solar Panels

We will be picking up our new RPOD next week.  Does anyone know if the solar panels from Harbor Freight will plug in to the outlet on the POD?  If this has already been discussed, sorry…..

I think HF has its place.  Not every project requires top-of-the-line tools/parts.

For the HF deal, you're getting 45 watt panels for the $150.  What is the $1000 getting you? As mentioned above, you can get several 100 watt kits for $150 or a little more.  That, to me, takes HF out of the running.

Originally posted by john in idaho We will be picking up our new RPOD next week.  Does anyone know if the solar panels from Harbor Freight will plug in to the outlet on the POD?  If this has already been discussed, sorry…..

I have personally heard of a lot of negative feedback regarding the Harbor Freight solar panels.

I purchased a 100 watt Renogy solar panel and a 10 amp Sunforce digital charge controller, and I connected the charge controller to the Zamp charging port at the rear of my 178. It has worked perfectly well, and I'm very satisfied with it. The cost of the panel was $150, the charge controller was $32, and the connecting wire from the controller to the Zamp port was $11. I also purchased a 15 foot 10 gauge extension cord and wired it from my solar panel to the charge controller. This enables me to move the solar panel to either side of the Pod and some distance away to find the sunniest place.

If you search my name in this forum, you'll see pictures I posted of how it all looks. I'm proud of it!

Depending on where you are, this setup can produce 30-40 amp hours of power, about 75% of which will make it to your battery (about 25% of the power that goes into a lead acid battery is lost due to heat created by charging). This is more than enough to keep the lights going, 'light' TV use, charging our phones from 12 volt outlets I installed inside the Pod, and keeping the refrigerator's electric panel working while the fridge is actually being cooled by propane.

This also acts as a home battery backup for me for a lot of the same reasons. If we lose power at home and I want to run some lights or stick something in my Pod's fridge, I don't have to run my generator all the time, which would be very inefficient.

Thanks, Cliff.  Very useful info.  Never occurred to me that there were different technologies involved with different panels.  Ahh, so many toys, so much to learn.