Anyone use the Harbor Freight solar panel kits?

Did I ever say that I purchased a HF setup and that is was fabulous or even a fantastic deal? NO! Someone attributed that to me who makes up stuff. I did say that I purchased some pieces, including a Renogy kit off the Internet whose controller failed within two months. Rather than take it back to a local store, I ordered another off the Internet. That's the way things work sometimes. No lies, no BS.

By the way, where is the moderator who lets one member make up lies and falsehoods about another member? The word "Fabulous" and Harbor Freight did not come from me.

Our rules specifically state:

""Flaming" of other participants is strictly forbidden. Professional conduct and respectful behavior towards other members and moderators is a primary requirement for participation on the Open Roads Forum."

Totally misquoting me or anyone else is not very professional.

Gdetrailer wrote:

TomG2 wrote:


I don't know if the HF kit is all junk, as described.

Tom,

The HF panel kit is a fools paradise, period.

You make it sound like fabulous bargain, .....snip.....

When you don't have the facts, you start making things up. I NEVER said the HF stuff was "fabulous". Some would rather call people stupid than quote accurately. That is a fool's game. And I am no fool. One of us is being a jerk and misquoting another forum member. Wonder why readership is slipping away? There have been plenty of opportunities for members to suggest how the OP should spend his $142. Go for it, or would you prefer to keep lying about what others have said?

PS: PUTTING things in BOLD does not make them MORE accurate or entertaining.

TomG2 wrote:


I don't know if the HF kit is all junk, as described. I have never owned one, but the video reviews are positive. The only wiring required is from the battery to the controller. How easy is that? Lots easier than using a mc4 connector tool.

Tom,

The HF panel kit is a fools paradise, period.

You make it sound like fabulous bargain, but in reality it is not and the OP WILL be kicking himself every day over wasting $140 on FOUR LOUSY 25W panels with a pretty poor combiner setup and a small 10A basic controller.

The OP will have lots o fun moving, storing and/or installing FOUR 25W panels when for $15 more could have made the job a SNAP with ONE 100W panel.

As far as the MC4 tool goes that to is a non issue, the better kit (Renogy)INCLUDES 40ft of 12Ga wire WITH THE MC4 CONNECTORS INSTALLED..

It in essence IS 100% PLUG AND PLAY like YOU whined about.

Sometimes it IS better to do it ONCE instead of WASTING MONEY MULTIPLE TIMES..

I suspect that those glowing reviews came from folks like you that obviously do not have a clue about what REALLY is good, happens a lot and some folks like myself would rather see someone NOT make this kind of rookie mistake electrically..

Hope it does OK for the OP, but in reality they WILL be lucky to get 4A maybe 5A average out of that kit when the dust settles, that is a drop in the bucket, nothing more than a trickle charger and the reason folks end up popping for MORE panels. The 10A HF controller will not have enough capacity to add more than one or two more 25W panels (and those are $70 each at HF plus you would need to pay for an additional hokey combiner). IF you REALLY wanted to expand that setup you would HAVE to buy another 100W HF kit.

Because of that, ONE single 100W panel WITH a 30A controller would have been the better choice to cut your teeth on because you can simply add more 100W panels up to 30A.

I am done wasting any more time advising you or anyone else a better way for solar stuff on this forum. Just can't fix stupid..

pianotuna wrote:
Huntingdog,

.
I designed the solar to work with a large battery bank of 875 amp-hours which would give me about a week of off the grid boondocking. It also allowed running the engine block heater for 3 hours before starting the RV up at -40. The full recharge would happen between trips. Cost of the system was $5.50 per watt ($1700). It served me faithfully for 5 years.
....snip.....

$1,700/5.50 = 309 watts?

Herein lies the problem with the "Solar Snobs". I heard stories (bragging) about people spending $2,500-$3,000 to get a system installed by experts in Arizona. I was told that a $300 system would be junk and worthless in the real world. So, I avoided solar for ten years. Finally, I ordered some pieces and discovered that the snobs had been lying to me. I could recharge a battery, run a few lights, recharge some electronics, pump some water, and even watch a little television with my $300 setup. Thanks to all who delayed my purchase with talk of lithium batteries, mppt controllers, mc4 connectors and other such jargon. Solar can be simple enough for the novice. The HF, and other kits, can be charging a battery within one half hour by the owner. Not to say there is not a place for those who like to talk in thousands of dollars, but there are economical options for those wanting to discover how solar works too.

I don't know if the HF kit is all junk, as described. I have never owned one, but the video reviews are positive. The only wiring required is from the battery to the controller. How easy is that? Lots easier than using a mc4 connector tool.

Huntingdog,

Yes I've had failures from some highly rated components--and one theft of a Yamaha Generator. But none of the failures were related to solar. My error on solar was purchasing a quality controller which would not allow expansion of the wattage on the system.

I designed the solar to work with a large battery bank of 875 amp-hours which would give me about a week of off the grid boondocking. It also allowed running the engine block heater for 3 hours before starting the RV up at -40. The full recharge would happen between trips. Cost of the system was $5.50 per watt, including the controller ($1700 for entire system). At the time (2005), the price on the panels was spectacularly low. It served me faithfully for 5 years.

When I moved to full time, that set up no longer supplied me with enough power. That meant either being a power pole princess, or getting a generator. Upgrading the solar would have meant paying a pretty penny--more than the cost of an elcheapo electric start generator. Since that wrong headed decision I've spent about 3 times what the cost of upgrading the solar would have been, on generators and directly related items.

So I've learned from the school of hard knocks--and hope to help others avoid my (costly) mistakes.

I'm now no longer full time--so there is no need to upgrade the system, but not doing so, when moving to full time, was a huge mistake (the mistake eventually cost over $7800) in hindsight.

As to the failures. One elcheapo inverter ($400), and one expensive hybrid inverter/charger (poor design by maker, but replaced under warranty), one elcheapo generator ($1400).

Why didn't you point out that the Harbor Freight uses amorphous panels? Instead of trashing them with your "pricey" comment. Not that they are better or worse, but:

"Amorphous offers the benefit of operating in lower light conditions and hence is suitable for many applications that are used in lighting, since it will be able to put some charge into a battery at a lower light level than crystalline solar panels."

I guess I am "the flavor of the month". Orange Sherbet anyone?

-30-

Have you ever actually held and tested the controller and what was the protocol for testing that enabled you to label it as Junk? He probably would have listened to you if you had not started with the trash talking. Any time someone approached my paving company requesting a bid, I did NOT start the conversation by calling the competition junk. I am sure that you have some degree of qualifications, but there is also a place in the world for "Solar for Dummies", $140 is pocket change and the OP will learn more and faster than from any forum how fun and simple solar can be. He "might" aspire to your level, but he might simply enjoy a couple extra days camping without considering mppt, pwm, Lithium, or other jargon of the hobbyists. He can be enjoying solar within twenty minutes of opening the box. He can return it if it doesn't do what he wants.