If you’re wondering what solar panels to get for the EcoFlow RIVER 2 power station, you’re in the right spot. This article has all of the details you need, along with the best solar panels for this power station.
The RIVER 2 is a great small power station. By adding a solar panel that fits your needs, you’ll have a top-tier solar generator ready for action.
Here are the EcoFlow RIVER 2 compatible solar panels, from EcoFlow and other brands.
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EcoFlow RIVER 2: Solar Input Details
Knowing the limits of the power station isn’t just a good idea. It’s essential to ensuring you don’t cause damage. Let’s discover which solar panels are compatible with the RIVER 2.
The RIVER 2 solar input is rated at 110W. But it can accept up to 30V at 8A. It’s unlikely that you’ll have a problem with these ratings, unless you try to connect a very large solar panel. You can go over the 110W limit, but NEVER over the 30V. More information about this is below.
The input uses an XT-60 or XT-60i connector. Many of the portable EcoFlow solar panels include the adapter, but the rigid ones may not. Some solar panels from other brands also use the XT-60 connector (aka aviation plug).
If you want to use solar panels without the XT-60 connector, that’s not a problem. The most common solar panel connector is MC4. So you just get the EcoFlow MC4 to XT-60 adapter and you’re all set.
Now on to the top recommendations for solar panels to use with the EcoFlow RIVER 2 power station, starting with ones from EcoFlow then moving on to top choices from other trusted brands.
EcoFlow Solar Panels
Here are the best EcoFlow solar panels options that are compatible with the RIVER 2:
- EcoFlow 160W Portable Solar Panel
- EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel
- EcoFlow 60W Portable Solar Panel
The RIVER 2’s solar input accepts up to 30V. That means you can safely use almost any EcoFlow solar panel on the market, except for the large 400W panels. The rest are sufficiently under the 30V limit. And if you want to go crazy by adding more than one, just do it with a parallel connection to avoid going over the voltage.
Considering the RIVER 2 ais a portability-first device, it makes a lot of sense to stick with EcoFlow’s portable panels. It is worth mentioning that the rigid panels do last longer. If you’re interested in that, the EcoFlow 100W Rigid Solar Panel is a great fit. Or you can go big with the 175W Rigid Panel.
EcoFlow 160W Portable Panel
Is it worth getting the 160W panel even though it’s above 110W? It can be! This is called overpaneling, and the benefit is that it will hit the maximum 110W charging rates even when the sun isn’t optimal.
The downside is that the RIVER 2 can’t use all of the power if the panel generates more than 110W.
This 160W solar panel from EcoFlow is an incredible panel because:
- It is a lightweight panel (about 12lbs / 5.5kg) that folds down for easy transportation
- The case can be used as a stand that you clip the panel onto, with multiple angle adjustments from 30° to 80°
- Made with high-quality monocrystalline silicon cells, with efficiency over 21%
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better solar panel for the RIVER 2. This is a little overkill for some people, but others might go as high as the 220W Bifacial. The RIVER 2’s battery is only 256Wh though, so these big panels are going to fill up that battery pretty quickly (around 2 hours for the 160W). The reason you get these panels is for low-light conditions (like cloudy days) or if you want to run devices while charging with solar.
You can also connect multiple panels together. Just make sure to use parallel connections because those avoid increasing the voltage. You cannot go over voltage. More on that down below if you’re interested in seriously overpaneling the RIVER 2.
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EcoFlow 160W Portable Solar Panel |
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EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel
This is the goldilocks of solar panels for the EcoFlow RIVER 2. It matches the solar input perfectly and will generate enough power to easily recharge the 256Wh battery in one day of sunshine.
In fact, a 110W panel can theoretically recharge a 256Wh battery in about 2 hours and 20 minutes. That’s not going to happen because the power station will slow down charging when it’s above 80% and other inefficiencies come into play in the real world. But you should see around 3 hours of peak sunlight fill up the vast majority or all of the RIVER 2 battery.
This is also a very manageable solar panel. It weighs less than 9lbs (4kg) and when folded up, it’s only 19×16.5inches (and about an inch thick).
And like the larger panel, the case for the 110W panel can double as an adjustable stand. It makes getting the right angle to the sun a breeze.
The efficiency is always important with solar panels and this one is nearly 23%, which is nearly as high as you can get today. And if you read stories about EcoFlow solar panels, you’ll find plenty of extremely satisfied customers. They do an exceptional job at generated the power they are supposed to do. Some companies overestimate the panels, but not EcoFlow.
You can’t go wrong getting the 110W EcoFlow Portable Solar Panel for the EcoFlow RIVER 2.
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EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel |
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EcoFlow 60W Portable Solar Panel
If you only use very small devices, even the 60W panel can be sufficient. If the conditions are right, this little panel can actually replenish the entire RIVER 2 battery in one day.
256Wh divided by 60W is about 4 hours and 15 minutes. Once again, you’re not going to get from 0% to 100% battery in that timeframe, but you can expect 5 hours of peak sunshine to fill nearly the entire battery.
This 60W panel is a good fit if you rarely deplete the RIVER 2 battery.
It can keep the power station topped off for charging phones, running small lights, and very lightweight use. A phone battery generally is about 10Wh to 15Wh per charge. That means this 60W panel could charge the RIVER 2 battery enough for 2-4 phone charges in one hour of sunlight.
But if you want to regularly use the entire 256Wh battery each night, you’re going to struggle to get it refilled each day. 5 hours of peak sunshine isn’t always possible, especially without fussing and babysitting it all day to ensure the best angle.
The 60W Solar Panel is a nice start to dip your toes into the pool of solar power.
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EcoFlow 160W Portable Solar Panel |
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EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel |
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EcoFlow 60W Portable Solar Panel |
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Overall, the 110W EcoFlow Portable Solar Panel is a great match for the RIVER 2 power station. It hits the 110W input exactly.
Here are the specifications for these three panels and links to the user manuals for more details:
| Feature | EcoFlow 160W Portable Solar Panel | EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel | EcoFlow 60W Portable Solar Panel |
| Solar Output (W) | 160W | 110W | 60W |
| Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) | 21.4V | 21.8V | 25.5V |
| Short Circuit Amperage | 9.6A | 6.5A | 3.1A |
| Operating Voltage | 18.2V | 18.4V | 21.9V |
| Operating Amperage | 8.8A | 6A | 2.9A |
| Temp Coefficient Voc | -0.33% | -0.33% | -0.25% |
| Weight (lbs) | 12.3lbs | 8.8lbs | 4.41lbs |
| Weight (kg) | 5.6kg | 4kg | 2kg |
| Unfolded Dimensions (in) | 26.9×62.6×1.0in | 16.5×70.3×1.0in | 53.39×12.17×0.98in |
| Dimensions (mm) | 685x1590x25mm | 420x1785x25mm | 1356x309x25mm |
| User Manual | EcoFlow 160W User Manual | EcoFlow 100W User Manual | EcoFlow 60W User Manual |
Solar Panels from Other Brands
You don’t have to buy EcoFlow panels. There are many other solar panels compatible with the EcoFlow RIVER 2.
Here’s a carefully curated selection of solar panels from other brands that are worth considering:
The choices are endless, but this is a good selection of respected solar panels across a variety of sizes and brands. And they solar panels compatible with the RIVER 2, keeping it charged just as well as the EcoFlow options.
These recommendations will either be very close to maximizing solar charging (120V and 100V) or is slightly overpaneled for better low-light times (160W). But they’re all under the 30V maximum for the RIVER 2 solar input.
DOKIO 160W Portable Solar Panel
Like the large EcoFlow panel, this DOKIO 160W Portable Solar Panel is a little bigger than you need for the RIVER 2. But it will help get maximum charging during early morning hours or late afternoon when the sun isn’t directly above.
What’s very nice about this panel is the wide variety of adapters it comes with. It includes the XT60 connector needed for the RIVER 2, as well as many other adapters that can help if you need to use it with other power stations or devices.
Another reason why this panel is such a good value is the included solar charge controller. This has two advantages:
- You can connect some USB devices straight to this solar panel without the RIVER 2
- You can use this to charge any other 12V battery you might have, including your car’s starter battery (with included adapter!)
Plus, it has an excellent reputation. Well over a thousand positive ratings, with many repeat customers. While EcoFlow panels might do a better job at generated their rated output, this DOKIO 160W portable solar panel still hits the target right in the center.
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DOKIO 160W Portable Solar Panel |
Buy on Amazon |
BALDR 120W Portable Solar Panel
Here’s another top choice for a solar panel for the EcoFlow RIVER 2. The BALDR 120W panel matches the 110W input very well, and it comes with the XT60 adapter necessary to plug into the EcoFlow power station, along with a variety of other adapters.
This also comes with a small charge controller too. You can plug USB devices directly into it if you want to use the RIVER 2 elsewhere (or use the panel without it). It doesn’t include the alligator clamps for other batteries, but can wire it up through the charge controller if you wish.
The only downside to this panel is that it’s not quite as thick as some of the most expensive name brand solar panels, like those from EcoFlow. It’s not a major problem, but something you may notice if you had both in your hands.
The BALDR 120W Portable Solar Panel is still an excellent choice with a very good reputation. And it’s ready to go, easily compatible with your EcoFlow RIVER 2 solar generator.
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BALDR 120W Portable Solar Panel |
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Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel
When it comes to brand names outside of EcoFlow, Renogy solar panels are ones to trust. Renogy has been making solar panels for a long time, established in 2010. It’s a reputable brand that continually strikes the right balance between price, performance, and reliability.
While EcoFlow’s standards may be a little higher, Renogy products have treated many people well. And this portable solar panel is compact, lightweight, and just about anything you could ask for.
This 100W panel is not only a great value, but it comes with a solid 2-year warranty and a super-high 23.5% efficiency rate.
The biggest downside to the Renogy panel is that it comes with standard MC4 connectors. So you’ll need to get the MC4 to XT-60 adapter separately.
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DOKIO 160W Portable Solar Panel |
Buy on Amazon |
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BALDR 120W Portable Solar Panel |
Buy on Amazon |
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Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel |
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The Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel is our top choice for the EcoFlow RIVER 2. Don’t forget the MC4 to XT-60 adapter.
Here are the specifications for these three solar panels:
| Feature | DOKIO 160W Portable Solar Panel | BALDR 120W Portable Solar Panel | Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel |
| Solar Output (W) | 160W | 120W | 100W |
| Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) | 20.5V | 22V | 23.4V |
| Short Circuit Amperage | 9.14A | 6.6A | 5.26A |
| Operating Voltage | 18V | 18V | 20.16V |
| Operating Amperage | 8.89A | 6.6A | 4.96A |
| Weight (lbs) | 7.28lbs | 10.25lbs | 9.5lbs |
| Weight (kg) | 3.3kg | 4.65kg | 4.3kg |
| Unfolded Dimensions (in) | 69×20.9×1.1in | 65.4×20.5×1.0in | 48.5×21.1×0.1in |
| Dimensions (mm) | 1750x530x28mm | 1660x520x25mm | 1233x536x3mm |
| Connectors | XT60, variety of DC barrel plugs | XT60, Anderson, MC4, variety of DC barrel plugs | MC4 |
| User Manual | None Available | BALDR 120W User Manual | Renogy 100W User Manual |
Main Concerns
There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting solar panels for your EcoFlow RIVER 2 power station. These include:
- Input limitations (watts, volts, amps)
- Connector type
- Power needed
Input Limitations
Whenever you connect solar panels to a power station (or charge controller), you must stay within the limits of that device. While most advertising materials mention the wattage of the solar input, it’s actually the voltage that matters most. You can go over the amps.
These three things all are connected through a simple formula:
- Watts = Volts x Amps
Let’s apply this calculation to the RIVER 2 power station and the solar panels that are compatible with it.
In this case, the EcoFlow RIVER 2 advertises a 110W solar input. It’s a rather low limit, but it matches the RIVER 2, which is a small power station compared to the entire EcoFlow power station lineup, especially the gigantic EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra.
The 110W input isn’t the whole story though. The RIVER 2 solar input specifications are 11V to 30V at no more than 8A. If you multiple 30V times 8A, you’ll actually get more than 110W (which is unusual). But the power station will automatically limit charging to 110W anyway. It just means you don’t have to worry about connecting a larger panel.
The most important thing to stay under is 30V. This is where the solar panel’s Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) comes into play. You want the Voc to be around 24V or lower. This allows for some voltage spike (usually caused by cold weather) and will still be under 30V.
The 8A limit isn’t a problem. If you go over it, the power station just doesn’t absorb the extra energy.
Using more panels than your power station can handle is called overpaneling. And it’s a valid way to get more energy when the sun is low in the sky (mornings or late afternoon) and when it’s cloudy out. As long as you don’t go over the volts, you could even add another panel. If you want to do that, you’ll use a parallel adapter to avoid series connections. Most people will not need this for the RIVER 2.
For more details, see our calculator to check How Many Panels Can Your Power Station Use?
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BougeRV Solar Parallel MC4 Connector 2-to-1 Adapter |
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Connector Type
What you will need is an XT-60 adapter, if the solar panel you get doesn’t come with one. The EcoFlow RIVER 2 solar input uses an XT-60 or XT-60i connector. This is also known as an aviation plug.
There is a small difference between the XT-60 and XT-60i. The 60i has a small third connection point that gives the power station a little more information about the charging source. It tries to determine if the source is a set of solar panels or a car charger, then it might limit the charging if needed.
For the RIVER 2, this isn’t a crucial difference. The 8A limit is rather low regardless and you shouldn’t see a difference with solar panels using an XT-60 or an XT-60i connector type.
If you get panels from another brand, they may or may not come with an XT-60 connector. If they don’t, there’s a very good chance they’ll have the standard MC4 solar panel connector. You can get the EcoFlow MC4 to XT-60 adapter to connect that solar panel to the RIVER 2. You can also get XT-60 to MC4 adapters from other retailers. EcoFlow recommends their own adapter and it is high quality. For high-power solar arrays, this can be important. But for the RIVER 2, basically any MC4 to XT-60 connector should do the trick.
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EcoFlow Solar to XT60/XT60i Charging Cable |
XT60 on EcoFlow XT60 on Amazon |
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Bateria Power MC4 to XT60 Cable 12AWG 10Ft |
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Nuofany MC4 to XT60 Adapter Connector 24in |
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Power Needs
Whenever you’re getting solar panels for a power station, the starting point should be figuring out how much power you need. There’s not much point in wasting money on a panel that is either far too small or too big.
For the EcoFlow RIVER 2, the solar input is a manageable level and it really doesn’t hurt to go overboard. At most, you’ll go with a 160W panel and have very good charging results that will get you the most out of the power station, even if the sunlight isn’t perfect. You could bump up to many 220W panels (as long as you stay under the 30V limit, accounting for cold weather boosts), but you likely won’t get much benefit unless you really want cloudy charging.
And if you want to go small with a 60W solar panel, that’s fine too. It just means it won’t charge as quickly and it may not generate a lot of excess power.
Here’s how this works out:
- Battery size: RIVER 2 battery is 256Wh
- Sunlight hours: Assume you can get 4 hours of peak sunlight in a day (conservative estimate)
- 256Wh divided by 4h equals 64W
- In ideal conditions, a 64W solar panel will fully recharge your RIVER 2 in 4 hours of peak sunlight
As you can see, a small panel is fine. But the problem is that panels often don’t get close to their full output rating. It’s more like 50% to 80%. And that’s why a 110W panel is a good idea.
If you get a 160W panel, that’s like giving yourself more sun hours. It makes it easier to charge in a day.
You also might want to charge more than the RIVER 2’s battery. If you want to charge or run other items while charging the RIVER 2, then having more than 64W is helpful.
Cloudy days and times when you can’t let it sit for 4+ hours are also good reasons to get larger panels.
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EcoFlow 110W Portable Solar Panel |
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Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel |
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EcoFlow Solar to XT60/XT60i Charging Cable |
XT60 on EcoFlow XT60 on Amazon |
Wrap Up: RIVER 2 Compatible Panels
To get the most out of your EcoFlow RIVER 2, get the 110W EcoFlow Portable Solar Panel or the Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel. Either will be a good fit. You can go with a bigger 160W panel if you want to be sure charging rates are as fast as possible. And don’t forget your MC4 to XT-60 adapter, if needed.
Every considered preparing for power outages at home? The RIVER 2 is rather limited for that purpose. To keep your home running, avoid spoiled food, and have confidence during emergencies, get one of the Best Solar Generators for Home Backup or learn about how to create a home battery backup.
