properly configured or you can locally source the needed SAE connectors, cut off the Anderson connectors on the # GZ42VR and replace them.

Please note the linked product review and installation videos.

expert reply by: Michael R