Hi Greg, WO getting into a technical discussion, you should be using a deep cycle, AKA; Marine battery with a solar system. Car batteries fair poorly, over time, with being drawn down over and over. Deep cycles are designed for just this application. Either battery type will work but for sustained battery health, deep cycle is the way to go. Walmart is a great place to get marine batteries since they move loads of them and you will get one made recently. The automotive stores often have batteries more than a year old. Glenn Laurens, SC
Though I just came across this video/comment. I thought a marine battery would work. But, questions. Walmart sells what seems like 2 types of Marine batteries. Dc & MC? And dies anyone know how low the batteries drain, using solar?
You can fry your charge controller if you hook up the panels before the battery, You should Always make sure your Battery is connected first. ( I didn't read the directions either) lol Then I googled Disconnecting Battery From Charge Controller, and low and behold I found my problem. Edit" The 10.8 Volt reading you were looking at is the Discharge Disconnect Voltage, it means it will turn power off to the " Load" ( last set of screws on the bottom" or your DC light light plugs on the front if the battery reaches that voltage. Then the last number you looked at is when it will allow it to turn back on when it reaches that particular set voltage in this case 12.6 Volts. Just wanted to pas along those tips :)
This sounds more accurate than the video explanation at 5:45. When he said the system won't charge the battery if it gets below 10.7V, I was like, "Whaaat?? That's ridiculous."
Amen to that. In all the other videos I've watched, they assume prior knowledge of electrical things, and the replies are baffling too, it's just electricians talking to electricians. Finally, a video that tells how to set it up - plain and simple!
For fans, you can use old computer cooling fans. They only draw about 1/4 of an amp (250Ma) and could run for days. I frequent garage/yard sales and look for dirt cheap electrical appliances that have these fans. I use one in my computer room (a 4" one) and it keeps it comfortable.
11am on March 1st 224. Where did you get a four post battery? I’ve got the same Thunderbolt solar kit I bought about 10 years ago. I just took it out of the box this past Sunday. And I just bought an inverter yesterday from Harbor Freight. Now I have to buy a battery. I thought with the inverter I would not need a “4” post battery and extra cables. So this is what I asking
Nice job. I've been interested in this introductory 100 watt solar system for a while. I never realized how simple it was to loop the panels to the controller, inverter and out. You made it super easy for me. I'm a visual learner. Definitely worth $150! Plus inverter and battery. Joe
I used to work at a fancy Ace Hardware. We sold the green egg BBQ Pits. I had a large collection of those little screws drivers that came with them haha 😂
Always hook up the charge controller to the battery first! Then plug in the solar panels! Also deep cycle/wet batteries 12 volts means the battery is at 50% you really don't want to drain the battery below 12volts. It starts to damage the battery.
@@gregpryorhomesteadI got the same setup but I got for 100 a powers in the battery Bank that's a 400 amp hour battery bank I got set up with the harbor freight solar kit plus an extra solar panel but I use it got a 1500 amp inverter and it'll draw the battery down to 10.6% and then I'm able to use whatever I want with the solar charge it back up just don't let the batteries. Die
One extremely important thing with hooking up a charge controller you need to connect the battery to the controller first than hook-up the panels. If you do not you risk damaging your solar panels. One Hundred watts equals ten amps I run a fifteen amp system I purchased the connector hub with my panel kit for one hundred and eighty watts. I run a ac led light a toaster oven some small appliances. All off of a thousand watt inverter with a battery bank made up of three industrial commercial marine deep cycle batteries. Used for forklifts and commercial marine applications. I have two new size twenty seven batteries and one size twenty four battery and you can pump water with this kit. You just need a thirty watt panel. Their are dc solar water pumps available.
I subscribed. At first I was skeptical as to "oh no, not another unboxing video" but I found your video very informative and you went really quick through the unboxing process which was a HUGE plus.
Look at amperage output on charge controller. The 100 watts is what rate it charges per hour, maximum. These controllers usually fused for a 4 amp output. A7amp drill will pop fuse/breaker. Closer to 4amp limit more battery consumption. Panels only charge batteries which you provide.Amp output is what you look at. Good charge rating though, look for a 20 or 30 amp output to charge a house.
next video, same panels but a set of 4 kits each (16 solar panels). attach all wires to a series of 4 12v batteries. what all can you run and how long. could you run say a small window unit, ice box, tv, hot plate.. etc. ?
This review did help. I wanted to get one of these set ups so I could run a small incubator and a heat lamp in the brooder. Looks like I may need to go bigger lol.
Same here. I was just about to by a kit like this at harbor freight. So glad I researched this. I can buy a $30 solar charger for phones, devices and laptops. Much cheaper. I want someone to help me find something that will run my refrigerator or freezer, a light or possibly a crockpot. Not my house by no means but enough we can use a lamp, keep food cold/frozen or cook on a low wattage small appliance. We have a wood burning stove so I'm good on heat and major cooking. Did you find what you were looking for??? I only want solar. Free energy vs. fuel I have to buy ... I'll take free...
Get real educated om solar before buying these vids leave much out and people re-act and rush to buy something that doesn't provide the desired result. There is so much more to solar than being said. You have people also silently getting paid to do vids promoting a product so social media has become as infiltrated as main stream advertising, wake up to that fact. If for off grid use this is the most common found if you don't get educated, invest the time and you can do way better.
I have the 4panels kit with 25 w each for total of 100 w with a 100 w charger controller. Can I use the new 100w panel with the 100w charge controller. I mean can I use 4 panels for a solar total of 400w with the 100w charge controller? Or must I get a 500w charge controller to use with the 400w solar power
$150 to charge your f****** cell phone when I can buy a wind-up deal that I can put my cell phone and then wind it up that makes no sense I used the power inverter to fit in my car socket and ran my television during a blackout this thing seems pretty f****** useless to me why not just take the inverter put in your car and run a plug to the house.
Practical! So upvoted and subscribed to you and not the electrician type guys because I had no idea what they were saying. So many instructional video makers forget about the beginners.
Your battery is the storage basically, the bigger the storage the longer it is going to last, so get a 100 AH or 200Ah, as for the panels, that's your Generador or Alternator the more wattage the faster it will recharge your battery, it all depends on need/use/lasting time..
The charge controllers for these are only 10 amps,so if you're talking about tying them in together youd need a larger controller. I think the set of 4 panels puts out like 6.8 amps,if I remember correctly. Your other option is two independent kits with separate batteries.
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ru-vid.comUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg 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.
You're right, but I'm thinking of it as a tester system, something to get my feet wet, using solar. Just get a feel for using and setting something up. Of course a bigger system would be super but many of us don't have the place or coin to do that right now.
Never hook up your panels to the controller without first hooking the controller to a battery. That’s solar 101. There is nowhere for the power to go and will fry the controller. But in this case you are not losing much.
The purple toenails on the foot holding the instruction book open confused me so much at first I couldn't tell what was going on or if I was seeing things, lol. Good color on the nails though.
This is great even though 4 years old. I've seen this kit at HF recently so now can consider. I live in an apartment so my options aren't many but maybe a little system like this could be my 'tester' system! I LOVE solar > living in Arizona, it's a no-brainer. :)
Thank you Sir, I just got that setup and nothing came with my inverter and they are saying I need a heavy duty cord to set up in inverter but you didn't so why are they telling me to spend 44+ dollars for a 6 ft cavle to set it up.
How can you do one that shows how you can set up four sets of solar panels? I bought four boxes of them of that one you just did and I just want to know if I put them all together how much power will I get out of it and how would that set it up cuz I'm not sure I realize each one has to go to a battery. I have four batteries for every crate every solar panel system. I got a battery for it. I have everything else that you have there. I also wondering where do I get the wire like if I wanted to run it a long distance not long long distance but a little bit of a distance. Hope you can help me
Need help. In normal mode it shows 13V and appears to stop charging. But the battery only charged to 12.5 according to the multimeter. I try to put it in 14.4 mode and it seems to do nothing. The charging animation not happening.
can this kit with the charger trickle charge three 12 volt batteries at the same time; with all 3 batteries with its own positive an d negative cable connection a plugged into the 3 sets of connector ports at the bottom of charger ?
I really loved your video as a matter fact I shared it. I do have a question, when you hooked up the fan and the charge controller said 11.7 V, what did that really mean. I know you said it’s taking up a lot of energy but did that mean your battery dropped down to 11.7 V? I just don’t get that part. Thank you again for a great video
I have the same question. Also, I think you bought one solar panel for around $150, then 3 more for a total of $600 plus an inverter, plus a marine battery ($100) just to be able to run a fan? Can this run a fridge? I'm wondering after this level of investment, what can I run? I will need a fridge. Lights I can handle with flashlights during a power outage. Just curious if this would be good for power outages.
