Customer reviews from goalzero.com
Goal Zero - Nomad 100 Portable Solar Panel - Black
Average customer rating
3.2
(34 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 34 reviews
5 Stars
11
4 Stars
6
3 Stars
4
2 Stars
5
1 Star
8
52%of customers recommend this product.
(
12 out of
23)
Customer Reviews for Goal Zero - Nomad 100 Portable Solar Panel - Black
Posted by: sosad
Verified Purchase:Yes
I can't write a review because I can't hook it up. The piece I need to link my panels together is out of stock. How about working on getting me up and running instead of gathering reviews
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
2
Not as advertised
on August 5, 2025
Posted by: Joe$
from Idaho
Gender:Male
I have 2 nomad 100s paired together average you get about 80w from them never seen it above 110w not really worth it
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Posted by: Mike740
from McCall, Idaho
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
I'm happy to be able to pair this with my other Nomad 100
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
Great products, need larger cable options
on November 15, 2024
Posted by: MOE Knows
I've been using Goal Zero equipment for many years, and the equipment has always been of the highest quality & performance. However, I felt obliged to comment on the several reviews that reported lower than expected power output. There are typically two things to blame for low output: 1: Solar panel damage or geometry, 2: Battery state-of-charge, and 3: Insufficient cable size.
1. Solar panel damage and orientation... doesn't seem to be an issue with the review cases. Well documented conditions and sky exposure. Just make sure that no part of the panel is shaded of course.
2. Battery SOC : As a battery fills, especially Lithium, the charging system will taper-off to protect the battery. Battery management systems and chargers will differ slightly, but generally it will put as much current into the battery as it can until the battery is nearing 85-90% capacity. The charger will then change modes so that the charging current declines as the voltage rises through the last 10-15%. This is why you might see a battery get from 30%-80% in an hour, but then will take another hour or more to get to 95%. So, don't blame the solar panel... blame the MPPT charger and the BMS for taking care of your battery.
3. Cabling : This is something that Goal Zero should improve. If you use a 4x1 APP Combining input cable at the solar panel location, you will be trying to carry as much as 40A (200W Nomads) on a wire that is much too small. I believe the largest HPP cable is #14AWG which has an ampacity of 15A. Your energy losses in the 30' cable due to this mismatch would be over 40% in the case of 4x200W Nomads, and approx 20% if you have 4x100W Nomads, and 10% if you only have a couple of panels on the line. Better to run all the solar panels back to the Yeti and then combine. But even then, you will see 5% losses for a single 100W Nomad running over 30' on #14AWG wire (2.5% over 15'). Since Goal Zero doesn't make heavier-duty cables, if you need to go further than 15' with 100W or more of solar, you need to have cables built for you. For reference, 5% is generally the maximum acceptable loss for non-essential loads.
Hope this helps!
1. Solar panel damage and orientation... doesn't seem to be an issue with the review cases. Well documented conditions and sky exposure. Just make sure that no part of the panel is shaded of course.
2. Battery SOC : As a battery fills, especially Lithium, the charging system will taper-off to protect the battery. Battery management systems and chargers will differ slightly, but generally it will put as much current into the battery as it can until the battery is nearing 85-90% capacity. The charger will then change modes so that the charging current declines as the voltage rises through the last 10-15%. This is why you might see a battery get from 30%-80% in an hour, but then will take another hour or more to get to 95%. So, don't blame the solar panel... blame the MPPT charger and the BMS for taking care of your battery.
3. Cabling : This is something that Goal Zero should improve. If you use a 4x1 APP Combining input cable at the solar panel location, you will be trying to carry as much as 40A (200W Nomads) on a wire that is much too small. I believe the largest HPP cable is #14AWG which has an ampacity of 15A. Your energy losses in the 30' cable due to this mismatch would be over 40% in the case of 4x200W Nomads, and approx 20% if you have 4x100W Nomads, and 10% if you only have a couple of panels on the line. Better to run all the solar panels back to the Yeti and then combine. But even then, you will see 5% losses for a single 100W Nomad running over 30' on #14AWG wire (2.5% over 15'). Since Goal Zero doesn't make heavier-duty cables, if you need to go further than 15' with 100W or more of solar, you need to have cables built for you. For reference, 5% is generally the maximum acceptable loss for non-essential loads.
Hope this helps!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Posted by: Apneic hunter
Verified Purchase:Yes
It’s good, while hunting I would set it up in the morning facing south and get back and my Yeti 500 would be at 30% and it would charge to 90%. Even in blue sky high elevation Colorado input was in 70s add extension cord and would drop to 60s
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
4
Practicality
on October 17, 2024
Posted by: Paco
from Central Florida
Gender:Male
I bought a Nomad 100 and a Nomad 50 to tested the versatility of the solar panels in comparison with the Boulder 100 and 50 Briefcase panels. I am in Central Florida and the day of the test we have a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the lower 70s. Both 100 panels provided an average of 65 to 70 watts input. When connecting the Nomad 100 and 50 using a 4 x 8 Anderson Connector the input reached and averaged of 85 watts while connecting the panels on line provided an averaged of 60 watts. In conclusion, will be naive to believe that the advertised number for watts will produce that amount. That number only gives you the maximum capacity/capability of the panel. In optimal conditions you may get 75% of that capacity as an average. I am pleased with both panels system since I use the Boulder while at home or car camping while the Nomad is better for camping and while car traveling to the beach/picnic, sport events, or fairgrounds. Both systems can be combined with each other.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Posted by: Bobo45677
from Reno NV
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
I really wanted these panels to work. Great ideas, but when I put the panels out in direct sunlight I got no current to the charging device. Lights lit up like it was working but no juice going out of the usb plug or 8 mm plug.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
2
Something is not right with the nomad 100s
on August 28, 2024
Posted by: Mr.B
from California
Gender:Male
I have two 100W solar panels to compare, the yeti 100 watt nomad against another 100 watt no name brand and the cheaper 100 watt no name brand is pumping in 80 to 90 W into my yeti goal zero 1500 and the yeti 100 watt nomad at best pumps in 62 watts, so you get what you pay for .
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com