What does the BLUETTI 500W Solar Panel SORA 500 offer on paper?
This review of the BLUETTI 500W Solar Panel SORA 500 looks at a foldable panel rated at 500 W. It costs $799.00 at BLUETTI, which works out to $1.60 per watt. Power leaves the panel through an mc4 connector.
Before you buy any panel, check which plug your power station or charge controller takes. An adapter cable adds one more part to pack.
| Size and moving it | |
|---|---|
| Weight | 28.4 lb |
| Temperature and warranty | |
| Warranty | 1 years |
| Product | Best current price | Cost per watt | Value rank |
|---|---|---|---|
 BLUETTI 500W Solar Panel SORA 500 | $799.00 at BLUETTI | $1.598/W | #2 of 3 |
 BLUETTI 350W Solar Panel | $599.00 at BLUETTI | $1.711/W | #3 of 3 |
 Renogy 250W N-Type Bifacial Solar Panel | $264.99 at Renogy | $1.060/W | #1 of 3 |
How heavy is this panel, and is it easy to move?
BLUETTI lists the panel at 28.4 lb. That places it in the easy to carry (under 30 lb) weight class. The design is foldable.
Weight matters most when you carry a panel back and forth each day to follow the sun. For a panel that stays put all season, weight matters less.
What voltage and current does the SORA put out?
BLUETTI lists a working voltage of 40.92 V at 12.22 A, with an open-circuit voltage of 49.1 V and a short-circuit current of 13.31 A. The open-circuit number is the one to hold up against the solar input limit on your power station.
When you wire panels in series, their voltages add up, so check the total before you connect them. Current counts too, since many solar inputs only accept so many amps.
Can it work in heat and cold?
BLUETTI rates the panel to operate from -25 °C up to 65 °C. Heat can lower a panel's output.
In winter, clear snow and frost off the cells, since a covered panel makes little or no power.
What does the SORA cost per watt next to the others?
At its best current price, the 500W Solar Panel SORA 500 comes to $1.598/W, which ranks #2 of 3 in this article. The Renogy 250W N-Type Bifacial Solar Panel takes #1 of 3 at $1.060/W, and the BLUETTI 350W Solar Panel lands at #3 of 3 with $1.711/W.
Price per watt is a fair way to line up panels of different sizes. It does not count weight, size, or warranty length, so read those next.
How do its output, weight and warranty add up?
The panel is rated at 500 W and weighs 28.4 lb. BLUETTI lists the warranty term as 1 years.
Warranty length matters more the longer you expect to use a panel.
Who is the SORA panel for?
It is for people who want one foldable panel rated at 500 W that stays in the easy to carry (under 30 lb) class. Fewer, larger panels mean fewer cables to run.
If you only need a light top-up on short trips, a smaller panel may cover it for less money.
What changes with the BLUETTI 350W Solar Panel?
The BLUETTI 350W Solar Panel is also foldable, but it is rated at 350 W, while the 500W Solar Panel SORA 500 is rated at 500 W. It is not lighter, either: BLUETTI lists it at 30.6 lb, against 28.4 lb for the SORA model.
Its price is $599.00 at BLUETTI, or $1.71 per watt. BLUETTI lists an open-circuit voltage of 46.5 V and the same 1 years of warranty.
How is the Renogy 250W N-Type Bifacial Solar Panel different?
The Renogy 250W N-Type Bifacial Solar Panel ranks #1 of 3 on price per watt at $1.060/W, against $1.598/W for the SORA model. It sells for $264.99 at Renogy. Renogy says yes, the panel is bifacial, and lists a module efficiency of 21.2 %.
It is rated at 250 W and weighs 27.3 lb, so it sits in the easy to carry (under 30 lb) class as well. Its working voltage is 19.52 V, against 40.92 V for the SORA model. Check a panel's voltage against your power station's input limits.
Check how a panel mounts and how it is carried before you choose.