Harbor Freight Solar Panel kit

TomG2 wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:
...snip.......
Now if HF would get real with the pricing and make the kit competitive at say $75-$80 then it might be worth the hassle..

You expect Harbor Freight to sell a 100 watt solar setup complete with controller, lights, panels, and cables for less than $80? Show me who does. The "hassle" you call it, is actually the simplicity and ease of their kit. One can be producing and enjoying some solar benefit in less than one hour. Try that with your home-brewed system with components from three or four sources. All for $80? NOT.

My "homebrew" is as simple as it gets.

One single 100W panel is far more simple than wiring FOUR 25W panels plus wiring to a cheap controller that isn't worth a darn and will not last.

You can buy 30A controllers for as low as $20 that WILL outlast any HF controller.

And yes, the HF kit IS way over priced even with a 20% off coupon.. But hey, it is your money to spend any way you want..

As for myself, I would rather pay $150 for a single 150W panel and $20 for a non HF controller..

And yeah, I DO have a HF store less than 20 miles from my home..

I do buy HF stuff, but those panels ARE twice the price for the wattage and that is totally stupid to pay that when lower cost panels which most likely WILL be better quality are easily available..