Cascadia4x4 or Lensun Solar

I'm looking at doing a solar panel on my hood. Cascadia 4x4 and Lensun both make them for the 3rd gen without the scoop. I'm just trying to figure out if one is better than the other? Looks like the Lensun is about $200 cheaper than Cascadia 4x4 which is a plus. Will mostly be used to help top off my AGM battery and may charge phones and tablets while camping.

 

I have the Cascadia 4x4 VSS on my 3rd Gen Tacoma. Yes, it is more expensive than the Lensun, but it came with *everything* needed for a full install (the solar panel with the appropriate adhesive tape already on it; a vinyl hood protector; the MPPT charge controller; and hands-down the best set of installation instructions I've ever had the pleasure to read). It was truly a plug and play install with zero issues. It has been running like a champ ever since. I use it to keep my battery topped off which feeds my Dometic for days at a time.

I never really looked at the Lensun until I saw your post, but from the website it appears that the solar panel itself is identical to what you get from Cascadia but with no prep done for you. I'm guessing it'll perform about the same as the Cascadia VSS but that you'll be more on your own for the install...

 

Yea, I can get the Lensun with a MPPT for $415 shipped. It's a hard toss up

 

Putting my Cascadia on in ~2 weeks. Any gotchas? The only part that looks a little fiddly is getting the protective mat positioned and squeegeed out.

 

RTFM and there will be no gotchas.

I did two things that weren't specified in the instructions:

I used some painter's tape to define the area where I wanted the vinyl to be. My wife and I probably spent more time on measuring/centering that area and taping it off than I did on any other single step.

I unrolled the vinyl and laid it out flat with some books to hold it down a few days before we did the install. Having the vinyl not wanting to roll up on you while working with it probably made our life easier.​

You are right about the vinyl. It was certainly the step I was most concerned about, but with it flat and if you use two people (as the instructions recommend) it becomes surprisingly easy.

 

Thanks!

 

Now Lensun sell a package with MPPT and vinyl. No adhesive though but still cheaper than Cascadia

 

Just talked to Cascadia and they are bringing back the 1st Gen Taco panel beginning of next year. In the same boat, deciding which one to get.

The Cascadia rep said:

“Lensun not only loves to make Chinese knock off's of our products but they also like to over rate them by a large amount. Our system for the 1st gens is a true 70 watt system. I've attached a photo below. Our kits are also 100% complete plug and play systems.”