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Harbor Freight 100W Solar Kit. Full Review - Day 1
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- Опубліковано 12 сер 2024
- Day 1. Sharing my first day using the 100W Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit. This is the new July, 2017 version of the Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit. The kit now offers 4- 25W panels and a modernized solar controller. Harbor Freight Part no. 63585
Day 2 link: • Harbor Freight 100W So...
#HARBORFREIGHTPROJECTS
Hi Folks, I found a good video for further detail on these solar panels. Check out Karl's video here: ua-cam.com/video/qoUgC4NQKfI/v-deo.html
Hi is that ok when the rain come is there gonna be damage
So I can use power at day time with out battery right an use battery at night
@@tinaloudermilk1594 Yes. I have the exact solar panel and battery set up in my RV. It works great for my needs! I'm very happy with it...
Hows the battery. Do you know if the what is the maintenance for the battery
What I mean is the solar cells do you know if they need maintenance with water or acid?
@@rasadobe7448 This kit does NOT come with a battery. You need to buy your own
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
I love Harbor Freight panels, I run thirty five thats thirty five hundred watts and they even charge at night. My system is a 24 volt system with ten batteries. I run my entire house, barn and garage with no problem. The lights are amazing that come with them. I paid extra for a twenty year warranty. Can't beat it. The only thing to worry about is they are fairly flimsy. But if you anchor them securely they should last a long long time. Their older panels I bought in 2005 still work great. I gave my old setup to two different families and they both still have great power.
About how much did this run you?
Solar panels do not charge at night.
@@aprilk141 Really? I wonder why lol
@@jessiesineath7702 its because they turn sunlight into energy.
@@TONYGTONYG he won't, because its bullshit
I bought 2 of these. Also bought Nature's Generator for $1500. The Harbor freight sets are still working great! Nature's Generator, not so much. Oh, yeah, did I say they're only 8 months old? Buy Harbor Freight!
One of the biggest problems everyone tends to over look is the water getting in around the frame and you can claim any given panel is water proof, but from experience I found that to be a lie, so before you hate yourself and sick over your solar panels, please just seal around them... Silicone doesn't last long and even the under water silicone doesn't hold up, but I use the black urethane that goes in a calk gun for windshields good for 60+ years and this stuff gets on everything so I always tape off the frame and panel only allowing to fill the very edges all the way around and peel the tape and paper off when finished... All you need is a drop every few inches and spread it out with your finger, but wear rubber gloves because it takes forever to wear off... You can even seal the vents meant for water drain. Seal where ever moisture can get in because it will.
Thanks for the tip!
Let the urethane heal over night and touch a bit of what you left on the glove with a piece of tissue to make sure it's dry enough or it will make a mess, but with a little patience you never have to worry about it...
Yes they claim it's water proofed, but if you take the back off or the entire frame apart after a couple, look at your electronics and tell me what you see
+MrBrymstond thanks for that advice, but maybe you broke the "water proof seals" tryna check the dang thing and it now allows water and humidity to seep thru lol.
TRY THIS: "If it aint broke, dont fix it".😬😂
Polyurethane is organic, whereas silicon is man-made chemical. Urethane decomposes when it is exposed to UVs from direct sun exposure. I suggest silicon for exterior environments. Though it's not paintable it is good at waterproofing.
Dry and clean substrate. Clean surface with clean t
Paper towel with 91% rubbing alcohol to clean the substrates. Apply sealant/caulk (minimum 1/8" and maximum 1/2") and strike with a flat tool (like a cake decorating knife).
Once both edges are smoothed, you can use high concentrate soap/water mix (Johnson & Johnson) or saliva (no joke) on your finger tip and smooth the freshly tooled caulk joint (careful not to press too much).
With these instructions followed, your silicon caulking applications will be successful. Good luck in the future!
Thanks! I got three older aluminum sided panel 45watt units. They have given good backup and charging ability. Not a single issue with any of the solar products from HB sofar. The deep cycle battery and auto charge unit have also held up after nearly a decade so far. I put the corded side down and also sealed all edges and screw holes.
I've had my unit now almost 2yrs. It's installed on the roof of my Camper Van. Not one issue. Have a 1500W inverter and 110AH battery. Still going strong at 13.9 charging. Guys can scream "Garbage' all ya want but I have had free electric for almost 2 years, so far, with zero problems.. How? Because I know what I'm doing... It's an excellent kit!
It's looking like i'm gonna have to live in my car for a while. I have a wagon thanks the lord. I have much room on my roof to throw these bad boys up there. Can you possibly share with me some tips on how to run solar?
@@djstatyk1540 We attached the panels onto a child's bed frame. Then attached the panels to the roof rack. I'm in Florida, so we tested the temperature of how hot they get BEFORE installing. This way we would have idea if we should lift the panels off the roof. Sure enough, temps reached up to 180 degrees+.. They get so hot from the sun, you could fry an egg on them. So we made sure they didn't touch the roof directly and had air flow under them. Hence the bed frame. It's already an "L" shape. Many are sealing them. We never did. I'm so glad we didn't. Damn things would have blown.. . I rarely use the inverter. The Solar is 12v so we can charge or use anything with a 12v plug. HF also has attachments for the solar to be able to use different adapters like a cigarette lighter plug. I have a mini 35W fridge/cooler always running.
Only thing I can suggest is to make sure you check temps and voltage readings regularly. Those panels are so sensitive, I can charge under the parking lot lights at night at Walmart. I laugh when people say the are junk. Sign they don't have a clue cause they never used them..
Free electric!!
Oh and check the HF dumpster. Again, people not knowing what the are doing will return them. If they can't sell them, they go to the trash.. Found 2 sets already.. Absolutely nothing wrong with them...
Any tips kind lady?
@@DeCaYsF or maybe she truly knows what she's doing because she is using a successful self tested system effectively years later... What's the cost$/use ratio for the newer models?
@@DeCaYsF I was going to say, my 100w system is only has 1 panel and it looks smaller than 1 of this guys 4.
Thanks for showing us. I have a 2 panel at 15 w. Each. Like that. Had it for 15 years and still going strong
Just bought 2 of these kits. One at the lot sale for $130 and picked up a returned one (never used) for $75. Got 4 of the batteries and wired them up. System works great. They now have a "hub" where you can put 4 of these kits together. Nice budget system. Also got an inverter.
I bought this same system for my popup camper and was very impressed with how well it is keeping the 2 batteries charged. after the first day of charging I turned on all three LED lights and one fantastic fan and left them run all day and that night. Came back he next morning just at daylight and the batteries still had 11 volts. Just a couple hours later and the batteries were back up to 13 volts with everything still running.
+John C thanks for sharing. that is good to hear.
I see the real truth behind these solar panels. The more expensive panels need more sunlight hours but they produce more power in full sun. But Harbor Freight panels produce in low light conditions. If I wanted to get into solar I would choose harbor freight panels because I know they would produce all day long.. I know that someone used the old Harbor Freight to power their water well using the 45 watt panels and always had water because they used a deep cycle battery. I would for 100 dollars buy these panels and try a small system. Thanks for posting this video.
PS I pay no atention to the negative comments because most never tried the panels so have no clue and haven't earned the right to be heard. Thanks again for posting.
Ron B , very true. People just like to complain about stuff. Will be looking in to a system myself for my camper.
Gym's Reviews Good Luck and May God Bless your efforts. Maybe I will get one in the future. I thought about a 200 watt system using harbor freight and a single 100 watt panel and monitor the cloudy days and how much energy Is produced. I know the HF will produce more energy. I will post a reply to my own comment if I'm wrong.
Gym's Reviews we must also realize that the HF is portable and can easily be moved, perfect for huricane back up power. Leave indoors until the storm passes by.
I've had the exact same setup for about a year now and it works well even when on a rainy day it keeps the batteries charged. The only thing I did different was the battery. You can get a 101amp hour deep cycle Marine battery at Walmart for $75 and I have two of them. I never let them fall below 12.5 volts though because they'll only recharge from less than 50 percent 500 times and that's it, after that the battery is toast. Just keep it from going below 12.5 and they'll last 10x longer.
Yes, the rv deep cycle Walmart battery for the price holds up very well.
can you provide a link to that 101ah $75 battery? i have looked many times and cant find it. thanks
@@jasonbrown467 Walmart auto department. Still 74.95 in 9-2021
@@heatherk8931 i ended up getting something from there, maybe 110ah? i got 16 of them, for $99 each. walmart
@@jasonbrown467 I just picked up the same, 99. X 2
My wife and I lived two years off grid useing cheap harbor freight solar pairs with 8 deep cycle 6 volt battery's. We loved the whole experience, would do it again. Nice job on this video Dan.
+Thomas Massingale thanks and thanks for sharing
Thomas Massingale what brand of batteries did you use?
Why aren't you doing it now?
That's awesome.
Did y’all drink water or juice?
Definatly good info I'm currently doing some research and i see that these panels are very dependable. Thx for sharing
Yes I found it very helpful! I am looking at updating from my HF 45 watt system so this walk through review was helpful to see it and compare the updates and changes. Thanks for posting the video.
Thanks!! You could add your 45W system to this new one very easily. The fact that there are two different solar power input points would work well for you.
Inplix has the best handbooks and ready instructions. You can learn much from them and make it yourself.
fantastic video. I have been thinking about buying for a while. Very informative
Thanks for the video. I was going to Harbor Freight today to buy one. I was a little worried, but thanks to your video, I feel much better on buying it.
Awesome review man! The fact that your multi meter showed more voltage was a good thing! I'm looking to install these on the roof of my camping/trail rig with a small power inverter. Always nice to have 120v dc! Its not the best out there but it seems like it will get the job done.
+Jay H thanks. I saw these on sale for $145 recently. Keep an eye out for coupons.
Excellent video. The negative comments I ignore. People miss the point of these inexpensive panels and controllers. I'm a ham operator and these setups work great in the field. For permanent or long term solutions you wouldn't use these cintrollers. This is for a quick setup and I appreciate the time this gentlemen put into this video.
Thanks, Chris.
exactly
Chris Fuller you might be able to charge a radio of some sort. Good luck!!!
Chris Fuller time to work ob charging "Nickel Cadmiam" batteries with the solar pabels!! Can you do that??
Kevin Schrum thats crazy talk, a radio would take waay too much power, captain! WE JUST DONT HAVE THE POWA!!
97123 is Hillsboro Oregon zipcode, south of baseline. I'm 97124, north side. I have two of the 45watt kits hooked together thru one controller and they work very well.
hi neighbor! thanks for watching.
IRDeezlSmoke 97124 I just bought a hundred watt solar panel and I'm excited to get to use it really appreciate the video
Thank you for explaining the solar panels I've been looking for some. Thank you
The online manual shows extended menus that allow you to set the battery type between Flooded, SLA, and Gel. It's always best to try to match the charging to the type of battery. These panels are really quite amazing. I had them in the storage compartment of my RV, opened the access door, and those blue lights came on. There was zero direct sunlight, and they were generating voltage. As a starter system thispackage is definitely the way to go to get into solar.
great point. thanks for watching.
Great Review. I'm a fan of Harbor Freight solar products. Excellent way to get started on a solar set up.
thanks. lots of anti HF comments here. i know the quality is not #1, but their last 45W kit seems to be popular. i got this kit to learn and to test the water so to speak.
I currently run 2 HF 45W kits and a separate 18w panel from tractor supply.not a large setup,but it keeps 9 12 v batteries charged to run all my lights and entire entertainment center.im looking into adding the 100w kits to setup in the near future.in 2 years,ive had no problems at all!
@@brianhoppersr.3671 nice.thanks.
Good review. Thanks for taking the time.
Excellent review- look forward to more of your videos!
Great video, the first thing I thought about though was what the sun is actually doing to my skin...
this HF deal is super good and comes with alot of stuff. hook 2 100 watt systems together and thrive on the cheap.
This seems like a good deal. I bought I rich solar 100 watt 12 volt panel on Amazon for $80 a controller for 12 wiring to connect it for $15. Tops off my deep cycle lead acid very quickly. Rich solar panel is considered the best. Having to set up four panels seems like a big hassle
This was a great and very professionally made and narrated review.
thank you for the nice comment!
great video! thanks for this. I would agree you can get a similar or better setup for less money on amazon.
Awesome vid bro I'm going off grid here soon thx again
THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! THIS ANSWERS THE EXACT QUESTION I HAD ABOUT MY NEXT HARBOR FREIGHT PURCHASE! GREAT VIDEO! Easy to follow and understand. I actually feel I could install my solar on my van build now!
Kathryn Kenyon thanks for you kind words!!
danr97123 do u have to use "solar" lighting when your using solar panels???? Like.....a shed with 100v Normal sockets etc. ..... I'm doing a can to camper... . And I'm slightly confused.
youtube university this panel set is probably best used on a camper as both are 12volt systems. Mount everything as close as you can to the batteries on your camper and connect the clamps directly to the positive and negative on your battery. It will keep the system charged.
@Cherokeeman thanks much for all of this info. I want to run my refrigerator only, maybe a lamp or two, don't watch T.V. Soooooo no lost there. Thanks against, I'm in Ohio, anxious to try them out.
@Cherokeeman Wow was so busy reading, did not see, Cherokeeman, as in Jeep Grand Cherokee, if so I have a 2001 Grand Cherokee......Lollllll.
You are great narrator and easy to understand and to listen with pleasure.
I bought one of these about a year ago but returned it because of the size. If I would have had more room I would have kept it because amorphous panels produce even on overcast days. I was at the laundromat and decided to test the voltage. I pulled out one of the panels from the box and laid it in the back of my minivan. It was overcast and sprinkling and the bubblewrap was still on it and it yet was putting out 16 volts.
Thank you for the advice, & information, I believe I will take it....
Thank you again.😊
Thanks for sharing i always wondered about those!!
I've used harbor freight solar panels for 3 years on my travel trailor. Its great. Half my trailor is powered. Im moving soon. What I love best, is they power even on cloudy or rainy days. I havnt ever in 3 years, heard anyone whose solar panels can charge in low light. Im verry impressed. I will buy more. I will.
This was very helpful and you just helped me make the decision to purchase this model. I'm planning to use these panels with my portable Drone Video case to charge the internal 12v battery when on the field. Thanks for taking the time.
Aerial Videos Photos great! in my area HF has a sale for $145 this weekend
Can you do this with each harbor freight purchase because I shop there ALL the time and this was so helpful!!
I have two of their old 45w kits and they were great. With the first kit I bought I built a wood frame and mounted it to my roof and ran it through the attic to a closet in my home office that held a 400 amp battery bank that I used for power outages and to charge my portable battery equipment. These 100 watt kit looks much better then the last, and they are just as affordable.
I have often wondered when I saw this at Harbor Freight thanks for the video, well done. Lets see the completed system when you get it finished.
thanks. i will show a video of the cabin install hope before summer'18.
That hf ghetto multimeter works just fine. I use it every time. Whats best, if I lose it I grab another with a coupon since its free.
great review...i have solar panels installed in our house (not turned on yet; waiting on local electrical company to give me the go ahead) and cannot wait to see the results...thanks for sharing
Want to get one... If anything to charge a few items keep a small refrig. going. Thinking about doing mine on a pole that I can move with the sun during the day
Great overview. Was thinking about buying these but didn't know for sure. After is thorough walk through I'm definitely getting one. Thanks.
thanks for watching and commenting. if you buy it on sale for about, $150, you will be happy. this is a great starter kit for a shed or cabin, back up power, or experimentation.
Nice review my man, you showed pretty much what came with the unit too, looks like a nice set there you got for that price too. Cheers
So what's the 3 year review?!??👍
Thanks i send few to PR and is working perfect!
That is very kind of you. Thanks for watching.
Thank you I was wondering if they were any good and they are
Thank you for the up load. I'm planning to get 10 of these!.
Those panels will be burn out in 2 to 5 years,remember this.
Iam glad you made this video, i have watched all the reviews on these new solar panels and it seems everyone has good things to say about them so tomorrow iam going to purchase them. thanks for sharing!
joe estes I agree. Thanks for the video. I just had ought the 45W system before these came out but both have all the bits you need to put together a working system on day one. I'm going to use it to run a small pump to raise water about 15' up to water my lawn. After I know "everything" I can go buy a more powerful system.
joe estes 0
Oh please update this and tell us YOUR horror story.
Awsome video. Love the way you say tape Mayzure lol
Thanks man, I appreciate this:) trying to figure out how to set myself up!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I would venture to say that the battery wire is the reason for the drop. Seems to me that it might be a cheap cable and could be causing the drop in voltage. I'd be curious if that wire heats up with use, might be something worth keeping an eye on as you use LOAD on the system... Cheers...
you will never get more than 5-6 amps running through that cable if you use the system as intended. average amps during peak times for me was about 4-5 amps
Nah - the meter doesn't draw enough current for a voltage-drop to occur. Ohm's law
Great info, thanks. Seems like solar is getting cheaper. I'm running a fan 10" in my basement straight off an old 12v coleman panel I bought several years ago.
I been using this set for three years 24-7 365 days a year in Maine for dc lights and phone charging and it has been flawless. I have an inverter for when I need ac power but rarely use it. I run two 12v truck batteries in parallel. I give it five stars all day long. Oh and my panels are screwed to a solid wood frame. not the brackets it came with.
Good review. Nice to see a video well done without blaring music, etc.
thanks for your kind comments.
Great review, lots of information, nice camera work! Thank you for posting this!
My take is that the discrepancy in your voltage readings could probably be due to the cheap clamp connectors. Better clamps could equal better voltage transfer.
Nah
Been wanting to get this now I am. Thanks for showing this.
thanks for watching!
Definitely a helpful video!! Thank you so much.
I just bought these last month and I live in an RV, traveling the country and I use them when I'm boondocking. You didn't mention it, but the frames are fairly rigid aluminum and the panels are heavy and sturdy enough to withstand some pretty good winds without being weighted down. I got mine with a 20% off coupon for $160. I also bought an accessory kit with more coupling options for $7. I sure like them so far.
Sounds like you got an old 45watt kit, the 100watt kit in the video is just a plastic frame. I just bought it myself a week ago. I am into solar pretty big, not an amateur, I bought this kit to use as a loaner and explain to potential customers how a system works. Most people think buy 1 300watt panel and power whole house and of course it does not work that way!
@@denstump4590 I'm about to be living out of my car, any tips you can give me? Basically, if you have a video you know of that can make it happen, lmk
I just got blessed with 3 of these sets. The boxes got wet. I got them for $29.74 per setup. 98.82 out the door with taxes for three brand new sets.
Holy crap thats cheap, the harbor freight near me sells these for like 100 usd each.
Thanks! That was helpful and good information.
excellent review dude thanks for the help I recently got the same setup.
ALWAYS ensure that you plug the BATTERY into the controller, and THEN plug in your solar system into the controller!!! It buries that info in the instructions, but it can ruin your controller from operating properly.
thanks for the tip!
@@danr97123 i hope it didnt kill yours yet, killed mine
wow, no shit? (yer post is two yrs old now) and I'm just starting on this kinda project & I wouldnt have thunk about it -if I hadnt read this post!
@@kipdon that's exactly why I went straight into the comment section. Lots of good tips.
@@everythingpony Ooof
I just have a one question I'm new to this technology but what type of equipment can I give power to with the Harbor fright solar panel kit
Great Job on the video. Appreciate the information.
Thanks for the Insight my friend nice video good detail PS look what they are doing to our sky those Chemtrails were horrible!!
Led on the solar panel, genius move.
LED that you can't really see during the day, at that. It IS visible at dawn or twilight, so you can think of it as an "if you can see this LED, you're getting about five watts" indicator.
@Jason CougarI believe it's a blue diode that prevents the solar panels from draining the batteries at night.
When the latest HF coupons came in I almost bought one of these at $150 for my utility trailer camper conversion project. But I'm very concerned by HF's minimal 90-day warranty and poor track record of reliability and spare parts availability.
I did a little more research and discovered a 100W kit on Amazon by HQST for $161 with a Monocyrstalline panel, 20A charge controller, wire, z-brackets and much better warranty (25/5 years on the panel, 1 year on the controller). I'll have to spend another $20 or so on slotted angle-iron and hardware if I want an adjustable stand, and there's no lights included, but I think it's a better value.
Me and a buddy of mine has the 3 panel kit, My buddy has been using his on his utility shed for 4 years, and it's still working and keeping his batteries charged. The batteries are the same age as the panel kit, and all is still working great. My panel kit is working fine as well.... Not sure why so many thumbs down, guess it's because of the folks that dislike Harbor Freight.
+Goodolboy One thanks for sharing and for your support.
Great review. I am planning on using it for my Jon Boat rebuild. I want to add a couple trolling motoers for use as well as some lights to use at night. I am thinking LED light strip for night time use. Not the lights that come with the panels. But the small strips..
I will probably connect 2 sets of two batteries for it so I will have plenty of power. I do not plan on using the Trolling Motors all the time but for light trolling etc. as I will also have abut a 10 horse gas motor for getting to my fishing spots etc.
Great review. I will probably get one or possibly two the next good sale day and coupon I get.
I am planning on making a topper for my boat and install them on it. I will also figure out a way to cover them when I am going down the highway..
I think that this was a great review. However, it confirmed that I do not want to make the purchase. But still very good. Thanks!
After a year how is the solar working?
I have an old one of these Solar systems like 45 Watts. I hooked it up to six 110 amp hour deep cycle batteries. I go to the shed about once a week for an hour. During that hour I can power any tool. . I get a real kick out of showing people the array after we cut lumber for a while.
They always freak out🤓
Just a note: I think the discrepancy in the voltage displayed with the charge controller and the direct measurement of the multi-meter is the charge controller is factoring in a voltage drop across a diode used to protect the battery from surges and troughs.
It's could alternatively be a transistor, but it's hard to tell with only a volt drop of .25 volts as an indicator.
Or purely the load placed on the supply by the controller. It uses battery power, and so there will be a voltage drop.
This was a really good overview. Thanks.
This means a lot coming from you! Your channel is great!
Wow, thank you for that.
Adventure Outdoors always read the manual first
Asshole didn't include the most basic info (price). Downvote.
John Parker lol ...rite.
The drop in voltage may be from the operation of the controller
200.dollers
That and the length of the cord probably all play into that.
I have their 45 watts panel set and the battery charge controller is 4 watts max. It would have nice to get the special for the charge controller. Those panels have survived one winter, however be careful where you install them. Mine are not installed at a steep angle and snow tend to stick to the glass. I would periodically cover them with the foam that came in the box. I wrapped the foam in plastic. That worked nicely
Dart Gar thanks for the tip!
The multimeter has less wire loss in it's reading, the controller is showing that the circuit from the battery to the controller is "eating" almost .3 volts in wire losses.
Very thorough explanation. Thank you..God bless.
I would worry more about your volt meter than the charge controller. A standard battery that's been resting for an hour or two should be around 12.5 Volts. Also, amorphous panels are better than mono crystalline panels in low light.
The discrepancy is wire loss in the circuit between the controller & battery.
Yup it's called voltage drop.
Mike Crow kind
Wrong a standard 12 volt should be 13.2 volts. 2.2 volts per cell.
Greg p Not my experience. Been doing this since before you were born.
I still have my 45w kit that I added another 15w panel to. Looking forward to getting the new 100 kit. 45 watt kit served me well while I was homeless and unemployed..
thanks for commenting. good testimonial.
I almost bought this but wasn't sure now I'm going to get it thanks for the review
thanks for watching!
The real test is long term reliability.
i have had a couple of these kits out side off and on for about a year, in the rain, snow summer heat ect and they seem ok. now i keep the controllers in the house and bought longer cables to get the panels out about 60 feet from the controllers
We have one for almost a year now and it charges 2 twelve volt batteries on a inverter and I charge my e scooter everyday
yep just what i thought the solar panels are becoming mainstream good to see
Most things, when they're shoved down your throat, are. I don't mean that in a bad way. Having alternate sources of energy is always good especially when you want to "bug out" and just get away from it all. Another alternateenergy source is wind. I think getting a decent wind mill to supplement the solar is definitely the way to go.
Nice introduction to the product. Thanks! I was wondering, regarding the aux connector on the voltage regulator if one is encouraged to add a permanent fifth 25 watt panel in the system and will the regulator handle the extra amperes?
Can't wait for a super coupon for this kit. It comes around a few times a year.
First time anyone mentioned the date of recording should be compulsory, awesome
Cool. I was going to get the 45W last year but I felt that was pretty low wattage. Good to know they have upgraded the kit to be 100W. Now I wonder how long, if ever, it would take to get your return on investment?
Electricity costs around $0.12 per kW*hr where I live. If the panel's 100 Watt rating is correct, that's 0.1 kW, so it would take 10 hours for it to produce 12 cents worth of electricity. Which is about what it could produce in a day, if the day is sunny and the panels are pointed in the right direction. At a purchase price of $150, it would take 150/0.12 = 1250 days (3.42 years, but again, those would have to be 100% sunny years) for it to pay for itself in electricity. BUT, that's not what these are for. These are not meant to put up on your roof to replace the grid at home. These are meant to replace things like portable generators when you're out OFF the grid. The cost of electricity from gas-powered generators is about ten times as much as buying it from the electric company, so in that case the payoff is at 125 sunny days. BUT that assumes that the cost of operating a generator is just fuel.
Very nice video, thanks for taking the time and the info.
Is an AGM battery Bank safe to use with this
The reading you get will be different depending on the shunt of your meter an the shunt in the controller.
Amorphous cells are good at using indirect and difused light. Monocrystaline are better because they last longer. They are bigger, heavier, and more expensive so there are trade offs.
i hope folks read this comment. you are right Tom.
Tom Olofsson that's good to know. Thanks
What I know is that Amorphous cells can last as long as the mono's if taken care off, meaning not putting them in strong sunlight in hot areas, like keeping them in a shade the whole time using only ambient sunlight.
Their output is great since early dawn time.
Bull, 1x 100watt mono panel is just a little bigger than 1/4 the size of that HF array. I guarantee it will be 1/3 of the weight. More expensive? Again bull, you can buy a 100 watt mono panel for about 110$ these days and a decent controller for 30$. Trade off scmade off, Tom
@@prairiecracker214 what controller would you reccomend? I've got 3x100 watt HF panels and the old 45W system of 3x15. Thanks for your opinion
Charge controller uses a little voltage, that's probably the discrepancy.
it does use a little power (watts), but all these chinese devices are not known for their accuracy. the controller wouldnt cause a .3volt drop. as long as you are not using its usb port or using one of those led lights i bet the watts its consumed is so little that it would be hard to measure. now when you run some solar energy through it to your battery, it will definitely use some of the energy to do its job, maybe like 1-5% would be my guess
Great Info - Thank you! (Exactly what I was looking for)
happy to help. i always rely on other folks reviews before making a purchase, but there was nothing out at the time so i finally had a chance to share something back with the youtube community.
I appreciate the video.I have been wondering if I should get that kit now I probably will. I just subscribed. Thanks.
If all else fails read the directions!
Are you able to comment on how much outflow a 100 watt unit like this can handle? How many 12v appliances etc. can it manage? Thanks...
Well, you can run a box fan for awhile with an inverter. That's as big an item I have gotten to run on this junk.
You need to check the power consumption of each device. They vary greatly even on similar products. Add up the power usage of each device and keep it below 100 watts. Or, if you only know the current rating of the appliances, add up the current for each 12 volt device. Total current should be less than approximately 8 amps (100 watts ÷12 volts = 8.3 amps)
I've been using the 100W system for about 2 yrs now. Have 1 $50 Wallymart car battery and a few 9 packs of LED truck bed lights (1x3'') to light my house with switches in every room, it also keeps my camper batteries charged so I guess you can say 3 car batteries. I've also noticed it still charges from the street light about 65ft from my house at night. I have them flush mounted on the southern side of my roof and haven't had a problem at all.Using these lights has cut my electric bill by 30%