Quick verdict
A 10 inch rubber-wrapped metal gooseneck on a weatherproof base that holds the small separate solar panel of a camera, shed light or sensor and bends to point it at the sun from wherever the base can be screwed. Solar panels on cameras and lights fail in shade, and a panel fixed flat to a north wall never charges. A gooseneck moves the panel to the light. The base is universal for small panels with a bracket plate; check the panel's mount matches.
Strengths
- Bends to aim a small panel at the sun from any mounting spot
- Rubber-wrapped gooseneck holds position in wind
- Weatherproof metal base and rust-resistant finish
- Universal base for common small panel brackets
- Lets a panel be mounted away from the device it charges
Weaknesses
- For small camera and light panels only, not full solar modules
- Gooseneck sags with panels heavier than it is rated for
- Check the panel mounting plate matches the base
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
A Panel in the Shade Charges Nothing
Solar security cameras and shed lights come with a small panel on a stiff bracket, and the bracket points wherever the wall faces, often into shade. The camera dies in November. A gooseneck mount puts the base where it can be screwed and bends the panel to face the sun. PerchMe’s is a 10 inch rubber-wrapped metal gooseneck on a weatherproof universal base.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how adjustable mounts affect small solar panel charging generally. We have not used this bracket ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
Aiming
Face the panel south in the northern hemisphere and tilt it from horizontal by roughly your latitude for the best year-round charge; steeper in winter when the sun is low and the days are short. A gooseneck makes that adjustment in seconds and lets you move the panel out from under an eave into open sky while the camera stays where it watches.
Build
A corrugated metal gooseneck wrapped in rubber holds its shape and resists rain; the metal base has a rust-resistant coating. It is rated for the small panels sold with cameras and lights, a few watts and a few ounces. A heavier panel droops over time.
Fit
The base is universal for the bracket plates common on small panels from camera and light makers. Compare your panel’s mounting plate with the base before ordering; a few brands use proprietary mounts.
Why It Matters
A panel that sees four hours of direct sun keeps a camera running through winter; one that sees an hour does not. Owners who moved panels from shaded walls to an aimed gooseneck describe cameras that stopped needing to be charged by hand.
Who Should Buy It
- Owners of solar security cameras that run flat in winter.
- Anyone with a shed light panel on a north wall.
- People who want the panel away from the device for a better position.
Common Owner Complaints
Sag with heavier panels and plate mismatches. Match the weight and the mount.
Technique Tips
Mount the base where the panel can face south with no branch or roofline in the way between ten in the morning and three in the afternoon, which is when most charging happens. Bend the gooseneck in a smooth curve rather than a sharp kink, which weakens it. Check the app or the device for charge level a week after moving the panel; if it is still falling, shade is reaching the panel at a time you did not expect.
Alternatives to Consider
A rigid adjustable ball-joint bracket for heavier panels. A longer panel cable to reach a sunny spot with the stock bracket. A larger panel that charges even in partial shade.
Verdict
For a small solar panel stuck in the shade, a gooseneck mount is the simple fix and this one bends where it needs to and holds. Face it south, tilt it to your latitude and the camera stays charged.
Full specifications
PerchMe 10 Inch Adjustable Flexible Metal Gooseneck Solar Panel Mounting Bracket with Universal Base FAQs
A fixed bracket points where the wall faces. A gooseneck lets the base go where it can be screwed and the panel point south and tilted toward the sun.
Small separate panels sold for security cameras, shed lights and sensors, which use a screw-on bracket plate. Compare the plate with the base before ordering.
Roughly your latitude from horizontal, facing south in the northern hemisphere, for the best year-round charge. In winter tilt steeper.
The rubber-wrapped gooseneck holds a small panel firmly. A larger or heavier panel than it is rated for droops.
