Uploaded April 2016 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Work all day from the beach! I'll show you how to make a portable, light weight, solar Macbook Pro Retina charger.
Curious about the FOLDING solar panels in this video? Click the links below:
EBAT 120W Portable Solar Charger Weatherproof Panel Foldable Backup Battery Charger for Phone, Tablet, Laptop, Golf Cart, Marine Battery for Travel, Camping, Shipping: [affiliate] amzn.to/1XsEks3
KINGSOLAR™ Highest Efficient 60W Foldable Solar Panel Portable Solar Charger Dual Output (USB Port + DC Output): [affiliate] amzn.to/1XsEFLq
Here's the power meter used in the video:
"Watt's Up" RC Watt Meter & Power Analyzer WU100 Version 2 --- SALE! [affiliate] amzn.to/1QLil0X
Want to know how I added Anderson Connectors to my folding solar panels? Check out the build video: youtu.be/ImikWzu4-aI
Here are some of the tools I use in the video:
Anderson Powerpole Connectors 10 Pair Genuine: [amazon affiliate] amzn.to/1Kbuxj5
Crimper, Ergo- Anderson Power Pole Products: [amazon affiliate] amzn.to/1Kbvo2Y
Klein Automatic Wire Stripper: [amazon affiliate] amzn.to/1KKuEqK
Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station FX-888D FX-888 (blue & yellow): [affiliate] amzn.to/1XsEZKd
Here's the 85W 20V magsafe 2 power adapter I used in the video:
Apple 85W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter (for MacBook Pro with Retina Display): [affiliate] amzn.to/1TuieGJ
UPDATE: I spoke to Boz with Genasun tech support today (April 4th 2016) regarding whether or not the GV-Boost has a buck feature in addition to the boost feature. He said it does, but the sticker label on the back is misleading. The sticker label says the controller will accept an input of 5V-63V, but since this is a custom voltage setpoint of 20V, the real upper limit is more like 34-36V. He said he is 99% sure that using two 12V solar panels in series would be fine, but it would also be pushing the limit. If you KNOW you're always going to be using this with two 12V panels, consider getting the (cheaper) buck style lithium charger controller from Genasun instead.
Don't use two 100W 12V panels in parallel with the GV-Boost. You'll exceed the 8A rating. Just don't do it.
I also asked about using the GV-Boost as a 12V power adapter (think, car cigarette lighter instead of a solar panel). The genasun FAQ states:
"Genasun solar charge controllers, can charge from a DC source PROVIDED that the input voltage is within spec and the input power is limited such that the rated output current (input current for the GVB series) of the Genasun controller is not exceeded."
Boz with Genasun tech support said the quote above is old information. He said the programming has been updated since then. He told me a 12V lead acid battery (rather than a solar panel) would probably work, but it's not something they test on a regular basis ( MPPT doesn't work if your solar panel is a 12V car battery, so it's a really weird use case ), so do so at your own risk.
The safest solution for 12V power is to use a high quality pure sine wave inverter. My Go Power 300W pure sine wave inverter ( [affiliate] amzn.to/1Q1MNNs ), while bulky, only draws about 3 watts in addition to whatever my mac wall wart is drawing. The efficiency of the genuine mac 85W wall wart appears to be similar to the efficiency of GV-Boost, in my testing. It's bulky and heavy and awkward, but using a high quality pure sine inverter with your existing mac wall wart is probably the safest and cheapest solution for 12V power. It does use a little more power ( 3W ), but the advantage is that you can use your genuine mac wall wart.
Work all day from the beach! I'll show you how to make a portable, light weight, solar Macbook Pro Retina charger.
Curious about the FOLDING solar panels in this video? Click the links below:
EBAT 120W Portable Solar Charger Weatherproof Panel Foldable Backup Battery Charger for Phone, Tablet, Laptop, Golf Cart, Marine Battery for Travel, Camping, Shipping: [affiliate] amzn.to/1XsEks3
KINGSOLAR™ Highest Efficient 60W Foldable Solar Panel Portable Solar Charger Dual Output (USB Port + DC Output): [affiliate] amzn.to/1XsEFLq
Here's the power meter used in the video:
"Watt's Up" RC Watt Meter & Power Analyzer WU100 Version 2 --- SALE! [affiliate] amzn.to/1QLil0X
Want to know how I added Anderson Connectors to my folding solar panels? Check out the build video: youtu.be/ImikWzu4-aI
Here are some of the tools I use in the video:
Anderson Powerpole Connectors 10 Pair Genuine: [amazon affiliate] amzn.to/1Kbuxj5
Crimper, Ergo- Anderson Power Pole Products: [amazon affiliate] amzn.to/1Kbvo2Y
Klein Automatic Wire Stripper: [amazon affiliate] amzn.to/1KKuEqK
Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station FX-888D FX-888 (blue & yellow): [affiliate] amzn.to/1XsEZKd
Here's the 85W 20V magsafe 2 power adapter I used in the video:
Apple 85W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter (for MacBook Pro with Retina Display): [affiliate] amzn.to/1TuieGJ
UPDATE: I spoke to Boz with Genasun tech support today (April 4th 2016) regarding whether or not the GV-Boost has a buck feature in addition to the boost feature. He said it does, but the sticker label on the back is misleading. The sticker label says the controller will accept an input of 5V-63V, but since this is a custom voltage setpoint of 20V, the real upper limit is more like 34-36V. He said he is 99% sure that using two 12V solar panels in series would be fine, but it would also be pushing the limit. If you KNOW you're always going to be using this with two 12V panels, consider getting the (cheaper) buck style lithium charger controller from Genasun instead.
Don't use two 100W 12V panels in parallel with the GV-Boost. You'll exceed the 8A rating. Just don't do it.
I also asked about using the GV-Boost as a 12V power adapter (think, car cigarette lighter instead of a solar panel). The genasun FAQ states:
"Genasun solar charge controllers, can charge from a DC source PROVIDED that the input voltage is within spec and the input power is limited such that the rated output current (input current for the GVB series) of the Genasun controller is not exceeded."
Boz with Genasun tech support said the quote above is old information. He said the programming has been updated since then. He told me a 12V lead acid battery (rather than a solar panel) would probably work, but it's not something they test on a regular basis ( MPPT doesn't work if your solar panel is a 12V car battery, so it's a really weird use case ), so do so at your own risk.
The safest solution for 12V power is to use a high quality pure sine wave inverter. My Go Power 300W pure sine wave inverter ( [affiliate] amzn.to/1Q1MNNs ), while bulky, only draws about 3 watts in addition to whatever my mac wall wart is drawing. The efficiency of the genuine mac 85W wall wart appears to be similar to the efficiency of GV-Boost, in my testing. It's bulky and heavy and awkward, but using a high quality pure sine inverter with your existing mac wall wart is probably the safest and cheapest solution for 12V power. It does use a little more power ( 3W ), but the advantage is that you can use your genuine mac wall wart.
