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paulz
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# Posted: 3 Sep 2017 11:26pm
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Looks like Harbor Freight has upgraded their solar kit to 100w, and on sale this weekend for $150. I'm inexperienced in solar, my needs are small. Is this a decent kit or still the Yugo of solar?
https://www.harborfreight.com/100-watt-solar-panel-kit-63585.html
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2017 07:48am
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(4) 25W solar panels, (6) panel connection braces, (2) LED bulbs, (1) DC connector cable, (1) battery clamp connection cable, (1) 10A Charge Controller, (1) 4 in 1 connection cable.
On Sale @ $189.99 USD
not so sure about that... seems like someone is dumping old stock material into a package - maybe I'm wrong but this looks like a "portable" system you can setup in field when your out & about.
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spoofer
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2017 07:58am
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Junk system (toy like). For that $ go with a cheap system from Renogy. It's more like a Kia. I bought a 100 watt system 3-4 years ago and it works Great!
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ChuckDynasty
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2017 08:10am - Edited by: ChuckDynasty
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If 100w is all you need and have a tight budget here's a 100w panel for 104.00 shipped. Smaller foot print too. Renogy has an inexpensive system too. On amazon
HQST 100 Watts 12 Volts Polycrystalline Solar Panel with MC4 Connectors for 12V Off Grid Battery Charging
https://www.amazon.com/HQST-Polycrystalline-Connectors-Battery-Charging/dp/B01MRYF0YK /ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504527919&sr=8-1&keywords=HQST+100+Watts+12+Volts+Polycrysta lline+Solar+Panel+with+MC4+Connectors+for+12V+Off+Grid+Battery+Charging
SunSaver 10 Charge Controller 12V 10A amazon $54.00 shipped
https://www.amazon.com/SunSaver-Charge-Controller-12V-10A/dp/B002MQW3H8/ref=sr_1_1?sr s=13947955011&ie=UTF8&qid=1504527965&sr=8-1&keywords=sunsaver+10
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paulz
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2017 09:42am
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Thanks guys. Steve S, the HF kit is actually on sale this month for $150 which is what got me asking, and the customer reviews are very positive.
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buckybuck
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2017 10:11am - Edited by: buckybuck
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The Harbor Freight kit definitely looks more refined that its old 45 watt system. But I'd probably go with something like the $104 Renogy panel and a cheap solar charge controller; I think I spent $15 on Amazon for the controller I've been using with a Wal-Mart marine batter for the past two years. You're never gonna use those 12 volt harsh-white bulbs that come with the Harbor Freight kit.
Figure out how much you really need. Two years ago, I actually went back to using the 45-watt Harbor Freight panels I started out with 6-7 years ago. I run everything (lights, security system, shower pump, entertainment system) in my weekend cabin off rechargeable USB power banks, so I'm really only using the 12-volt marine battery as the power source for the cigarette lighter cellphone-type chargers that I use to recharge the li-on batteries. A 45-watt panel is plenty for that.
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spoofer
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# Posted: 5 Sep 2017 11:04pm
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HF system is cheap and toylike compared to other systems for a couple of bucks more....don't do it!
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paulz
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# Posted: 7 Sep 2017 11:18am
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Quoting: buckybuck Figure out how much you really need. Two years ago, I actually went back to using the 45-watt Harbor Freight panels I started out with 6-7 years ago. I run everything (lights, security system, shower pump, entertainment system) in my weekend cabin off rechargeable USB power banks, so I'm really only using the 12-volt marine battery as the power source for the cigarette lighter cellphone-type chargers that I use to recharge the li-on batteries. A 45-watt panel is plenty for that.
I just tried my old HF 45 watt kit again. My routine: I pull up to my cabin, plug the cord leading to the cabin into the aux deep cycle battery in my truck, run the LED lights, tablets, water pump, small TV occasionally. When I use the truck the next day it charges the battery. However, if I leave my wife at the cabin I have a second battery sitting there I connect. That needs later charging, I have been bringing it home to charge.
Anyway, I hooked it up to my old HF the other day at about 12.2v. I don't get much sunlight but the controller does show 13-14 volts at times if disconnected from a battery. So, a couple days later my battery is showing 10 volts!
Isn't the controller not supposed to drain the battery if the sun isn't shining? Maybe it's faulty, its about 5 years old.
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darz5150
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# Posted: 7 Sep 2017 09:22pm
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Quoting: paulz . I don't get much sunlight but the controller does show 13-14 volts at times if disconnected from a battery
Been following your post for a couple days. I have two of the old HF setups at least 6-7 years old. I also did like bucky did and got a morning star controller. I use the original controllers as power hubs in the cabin and shed. Everything that came with the kits are still working.
When I read that you were only getting 13/14 volts when disconnected from the battery, I took this picture of one panel hooked to a multimeter, laying on the floor. The only light source is a 4 foot 2 bulb fluorescent light fixture on a 9 foot high ceiling.
You may have smoked the controller by disconnecting the battery with the panels still hooked up. Try testing the panels when not hooked up to anything. My panels still put out 20 volts +/- when in real sun light. You may have a dead or dry cell in your battery.
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buckybuck
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# Posted: 8 Sep 2017 08:31am
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Quoting: paulz Isn't the controller not supposed to drain the battery if the sun isn't shining? Maybe it's faulty, its about 5 years old.
Not sure about the controller, but the old HF panels didn't have a diode to prevent backflow at night. I don't remember exactly how I did it, but there was a common mod people did to add a diode.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Sep 2017 10:59am
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Thanks guys. I have left my controller turned on with no battery for weeks at a time. I'll test the panels and I have some diodes kicking around...if I get serious I'll get the Renogy panels and new controller.
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moneypitfeeder
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2019 08:51pm
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We went the 100W HF solar system too, (I know, it's a toy system,  ) and for our really small needs it puts out more energy than we need actually. I actually love the "12 volt harsh-white bulb" that came with the kit for lighting up our shed addition where the composter is at night. Question is, currently we are using the setup as is straight from the box, but the controller only allows for one DC appliance to be charging at a time + operate the light (we don't want to waste energy converting to AC to convert back to DC, since that is all we need to charge up there). Is there a reasonably priced controller that can allow us to power (recharge) several dc components at once w/o an inverter in the mix? We mostly use it to recharge small dc batteries and cell phones. Most controllers I've seen are used in combo with an inverter.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2019 09:14pm
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This cheap Chinese charge controller has 2 USB ports.... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XWTKYDC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UT F8&psc=1
Maybe add a USB hub like this to multiply ports....at a loss of power of course... https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-4-Port-Degree-Rotatable-HB-UMN4/dp/B00LRYUJQS/ref=sr_1 _2?keywords=Usb+port+doubler&qid=1564449039&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-2-catcorr
Cheers!
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Brettny
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# Posted: 30 Jul 2019 07:25am
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My brother lives totaly off grid. He was useing 12v pannels but in light cloud cover he wasnt getting much charge even with a MPPT controler. He got some higher voltage pannels made for a grid tie system and is now getting alot higher output than before.
With these MPPT controllers get the highest voltage panel they will take. It will just turn the extra voltage into higher amps at 12v. You also get less line loss with higher voltage.
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moneypitfeeder
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# Posted: 30 Jul 2019 06:49pm
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Thanks! I'll take a look at these options! If we find a good option, I'll update in case anyone else is in the same boat needing a super basic system for DC only.
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justinbowser
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# Posted: 11 Aug 2019 10:55pm
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I bought two of the 100 watt kits a couple of years ago with a $139 coupon and they will run a couple of lights and charge a small battery but they are not very efficient panels. I suppose if somebody wanted something to drag out camping to charge phones and run an LED light with a small battery it would be fine. I second the Renogy solution. We ran our cabin off 9 of the Renogy mono 100 watt panels for over a year until I installed "real" panels.
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moneypitfeeder
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2019 08:58pm
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Yeah, our needs are really small justinb. We charge a 12v battery that we use to run our water pump (normally twice for a few minutes in 1 week), cell phones, a led light, and a couple double A batteries. We were afraid to go with something that needed permanent install to the roof, between the snow load and the construction of the roof, just a headache best avoided. We have had a break-in where anything worth money was taken, and we're hoping that if we have another, they pass on the cheap panels (we take the battery home with us). The single 100w kit produces more than we need in the summer in upstate NY, with limited sun-hours due to the tree coverage.
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justinbowser
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2019 10:34pm
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I found it best not to leave the HF panels out in the rain, the backing starts to loosen up. You could get a 100 watt mono panel, small cheapo CC, and just lean the panel against something facing south. The HF kit is physically much larger than a 100 watt Renogy panel once it's put together...
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