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write your own review of the Harbor Frieght 45W solar kit.
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N3KQX
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Rating: 4/5
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Jul 1, 2007 07:55
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Send this review to a friend
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Buy it on sale. Expect to modify it.
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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List price is $249, but almost always on sale for $199. This works out to $4.00/Watt, a very good price. However, they do take up a lot of space for the energy they put out. I have 2 sets that I use to power my station, charge rechargeable items (like cell phones, etc), and run several 12VDC halogen lights. Don't use the included "charger" as it will likely ruin your batteries (See my review of the Steca Sigma, if looking for a controller). The lights are a little too blue shifted for my taste, but I use them on cloudy days as needed.
The panels themselves are made by Topray, a Chinese company (at Harbor Freight!?!). They are Amorphous solar panels (hence the somewhat weak output and cheap price), putting out 15Watts @ about 22VDC open circuit in full sunlight. The kit includes a mounting bracket that will hold all 3 panels. I cut up a 2X4 to make a simple frame and weighed the whole thing down with a few 5 gal buckets filled with sand. This arrangement has stood up to wind gusts of 30+MPH without moving an inch.
I have been using the current setup for about a month. Prior to that I had one set, but they were not enough to charge the bank (2 100Ahr gell cells), hence the second set. Before that I was using a small panel and 17Ahr battery using a different controller.
We'll see how they perform in December, but for summer use, they can't be beat. Again, the only reason to buy these over monocrystalline panels is for the price/Watt. If you have some space available and don't need bleeding edge technology, these are a good way to go.
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