Duncan1248

I am interested in setting up a low power hobby solar setup on my balcony, mainly to get a feel for the most basic aspects of solar power usage without spending too much money. I am not able to install anything permanent as I am renting, I can't even drill holes for mounting. It just needs to be able to charge some usb devices and maybe run some basic camping or RV equipment. It should also be waterproof if possible. Something like 50 watts is probably fine.
I need some advice about products I was looking at buying, I don't want to get scammed on consumer products that are of minimal utility.
I like the idea of this sort of thing: https://www.pearl.de/a-ZX3016-3034.shtml Sorry it is in German, I can translate if needed but I think the image should be enough to get the idea of the kind of product I mean. There are a few different variations. Are these things any good? Do they really replace the need for a power regulator? Can I just plug solar panels directly into it? Is there anything I have to be careful of?
The other option is to go with a kit, something like this: https://www.pearl.de/a-NX2757-3034.shtml I know it is only 20W but you get the idea. Is it a lot cheaper to buy the parts separately or is this kind of kit a good idea for a beginner? I am assuming that with a kit like that I probably wont be able to extend it with more/bigger panels in the future.
Is the vendor I am linking even any good? It seems the best one I could find but I am open to suggestions.

Thanks for that, I did think the those converter modules looked a bit suspect. Still the performance you predicted for it does not sound too far off my minimal requirements. Running a laptop for an hour or a small stereo system for a couple of hours would be the maximum I need, and most of the time it is more likely to be used to charge phones and mp3 players.
Basically whatever setup I end up getting, I will find what it is good for and use it for that, and if it can't handle a certain load device I will stop using that device. One factor that would be very useful would be reliability and minimal maintenance. It sounds like lead acid is a bad idea for that. When you say it would not survive, are you referring to the necessity of completely discharging and recharging the battery, or is it simply that that level of draw would be too much for it?
I don't mind if I have to buy special camping appliances I don't expect to be able to plug in household 230v devices into such a small setup.
 

The price difference between those suggestions is quite stark. The cheapest small Axpert I can find is around €350, whereas I can get a PWM charge controller, inverter and battery for €150, less if I shop around. Is there something I am missing or is the extra price for the first one just a convenience and compactness thing?
It seems like a 100W panel, a 20-30A charge controller, a cheap inverter and a car battery would leave me room to add more panels and storage still be relatively affordable. Is there going to be issues with the battery dying too fast?

Alright thanks everyone, this has been really helpful