Calculate Solar Cost For Your Home - geni.us/solar_reviews DIY Home Solar ( as low as $1.26/Watt) - geni.us/project_solar Solar Tilt Angle Calculator - www.everydaysolar.com/calculators/tilt-angle-calculator/ Supplies Harbor Freight 100W Panel - geni.us/KRHgFPN Rich Solar 100W Panel - geni.us/XAP1gsp SAE To MC4 Cable - geni.us/NPwo EcoFlow Delta 2 - geni.us/u46bT EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus - geni.us/avZYM Power Analyzer - geni.us/s86J Updated Spreadsheet of 100W Results - geni.us/lAvqOx DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.
Price Per Panel with year and month noted. Looking at Rich and Harbor Freight panels, there is a ~$100 difference. Also after dealing with power outages a few times, 3 weeks followed by 2 weeks with back to back weather events, Solar Panels and Batteries come in handy to keep a few lights on.
I think it's important to compare by price as well. The Harbor Freight panel (at $120 currently) comes out to $0.242 cents per watt hour, while the Rich Solar panel (at $80) comes out to $0.185 cents per watt hour. So for 17% more efficiency with the Harbor Freight panel, you're paying 31% more. I can get 3 Rich Solar panels for the same price as 2 Harbor Freight, which means a solar generator setup with the Rich Solar panels would provide me with 1.296kWh compared to 0.99kWh Harbor Freight.
@@barkingspider2007 I feel this all too well! 😂 I've got 800w worth of solar panels sitting in my office closet for my generator build that I started four years ago.
@@everydaysolar math was wrong on dry board. or odd screen amount was wrong. 423 (wh) should be the right amount and would make harbor freight even better.
That was polite. It would show you what you can't rely on. On the other hand, during the summer, if they're mounted on the roof, it should be reducing the heat load and reducing the need for air conditioning
@@ArtStoneUSif you have sufficient insulation (R30-40) and air sealing, attic temperature has a minimal effect. My attic had no insulation when I moved in and the electric is reposit was $600, telling me the bill averaged $300/ month. I put r13 batts in and added another layer of r30 on top. Highest bill is 120 summer and 150 winter, light usage is about $80/month
I had 3 of the 100Watt HF panels mounted flat on a truck camper and used the "hub" that HF sells for their panels. I typically parked overnight in parking lots while traveling. Parking lot lights kept the panels at the same level as they were when we went to sleep. Even with running 7cf residential refrigerator/freezer all night. Also my panels were bought on sale with a 20% off employee discount stacked on top. Biggest thing was I didn't have to resend the panels back several times due to shipping companies treating them like basketballs in shipping.
Another advantage to the harbor freight panel, especially for rv owners is that you can easily replace a broken panel anywhere in the US, but they do seem to be very sturdy.
Not anywhere, still need to be near a decent sized city. Your point still stands though your always within 5 hours or so from a harbor freight so it’s still going to be the most convenient to replace if you can’t wait for shipping.
Good test and video and quite informative. At about the 9:50 mark, you total the watt-hours of the Rich Solar panels to be 432 - but it is actually 423 (232 + 191 = 423). This amounts to about 2% additional advantage to the Habor Freight panel.
@@todd727300 I was going to post the same but I'm glad you beat me to it. I hate coming off as pedantic, even if trying to make a point (as you have by pointing out 2% advantage).
Actually, if you do the math on the square area numbers he gave earlier in the video, the HF panel has ...wait for it... *17% larger area* than the RS one. Hmm, it feels like I've heard that number somewhere else recently... So, yes, the difference in total power output is almost certainly *exactly* due to the difference in surface area (which allows that much more sunlight to hit the panel).
@@foogod4237 I was thinking along the same lines wonder how much energy is being generated per square inch. Such a calculation would determine which one was more efficient.
@@LisaTurner-d1b Well, it's not hard to do the calculations yourself.. HF Panel: Area: 976 sq in Power: 495 Watt-hours / 5.25 hours = 94.3 Watts Watts per sq in: 94.3 / 976 = 0.0966 RS Panel: Area: 829 sq in Power: 423 Watt-hours / 5.25 hours = 80.6 Watts Watts per sq in: 80.6 / 829 = 0.0972 It's worth noting that these numbers are within a little over _half a percent_ of each other (and there's probably some varying amount of non-active area around the borders included in this too), so the actual efficiency of the solar cells themselves is pretty much identical (there's just more of them in the HF panel). This isn't really surprising since pretty much all monocrystalline cells nowadays use exactly the same technology (and these two panels were probably even made in the same factory, and just had different names slapped on them), so you can probably expect about the same W/sq-in numbers no matter who you buy your panel from.
I've never seen a 100watt panel that can beat the HF!! I have 4 and they even over perform your results, getting as much as 420-460 watts out of all 4 in seriies (mine are a yr old)!! You can get them on sale for around $100+- on sale. The kick stands are a big deal too, I have mine sitting in back yard on concrete and can be easily moved a couple times during the day to follow sun!! No looking for buckets and bricks etc to set angle!! These are a must have!! No spec label on back in not a big deal, once you know you know!! Great Video!!
That is easy they are bigger than any other brand so bigger surface generates more power, they are very clever in selling them as 100 watts when the real max power is bigger.
I have done medieval re-enactment for over twenty years... although we try to do everything relatively "primitive", we also do not compromise on modern safety and use actual refrigerators hidden away out of sight or disguised to store critical fresh food items and medications... we also use the deep cycle batteries for recharging cell phones, radios and other devices, and more recently a couple of CPAP devices and ceiling fans... we started off with a single set of panels, charge unit and a deep cycle battery, along with an inverter... that covered us fairly well over the first two week encampment. The next year we bought another set and doubled our capacity. We bought a third set two years later to increase capacity with more people in camp, and another set two years later to accommodate a mobility scooter... we have also added a total of 6 batteries (2 were replacements). We have added hidden electrically powered items and had to replace three individual panels due to packing and early-on storage misadventure... and most recently we had to replace the original set (after fifteen years of use)... These panels now run a full sized refrigerator and freezer, two mini fridges, two CPAPs, two mobility scooters, a myriad of cell phones, cameras, and laptops, as well as four ceiling type fans in our larger tents. They also supply several carefully camouflaged lighting features... I totaled up the expenses to about $1600 over the past 20 years and they also serve their time at my home for much of the year to almost completely run all but the most power hungry tools in my shop and an outdoor patio with a gazebo. These were ALL Harbor Freight solar panels and always purchased on sale. They are still going strong and the addition of newer low price and efficient technology has only improved the performance. I have talked with many others ( there are over 12,000 people at these events and many use similar systems) and most have marveled at how much we operate on our setup and how little it cost... All of the factors mentioned are important when designing a system, I am an electrical engineer, and one should always consider the uses and the situation/environment of operation... but Harbor Freight has been a solid balance of price, power, warranty, ease of use, and durability. YMMV but that is my quick and dirty review and "endorsement" as it were... LOL
This was an excellent comparison. I have one Harbor Freight Thunderbolt panel and 4 other 100watt panels. I think two are from NewPowa and are 9BB; two are from Bouge RV and are 9BB. We were without power for about 5 days recently after Hurricane Helene. I had the 4 100 watt panels in series charging one 100AH LIFEPO4 battery and the HF panel charging a second identical battery. While the 4 panels in series obviously brought in more power, none of them individually brought in as much as the one HF panel. The HF panel had a slightly higher amperage. I was very surprised at this. Angles were as close to the same as I could get them.
Did you have MPPT solar charge controller between the 4 in-series panels and the batteries? If not, you are throwing away most of the energy. The MPPT controller constantly adjusts the load current on the panels to extract the most power and downconverts the voltage to match the need of the battery. Victron makes a wide range of MPPT solar charge controllers that are very high quality. There or plenty of others on the market that are much cheaper.
Great comparison. I only buy Harbor freight panels when they go on sale. You can usually find a coupon for 85 to 99 dollars per panel on them. Makes them much better for the price and they have legs attached. I would not pay full price. I do not like the SAE wire connector but that is okay. Compared to any of the other 100 watt panels I have, the HF ones do perform a little better. I have HQST and a couple of portable panels that just do not want to do more than 80 watts, usually around 75. The Harbor Freight seem to be steadily in the 80s to 90s for me, but that may just be angle, time of day and location. I definitely would like to see more comparisons against the HF panels.
Yes. Plus, (according to my difference calculator) the “difference” between 423 and 495 = 15.686%; 423 to 495 = 17.021% increase; 495 to 423 = 14.545% decrease; 423 = 85.455% of 495; 495 = 117.021% of 423. 😊
That was a fantastic test. I would like to have seen the price comparison (at time of filming) and a $/Wh column to get a better feel for the price difference. edit: from my own research the Rich Solar panels are about 30% cheaper ($80 vs. $120. So 17% less power for 30% less money might make a difference in the calculation of value. if you want to price max the setup at $240 the Rich Solar is going to net 1269W, while the Harbor freight is going to come in at only 990W. That puts Rich Solar at a 20% advantage above this cost break point.
An interesting approach to the compare and contrast game. The 17% improvement in energy harvesting maps pretty closely to the additional area of the Home Solar panel (976 sq in) compared to the Rich solar panel (829 sq in). Which seems to suggest that, for a given panel rating, panel area is a key design factor. Or am I missing something?
A critique: Solar review will not work without collecting my email and phone number. Stop shilling for these people as they spammed the heck out of me. Took a long time and a lot of money given to Aura for them to stop spamming me. This includes some really shady characters who wanted me to lease equipment and just disappeared when I started asking questions.
Very cool video. How about doing a comparison of "recycled" panels vs new? There are companies out there reselling panels that are pulled from solar farm and the thinking is that one still gets a very good system at a fraction of the price. I'd love to see if that is true!
I’ve been seeing differences like this in my tests and experiences too. I was surprised. Please keep this up. Very valuable. I’m interested in your tests including Renogy.
@ 10:12 , (495-432)/432 = 14.58% , which means the HF is 14.58% more than Rich Solar, using Rich Solar as the base. However, using (495-423)/423 = 17.02%.
HF are easy to get, stores are everywhere and sales every month. The legs on the HF are a big plus me. I have used Goal Zero, BougeRV, Jackery 100w portable panels, and the HF ( I have both the HF briefcase and the flat panel) are simple, cheapest and as my other panels fail I replace with HF.
So the Harbor Freight has 17% more area, and captures 17% more energy. I think this is less about which panel is best and more about which panel is accurately advertised. Seems like Rich Solar panel should really be advertising their panel as an 85W panel.
As famous as HF is with exaggerated claims, they are not lying on this one. Come on HF give us at least a twice as much power sticker( which always leaves you wondering as what).
@tsl7881 of course HFT had to give it non-standard plugs. Nothing they sell seems to work properly without modification by the end user. But it probably saved them a tenth of a penny per unit.
For the RV crowd, it would be interesting to see the GoPower panels tested. Since Dometic bought them, a lot of new RVs are coming with at least 1 panel factory installed, and it would be great to know how they stack up and if it is worth sticking with them when expanding capacity.
Thanks for this video. I have a HF 100 panel and was considering a second one. I can get them for $100 or less now. You have convinced me to pick up another one. 😉
@ 10:30, Rich Solar area = 829; HF area = 976, hence, 829/976=.849, or Rich Solar panel area is 84.9% of HF or HF is 15.1% larger than Rich Solar. For Rich Solar, the energy per square inch is 423/829 = 0.510. For the HF is 495/976= 0.507. Conclusion: the Solar Rich is more efficient than HF. The 17% extra energy from the HF is due to its larger Solar panel surface area. If both Solar panels sell at the same price, then buy the HF.
Here is some additional information on these panels with the addition of Renogy and ECO-WORTHY Spreadsheet Results - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cXY9StZ4SaLIzjlhyiC26kxJZy3hJ5jE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110269586406228906661&rtpof=true&sd=true
This guy is stupid. I told myself never to watch him again a long time ago. I failed. He goes into a lot of setup and analysis and still makes an error which changes the results and he never realizes it.
@everydaysolar Scott: How did the % energy output compare with the percentage area of the panels? ...since you spoke of the larger HF area at the beginning. Buy my calcs off your measurements, the HF is 17.7% larger than the other.
I'd suggest to please include type, for example these are both monocrystalline. That of course matters and I had to go look them up to find out. Their price would have suggested they were mono, but no price mentioned either. Both are significant in both purchase decisions and comparisons. Cheers.
Thanks for the head to head comparison. My thought is the way those panels are labeled, Rich Solar is standard and HF is under labeled. Based on number of cells, HF is more likely a 120w panel. Standard practice for manufacturers labeling is output at standard elimination (1000w/sq meter). Also the lack of a standard label on the HF panel add to my suspicions. But I don’t want to sound like I am badmouthing HF panels. Just point out my observation and experiences with solar panels. If the size and price aren’t a constraint, go for it.
2:00 For the angle just wait for noon. Then adjust the panel by looking at the shadow. Raise and lower until the shadow is at a maximum point. If you have them easily accessible as he does you can adjust this periodically because the angle changes with the season. You don't need any fancy instruments... just a watch.
My only complaint about HF panels is the cable that comes with them. If I was using them for more than temporary use, I’d replace the cables with #12 solar wire and MC4 connectors.
Rich totaled 423Wh not 432Wh. How did you come up with the correct % (17% increase w/HF) when using incorrect figures? I love the work you did because it really helps me decide how to put together a system.
I have the harbor freight and generally satisfied but noted power reduces when panel is very hot. Example: full sun in July about 30 watts vs full sun in October 95 watts.
I don't know if you have looked to see if there is any difference when testing based on the orientation of the panels. Noticed you had the Harbor Freight in a "landscape" orientation (I assume because of the legs) and the Rich Solar in a "portrait" orientation. I would assume the companies would make the glass (or plastic) covering as transparent as possible but there could be some unavoidable polarization happening in the construction process.
You convinced me to get into solar (and subscribe to your channel). I know next to nothing about home solar but this side-by-side comparison seems very valuable. Probably like most novices, I'm interested in running my refrigerator and possibly a couple of small space heaters with a solar system. Can anyone tell me how many of these panels I'd need for that?
I don't know if anybody has mentioned this, but the 2 panels are about equal in efficiency. The Harbor Freight panel created 17% more power but it's also 15-18% bigger than the Rich Solar panel. Depending on which area is divided by each other gives different percentages. I show the Rich Solar panel is 15% smaller or HF panel is 1.177 of the smaller panel, or 17.7% bigger. It basically wins because it's bigger.
But the issue is that Rich Solar panel is rated at the same power output. So Rich Solar is saying that their smaller panel will output the same power as the larger HF panel and this video anecdotally shows this is not the case.
@leokolev Maybe in some ideal condition, the Rich solar panel can achieve 100W, so they market and sell it as 100W. In reality, a larger panel will produce more power and is more properly rated as 100W. In some cases, like the person using it on top of an RV, the smaller size will work better. In a situation where the size isn't an issue, the bigger one will produce more power. They save money in production by making it smaller and charge less. Just decide whether the initial price or actual production is more important.
HQST and Newpowa look to be a couple other popular brands to check out, with poly/mono/high-efficiency variants. I've seen a few people take panels shaped like the Rich Solar and give them hinges and feet to fully fold up for travel. Would be good for portable power!
The wires on the harbor freight panel look really thin for a 100w panel. On the rich solar, I'd probably solder it myself as those crimps with the fold in style aren't great for long-term durability. Crimp then solder makes for a great connection unless there is a lot of flex/vibration.
Great video! I have been wondering if it is worth picking up panels from HF for our off-grid system. We are in a 40ft RV and trying to set up a system that will keep the RV battery bank up.
This is an awesome test!!! Exactly what I was looking for. I have four 100W Ecoflow panels right now that I plan to put on a shed. But I need 8 more panels, and plan to wire them in 2-panels-in parallel, and then series the set to maximize the watts from 12 panels total into a Ecoflow Delta Pro Ultra. Not sure what 8 to buy yet, I was thinking Eco-Worthy simply because of cost. But I'd Love to see Harbor Freight vs Renogy vs EcoFlow vs Eco-Worthy, etc.
RV electrician here. We’ve installed dozens of the Rich Solar panels over the years (not sponsored at all, just like the product). I wonder if you maybe got a dud panel. We have had excellent performance across the board with Rich Solar panels and have never really had a reduced output issue
Cool video to where I now understand. I do have a question though... please look up this 2022 travel trailer named "Coleman 17B". Now that being said, I plan on getting that trailer for my RV life. it has a prefix solar charge and the question is... how many panels do I need for that trailer? the trailer has a 12V fridge, microwave, and a window AC unit built in. Plus my TV and a laptop. So I plan on boondocking here and there and of course RV parks.
One thing that might also be worth testing is later in afternoon, low light charging. Obviously due to size the harborfreight should win as well, but its still worth checking
But you could buy 3 of the Rich Solar panels for the cost of 2 Harbor Freight panels. So the wattage per dollar is better despite the per panel output being lower.
My pleasure! Here is a roll up of some additional 100W panel comparisons with the addition of requested metrics from the audience Spreadsheet Results - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cXY9StZ4SaLIzjlhyiC26kxJZy3hJ5jE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110269586406228906661&rtpof=true&sd=true
I have 4 Renogy 100 watt flexible panels and 4 HF 100-watt panels (rewired to MC4). The HF consistently outperforms the Renogy on a given day. I recently put the Renogy PVs in 2S2P to up their wattage into a 40amp MPPT (Epever) for a "power cart" with 4 Renogy 6v 260Ah AGM batteries in 2P2S, 6240AH power storage. I'm in the panhandle of Florida. The power cart actually runs my entertainment center, wifi, and my refrigerator as a UPS, and has for the last year. This setup has reduced my grid bill significantly.
Hi I live on Panama City, Florida in the Panhandle. I have a couple of EcoFlows. How did you adapt that connection on the Harbour Freight panel to mc4? I'm not tech savvy so I need some detailed info. Maybe with pictures LHOL
@mkuhlman77 You have a valid point with 1 x 400 watt vs 4 x 100 watt. My decision was based on availability and being portable. The Renogy flexible panels are very light. I can string them up with wire through the eyelets. The HB are ground level on their own stands, AND I store them in their original boxes when not used. I lived in Panama City just off of 23rd St.
@@aussie2uGA I moved from Panama City to Tallahassee in between hurricanes. We HAD desired to live in Mexico Beach until Michael washed that house into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, Milton area near Pensacola.
Thanks for the information, look forward to seeing more comparisons. I would also like to see a long term test comparing durability of each brand. Thanks again.
I would have liked to see watt hours per square foot. HF puts out more, but is also bigger. If I have 5sq.ft. to cover which will give the most output?
Would panel temperature make a difference in the panel capability? The HF panel has more surface area allowing it to shed heat better in a warm environment.
The rich solar panel seems to have done relatively better in the afternoon. I wonder if this is a measurement issue, or that different panels behave differently in different conditions. Might be worth doing an hour by hour plot, and comparing performance on cloudy days etc.
I don't know if all the ecoflow solar generators are the same but the delta plus can go up to 60v with 2 inputs so you could have more of the harbor frieght panels. Maybe better to have bigger panels
You know how there are variations in panel production? Have you done a test between 2 Harbor Freight panels? I'm curious as to how close that one would be.
Great video and very informative! I assume I could use these results if I was just planning to say buy 1 panel to charge a battery like you used for backups during power outages? I'm not looking to power my house just yet, just something to keep a few things going so I don't have to run my gas generator. Thanks!
Great video! What percentage of the battery got charged up during your test? I’m interested in doing this maybe with 2 panels for my home office set up. It would power two laptops, two phone chargers, an LED light, and a printer. My first calculation would have to be how much battery storage do I need to do that
I am curious if you normalize the overall output for each panel to the size of each panel. I get 0.507 Wh/in^2 for the HB and 0.5139 Wh/in^2 for the Rich. This is a marginal different in output and if the cost of the Rich panel is much less, then that panel is your better buy, imo...
Have you ever tested solar panels to see how much they can absorb and pass direct to ground, where rebar has been driven into ground teh same thickness and same depth, and maybe even wet the ground there also before testing. Wondering if they can gather and pass more energy direct to ground instead of using batteries. Every battery isn't always at same depth of discharge before using in a test like this, and that might skew the results somewhat,.....perhaps.
Given that these are both set up in front of a big white garage, would you expect some reflection from that surface to contribute, and therefore the landscape orientation of the HF panel to be getting more exposure than the Rich panel?
It would be interesting to see shading effects. Tape off a section or drop a large leaf on it several times and compare. Some panels do better with shade than others, but the placement of the shade is important too.
I have watched your videos for a while and wondered about the accuracy of those power meters. I have several and none agree when compared against others and especially something more accurate like a Victron Smart Shunt. The cheap ones are wildly off in terms of accuracy. For this test, I would like to see you at least swap meters to see if there is any difference and/or compare against something more accurate.
Very informative~! I'm a solar newb, but would be interested in seeing how solar could be implemented for my workshop/woodshop. I'll be perusing the rest of your content for ideas. Thanks for sharing~!
The difference is mainly in the size of the panel. I'd like to see a watts per square inch figure... Also, I suspect Renogy is going to perform similar to Rich Solar because they're the same size. I'm currently running Renogy panels on my off-road camping rig. They don't quite produce their rated wattage, but they've been reliable considering they experience a lot of vibration...
Interesting, the Rich Solar looks like a more modern panel with more bus bars. I'd expect it to perform better but I guess not. Maybe it's heat dissipation? Does orientation matter?
Very informative video. I'm looking at setting up a panel on the bed of my truck to maintain a secondary 12v power system (charge tools, provide power for lighting, etc) and it seems that dollar to dollar (as of writing) Harbor Freight is the better option. For a single panel plus a controller, each source runs about $160. As the HF gives you 17% more, that would definitely sway me in their direction (as far as versus Rich). Looking forward to more comparisons. I know pricing can vary, I checked using the links you included.
humm wonder if all the panels are the same from the same supplier, could you have got a higher performing one from Harbour freight. dont know if this applies but could be panel you got be a 'sweet' spot one, in computer chips not all chips off the same wafer can be clock at the same speed. as the solar silicon is manufactured the same way could they vary in output batch to batch ? be interesting to see if 2 panels but different batch lots from same supplier work the same ??
Very good info. I noted that the Harbor Freight panel was approximately 17% bigger (square inches) and similar increase in weight (lbs). in the end, you mentioned 17% more power generated by Harbor Freight, but in power per sq inches it sounds like it would be very close. The biggest question to compare that I missed was: What was the price comparison between the two panels? If the Harbor Freight costs 17% more, then it sounds like a wash. If the same price, then the Harbor Freight might be a better buy. Thanks for the great practical info, and given in layman's terms so a simple guy like me could understand it easily!!!
Well the Harbour Freight panel is exposed to more Watts per square metre so assuming they are equally efficient this is the expected result. The size difference is roughly... 17%. So if space is an issue you could choose either panel provided they roughly equate to the same area.
Is there a stated efficiency rating for each panel? Also, are there other design differences between the panels such as monocrystalline vs polycrystalline?
An important factor to include (and compare) would be the Wh/area of the panels, which can be important if the panels are being used for a permanent installation. A minor dyslexic errors on the white board: 232+191=423, not 432.
The part he didn't talk about was price. 3 of these Rich Solar panels cost the same as 2 of the Harbor Freight ones and end up putting out 20% more power.
Calculate Solar Cost For Your Home - geni.us/solar_reviews
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Solar Tilt Angle Calculator - www.everydaysolar.com/calculators/tilt-angle-calculator/
Supplies
Harbor Freight 100W Panel - geni.us/KRHgFPN
Rich Solar 100W Panel - geni.us/XAP1gsp
SAE To MC4 Cable - geni.us/NPwo
EcoFlow Delta 2 - geni.us/u46bT
EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus - geni.us/avZYM
Power Analyzer - geni.us/s86J
Updated Spreadsheet of 100W Results - geni.us/lAvqOx
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I have a couple of H.F. 100-watt solar panels and I use them daily without any issues.
I would think that o calculate the total life cycle cost you need to consider longevity. I don't know how you would hat that data though.
Price Per Panel with year and month noted. Looking at Rich and Harbor Freight panels, there is a ~$100 difference. Also after dealing with power outages a few times, 3 weeks followed by 2 weeks with back to back weather events, Solar Panels and Batteries come in handy to keep a few lights on.
how much energy per square inch did these panels produce.
@@LisaTurner-d1b i don't think solar panels are rated per square inch.
I think it's important to compare by price as well. The Harbor Freight panel (at $120 currently) comes out to $0.242 cents per watt hour, while the Rich Solar panel (at $80) comes out to $0.185 cents per watt hour. So for 17% more efficiency with the Harbor Freight panel, you're paying 31% more. I can get 3 Rich Solar panels for the same price as 2 Harbor Freight, which means a solar generator setup with the Rich Solar panels would provide me with 1.296kWh compared to 0.99kWh Harbor Freight.
Harbor Freight has sales and 30% off coupons all the time. I picked up 3 panels at discounted prices. Sadly they are still in the box 😅
they go on sale all the time for $90
@@eldorripuI appreciate this! I had no idea! Definitely gonna try to score a few next time.
@@barkingspider2007 I feel this all too well! 😂 I've got 800w worth of solar panels sitting in my office closet for my generator build that I started four years ago.
Also size. If you use your savings to add more panels that might be a factor to consider.
Yes, please. By all means keep testing these in this head-to-head fashion. Thanks.
Thanks for the feedback! I already have Renogy and ECO-WORTHY on order 👍
You could team up with Project Farm and REALLY bring it home!
@@ItchyKneeSon I'd have loved to... about 30-35 yrs ago...
@@everydaysolar math was wrong on dry board. or odd screen amount was wrong. 423 (wh) should be the right amount and would make harbor freight even better.
Repeating the test in cloudy weather or midwinter would really help show us what we can really rely on.
That was polite. It would show you what you can't rely on. On the other hand, during the summer, if they're mounted on the roof, it should be reducing the heat load and reducing the need for air conditioning
@@ArtStoneUS Both are junk.
@@gmonynegro595 Not if you need their services,
@@ArtStoneUSif you have sufficient insulation (R30-40) and air sealing, attic temperature has a minimal effect.
My attic had no insulation when I moved in and the electric is reposit was $600, telling me the bill averaged $300/ month.
I put r13 batts in and added another layer of r30 on top.
Highest bill is 120 summer and 150 winter, light usage is about $80/month
I had 3 of the 100Watt HF panels mounted flat on a truck camper and used the "hub" that HF sells for their panels. I typically parked overnight in parking lots while traveling. Parking lot lights kept the panels at the same level as they were when we went to sleep. Even with running 7cf residential refrigerator/freezer all night. Also my panels were bought on sale with a 20% off employee discount stacked on top. Biggest thing was I didn't have to resend the panels back several times due to shipping companies treating them like basketballs in shipping.
Another advantage to the harbor freight panel, especially for rv owners is that you can easily replace a broken panel anywhere in the US, but they do seem to be very sturdy.
Not anywhere, still need to be near a decent sized city. Your point still stands though your always within 5 hours or so from a harbor freight so it’s still going to be the most convenient to replace if you can’t wait for shipping.
Good test and video and quite informative. At about the 9:50 mark, you total the watt-hours of the Rich Solar panels to be 432 - but it is actually 423 (232 + 191 = 423). This amounts to about 2% additional advantage to the Habor Freight panel.
You are correct that he wrote the wrong number, but he actually made the correct calculation and the 17% number is correct. (495-423)/423
@@todd727300 I was going to post the same but I'm glad you beat me to it. I hate coming off as pedantic, even if trying to make a point (as you have by pointing out 2% advantage).
Agreed... Obviously, he flunked math...
Dyslexia is a thing wonderful... Lol! Good video though! I've been looking at solar panels for my RV, may have just made my mind up!
@@todd727300 his addition was wrong
I'm guessing the size difference is what really comes into play here. You should have included a cost comparison as well.
Actually, if you do the math on the square area numbers he gave earlier in the video, the HF panel has ...wait for it... *17% larger area* than the RS one. Hmm, it feels like I've heard that number somewhere else recently...
So, yes, the difference in total power output is almost certainly *exactly* due to the difference in surface area (which allows that much more sunlight to hit the panel).
@@foogod4237 I was thinking along the same lines wonder how much energy is being generated per square inch. Such a calculation would determine which one was more efficient.
@@LisaTurner-d1b Well, it's not hard to do the calculations yourself..
HF Panel:
Area: 976 sq in
Power: 495 Watt-hours / 5.25 hours = 94.3 Watts
Watts per sq in: 94.3 / 976 = 0.0966
RS Panel:
Area: 829 sq in
Power: 423 Watt-hours / 5.25 hours = 80.6 Watts
Watts per sq in: 80.6 / 829 = 0.0972
It's worth noting that these numbers are within a little over _half a percent_ of each other (and there's probably some varying amount of non-active area around the borders included in this too), so the actual efficiency of the solar cells themselves is pretty much identical (there's just more of them in the HF panel).
This isn't really surprising since pretty much all monocrystalline cells nowadays use exactly the same technology (and these two panels were probably even made in the same factory, and just had different names slapped on them), so you can probably expect about the same W/sq-in numbers no matter who you buy your panel from.
With that factored in I'd go with Rich because it has more info, and might have a better warranty. Should add that to the list as well.
I saw this comment and lost interest in the rest of the video.
Useless information without a $/watt value.
I've never seen a 100watt panel that can beat the HF!! I have 4 and they even over perform your results, getting as much as 420-460 watts out of all 4 in seriies (mine are a yr old)!! You can get them on sale for around $100+- on sale. The kick stands are a big deal too, I have mine sitting in back yard on concrete and can be easily moved a couple times during the day to follow sun!! No looking for buckets and bricks etc to set angle!! These are a must have!! No spec label on back in not a big deal, once you know you know!! Great Video!!
That is easy they are bigger than any other brand so bigger surface generates more power, they are very clever in selling them as 100 watts when the real max power is bigger.
$3 in PVC and poof now you have leg stands
I have done medieval re-enactment for over twenty years... although we try to do everything relatively "primitive", we also do not compromise on modern safety and use actual refrigerators hidden away out of sight or disguised to store critical fresh food items and medications... we also use the deep cycle batteries for recharging cell phones, radios and other devices, and more recently a couple of CPAP devices and ceiling fans... we started off with a single set of panels, charge unit and a deep cycle battery, along with an inverter... that covered us fairly well over the first two week encampment. The next year we bought another set and doubled our capacity. We bought a third set two years later to increase capacity with more people in camp, and another set two years later to accommodate a mobility scooter... we have also added a total of 6 batteries (2 were replacements). We have added hidden electrically powered items and had to replace three individual panels due to packing and early-on storage misadventure... and most recently we had to replace the original set (after fifteen years of use)... These panels now run a full sized refrigerator and freezer, two mini fridges, two CPAPs, two mobility scooters, a myriad of cell phones, cameras, and laptops, as well as four ceiling type fans in our larger tents. They also supply several carefully camouflaged lighting features... I totaled up the expenses to about $1600 over the past 20 years and they also serve their time at my home for much of the year to almost completely run all but the most power hungry tools in my shop and an outdoor patio with a gazebo. These were ALL Harbor Freight solar panels and always purchased on sale. They are still going strong and the addition of newer low price and efficient technology has only improved the performance. I have talked with many others ( there are over 12,000 people at these events and many use similar systems) and most have marveled at how much we operate on our setup and how little it cost... All of the factors mentioned are important when designing a system, I am an electrical engineer, and one should always consider the uses and the situation/environment of operation... but Harbor Freight has been a solid balance of price, power, warranty, ease of use, and durability. YMMV but that is my quick and dirty review and "endorsement" as it were... LOL
This was an excellent comparison. I have one Harbor Freight Thunderbolt panel and 4 other 100watt panels. I think two are from NewPowa and are 9BB; two are from Bouge RV and are 9BB. We were without power for about 5 days recently after Hurricane Helene. I had the 4 100 watt panels in series charging one 100AH LIFEPO4 battery and the HF panel charging a second identical battery. While the 4 panels in series obviously brought in more power, none of them individually brought in as much as the one HF panel. The HF panel had a slightly higher amperage. I was very surprised at this. Angles were as close to the same as I could get them.
Did you have MPPT solar charge controller between the 4 in-series panels and the batteries? If not, you are throwing away most of the energy. The MPPT controller constantly adjusts the load current on the panels to extract the most power and downconverts the voltage to match the need of the battery. Victron makes a wide range of MPPT solar charge controllers that are very high quality. There or plenty of others on the market that are much cheaper.
@@gregben Yes, I had a Victron for the 4 in series and another brand MPPT for the HF one.
Any time you connect panels in series they have to be identical panels to get the most power out. An MPPT charge controller is also needed.
Great comparison. I only buy Harbor freight panels when they go on sale. You can usually find a coupon for 85 to 99 dollars per panel on them. Makes them much better for the price and they have legs attached. I would not pay full price. I do not like the SAE wire connector but that is okay. Compared to any of the other 100 watt panels I have, the HF ones do perform a little better. I have HQST and a couple of portable panels that just do not want to do more than 80 watts, usually around 75. The Harbor Freight seem to be steadily in the 80s to 90s for me, but that may just be angle, time of day and location. I definitely would like to see more comparisons against the HF panels.
423, not 432… I need a calculator too
Good catch, thanks for the feedback.
I was gonna say
So even better % for the Harbour Freight panel!
Yes. Plus, (according to my difference calculator) the “difference” between 423 and 495 = 15.686%; 423 to 495 = 17.021% increase; 495 to 423 = 14.545% decrease; 423 = 85.455% of 495; 495 = 117.021% of 423. 😊
Dif is 17% - 495-423 = 72 / 423 = 17%
That was a fantastic test. I would like to have seen the price comparison (at time of filming) and a $/Wh column to get a better feel for the price difference.
edit: from my own research the Rich Solar panels are about 30% cheaper ($80 vs. $120. So 17% less power for 30% less money might make a difference in the calculation of value. if you want to price max the setup at $240 the Rich Solar is going to net 1269W, while the Harbor freight is going to come in at only 990W. That puts Rich Solar at a 20% advantage above this cost break point.
That would be a great addition, thanks for the feedback.
then there's the matter of how quickly each panel loses capacity over time.
Also important to consider that the Harbor Freight solar panels are on sale for $85 to $90 frequently.
@@agrivere5494That my thought as well. I only buy them on sale. Decent panels.
@@agrivere5494 I was just going off the stated price on the website and Amazon.
An interesting approach to the compare and contrast game. The 17% improvement in energy harvesting maps pretty closely to the additional area of the Home Solar panel (976 sq in) compared to the Rich solar panel (829 sq in). Which seems to suggest that, for a given panel rating, panel area is a key design factor. Or am I missing something?
A critique: Solar review will not work without collecting my email and phone number. Stop shilling for these people as they spammed the heck out of me. Took a long time and a lot of money given to Aura for them to stop spamming me. This includes some really shady characters who wanted me to lease equipment and just disappeared when I started asking questions.
😂
Same experience, don't ask questions or they disappear on you.
Dittos…. The only info they really wanted to discuss?
My credit score, financial data and current utility bill amounts.
And they always have this great deal but I have to sign right now! How many panels? How much a month? Disappear
Most emails have a “block” option.
~10:06 Basic addition 232 + 191 = 423. Not 432.
Very cool video. How about doing a comparison of "recycled" panels vs new? There are companies out there reselling panels that are pulled from solar farm and the thinking is that one still gets a very good system at a fraction of the price. I'd love to see if that is true!
I’ve been seeing differences like this in my tests and experiences too. I was surprised. Please keep this up. Very valuable. I’m interested in your tests including Renogy.
Also test the BougeRV 100W Bifacial panel. I put some on my RV and have seen over 100W given the white roof behind them.
@ 10:12 , (495-432)/432 = 14.58% , which means the HF is 14.58% more than Rich Solar, using Rich Solar as the base. However, using (495-423)/423 = 17.02%.
Correct, 423 was used for the % calc. Wrote the Rich Solar summation incorrectly. Thanks for the feedback!
Would love to see how the renogy 100w compare to these as well
Already on order 👍 should be out in a couple weeks. Thanks for the feedback.
Thanks and keep with the brand comparisons. Very useful information.
I have three Harbor Freight panels and they work great. The first one I bought was putting out 103 watts into an Anker 555.
HF are easy to get, stores are everywhere and sales every month. The legs on the HF are a big plus me. I have used Goal Zero, BougeRV, Jackery 100w portable panels, and the HF ( I have both the HF briefcase and the flat panel) are simple, cheapest and as my other panels fail I replace with HF.
Recently picked up 400 watt Canadian Solar panels for $95 new. 8 in series and easily getting 3000 watts to my controller.
Yeah. Solar panel pricing is plummeting. Where did you get yours?
Share the purchasing info!!!
Yea but most need to have them shipped...and leave that info out
So the Harbor Freight has 17% more area, and captures 17% more energy. I think this is less about which panel is best and more about which panel is accurately advertised. Seems like Rich Solar panel should really be advertising their panel as an 85W panel.
As famous as HF is with exaggerated claims, they are not lying on this one. Come on HF give us at least a twice as much power sticker( which always leaves you wondering as what).
Not understanding the science behind what makes each panel different doesn’t help your opinion
@tsl7881 of course HFT had to give it non-standard plugs. Nothing they sell seems to work properly without modification by the end user. But it probably saved them a tenth of a penny per unit.
For the RV crowd, it would be interesting to see the GoPower panels tested. Since Dometic bought them, a lot of new RVs are coming with at least 1 panel factory installed, and it would be great to know how they stack up and if it is worth sticking with them when expanding capacity.
Will be following this process. You got my subscription on this comparison process alone!
More to come and thanks for the support 👍
Thanks for this video. I have a HF 100 panel and was considering a second one. I can get them for $100 or less now. You have convinced me to pick up another one. 😉
Normal price is $120 in my area but when the sales come through they still dip down to $90. I picked up 2 more during the last sale.
@ 10:30, Rich Solar area = 829; HF area = 976, hence, 829/976=.849, or Rich Solar panel area is 84.9% of HF or HF is 15.1% larger than Rich Solar. For Rich Solar, the energy per square inch is 423/829 = 0.510. For the HF is 495/976= 0.507. Conclusion: the Solar Rich is more efficient than HF. The 17% extra energy from the HF is due to its larger Solar panel surface area. If both Solar panels sell at the same price, then buy the HF.
Here is some additional information on these panels with the addition of Renogy and ECO-WORTHY Spreadsheet Results - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cXY9StZ4SaLIzjlhyiC26kxJZy3hJ5jE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110269586406228906661&rtpof=true&sd=true
Yes, this is correct. I've seen many tests like this done and it nearly always come down to panel size.
This guy is stupid. I told myself never to watch him again a long time ago. I failed.
He goes into a lot of setup and analysis and still makes an error which changes the results and he never realizes it.
@everydaysolar Scott: How did the % energy output compare with the percentage area of the panels? ...since you spoke of the larger HF area at the beginning. Buy my calcs off your measurements, the HF is 17.7% larger than the other.
Crimp connections are better than soldering speacilly for outdoor applications.
This is a great comparison and is definitely helpful for anyone wanting to start a small solar system.
Very informative! I would have liked to see the cost of each panel and compare the dollar/watt in your chart.
What's the percentage in area difference. Considering space is the limiting factor in most solar arrays power vs size should be considered.
It would nice to see price per WH comparison as well. Sometimes a higher output is not the best deal.
Nice! Please continue performing the one on one solar panel tests.
Will do, we have some BIG plans going forward 👍
Great video, but wouldn't a Watt per Dollar comparison also be worth investigating?
U think that would be a great addition. Thx!
I'd suggest to please include type, for example these are both monocrystalline. That of course matters and I had to go look them up to find out. Their price would have suggested they were mono, but no price mentioned either. Both are significant in both purchase decisions and comparisons. Cheers.
Thanks for the head to head comparison. My thought is the way those panels are labeled, Rich Solar is standard and HF is under labeled. Based on number of cells, HF is more likely a 120w panel. Standard practice for manufacturers labeling is output at standard elimination (1000w/sq meter). Also the lack of a standard label on the HF panel add to my suspicions. But I don’t want to sound like I am badmouthing HF panels. Just point out my observation and experiences with solar panels. If the size and price aren’t a constraint, go for it.
2:00 For the angle just wait for noon. Then adjust the panel by looking at the shadow. Raise and lower until the shadow is at a maximum point. If you have them easily accessible as he does you can adjust this periodically because the angle changes with the season. You don't need any fancy instruments... just a watch.
My only complaint about HF panels is the cable that comes with them. If I was using them for more than temporary use, I’d replace the cables with #12 solar wire and MC4 connectors.
Rich totaled 423Wh not 432Wh. How did you come up with the correct % (17% increase w/HF) when using incorrect figures? I love the work you did because it really helps me decide how to put together a system.
I have the harbor freight and generally satisfied but noted power reduces when panel is very hot. Example: full sun in July about 30 watts vs full sun in October 95 watts.
That’s for every solar panel ever made. Heat causes more internal resistance which lowers output
It be called Resistance. Try running a fan when summer comes back around and see if that helps any or you could construct a heat sink.
Air flow across the back is very important. Flush mounting them on a solid surface is very bad.
Thank you for taking the time to do this video. This information is very helpful!
Great video. Can you do a video on how to resurface and repair your concrete in front of your Garage. I have a similar issue that I need to fix.
You should also test output with partial shading. Some panels perform better than others when a portion of the cells are shaded.
Excellent idea!
I don't know if you have looked to see if there is any difference when testing based on the orientation of the panels. Noticed you had the Harbor Freight in a "landscape" orientation (I assume because of the legs) and the Rich Solar in a "portrait" orientation. I would assume the companies would make the glass (or plastic) covering as transparent as possible but there could be some unavoidable polarization happening in the construction process.
You convinced me to get into solar (and subscribe to your channel). I know next to nothing about home solar but this side-by-side comparison seems very valuable.
Probably like most novices, I'm interested in running my refrigerator and possibly a couple of small space heaters with a solar system. Can anyone tell me how many of these panels I'd need for that?
Check this video and it will walk through that exact use case ruclips.net/video/IYjNv63CMS0/видео.html
Interested in also knowing output comparison vis size
I don't know if anybody has mentioned this, but the 2 panels are about equal in efficiency.
The Harbor Freight panel created 17% more power but it's also 15-18% bigger than the Rich Solar panel. Depending on which area is divided by each other gives different percentages. I show the Rich Solar panel is 15% smaller or HF panel is 1.177 of the smaller panel, or 17.7% bigger. It basically wins because it's bigger.
But the issue is that Rich Solar panel is rated at the same power output. So Rich Solar is saying that their smaller panel will output the same power as the larger HF panel and this video anecdotally shows this is not the case.
80 bux for Rich Solar. 120 for HFT. 50% more money for 17 % more power
They both 100w panels... Size didn't matter in this test!
@@MrSlim1225Absolutely 👍
@leokolev Maybe in some ideal condition, the Rich solar panel can achieve 100W, so they market and sell it as 100W. In reality, a larger panel will produce more power and is more properly rated as 100W.
In some cases, like the person using it on top of an RV, the smaller size will work better. In a situation where the size isn't an issue, the bigger one will produce more power.
They save money in production by making it smaller and charge less. Just decide whether the initial price or actual production is more important.
HQST and Newpowa look to be a couple other popular brands to check out, with poly/mono/high-efficiency variants.
I've seen a few people take panels shaped like the Rich Solar and give them hinges and feet to fully fold up for travel. Would be good for portable power!
The wires on the harbor freight panel look really thin for a 100w panel. On the rich solar, I'd probably solder it myself as those crimps with the fold in style aren't great for long-term durability. Crimp then solder makes for a great connection unless there is a lot of flex/vibration.
Great video! I have been wondering if it is worth picking up panels from HF for our off-grid system. We are in a 40ft RV and trying to set up a system that will keep the RV battery bank up.
This is an awesome test!!! Exactly what I was looking for. I have four 100W Ecoflow panels right now that I plan to put on a shed. But I need 8 more panels, and plan to wire them in 2-panels-in parallel, and then series the set to maximize the watts from 12 panels total into a Ecoflow Delta Pro Ultra. Not sure what 8 to buy yet, I was thinking Eco-Worthy simply because of cost. But I'd Love to see Harbor Freight vs Renogy vs EcoFlow vs Eco-Worthy, etc.
Lots of 100w panels on Amazon for $55-$65. But I'd use 200w minimum with 300w more likely.
This is a great test. It would be helpful if you do a price comparison as well and do a cost per wh comparison.
Can you try to do a comparison of Portable Solar Panels as for as efficiency in collecting energy?
RV electrician here. We’ve installed dozens of the Rich Solar panels over the years (not sponsored at all, just like the product). I wonder if you maybe got a dud panel. We have had excellent performance across the board with Rich Solar panels and have never really had a reduced output issue
Thanks for doing this test. Interesting results.
I am interested in comparing harbor freight panel to renogy. Renogy panels are generally considered to be extremely efficient.
That one will be coming in 1 or 2 weeks. Thanks for the feedback.
Cool video to where I now understand. I do have a question though... please look up this 2022 travel trailer named "Coleman 17B". Now that being said, I plan on getting that trailer for my RV life. it has a prefix solar charge and the question is... how many panels do I need for that trailer? the trailer has a 12V fridge, microwave, and a window AC unit built in. Plus my TV and a laptop. So I plan on boondocking here and there and of course RV parks.
One thing that might also be worth testing is later in afternoon, low light charging. Obviously due to size the harborfreight should win as well, but its still worth checking
How does the power difference compare to the panels surface area difference?
But you could buy 3 of the Rich Solar panels for the cost of 2 Harbor Freight panels. So the wattage per dollar is better despite the per panel output being lower.
Thanks for putting so much thought into making a useful comparison!
My pleasure! Here is a roll up of some additional 100W panel comparisons with the addition of requested metrics from the audience Spreadsheet Results - docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cXY9StZ4SaLIzjlhyiC26kxJZy3hJ5jE/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110269586406228906661&rtpof=true&sd=true
I have 4 Renogy 100 watt flexible panels and 4 HF 100-watt panels (rewired to MC4). The HF consistently outperforms the Renogy on a given day. I recently put the Renogy PVs in 2S2P to up their wattage into a 40amp MPPT (Epever) for a "power cart" with 4 Renogy 6v 260Ah AGM batteries in 2P2S, 6240AH power storage. I'm in the panhandle of Florida. The power cart actually runs my entertainment center, wifi, and my refrigerator as a UPS, and has for the last year. This setup has reduced my grid bill significantly.
Hi
I live on Panama City, Florida in the Panhandle. I have a couple of EcoFlows. How did you adapt that connection on the Harbour Freight panel to mc4? I'm not tech savvy so I need some detailed info. Maybe with pictures LHOL
Tallahassee here. Very interesting!
@@fuzfire I cut the SAE off and converted them to MC4.
@mkuhlman77 You have a valid point with 1 x 400 watt vs 4 x 100 watt. My decision was based on availability and being portable. The Renogy flexible panels are very light. I can string them up with wire through the eyelets. The HB are ground level on their own stands, AND I store them in their original boxes when not used. I lived in Panama City just off of 23rd St.
@@aussie2uGA I moved from Panama City to Tallahassee in between hurricanes. We HAD desired to live in Mexico Beach until Michael washed that house into the Gulf of Mexico. Now, Milton area near Pensacola.
thanks for your information!!!! looking forward to purchasing more Harbor Freight panels as well
Thanks for the information, look forward to seeing more comparisons. I would also like to see a long term test comparing durability of each brand.
Thanks again.
I would have liked to see watt hours per square foot.
HF puts out more, but is also bigger. If I have 5sq.ft. to cover which will give the most output?
Would panel temperature make a difference in the panel capability? The HF panel has more surface area allowing it to shed heat better in a warm environment.
The rich solar panel seems to have done relatively better in the afternoon.
I wonder if this is a measurement issue, or that different panels behave differently in different conditions. Might be worth doing an hour by hour plot, and comparing performance on cloudy days etc.
I don't know if all the ecoflow solar generators are the same but the delta plus can go up to 60v with 2 inputs so you could have more of the harbor frieght panels. Maybe better to have bigger panels
Would it be more cost efficient to to make your house better insulated, and add better windows, doors ?
And hvac.
You know how there are variations in panel production? Have you done a test between 2 Harbor Freight panels? I'm curious as to how close that one would be.
Great video and very informative! I assume I could use these results if I was just planning to say buy 1 panel to charge a battery like you used for backups during power outages? I'm not looking to power my house just yet, just something to keep a few things going so I don't have to run my gas generator. Thanks!
Great video! What percentage of the battery got charged up during your test? I’m interested in doing this maybe with 2 panels for my home office set up. It would power two laptops, two phone chargers, an LED light, and a printer. My first calculation would have to be how much battery storage do I need to do that
I am curious if you normalize the overall output for each panel to the size of each panel. I get 0.507 Wh/in^2 for the HB and 0.5139 Wh/in^2 for the Rich. This is a marginal different in output and if the cost of the Rich panel is much less, then that panel is your better buy, imo...
Thank you for this information. What is the breakdown then on price per wh? Or do these panels cost the same?
Have you ever tested solar panels to see how much they can absorb and pass direct to ground, where rebar has been driven into ground teh same thickness and same depth, and maybe even wet the ground there also before testing. Wondering if they can gather and pass more energy direct to ground instead of using batteries. Every battery isn't always at same depth of discharge before using in a test like this, and that might skew the results somewhat,.....perhaps.
Given that these are both set up in front of a big white garage, would you expect some reflection from that surface to contribute, and therefore the landscape orientation of the HF panel to be getting more exposure than the Rich panel?
Hmmm, I don't think so. If one was a bifacial the white background might give a little more boost but I don't expect much for these 2 panels.
Yes please, keep testing!! Great video!
It would be interesting to see shading effects. Tape off a section or drop a large leaf on it several times and compare. Some panels do better with shade than others, but the placement of the shade is important too.
I have watched your videos for a while and wondered about the accuracy of those power meters. I have several and none agree when compared against others and especially something more accurate like a Victron Smart Shunt. The cheap ones are wildly off in terms of accuracy. For this test, I would like to see you at least swap meters to see if there is any difference and/or compare against something more accurate.
Very informative~! I'm a solar newb, but would be interested in seeing how solar could be implemented for my workshop/woodshop. I'll be perusing the rest of your content for ideas. Thanks for sharing~!
And what is the Watt-hours per square area? Sure, you can get more power by taking up more space, but which is a more efficient use of space?
The difference is mainly in the size of the panel. I'd like to see a watts per square inch figure...
Also, I suspect Renogy is going to perform similar to Rich Solar because they're the same size.
I'm currently running Renogy panels on my off-road camping rig. They don't quite produce their rated wattage, but they've been reliable considering they experience a lot of vibration...
Interesting, the Rich Solar looks like a more modern panel with more bus bars. I'd expect it to perform better but I guess not. Maybe it's heat dissipation? Does orientation matter?
Divide by square inches based on both the solar panel size and total mounting size including mounting tabs.
Are these mono crystalline? I find here in Arizona if have better results with polycrystalline
Yep. Both of these are monocrystalline 👍
Very informative video. I'm looking at setting up a panel on the bed of my truck to maintain a secondary 12v power system (charge tools, provide power for lighting, etc) and it seems that dollar to dollar (as of writing) Harbor Freight is the better option. For a single panel plus a controller, each source runs about $160. As the HF gives you 17% more, that would definitely sway me in their direction (as far as versus Rich). Looking forward to more comparisons. I know pricing can vary, I checked using the links you included.
Which DIRECTION (N,S,E,W) should I point the panel for optimum energy collection here in upstate NY, during the winter?
South would be best.
@everydaysolar Thanks.
So my question is - after storing this amount of power - how long could you power a standard (( rental size )) refrigerator ? ? ?
humm wonder if all the panels are the same from the same supplier, could you have got a higher performing one from Harbour freight.
dont know if this applies but could be panel you got be a 'sweet' spot one, in computer chips not all chips off the same wafer can be clock at the same speed. as the solar silicon is manufactured the same way could they vary in output batch to batch ?
be interesting to see if 2 panels but different batch lots from same supplier work the same ??
Very good info. I noted that the Harbor Freight panel was approximately 17% bigger (square inches) and similar increase in weight (lbs). in the end, you mentioned 17% more power generated by Harbor Freight, but in power per sq inches it sounds like it would be very close. The biggest question to compare that I missed was: What was the price comparison between the two panels? If the Harbor Freight costs 17% more, then it sounds like a wash. If the same price, then the Harbor Freight might be a better buy. Thanks for the great practical info, and given in layman's terms so a simple guy like me could understand it easily!!!
And much more expensive...100w are $55 on Amazon now
Well the Harbour Freight panel is exposed to more Watts per square metre so assuming they are equally efficient this is the expected result. The size difference is roughly... 17%. So if space is an issue you could choose either panel provided they roughly equate to the same area.
Is there a stated efficiency rating for each panel? Also, are there other design differences between the panels such as monocrystalline vs polycrystalline?
I wonder how cost factors in. A 17% increase is great but which is cheaper to purchase, etc.?
An important factor to include (and compare) would be the Wh/area of the panels, which can be important if the panels are being used for a permanent installation.
A minor dyslexic errors on the white board: 232+191=423, not 432.
Wow, what a great video. Sadly I purchased 3 - 200W Renogy solar panels if not I would have waited for all this videos. Great job.
The part he didn't talk about was price. 3 of these Rich Solar panels cost the same as 2 of the Harbor Freight ones and end up putting out 20% more power.