Opinions about HF 45 Watt solar panels

Hi guys,
I see Harbor freight has their 45 Watt solar panels on sale.
Think The would last 20 years on the roof in Florida.
Thinking about using it to drive solar water heater pump.

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-wat...ce=direct&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2610B

 

Suns' got a great sale right now on 100v Dupont thin film panels.
http://sunelec.com/
And $1.80/w for 12v Polycrystalline panels by SUN. (ETL , CE)

Cheapest I've seen so far.

Cheers

 

There is really no reason to mess with HF stuff when real brand name merchandise
is selling at record low prices. If you are anywhere in the south half of
Florida, jump in your car and take a trip to Sun Electronics in downtown Miami.
http://sunelec.com/

Vaughn

 

--
MikeK

Wow, a 40 watt unit for $104 + $14.00 shipping.
MikeK

 

--
MikeK

Ok, educate me,
DuPont DA100-A1 100 Watt, 1.30 Imp, 76.96 Vmp $ 120.00
What is the 1.30 Imp?
The Vmp?
MikeK

 

There's a support site for those interested in and /or using the HF 45
watt panels: http://solarpanelkitatharborfreight.ning.com/
and a number of videos on youtube.com
search for harbor freight solar

I'm trying to decide if some solar education is worth $160 - the
$159.99 price is good through Monday (July 5). The HF panel would at
least charge the battery enough to provide power for the home network
(DSL modem, wireless router, laptop) for a couple of hours in the
evening - then I could check email and read newsgroups when the power
is out ;-)

I have a decent battery (from FreeCycle, cost $0) and a somewhat
better charge controller than the HF panel comes with (it's an
EPHC-ST5 from futurlec.com, originally $27, but as a leftover from
another project it's effectively $0). The controller specs are here:
http://www.duxlite.com/enlarge/controller/EPHC-ST-Specifications.pdf

My AC generator education was $80 (a used 5KW unit on Craig's List
that needed some TLC) - I've almost convinced myself that up-to-date
power knowledge (solar) is worth it...

John

 

I am guessing that "mp" means "Maximum Power Point". If you multiply 76.96
volts times 1.3 amps you get 100 watts. So that is a high voltage panel;
probably not what you are looking for!

Vaughn

 

--
MikeK

Like I said in my original post;
"Thinking about using it to drive solar water heater pump."
I think 20 watts is enough to drive the pump, but I'm still learning.
MikeK
PS. I'm not one that expects to run my home on solar collectors.
I used 3,542 kWh last month, It will be more this month.

 

Yup, for 600v strings. But theres 12v panels as well, under $2/w

Cheers

 

For central Georgia, $14.20 is the UPS quick time and cost rate for
$100 and under and the package taken to a UPS store (or the shipper
has a daily pickup schedule). Using the calculator on the sunelec
site, the 10lb shipping weight computes as 13lb and the shipping is
$30.47.

Using the UPS calcuator for a non-daily-pickup shipper and a value of
$105 gives a rate of $21 and change to central Georgia.

Looks as though there is some "packing and handling" included in the
sunelec calculation.

John

 

That would be perfectly logical.

PV panels typically don't come from the factory individually packed for
shipment. The cost and labor to pack one panel would be about the same as that
for multiple panels. That is one reason why 1) Shipping PV panels ain't cheap
2) They can offer a much better price for pallet lots and 3) I suggested a road
trip to Miami for the OP.

Vaughn

 

They have a place in Phoenix as well. I know several people who've
picked up there.

Years ago I bought some PV from Sun, which had the modules
drop-shipped from the manufacturer in NM IIRC. 2 modules to a box,
foam spacers inside, boxes loose in the truck, which was probably the
second or third the shipment had been in. No issues. Considering the
hail-rating of the glass, I guess it can take some punishment.

Also no problems with lots of other stuff via truck freight over the
years, including a big-screen TV from several states away, and which
had gone hundreds of miles out of its way for reasons known only to
the shipping company. So I'm thinking that shipping PV is mostly
uneventful. Come to think of it, out of a heck of a lot of shipments
over the years by many methods, there are only 2 items that I can
remember receiving damaged. One was a heavy speaker that was
incredibly poorly packaged by an ebay seller. The other was a plastic
wheel on a light-duty portable air-compressor, and I think that was
busted before they packed it. The amount of stuff that moves around
the country affordably and undamaged every day is pretty amazing.

Wayne

 

"cheap jalous American are real scammers"

So, if your batteries are so GREAT, and that much better than anyone
else's, why are you not the only Battery OEM in the world? Publish your
Battery Spec's so we can see, what they are.... Inquiring Minds want to
know.... Do your batteries weigh more than everyone else's? Are the
plates thicker, or do they have more surface area? Tell us all, jusr why
we should listen to your pitch, over know Battery OEM's like Surrite, or
Trogen?

 

Oh? You can somehow peer into your computer monitor and see the backgrounds of
all the folks who post here? Do you do that with or without wearing your
tinfoil cap?

Clearly you know nothing, or you would know the difference between Watts and
Watt-hours.

Spammers are the worst kind of scum.

Vaughn

 

If this wasn't a criminal scam, it would be hilarious.

These are only some of this crook's battery claims. (His Wind-Turbine
claims are equally credible.)
*Supplies constant power for lightning and electronic appliances up to
10 days before requiring a recharge, outlasts standard Marine battery.
*Boosts your Stereo system up, 50% more clear and stronger.
*Helps combustion system burning fuel leaner, up to 100:1 ratio (if
you how to adjust its ratio you save fuel enormously).
*Saves fuel when you don' have to turn on vehicle' engine frequently,
to run your Stunning Stereo system, power drill, etc. Our battery is
equal to 300+ Farad capacitor, consistently supplying 13 13.5volt
while engine is off, regular batteries usually drops below 12V or
below with an engine is off, No Jumping problem under regular usage.
*Makes your Off-grid living possible, requiring 3+ 4X batteries. Our
batteries can power a 1400 watt refrigerator, requiring a good
2000-2500W inverter.
*Saves fuel by not carrying multiple batteries, why using two
batteries when you can use one? *Save fuel by not carrying extra
weight, especially for Diesel vehicle.
*Runs power tools off your car/truck and still can start your vehicle.
http://www.nwcustomenergies.com/gen page7.html

Supplies constant power for lightning and a 1400 watt refrigerator off
3+ 4X batteries for 10 days before requiring a recharge.
It makes a stereo 50% clearer.
You can run a 100:1 air to fuel ratio.

The only ways this moron has any experience living without power for
months and years is either by not paying his power bill, or trying to
live off-grid using the thrash he's try to sell on his web-site.
LIES, GREBERISH, and an absolute SCAM.

Curbie

 

This moron is a shoe-in for the cell-block's "Miss Electricity" title.

 

Would a prison cell be considered "off-grid"?


Do prison cells have electricity?

 

Overkill, all I want to do is run a pump for thermal solar collectors to
heat domestic water. 45 Watts is plenty.
MikeK

 

Hello
My brother is running 12 HF sets on his roof in a 48V.series parallel
arrangement hooked up to a Outback MX60 charge controller and GTFX3048
inverter.
He should be getting 540 Watts but around 200 is typical.
But for those worried about them being cheap, they do fell flimsy at first
but they have held up well to quarter sized hail, 60 MPH winds, and
squirrels haven't touched the wires.
I bought 4-Photowatt 80s with a Morningstar SS10-24 and easily match or
surpass that performance with much less surface area.
If I had it to do over again, I would like the Evergreen 200 watt panels.
I like the guys at Sunelec, they work best over the phone and are very
helpfull.
Just my two cents worth.
Take care
Randy

 

He'll only get 540 watts at high noon on a clear day near the
equator with the panels pointing straight at the sun.