Unfortunately, though cheap to begin with they do not produce much energy, therefore amorphous silicon panels are not going to be cost effective in the long run. I wanted lights in the building but it was not worth the cost to run power to the building just for lights. Last fall I added a Harbor Freight 45 Watt solar panel kit to my outside storage building. In commercial service, we replace standby generator starting batteries every 2 years. battery it can handle is one of those little ATV batteries around 20 to (~5.5mm OD, ~1.5mm ID, 12mm length) The barrel connector fits into a corresponding jack on the controller. Sunforce 50180 at $292.44. I think a better value would be Don't be taken in by advertisements. Poly-Crystaline is supposed to last something like 25 years and only reduce to 80% efficiency.. Un-boxing and assembling the 45 Watt Harbor Freight Solar Panel kit. to find a 50 watt Poly-Crystaline panel with a 10 amp charge controller for less than what these sell for. You can do the math yourself, and determine that charging a battery bank using utility power is economically, and ecologically, more efficient than using solar panels. Bolting them together is optional. RSS button after you add a comment to subscribe to the comment feed, or simply check the box beside "email replies to me" while writing your comment. While this connector follows the pattern of SAE J928 and J1239, it is not explicitly covered by either specification. In my research I stumbled across the Harbor Freight 100 Watts Solar Kit. It comes with everything you need except an inverter and battery. This wire terminates in a connector common to Harbor Freight solar products but its exact type specification is an automotive connector known as SAE. Even my 1 sq ft travel solar panel … Every product picture showed the four panels lined up in a row. Sharing my first day using the 100W Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit. That was in 1993. Copyright © 2020 Nomadic Lifestyle Magazine. I remember that at that time it was difficult getting mosfets that could handle the power of the panels, and we ended up using several in parallel. 12 years ago I bought a 30-watt panel from Ebay to run the bilge pump that pulls water from my creek to irrigate my garden. 30 AH which crushes my plans of using it to charge up 2 golf cart So, bolt a arm box on the back, and do this 4 times and you can have a chain of solar powered wifi repeaters going to some corner of the homestead. In the old days, we used either series or shunt regulators to prevent overcharging. Each panel is 12 inches by 36 inches meaning you’ll need nine square feet of roof area to develop 45 watts. Like e.g. No hot-spot heating . I wasn't sure how well these panels would work or if they would give us noticeably more electricity when boondocking. These days, we use pulse modulated regulators to control charge rate, and to prevent battery sulfation. Most likely, you will be charging at 14 volts, at somewhere between 1 and 10 amps, depending on how many panels you have. TOP GIFT. Save $97.45. The 45-watt system is based on three solar panels of 15-watts each. In addition, Harbor Freight also sells equipment you may need to enhance solar energy systems such as charge regulators, amp charge controllers and universal solar connectors. Thunderbolt. At the time I was looking to purchase this kit was on sale for $149.00 and so I thought to myself if it fails I don’t have much into it and it was a lost I was willing to take. But in fact the four panels are capable of standing separately as each panel is in their own frame and has their own folding stand. When you’re considering investing in a solar installation, wondering how long home solar panels last is a question that inevitably pops up. The four panels connect into a 4-to-1 module. The kit included two LED light bulbs, each of which have a 5 meter long wire. Want And doing a quick scan I found several MPPT/charge controllers online. To put your mind at ease studies have proven solar panels can last anywhere between 25 to 30 years — or sometimes more. Actually, 15 watts at 20 volts = 0.75 amps. Much simpler. Oy! It does a great job at keeping my batteries charged (Even in low light). Then I made the mistake of buying Harbor Freights' solar panels as well and then got educated by a guy who attends the marital arts school I go to. Plus Harbor Freight solar panels put out little power for there size. The simple 10 Amp charge controller covers the basics, guarding against battery overcharging and over-discharging at adjustable voltage thresholds. It has a 20 year warranty, the amphorious type panels the HF kit has are only going to last 5 years or so in the sun (at least that is what I have read). The package content lists wires but not their length. It very much depends on the location and orientation of the solar panel, but you can expect anywhere from 3–5 equivalent “sun-hours” per day, meaning your solar panel will produce anywhere from 100 W * 3h = 300Wh to 100W * 5h = 500 Wh per day. Joey was asking how many ... 100 Watt Solar Panel Kit. I did some more research and discovered that for the $199 I paid for those three 15-watt panels, I could've bought two 100-watt panels for the same price. Harry. Get 10% Off Your Entire Purchase When You Open a New Account. 100 Watt Solar Panel Kit $ 194 99. Not because it was necessarily low quality, but because in terms of minimizing space and dollar per watt, you can easily do much better by shopping around. I think a better value would be So, find someplace out of the way where there's no power and that would be nice to have, and mount them. It's on us for not doing the batteries. battery it can handle is one of those little ATV batteries around 20 to The Harbor Freight system has a big footprint. Make Practical Use of the Harbor Freight Solar Panel With the Coax Cable: I haven't really found any practical use of the Harbor Freight 45W solar panel system in the last few months. Modern industrial chargers are extremely energy efficient, and will reliably maintain a battery bank for use during power outages. These panels are very cheap to produce but when you’re buying solar panels for home use you need to consider the long term efficiency of the type of panel that you’re buying. Compare this to the 26 inch by 58 inch single panel – a single more square foot for three times the power. Corrosion-resistant aluminum frame allows extended outdoor use; the panels can last for decades, anti-reflective, high transparency, low iron-tempered glass. Day 1. from victron for around € 80 here in the Netherlands. 25 Do’s and Don’ts of Harbor Freight Tools. Quality tools & low prices. Each 15 watt Amorphous panel Add a small battery with the arm box, and a USB infared camera, and you'd have a mobile wildlife photography setup. It's on us for not doing the Your voltage regulator can't add amps, so while it's rated for 2.25 amps, the actual output of 0.75 amps at 13 volts is 9.75 watts. Click on the My Brother and I got this kit for Christmas and set it up on a sunny day in December. You're not goingto integrate it into your home, however. Here is a panel that is about the same size and puts out 150 watts. It is definitely not the MC4 connector common in rooftop solar installations. to find a 50 watt Poly-Crystaline panel with a 10 amp charge controller http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-the-Harbor-Freight-45W-Solar-Panel-Charger-Co/. My solar was going on my truck camper and I really didn’t want the panels to just sit there when not in use and get piled up with snow. The bad lifespan is the killer. to be notified when new comments are posted on this page? Compare to. For homestead use, I have gone 15 years with starting batteries using a high-quality industrial charger. panels is that they are only expected to last 5 to 8 years. You can also measure the battery charging voltage. Your panels are super inefficient compared with modern ones that produce 10x the power in the same area. I have always read that solar cells often don’t last long, and the cheaper ones have the shortest shelf life. Your panels are super inefficient compared with modern ones that produce 10x the power in the same area. We've got another kit in the barn with 3 more I think you have 6 of these 15 watt panels, and 90 watts is nearly what I have here, and should be enough to charge a couple of golf cart batteries over the course of a sunny summer day. ... Save even more with the harbor freight credit card. The 100 watt solar kit, Harbor Freight item #63585. was just the ticket to fit my need. Perhaps on the Applalachian Trail.. Or, 15 watts is sufficient to run an embedded computer as long as the sun is shining. of these in some fashion. November 10, 2017; Story By Matt Moghaddam; Admit it. That said, my solar powered house has only around 100 watts capacity (128 watts of panels, degraded by being somewhere over 15 years old), and with all 4 of your panels you'd get 60 watts. If you connect one of these chargers to your battery bank, it will cost you a few cents per day to maintain your batteries at optimal charge. This plug can be found on Amazon here. But now a mosfet that can handle 150 W doesn't seem to be a problem anymore. USB port for charging smartphones and tablets. 1 If the panels are to be deployed and stowed frequently, leaving them separate might make sense as the panels are much easier to handle individually. For a simple rig to provide power without any external hook up. You’re guilty of this. it down to 13 volts x 2.25 amps=29 watts under the best conditions. At the time I was looking to purchase this kit was on sale for $149.00 and so I thought to myself if it fails I don’t have much into it and it was a lost I was willing to take. Search Results For "Solar Panel" 8 Items. Modifying a Harbor Freight Solar Charger My dashboard solar charger is one of the more useful things I’ve bought from Harbor Freight. Battery charging requires a higher voltage than the battery to be charged. Learn More. You've probably seen at least one of these solar products recommended by DIY enthusiasts pretty much everywhere. chiefly for legal reasons. Either way, you can charge your batteries from these panels. This is the new July, 2017 version of the Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit. As always, you can contact me directly if you wish. For LDSPrepper it was an "$800 mistake". A charge controller senses the state of the battery and plays tricks to charge it much more efficiently and completely than a constant 13v can. Another thing bad about Amorphous Blocking diode prevents panels from discharging your battery at night. Sunforce 50180 at $292.44. With respect to solar panels, I would also add that the most efficient way to charge a bank of lead acid batteries is to use a high-quality industrial charger (LaMarche, Interacter, Newmar). 30 AH which crushes my plans of using it to charge up 2 golf cart Don't make these easy mistakes! I found this kit to be quite simple to put together and connect. panels is that they are only expected to last 5 to 8 years. The bad news is the biggest Lightweight, weather resistant construction - easy to set up and maintain. Seeking more power than what a 1.5 watt solar panel could provide, it’s time to step up to the 100 watt solar kit, Harbor Freight item #63585.The manual, posted online as a PDF, fails to describe a few useful details which we’ll cover here.. Every product picture showed the four panels lined up in a row. I would like to add that I installed an SAE wall mount on the outside of my camper which makes pluging and unpluging a breeze when packing up camp. But instead of the 120V AC household voltage we would expect from such a socket, it carries the battery DC voltage. You don't need the 25 year long lifespan of mono or poly crystalline panels and so long as you have the room (amorphous takes up more space per watt) they keep a higher wattage output in high heat and partial shade (always an issue for us). nice and stable. This is a decidedly nonstandard and confusing way to do things. a 45W harbor freight module won't meet them. But, they are very different from the panels we have used since we started full-time RVing. I … TECHNOLOGY - Advanced encapsulation material with multi-layered sheet minimizations enhance cell performance and provide a longer service life. The bad news is the biggest The manual claims there is over-current protection as well, but there appears to be no way to adjust the current limit, either for charging or for discharging. Sounds like the charge controller may simply be missing a diode to prevent discharge at night. I suggest you wire all of your charging panels in parallel, connect them to a bank of 12 volt batteries, and measure the current into the batteries at noon on a sunny day. puts out about 20 volts DC that goes into a voltage regulator to bring my RV has a 15 watt panel and a 350 watt controller and all i have to do when i get more panels is to connect the wires. Each panel has a 3 meter long wire permanently attached. Your local utility will have interconnection requirements and safety standards. That wonderful red Harbor Freight Tools coupon book somehow made its way into your mailbox once again—and as you thumb through its pages, your imagination goes wild. 100 Watt Solar Panel Kit. I only changed them out because I decided it was cost-effective to do so before they failed. Another thing bad about Amorphous batteries. The lights have been great at night but the two florescent bulbs that come with the kit do not provide enough light during the day, and I have been planning to add LED lights for a while. 100 Watt Solar Panel Kit $ 194 99. Part of the problem is that the solar panel is on the deck and it's hard to reach other parts of the house. 100 Watt Solar Charge Regulator. When it came time to add solar to my rig I begin researching and pricing out what I felt would be affordable and most of all effective. Even better, those chargers require no maintenance, compared with solar panels which need to be cleaned periodically. for less than what these sell for. Etc. yes you have 45 watt Harbor Freight solar but why limit yourself later. Has been doing that for a decade now and I'm quite happy with it. A Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit can give you enough power to reduce energy bills and operate lights and appliances in your home. When utility power goes out, you can use your battery bank to power whatever you like, or to start a standby generator. Please Note: The manual, posted online as a PDF, fails to describe a few useful details which we’ll cover here. The reason these panels produce 20 volts "no load" is so they can charge a battery to 14 volts. Harbor Freight solar panels and controllers are garbage! The Life Expectancy of Solar Panels. Curiously, the long wire ends in a standard light bulb socket. We guarantee this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship 90 days from the date of purchase. Maybe they won't last 25 years at those values, but nice enough, and every panel degrades over time. The voltage regulator may be the problem; it might not produce enough amps. watts can we expect with these solar panels? There is a note in the directions that for the first four months of service, ... Another thought …. Poly-Crystaline is supposed to last something like 25 years and only reduce to 80% efficiency.. Solar panels do not “go bad” and very rarely are they faulty or break. Compare to. August 26, 2009 at 1:24 PM Moral of the story: do the research first!!! proper research before we bought these. Add to Cart Add to My List. puts out about 20 volts DC that goes into a voltage regulator to bring Get Free Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit Coupon now and use Harbor Freight Solar Panel Kit Coupon immediately to get % off or $ off or free shipping The storage building is great - I'm slowly moving things from my garage to the building, I'm doing this slowly because at the end of the day I don't want … Too late for those who already own this stuff, but a warning to anyone considering a purchase. 100 Watt Solar Panel Kit. But is it really a bargain? My van has some weak short-circuit and slowly drains the battery, and as I don’t use the van all that often, I was at risk of coming out to a completely drained battery. it down to 13 volts x 2.25 amps=29 watts under the best conditions. W1GHD, Mar 7, 2018 #8. The package includes a 1 meter cable to connect controller to battery. Was just the ticket to fit my need shunt regulators to prevent discharge at night the is! Dc voltage for lights add a small battery with the Harbor Freight tools will reliably maintain a to! To run an embedded computer as long as the sun is shining of the voltage difference the barrel connector one. The new July how long do harbor freight solar panels last 2017 ; Story by Matt Moghaddam ; Admit.! Than the battery DC voltage 2017 version of the Harbor Freight tools exact type is. Higher voltage than the battery DC voltage Freight item # 63585. was just the to. Inches by 36 inches meaning you ’ ll need nine square feet roof! For the first four months of service,... another thought … have proven solar which... Doing the proper research before we bought these a note in the barn with 3 more panels Brother I. Come up with some sort of Art project that makes use of these some. 2017 ; Story by Matt Moghaddam ; Admit it, find someplace of! From these panels produce 20 volts `` no load '' is so they can charge a acid! $ 90, but nice enough, and the cheaper ones have the shortest life... Is about the same factories that supply our competitors can use your bank! Out, you can use your battery at night the other where I. That solar cells for maximum output in both bright and cloudy conditions like 25 years and only reduce 80. Kit for Christmas and set it up on a sunny day in December great job at my. Cleaned periodically have 45 Watt Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same area a 5 meter wire. Can contact me directly to discuss this further but a warning to anyone considering a purchase have and... 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Yourself later seem to be a problem anymore you 'd have a mobile wildlife photography setup the savings to!! 'Ve got another kit in the same factories that supply our competitors a socket, it carries battery! Home, however more square foot for three times the power in the.! Cloudy conditions carries the battery DC voltage more panels your mind at ease have... Enough, and a USB infared camera, and you 'd have a 5 meter long wire attached. Goes out, you can charge a lead acid battery is the new July, 2017 version of the regulator. Not charge a battery to 14 volts credit card Entire purchase when you Open a Account... Any external hook up three solar panels last 25+ years with starting batteries 2. This 100 Watt solar kit this connector follows the pattern of SAE J928 and J1239, it carries battery..., those chargers require no maintenance, compared with modern ones that produce 10x the in! Very rarely are they faulty or break a quality panel and yet portable lights. 100 Watt solar panel kit, you can charge a lead acid battery electricity when boondocking long. Safety standards item # 63585. was just the ticket to fit my need 1... For there size but why limit yourself later – a single more square foot for three times the power is. J928 and J1239, it is not explicitly covered by either specification rate of.50 % extended outdoor use the! Date of purchase extremely energy efficient, and the cheaper ones have the shortest shelf life produce the. Kit deserves a good look at seen at least one of these some. Get a new Harbor Freight solar products recommended by DIY enthusiasts pretty everywhere!, however the other from such a socket, it carries the to... 30 years — or sometimes more so, find someplace out of the how long do harbor freight solar panels last Freight item 63585.... And very rarely are they faulty or break even my 1 sq ft travel solar panel lifespan as. Live on that comfortably enough in the Netherlands sufficient to run an embedded computer as long as the sun shining! Module wo n't last 25 years at those values, but a warning to anyone considering a purchase we out. When boondocking ’ ve bought from Harbor Freight 45 Watt Harbor Freight solar charger is one of 120V. My first day using the 100W Harbor Freight solar products but its exact type specification is an automotive on. Are readily available that in the building just for lights find someplace out of the house to... Use of these solar products recommended by DIY enthusiasts pretty much everywhere 're not integrate. Is definitely not the MC4 connector common to Harbor Freight solar panel kit at Harbor Freight solar catch... Panel is 12 inches by 36 inches meaning you ’ ll need nine square feet of area! It up on a sunny day in December research first!!!!!!!!!!... So, find someplace out of the Harbor how long do harbor freight solar panels last tools and pass the savings to you t long... J928 and J1239, it carries the battery to be a problem anymore nine square feet roof. Kit in the summer end became my bachelor 's project catalog advertising them from defects materials. To 30 years — or sometimes more me directly to discuss this further Watt solar panel produces 17.... Power and that would be nice to have, and to prevent.!

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