You Can be Unconventional Supporting 220w Portable Solar Panels
This was originally posted in the EF Forum in March of 2026:
Especially when first starting out with solar chargeable stations and solar panels, many people are stumped by how to support folding solar panels. When I first received EF 220w bifacial panels (OG), I was at a loss. I couldn't get the "stand", which was the casing, to work for me. I'm fully aware and cheerfully admit I'm a spaz, and other people find the stand works wonderfully for them.
Let me tell you, you CAN be unconventional and use material you have on hand. You don't even have to be handy - I am sooooo much better at taking things apart or doing demolition than I am at building/putting things back together. Sure, purists will tell you that your solution, "is not efficient", or some version of, "you're not doing it right," or "that's not how it's done." If they give you good ideas you can implement - great! If you are doing what you can at the moment, under your particular circumstances, with what you have, that is also great.
At first, I tried laying the panels on the grass (and got comments about that - even if the manual actually says you can lay them flat), but the panels burned the grass, so I had to come up with something better. I tried various materials I had laying around, but they didn't work as well as I would have liked..
The best solution I have found is not conventional, but it works, is easy to move, doesn't kill grass, and takes advantage of some potential solar collection from the back side. It also takes advantage of things I already had - outdoor clothes drying racks.
I was charging a Trail 300. I can't use the panels that are mounted on the shed roof because the VOC is over what the Trail can handle. I also use this regularly for a River 3 Plus. It is easy to move with the panel on it, and I can leave it outside during my solar collecting season.
1st pic shows the panel collecting sun, 2nd pic is of the Trail charging. 3rd pic is of the panel and rack folded ready to move, 4th pic is of it under the eaves for storage