Costco/ Colman Solar set up?

[ivbinconned]

Costco has this “Colman” 110 watt solar system that comes with controller and 300 watt inverter for $170.00 in Canadian funny money.
Seems like a good buy if the panels are any good. The price is much cheaper that other panels I’ve seen.
Is one panel as good as any other if they work??

[teejaywhy]

ivbinconned wrote:
It is 110 watt.
I really don’t need a controller or inverter as I Already have those.

Then you probably don't want to consider the Costco item that includes both of those.

[bikendan]

GDS-3950BH wrote:
Just about anything branded Coleman is the cheapest garbage available. Nothing more than a name and emblem licensed out to the highest bidder.

Coleman Travel Trailer = Lowest level Thor/Keystone/Dutchmen RV stick and tin job with Coleman decals built for the suckers walking in off the street.

Coleman Grill, Tent, Cooler = Junk made in same Chinese factories that make Walamrt and others house brand garbage.

Even a Coleman white gas stove is not anywhere near what they used to be. You will not find a guy in 2060 talking up his old time Coleman stove and lantern collection with his prize find of a 2020 stove lol.

Remember those Bell and Howell movie projectors back in the 60s/70s that were all metal and weighed 100 lbs that schools had? Today the Bell and Howell name is on Atomic flashlights and sunglasses as seen on TV. You can have 2 for $19.99, as long as you pay an extra processing fee.

YEP! Just like Westinghouse, Kodak and Bell and Howell. Famous American brand names sold to the highest bidder, especially to Chinese corporations. Too many consumers are clueless that these companies no longer exist and simply buy because the brand name is familiar.

[GDS-3950BH]

Just about anything branded Coleman is the cheapest garbage available. Nothing more than a name and emblem licensed out to the highest bidder.

Coleman Travel Trailer = Lowest level Thor/Keystone/Dutchmen RV stick and tin job with Coleman decals built for the suckers walking in off the street.

Coleman Grill, Tent, Cooler = Junk made in same Chinese factories that make Walamrt and others house brand garbage.

Even a Coleman white gas stove is not anywhere near what they used to be. You will not find a guy in 2060 talking up his old time Coleman stove and lantern collection with his prize find of a 2020 stove lol.

Remember those Bell and Howell movie projectors back in the 60s/70s that were all metal and weighed 100 lbs that schools had? Today the Bell and Howell name is on Atomic flashlights and sunglasses as seen on TV. You can have 2 for $19.99, as long as you pay an extra processing fee.

[luv2tup]

The 110 watt kit from Costco Canada is C$199 https://www.costco.ca/coleman-110-w-solar-kit-with-fold-out-stand.product.100540763.html

Canadian Tire recently had a 100 watt mono panel with a controller for $150 (US$107) The included charge controller is junk so a throw away. I bought 4 to add to my existing 4 panel set up with MPPT.

[ajriding]

In that link it shows a poly crystaline panel. That is the lesser compared to the mono. The poly uses chips (think OSB wood) instead of a whole piece of silicone solar stuff (think ply-wood). It is a slight difference.

That panel is 4 squares across and 8 down. You can see two lines going vertical through each square. You are better to get a higher quality panel that will have 3 or 4 (or 5?) of these lines going through. They are more efficient.

IDK what that charge controller is . If you plan to get a charger controller then get a MPPT. The PWMs are good, but not as good. The MPPT will do a better job and use more "stages" to charge and float the battery.
Avoid the $18 ones, they might not even be real MPPTs. The chinese lie so much now about any and everything to sell you their junk it is not even funny. There is good stuff and there is bad stuff made in china.

[naturist]

For $170 CDN, That is surely a PMW controller and a MSW inverter. And even then, it's not much of a bargain. Just MHO.

This is on the US Costco web site: 100 Watt Coleman kit.

[Lwiddis]

You have little solar knowledge. If you did, you wouldn’t consider the Coleman purchase. Solar is wonderful with the right setup.

Is the offered inverter PSW or MSW? Do you have any electronics that need PSW?

[KD4UPL]

I simple Google search for "100 watt solar panel" shows Lowes, Home Depot, and Walmart all selling them for around $80.

[2oldman]

I can't find any solar kit of 110w. You may have to link it for us.

[ivbinconned]

It is 110 watt.
I really don’t need a controller or inverter as I Already have those.

[ajriding]

ebay all that if you want a system. Panels are less than a dollar per watt (100 watts for around $80 shipped), and a good MPPT controller (well, decent controller) for around $50. That's $130 plus the wire and connectors you will use which Coleman may not include.

The mono panels are slightly better than the poly panels, but both work fine.
Glass is superior to the flexible ones , in quality, not because of the glass, but just of quality.

[pianotuna]

55 watts for 170 cdn is no bargain.

[jdc1]

Just like Tonka trucks and Radio Flyer wagons, Coleman has dropped in quality since we were kids.

[2oldman]

That would be Coleman. I see that on their site but it's just 55w. The panel is usually ok, it's the other stuff that's el cheapo.