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?
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ruclips.net/user/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.
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...
@@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?
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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! 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 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.
Nicely done . Just bought one of these kits . Haven't even opened it yet . So thanks for the input on hooking it up . Got it on sale also . Will try it out soon . Thanks
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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 $20 or so on slotted angle-iron and hardware if I want an adjustable stand, and there's no lights included, but I think it's a better value.
I've used harbor freight solar panels for 3 years on my travel trailor. Its great. Half my trailor is powered. Im moving soon. What I love best, is they power even on cloudy or rainy days. I havnt ever in 3 years, heard anyone whose solar panels can charge in low light. Im verry impressed. I will buy more. I will.
Amorphous cells are good at using indirect and difused light. Monocrystaline are better because they last longer. They are bigger, heavier, and more expensive so there are trade offs.
What I know is that Amorphous cells can last as long as the mono's if taken care off, meaning not putting them in strong sunlight in hot areas, like keeping them in a shade the whole time using only ambient sunlight. Their output is great since early dawn time.
Bull, 1x 100watt mono panel is just a little bigger than 1/4 the size of that HF array. I guarantee it will be 1/3 of the weight. More expensive? Again bull, you can buy a 100 watt mono panel for about 110$ these days and a decent controller for 30$. Trade off scmade off, Tom
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.
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.
I believe the difference in voltage from battery to controller is "voltage drop" (caused by the resistance in the cable)... therefore keeping your cables "as short as practical" will give you the most efficient result... thank you, this was awesome...
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.
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. 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!
Mine are mounted on top of my expedition. Very cheap unit. They work great. I run 2 marine grade batteries in the back of my rig with a 1500 watt inverter. I have plenty of power. That tiny battery won't go very far. It's all about capacity. Great job explaining everything.
Tom Olofsson Are you a bigger business or just a local, one store kinda thing? If you’re a bigger one check out Tesla’s solar panel shingles, it looks like normal roofing, but it’s a solar panel
Tom Olofsson I just bought one of the kits at their parking lot sale. On Amazon I bought a Newport Smart Battery Box. After work I'm headed to Sam's Club to buy a deep cycle battery. My purpose is camping and I want to power my cell phone and a tablet.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
I have purchased a 100w solar kit from harbor freight an completely satisfyed, i live off the grid an since July 3rd 2017 i haven't had to run a generator, well worth the price an already paid for itself
Finally, somebody talking from what they know, not what they guess or what they've heard. I'm glad it's working for you; I'm installing mine next weekend.
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
I bought one of these 100 watt kits in October and connected it to my RV. It has worked great for me, even charging the battery completely if I run a light and the radio all night. It has kept my RV battery charged all winter. I would caution you about buying Harbor Freight inverters and batteries. I have bought TWO Harbor Freight inverters and they both failed, only putting out about 100 W AC. Years ago I bought two of the 45 watt kits; the solar cells are still functioning fine, but one of the charge controllers broke. One of the batteries failed within a few months; the other still works although at reduced capacity.
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.
@@danr97123 It's a totally WORTHLESS product overall. It only appeals to some schmuck that knows nothing about solar power and gets excited over a voltmeter and cheap low-watt panels connected to light bulbs. This is what we call an attic-stuffer. Or you try to dump it on Craigslist.
@@JosephQPublic How? What is it powering? 100W is nothing...and it probably doesn't even put out more than 20W-50W most of the time. And the joke is that it lights up light bulbs....uh, why do you need light bulbs when it's sunny? How is it very useful? It's like a gimmick for suckers.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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%
I bought a 310 watt solar panel for $130 on Craigslist. I got my $30 charge controller on Amazon. Wouldn't it be better than buying a small Harbor Freight setup like this for the money I spent? I bought my 300 watt inverter for $30 at Brandsmart USA. I went to Batteries Plus and bought two Duracell Ultra 200 amp batteries. The batteries were the most expensive. When we have power outages, it's awesome to have this stuff. I'm the only one in the neighborhood having lighting and ventilation without using a loud, smelly generator.
sounds like a great deal and system you've built. thats better than this HF system for sure. You already knew the components required and some folks need a ready-to go kit...at least for their first solar project. thanks for sharing!
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.
If you are just starting out and have limited funds, then this Harbor Freight kit is a good start. If you've been around solar for some time then you'd want better panels and solar chargers. It's like this, having this solar panel kit is better than nothing if your power is out for some time. Please keep in mind that you are not going to run your refrigerator or air conditioning with this. (You'll need a generator and a supply of fuel for that application). Keep in mind that regardless if you go with the battery seen in the video or a much preferred deep cycle battery system (like those six volt heavy duty golf cart batteries in a series). All batteries are going to eventually wear out and you'll have to replace them every 3 to 7 years depending how well you maintain them, so figure that into your solar budget. If you plan to get an inverter, then get a sine wave inverter. Keep in mind that when you draw 2 amps per hour at 120 volts AC through an inverter, you are really drawing 20 amps per hour from a 12 volt battery which is a 10:1 ratio of 120 vs 12. Again, if you are new to solar power and have limited funds go with this kit from HF. Overall good video and review
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.
Not sure if anyone said already (lot of replies, to many to sift thru) the reason the voltmeter had 13.7vdc and the solar controller indicated 13.3 is the length and quality of the wires going from your battery to the controller, low quality + length means higher resistance and more losses result so in reality adjusting for the losses both meters were reading correctly, hope that helps
If you do some looking around you can easily buy a much smaller 100watt panel that uses a standard solar inline connector, pwm controller and cabling for the same price. My 260watt 24v panel is about half the size of these units and cost me $200, mppt controller was another $50 plus $50 in outdoor rated cabling. With this I can easily add three more panels without adding more wire via the inlines.
I was thinking about doing a video but I wanted to wait until I'm done (your never done : ). I installed an electric jack today and will install a fantastic fan tomorrow, might make some video then.
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
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
I've had my harbor freight solar panel for six months and I've used it to charge my iPhone, three batteries, and my tab TV, and I still have power left over.
I have 2 of the 45 watt kits but now one of the controller boxes wont come on so I bought one for it...they do pretty well in the afternoon so I usually charge my phone then...I have 2 19 ah batteries that stay charged pretty well..I put one array on the east and one on the west so as not to overload the little controller until the new one gets here..I have a seperate system with 4 100 watt panels and I just got my first mppt controller so the old one will probably go on these panels...yes the 4 lights I got were flourescent..they are self ballasted and use 380 mA..good luck with yours
Thanks for the review. Today is Sept. 18, 2017, and I am near Orlando. Harbor Freight just sent out coupons for this specific kit for $149. The coupon is good until Nov. 25, 2017. So the price is more reasonable now at $1.49 per watt (their calculation).
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🤓
I have purchased 7 sets of these panels at $105.00 each (I am a member of Harbor Freight so I get a discount), I am most pleased, I am able to charge all my batteries, and run all my lights in my trailer at the same time (I am off grid), you definitely get lots bang for the buck here!
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.
I'm learning a lot about solar systems batteries and charge controllers. I learned that this Harbor freight system is for lead batteries only. The reason is the charge controller isn't for lithium style batteries. Luckily a charge controller that will work with lithium isn't that expensive.
My take on the difference on the battery voltage directly from the battery 2 what the charge controller is displaying could be a resistance within the wire coming from the battery to the charge controller. You might be losing some voltage do to those wires. I would recommend try taking a voltage meter check from the wires themself coming from the battery to the other end of those wires.
I have one of the old 45w kits which powers my 12v emergency lights around the house. It works well with a $70 deep cycle battery. This kit looks slightly larger, with one extra panel, and the frames look much flimsier. That's probably a 10a controller.
@@pambisugar8286 just letting you know inkbird temp controler could help you. I have one on fishtank, too cold switches on heater to hot switches on fan its supper easy.
@@pambisugar8286 heating and cooling with electricity is a very taxing venture. even for giant systems. i have no idea about your expectations or options. this panel will produce 450-450 watt hours all day during the summer and as little as 30 watt hours in the cold short on daylight over cast days in winter. my best winter power collection on this kit this winter was about 220 watt hours
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.
Hi, I have the same set up. You might want to notice the volltage of the panel is 18v to over 25v in sun the amps i been able to get is 5.5amps best I've got but they charge a 12v battery even on cloudy day they 1or2 amps I'm impressed
Hi Folks, I found a good video for further detail on these solar panels. Check out Karl's video here: ruclips.net/video/qoUgC4NQKfI/видео.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 ruclips.net/user/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'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.
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
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!
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.
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!
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?
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.
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!!
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 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 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.
Nicely done . Just bought one of these kits . Haven't even opened it yet . So thanks for the input on hooking it up . Got it on sale also . Will try it out soon . Thanks
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
Thanks for showing us. I have a 2 panel at 15 w. Each. Like that. Had it for 15 years and still going strong
this HF deal is super good and comes with alot of stuff. hook 2 100 watt systems together and thrive on the cheap.
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.
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 really love that comment on how cheap the clips are on a Harbor Freight item
Haha true. HF is not the best but it does work.
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
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.
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 $20 or so on slotted angle-iron and hardware if I want an adjustable stand, and there's no lights included, but I think it's a better value.
I've used harbor freight solar panels for 3 years on my travel trailor. Its great. Half my trailor is powered. Im moving soon. What I love best, is they power even on cloudy or rainy days. I havnt ever in 3 years, heard anyone whose solar panels can charge in low light. Im verry impressed. I will buy more. I will.
Amorphous cells are good at using indirect and difused light. Monocrystaline are better because they last longer. They are bigger, heavier, and more expensive so there are trade offs.
i hope folks read this comment. you are right Tom.
Tom Olofsson that's good to know. Thanks
What I know is that Amorphous cells can last as long as the mono's if taken care off, meaning not putting them in strong sunlight in hot areas, like keeping them in a shade the whole time using only ambient sunlight.
Their output is great since early dawn time.
Bull, 1x 100watt mono panel is just a little bigger than 1/4 the size of that HF array. I guarantee it will be 1/3 of the weight. More expensive? Again bull, you can buy a 100 watt mono panel for about 110$ 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
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.
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 believe the difference in voltage from battery to controller is "voltage drop" (caused by the resistance in the cable)... therefore keeping your cables "as short as practical" will give you the most efficient result... thank you, this was awesome...
About 1.8 ohms...
About 8 amps usable
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.
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.
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.
Mine are mounted on top of my expedition. Very cheap unit. They work great. I run 2 marine grade batteries in the back of my rig with a 1500 watt inverter. I have plenty of power. That tiny battery won't go very far. It's all about capacity. Great job explaining everything.
Thanks for sharing your setup. Good to hear they are holding up on your vehicle.
Just bought 2 online. Can't wait till they are delivered. I want my office to be off-grid. I think it will give me a business advantage.
UNLESS YOUR OFFICE IS A SINGLE LAPTOP your gonna be disappointed
duhjuh I live with diappointment. Thanks though.
Tom Olofsson growing pot 😎
Tom Olofsson Are you a bigger business or just a local, one store kinda thing? If you’re a bigger one check out Tesla’s solar panel shingles, it looks like normal roofing, but it’s a solar panel
Tom Olofsson I just bought one of the kits at their parking lot sale. On Amazon I bought a Newport Smart Battery Box. After work I'm headed to Sam's Club to buy a deep cycle battery. My purpose is camping and I want to power my cell phone and a tablet.
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.
fantastic video. I have been thinking about buying for a while. Very informative
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.
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
You are great narrator and easy to understand and to listen with pleasure.
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.
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!
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 have purchased a 100w solar kit from harbor freight an completely satisfyed, i live off the grid an since July 3rd 2017 i haven't had to run a generator, well worth the price an already paid for itself
Finally, somebody talking from what they know, not what they guess or what they've heard. I'm glad it's working for you; I'm installing mine next weekend.
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
I bought one of these 100 watt kits in October and connected it to my RV. It has worked great for me, even charging the battery completely if I run a light and the radio all night. It has kept my RV battery charged all winter. I would caution you about buying Harbor Freight inverters and batteries. I have bought TWO Harbor Freight inverters and they both failed, only putting out about 100 W AC. Years ago I bought two of the 45 watt kits; the solar cells are still functioning fine, but one of the charge controllers broke. One of the batteries failed within a few months; the other still works although at reduced capacity.
thanks for sharing.
So what's the 3 year review?!??👍
Good review. Nice to see a video well done without blaring music, etc.
thanks for your kind comments.
Thanks i send few to PR and is working perfect!
That is very kind of you. Thanks for watching.
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
First time anyone mentioned the date of recording should be compulsory, awesome
"The check is in the mail, Dan!" -Harbor Freight It's so hard now getting good reviews on YT, most of it is basically an infomercial.
While it is a reasonable product overall, I criticized the price and acoustics. I wish HF gave me discounts or free stuff but no luck :-)
@@danr97123 It's a totally WORTHLESS product overall. It only appeals to some schmuck that knows nothing about solar power and gets excited over a voltmeter and cheap low-watt panels connected to light bulbs. This is what we call an attic-stuffer. Or you try to dump it on Craigslist.
@@toddfarkman2177 - perhaps for you, but for someone else it could be very useful.
@@JosephQPublic How? What is it powering? 100W is nothing...and it probably doesn't even put out more than 20W-50W most of the time. And the joke is that it lights up light bulbs....uh, why do you need light bulbs when it's sunny? How is it very useful? It's like a gimmick for suckers.
@@toddfarkman2177 most of us use lights when it's dark, and with charging a couple deep cycle batteries, you can run lots of things with an inverter.
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.
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.
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
I've recently bought this for camping. And I was fortunate to find another panel in excellent shape for $40. It works good for the price.
Very nice!
Good review. Thanks for taking the time.
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.
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.
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.
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
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%
I bought a 310 watt solar panel for $130 on Craigslist. I got my $30 charge controller on Amazon. Wouldn't it be better than buying a small Harbor Freight setup like this for the money I spent? I bought my 300 watt inverter for $30 at Brandsmart USA. I went to Batteries Plus and bought two Duracell Ultra 200 amp batteries. The batteries were the most expensive. When we have power outages, it's awesome to have this stuff. I'm the only one in the neighborhood having lighting and ventilation without using a loud, smelly generator.
sounds like a great deal and system you've built. thats better than this HF system for sure. You already knew the components required and some folks need a ready-to go kit...at least for their first solar project. thanks for sharing!
How much are the batteries at Harbor Freight? I would think a couple of those 35 Ah batteries would work good for camping.
When your power goes out, how long do those batteries last?
@@ownthesun6262 , Go back to top scoll down and read Cherokeeman's post........
that will work wonderful in Puerto Rico, we do have plenty of sunlight 😄
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.
If you are just starting out and have limited funds, then this Harbor Freight kit is a good start. If you've been around solar for some time then you'd want better panels and solar chargers. It's like this, having this solar panel kit is better than nothing if your power is out for some time. Please keep in mind that you are not going to run your refrigerator or air conditioning with this. (You'll need a generator and a supply of fuel for that application).
Keep in mind that regardless if you go with the battery seen in the video or a much preferred deep cycle battery system (like those six volt heavy duty golf cart batteries in a series). All batteries are going to eventually wear out and you'll have to replace them every 3 to 7 years depending how well you maintain them, so figure that into your solar budget.
If you plan to get an inverter, then get a sine wave inverter. Keep in mind that when you draw 2 amps per hour at 120 volts AC through an inverter, you are really drawing 20 amps per hour from a 12 volt battery which is a 10:1 ratio of 120 vs 12. Again, if you are new to solar power and have limited funds go with this kit from HF. Overall good video and review
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.
Not sure if anyone said already (lot of replies, to many to sift thru) the reason the voltmeter had 13.7vdc and the solar controller indicated 13.3 is the length and quality of the wires going from your battery to the controller, low quality + length means higher resistance and more losses result so in reality adjusting for the losses both meters were reading correctly, hope that helps
Great review, lots of information, nice camera work! Thank you for posting this!
If you do some looking around you can easily buy a much smaller 100watt panel that uses a standard solar inline connector, pwm controller and cabling for the same price. My 260watt 24v panel is about half the size of these units and cost me $200, mppt controller was another $50 plus $50 in outdoor rated cabling. With this I can easily add three more panels without adding more wire via the inlines.
Any chance you'll be doing a video about your setup?
I was thinking about doing a video but I wanted to wait until I'm done (your never done : ). I installed an electric jack today and will install a fantastic fan tomorrow, might make some video then.
Corey Allen Alright. Subbed. Might be interesting.
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
This was a great and very professionally made and narrated review.
thank you for the nice comment!
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
I've had my harbor freight solar panel for six months and I've used it to charge my iPhone, three batteries, and my tab TV, and I still have power left over.
Can you do this with each harbor freight purchase because I shop there ALL the time and this was so helpful!!
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.
great video! thanks for this. I would agree you can get a similar or better setup for less money on amazon.
I have 2 of the 45 watt kits but now one of the controller boxes wont come on so I bought one for it...they do pretty well in the afternoon so I usually charge my phone then...I have 2 19 ah batteries that stay charged pretty well..I put one array on the east and one on the west so as not to overload the little controller until the new one gets here..I have a seperate system with 4 100 watt panels and I just got my first mppt controller so the old one will probably go on these panels...yes the 4 lights I got were flourescent..they are self ballasted and use 380 mA..good luck with yours
Awesome vid bro I'm going off grid here soon thx again
Thanks for the review. Today is Sept. 18, 2017, and I am near Orlando. Harbor Freight just sent out coupons for this specific kit for $149. The coupon is good until Nov. 25, 2017. So the price is more reasonable now at $1.49 per watt (their calculation).
Thanks for commenting. Everyone should have a solar kit like this or better in FL. Great for emergencies or just powering a shed.
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
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🤓
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.
Definatly good info I'm currently doing some research and i see that these panels are very dependable. Thx for sharing
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!
I have purchased 7 sets of these panels at $105.00 each (I am a member of Harbor Freight so I get a discount), I am most pleased, I am able to charge all my batteries, and run all my lights in my trailer at the same time (I am off grid), you definitely get lots bang for the buck here!
Thomas McKee what about appliances
Another Thomas McKee here.
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.
I'm learning a lot about solar systems batteries and charge controllers. I learned that this Harbor freight system is for lead batteries only. The reason is the charge controller isn't for lithium style batteries. Luckily a charge controller that will work with lithium isn't that expensive.
After a year how is the solar working?
My take on the difference on the battery voltage directly from the battery 2 what the charge controller is displaying could be a resistance within the wire coming from the battery to the charge controller. You might be losing some voltage do to those wires. I would recommend try taking a voltage meter check from the wires themself coming from the battery to the other end of those wires.
Thank you for the advice, & information, I believe I will take it....
Thank you again.😊
Thanks man, I appreciate this:) trying to figure out how to set myself up!
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.
I want a system for camping this summer out on a property. I think this would work well for our needs.
agree would work well for that. just add a battery.
I recommend a single 100 watt panel for about 80 dollars on Amazon. Not 4×25watts. Junk
@@bendoe2279 I've been really trying to learn about solar and was pleased to learn there are 250 watt panels out there too.
Yes 250watt and probably same price as this harbor freight system
Awsome video. Love the way you say tape Mayzure lol
I have one of the old 45w kits which powers my 12v emergency lights around the house. It works well with a $70 deep cycle battery. This kit looks slightly larger, with one extra panel, and the frames look much flimsier. That's probably a 10a controller.
Is there any appliance in a house you can run off this 100 watt solar panel? Thank you for the knowledgeable info.
Light bulbs all I would run off this small setup mabe a small fan.
@@IdiocracyGaming Thank you so much for the information. I need a power source to both heat and cool my dog's house. Do u think this will work?
@@pambisugar8286 just letting you know inkbird temp controler could help you. I have one on fishtank, too cold switches on heater to hot switches on fan its supper easy.
@@pambisugar8286 heating and cooling with electricity is a very taxing venture. even for giant systems. i have no idea about your expectations or options. this panel will produce 450-450 watt hours all day during the summer and as little as 30 watt hours in the cold short on daylight over cast days in winter. my best winter power collection on this kit this winter was about 220 watt hours
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.
Thanks for sharing i always wondered about those!!
Thank you for explaining the solar panels I've been looking for some. Thank you
Hi, I have the same set up. You might want to notice the volltage of the panel is 18v to over 25v in sun the amps i been able to get is 5.5amps best I've got but they charge a 12v battery even on cloudy day they 1or2 amps I'm impressed
thanks for sharing!