A solar energy engineer, Julien de Jurquet is Best Batteries' technical reference for everything to do with photovoltaics and storage. Backed by long field experience, he joined the team in 2013, just as the company was broadening its range towards panels and power stations, and brought to it the rigor of a seasoned scientific profile. His signature is found on the site's most demanding solar tests, and on a good share of the blog's in-depth features.
Where others rely on the manufacturer's spec sheet, Julien measures. Real efficiency depending on sunlight, behavior in partial shade, conversion losses, how the cells hold up after several cycles at high temperature: over the years he has built a base of comparative measurements that serves as a reference for the whole team. A power station, he keeps repeating, is not judged by its advertised watt-hours, but by what it actually delivers once plugged into real devices.
His most improbable feat, which the team loves to bring up: a few years ago, Julien took part in installing the solar panels of the Princess Elisabeth polar research station, on the Antarctic continent. It is hard to imagine a more demanding real-world test than a photovoltaic array at minus forty degrees and katabatic winds. Enough to put a simple day of measurements under the Lozère sun into perspective afterwards.
A mountain lover, Julien sets off every summer on treks in the Alps or the Pyrenees, a solar panel strapped to his pack. It has become a team ritual: he is always handed the latest model to arrive, certain he will come back with a detailed report, a few photos, and sometimes a product a little more worn out than when it left.
The BQ-CC65 remains the most complete eneloop charger, with its LCD screen showing the voltage, capacity and charge time of each battery. Its real weak point concerns the recognition of certain batteries, a real issue but one that does not affect every unit.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The MXR2300 correctly applies the pure sine wave principle, at a price noticeably lower than Japanese references. The noise and runtime figures shown, however, remain solely the manufacturer's own, copied identically by almost every comparison site, and at least two separate signals suggest a real noise level slightly above the claimed 58 dB.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The base Nexode 65W, with its interchangeable US/UK/EU travel plugs, holds its power on a single port. Its real weak point shows up when three devices are plugged in at once, where brief charging micro-cutouts occur repeatedly.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The Nano 3 (511) delivers on its promise of fast, compact USB-C GaN charging. One point needs correcting before you buy: the foldable plug often highlighted only applies to the US version, the version sold here has fixed prongs.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The Explorer 2000 Plus remains, several years after launch, one of the most accomplished expandable stations in its category: efficiency measured among the best of those compared, 3000W held under heavy loads, generous solar input. Its real point of caution today is no longer technical but commercial: Jackery has pulled it from sale in France and the UK, while continuing to sell it new in Germany. A situation worth knowing before searching for one.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The Power X-Change 4.0 Ah battery holds its rated amp-hour capacity better than expected, with an important nuance when it comes to actually recoverable watt-hours. A signal of premature failure after two to three years, recurring in both France and Germany, deserves to be known before buying.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The SOLIX F3800 lists 3840 Wh and 6000W continuous, expandable up to 26.9 kWh per unit. Its output power lives up to its promise without flinching, confirmed under real heavy loads. Its real weak point lies elsewhere: conversion efficiency, measured well below the advertised capacity, particularly under light loads, a point the marketing pitch does not highlight.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The Prime 20100 succeeds the 200W generation with a genuine power increase on paper: 140W per USB-C port instead of 100W. In practice, that figure only applies to one of the two ports, the second capping at 100W, and combined output sags under heavy sustained load on both ports at once. Still a clear step up from the previous generation, with real-world capacity that stays consistent.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The RB18L40 remains the most common original 4 Ah battery in the Ryobi One+ ecosystem, with more than 200 compatible tools. Two points are worth correcting before buying: the price seen today sits around $65, well above what some comparison sites show, and a newer generation, the RB1840X, now coexists at a lower price.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The Rover 20A is Renogy's entry-level MPPT controller: a built-in LCD screen, automatic 12/24V detection and a price well below Victron units of the same rating. For a small solar installation on a budget, it does the job with seriousness, provided you accept a non-backlit screen and Bluetooth sold as an option.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 is the Victron controller that adds built-in Bluetooth and 48V compatibility to the 100/20 rating. Designed for installations a step above the BlueSolar (up to 290W at 12V, 1160W at 48V), it shares the same charging electronics as its Bluetooth-free cousin. Real time monitoring through the VictronConnect app is a genuine advantage, but its price and its availability, which fluctuates by retailer, are worth anticipating.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
The BlueSolar MPPT 75/15 is the entry point into Victron's charge controller range: the same charging electronics as the SmartSolar version, without built-in Bluetooth. Compact and reliable over time based on the brand's general reputation, it is nonetheless designed for small installations (up to 220W at 12V) and requires an optional dongle for any remote monitoring.
Published on September 2, 2026 by Julien
Updated on July 29, 2026