harbor freight solar panel kit - My Home Solar Panels

Solar Panels Kit

Aug 9

It simply provides a perfect opportunity for you to say goodbye to the Power-Company - Photovoltaic Solar Panels Kit enables you to quickly produce your own in-house power-supply. Amazingly or not, this technique provides quick results almost instantly. Sounds interesting? keep reading and know more about how we can all benefit from it.

Getting some basics

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:
Can a 18W solar panel kit used for Metal Stand fan?
Hello, I've bought a (18W solar panel kit ), I wonder if it can be used for a "metal stand fan" outdoor?
- ANSWER:
  You would need to know how much power the fan uses, it may say on the label on the back how many volts and amps (multiply them together to get watts). Also, is the fan AC powered (plugs into the wall outlet) or DC powered (can be run off a 12V battery, like plugging into the cigarette outlet in your car)?
  
  If it is AC powered, you would need to charge a battery and convert it to AC with an inverter.
QUESTION:
What is the price of a full solar panel kit ?
price, cost, solar panel kit
I am building a house, I would like to put solar panels on the roof so I could cut bills in half.
- ANSWER:
  04.17
QUESTION:
I have just read an ad for Power4Home solar panel kit. Has anyone actually bought this kit/books. Is it a scam?
I have just read an ad for Power4Home solar panel kit, and was wondering if there is an independent review for it. All the reviews are obviously written by Power4Home themselves, including "comparisons" of other DIY kits. Has anyone actually bought these books and been able to come close to building a solar panel with "parts available from the hardware store" as claimed? Photovoltaic cells are expensive, yet they claim it can be done for about 0.
.
- ANSWER:
  Sounds like a variation on Earth4Energy. Here are some comments from other victims, I mean, customers:
  
  http://www.ripoffreport.com/searchresults.asp?q5=earth4energy&q1=ALL&q4=&q6=&q3=&q2=&q7=&searchtype=0&submit2=Search%21&Search=Search
  
  We have commercial solar panels on our house, so I feel I have a good understanding of what's involved in making a reliable, practical panel. It's beyond my skill, probably beyond most people's. Certainly not an easy project.
QUESTION:
Is a Rectifier Diode the same thing as a Blocking Diode when using Solar panels?
I was rigging up a small DYI solar panel kit for the first time and lost a blocking diode in my kit. I went to the electronics store, and the only diodes I could find were Rectifier diodes that had the same Amp rating.

Will these work?
IMPORTANT detail. this is being used in a DC to DC application. not DC to AC.
- ANSWER:
  The key thing to remember is that a rectifier diode is used to make a rectifier which converts DC to AC so you can use it for household applications. A blocking diode simply acts as a diode that blocks current from flowing back into the solar panel and damaging the panel itself.
  
  If your applications are DC, then you don't need rectifiers. You just need a simple diode at the same or higher voltage rating as your solar panel.
QUESTION:
What SOLAR PANEL kit do I need?
There are so many solar panels and kits it is very confusing. I need to know what exactly I would need if I had an underground home with no electricity. I want to be totally off the grid with solar power. Someone please explain to me in simple terms what exactly I need. Maybe give me a link to the right kit for me.
Also are they easy to install? Are there instructions that I need to download?
Thank you
- ANSWER:
  You need a lot of money.
  It's difficult to even fit enough panels on a normal roof to supply the average usage of an American home.
  You need to figure out your daily usage in watts. The average home needs anywhere between 2500 and 6000 watts at peak times of the day.
  You would need a significant battery bank as well, so that you had enough power through the night.
  A standard panel is around 2' x 4 ' and produces between 60 and 240 watts in bright sun, (depending on the quality of the cells, which increases cost per panel)
  There's also the issue of how much weight your structure can handle. You might need to put some of them on a stand in the yard. Or specially design your home to support the weight.
  Most roofs are designed to handle the load of a few feet of snow.
  
  Ok so lets add that up. If you were very conservative and kept it under 3000 watts at any given time, leaving enough to charge those batteries as well, AND you bought the highest grade panels, 3000/240 = 13 panels. That's 104 square feet of panels.
  Now hopefully you live in a warm climate like southern California, and plan to use a wood/pellet stove for heat. What about hot water? What about cooking appliances? An electric range needs about 3600 watts at 240 volts to operate the oven, and each burner is between 1200 and 1800 watts depending on how large it is. A standard microwave is around 1200 watts. Some more. A vacuum is 1460 watts. A blow dryer is 1500 watts, a Clothes dryer is as much as 6000 watts.
  You have to really consider how much power you actually need at any given moment. And then how much reserve power you will need. You might also want a back up generator for cloudy days...
  
  You might do well to include some wind power to supplement your panels.
  
  But for starters, figure out how much power you currently use.
  A quick, but inaccurate measure would be to look at your bill and divide the total electric KWH by the days of the month and then by 12 hours. And then multiply by 1000 to get average watts per hour during the day.
  
  Then figure out how much money you want to spend...
  If you do it yourself you won't get the tax credit (if that's still actively available) For that you have to get an engineered system made of UL approved parts and installed with permits and inspections.
  In most places you're required to do most of that anyways... although many people get away without the hassle.
  There's a lot of dangers to consider though, Know what your roof can support. Some panels weight as much as 60 lbs each. Know how to size your wire. Know how to handle batteries and where you can safely store them (not inside, they release toxic fumes)
  
  Many solar distributors have estimating programs that will give you an idea of average sun production for your yard, and what the optimum orientation for the panels are.
  
  My dad uses motors to tilt his along with the sun on his peak. I don't know how effective that is at making it worth while.
  
  He also buys low cost panels that aren't UL approved. Right now he gets an average of 1500 watts during the day with about 11 panels. But he's just inverting it into his house power with a grid tie.
  You would need a special kind of inverter, and a charging monitor to keep your batteries safe.
  
  I would also consider a meter that tells you how much charge you have and how much power production you have available to use, you wouldn't want to overload the system.
  
  Personally I want to get property with flowing water on or next to it, that I can place wheels into.
  I've seen quite a few designs for home made wind generators, and I want to work with hydrogen as a storage medium.
  I could use the green energy to perform electrolysis and design a generator that runs on hydrogen, (of those PEM fuel cells seem to be the most efficient although they're really expensive right now...)
  If I could make enough hydrogen, I could also use it for heat, hot water, and cooking.
QUESTION:
What kind of solar panel kit would I need to power my garage?
I only need enough power for an outdoor spotlight, interior light & sprinkler computer. And the occasional power tool.
- ANSWER:
  power4home.com has a d.i.y. information kit to build your own for less than 100 bucks.the kit costs about 40.
QUESTION:
I want a solar panel kit that can run a space heater for a few hours when the power goes out?
Which kit should I get? How many watts?
- ANSWER:
  MOST electric space heaters are a MINIMUM of 1000 watts of 120v power.
  You would need at least 1500 watts of solar + a charge controller + batteries + an inverter. (THIS allows for the inefficiency of the conversion/storage units.)
  
  Might I suggest a propane, kerosene, or diesel space heater instead.
QUESTION:
Are you familier with the Power4Home solar panel kit and wind generator? I know it's just info is it any good?
I've always said if it sounds too good to be true, it's not.
Anyone order this kit?
What do you think?
Thanks!
Thanks Amy, don't want to pick a best answer yet but yours was great.
Thanks Roderick you both deserve best answer.
It's kinda like judging a talent contest where everyone is great.
- ANSWER:
  Many of the build it yourself sites are offering a very generic booklet that does not contain useful information. You can read a great review of one of them at http://www.nlcpr.com/Deceptions6.php
  
  Excerpt from their review:
  
  "The gist of their claims is this:
  
  * Get cheap broken or used solar cells on e-bay. They show screen prints of auctions starting at 99 cents but all you e-bayers know that the prices gets bid up considerably. Solder it all together and make your panels.
  * Ask forklift operators for free, used batteries (assuming they are going to throw out batteries that still function)
  * Get a DC motor from e-bay and make a wind mill from it."
  
  Even if you do find a good instruction manual, home made panels cannot be connected to the electric grid, as they are not UL listed. If you really want to add solar to your house, buy factory made panels. The price has dropped a lot this year, and with rebates and credits, they are becoming more affordable. Check out the DSIRE site below to see any rebates available in your area.
QUESTION:
how can i build a basic solar panel kit for my green house. I would like to use recovered materials?
- ANSWER:
  Get a coil of 10mm copper pipe from a plumbers' merchant. Do not uncoil it and build a squat 'cold-frame' to enclose it. Paint the coil with black paint. Plumb one end to a small reservoir (and water supply) and the other to radiators(?) inside the greenhouse. The coil will heat up inside the frame and hot water will create convection flow in the coil. But a pump will improve the flow if you can get one driven by solar/wind power.
QUESTION:
how to make a solar panel without any kit?
how to make a solar panel without buying any kit?
Any things at home that can be used for solar panels(what are they?)

procedures how to make a solar panel
- ANSWER:
  There are 2 kinds of solar cell/panel. Electrical and thermal.
  
  Passive thermal is the easiest. It can be made with clear glass bottles or jars. The bottles or jars must first be cleaned and sterilized to prevent the growth of algae or bacteria. Fill these about 90% full with water that has 1 tsp of chlorine bleach per gallon. Put the caps or lids on tight. Seal with hot melt or other waterproof glue like RTV silicone. Arrange these in an array. You can use cement or just build a wood frame. Even simpler is just to put the bottles on a board or window sill. Place this in a sunny spot. The water will be heated by the solar radiation and will stay warm several hours after the sun is no longer shining on them.
  
  A an active thermal cell is different. For this you need a medium to heat. Silicon oil is often used but your could just use water. You need a collector, reservoir, heat sink, and circulating pump. These must be arranged in a manner so that the medium (water) is pumped to the collector where it is heated. It passes through the heat sink to transfer the heat and then returns to the reservoir.
  
  To make an electrical panel you can buy components. Photovoltaic cells and the components to mount them, wire them and then change the current generated into a type and voltage you can use.
QUESTION:
is a 40 watt solar battery kit fitted with a battery protection circuit to prevent overcharging of batteries?
Is a 40 watt Solar Panel Battery Charger Kit with a Maximum Power Voltage of 17.5V
Maximum Power Current of 2.29A with Open Circuit Voltage of 21.5V, fitted with a battery protection circuit to prevent overcharging of batteries?
Or is it recommended to have a Solar Power Charge Controller?
- ANSWER:
  Hey Dave, it depends on the, "Kit," you are speaking of, but generally, no, they do not have a circuit to prevent overcharging batteries. This would be the same as a charge controller. I don't know which kit you are speaking of, most manufacturers make several sizes of them. Kyocera has a 40 watt kit with a panel, mounting hardware, cables and connectors. Most panels today do have something called, "Bypass Diodes" installed. A diode is nothing more than an electrical check valve, allowing current to flow in one direction, toward the battery, but not the other. This prevents the battery from discharging into the panel at night.
  
  There are instances where you do not need a charge controller. In short, if the panels maximum current rating, called short circuit current, in amps, is no more than 2% of the battery banks amp hour capacity, then a charge controller is not needed. We have two installations here that work that way. Our small home system which provides 12 volt power for cabinet lights, garden lights, and some small 12 VDC electronics in the home uses 4 golf cart batteries wired for 12 volts. This gives us an amp hour capacity of 440 amp hours. Since our 3 panels add up to a maximum of 8.2 amps, well below 2% of the 440 AH rating of the battery, we do not use a charge controller. It has worked well for over 11 years now. The only thing we have to do is make sure the batteries are well watered each month, particularly in warm weather.
  
  There is an excellent book on the subject at your local library, called, "The Complete Battery Book," by Richard Perez. If you pick it up, just pay attention to the chapters on flooded lead acid batteries, which are almost always the type used in solar applications. Richard also happens to be the founder and edtior of Home Power Magazine, a periodical that gets into the nuts and bolts of home grown energy. I recommend subscribing if you are really going to tinker with this technology. You'll find great articles and ads for exactly what you are trying to get into. Some other links are posted below.
  
  Whatever panel you end up with, if it doesn't have diodes or a charge controller, you can get diodes at Radio Shack pretty inexpensively. If the panel is not rated over 4 amps, just get the 6 amp silicone diode, for about 89 cents, and put it right in the junction box on the back of the panel. Make sure the positive output of the panel is first routed through this diode before going to the battery. Hook it up when the sun is out, and see if the battery is getting a charge. If not, you probably have it in backwards, just turn it around. That's all the charge controller we have on our little system, one diode in the back of each panel.
  
  If you do subscribe to Home Power, you can use their online search engine to look up old articles. Back in 2000 they were so taken with our low cost ultra simple system that they ran an article on it. Use the websites search to look for Small System First if you want to check it out. Good luck Dave, and take care, Rudydoo
QUESTION:
Anyone else thinking about making solar panels?
neighbor was telling me about a solar panel kit that he bought to make solar panels with. I was curious to know if anyone else had attempted this project. He bought his from this site at: http://www.solarpanelsmake.com Anyone familiar with this?

thanks
- ANSWER:
  It is a scam site.
  
  Since you are 39 years old and hardly a kid, I assume that you think you can somehow make a useful amount of free electricity for your home? Do you have any idea of the number of solar cells needed to do this?
  
  Do you know what solar cells are made of?
  
  Lastly, do you have any understanding of economics and that a large manufacture can make a panel more economically than you will be able to gather a few misc cells?
QUESTION:
What is a 45 WATT solar panel kit able to power?
kilowatts and watts. I look for the conversions and am unable to find them
- ANSWER:
  Not much. Might be just enough to charge a mobile phone.
  
  For example my iphone charger is 240V and is capable of delivering 0.15A therefore 240Vx0.15A=36W
  Of course in the US it would be 110Vx0.15A=16.5W
  
  So yeah it would charge a mobile phone but thats about it.
QUESTION:
can onyone give me instruction to fit evacuated solar panels?
have bought a full 20 tube solar panel kit with new tank expansion tank,and pump with digital display is her a set of standard installation instruction i can obtain.many thanks.kenny
- ANSWER:
  you would think that instructions would have come with it
QUESTION:
Where can I find a solar panel kit wholesale manufacturer? Eliminate the middle man & buy from the source?
- ANSWER:
  Try, ussolar.com . I used to get my hydronic panel 's from them .
QUESTION:
Solar panels make easy project?
I've been looking at this DIY project of making solar panels and wondered if anyone has purchased any of the solar panel kits that you can buy online to build your own panels. Anyone tried this and if so, was it worth the effort. would love to hear your comments. Here is the guide that I was looking at: http://www.solarpanelsmake.com Let me know!
- ANSWER:
  Yes,I bought one but i could't remember the name of company.But I will tell you all the informations about how I made it in home.
  
  Things you'll need:
  
  1.One electric stove or hotplate (at least 1100 watts)
  2.Sheet metal shears
  3.One micro-ammeter (able to read currents between 10 and 50 microamperes)
  4.Tap water
  5.One 2 liter plastic bottle or glass
  6.Safety goggles
  7.Two to three tbsps. of table salt
  1/2 -foot square sheet of copper flashing
  8.Electric drill with sand paper
  9.Two alligator clip leads
  10.Harness the Power of the Sun
  
  Instructions:
  
  1 .Use sheet metal shears to cut the copper flashing in a square or rectangle to fit the size of the electric burner. Be sure to use a piece of copper flashing that is thoroughly cleaned. You may use sandpaper to thoroughly remove any sign of corrosion before proceeding.
  
  2 .Place the copper flashing on the electric burner and turn the burner on. You will need to "cook" the flashing for as long as 30 minutes or more to develop a thick layer of black cupric oxide.
  
  3 .Allow the copper to cool slowly once the layer of cupric oxide has formed. It will begin to flake off and may do so with some force as the oxide and the copper cool at different rates.
  
  4 .Scrub the completely cooled copper under running water to remove any last remaining bits of oxide. Be gentle, as you do not want to remove any of the red cuprous oxide that has been created in heating the flashing.
  
  5 .Cut another piece of copper to the same size. Attach both panels using the alligator clips to the inside of the wide-mouth glass jar or plastic bottle with the top cut off. The panels should not touch and should bend to match the curves of the jar or bottle.
  
  6 .Connect the lead of the alligator clip which fastens the clean copper plate to the positive terminal of the meter. The negative terminal should then be connected to the cuprous oxide plate.
  
  7 .Make a solution of salt and water by dissolving the salt in hot tap water. You should make enough solution to barely cover the bottom of the plates, leaving the clips high and dry.
  
  8 .Place your solar panel in the sun to see the gauge jump to reflect the current your project has created
QUESTION:
Do the build your own energy kits with solar panels and windmills work?
- ANSWER:
  nowhere as good as professionally made ones. Unless you are a mechanic and a EE, just leave it to the professionals.
QUESTION:
45 Watt Solar Panel Kit Harbor Freight?
Exactly How much power will this kit produce? for example. Will it only be able to power the 2 light throughout an entire day or would it be able to power a couple TV's with a couple lights. Or a Refrigerator? washer dryer? I'm just wondering exactly what it will be able to do and if it's worth paying 0 for if it'll only power two lights. Don't get me wrong, That's great and will make a difference but i'm looking for something that will make a little bit of a bigger difference. Would the 80 watt monocrystalline solar panel be much better? if so, what would it be able to power? double?
- ANSWER:
  Yes, 80 watts will be nearly twice as useful as 45 watts - but 80 is still a small number. Solar panel systems need an inverter and there's a slight energy loss at the inverter. And, if you want to use the day's energy at night, you'll need a battery or two. And every time you move energy into or out of a battery, you lose a little of the energy. All this is to say that you need to sum up the wattage of your appliances and add a fudge factor to accommodate for the losses.
  
  I looked at the kit and was moderately impressed. 0/45=.44/watt; that's a reasonable price but the links I left below talk of prices as low as .58/watt.
  
  Also the Harbor Freight kit doesn't contain an 'inverter' which you would have to buy. Also the wattage advertised for any solar panel assumes the thing is clean and pointed right at the sun on a clear day.
QUESTION:
How much will a 40 watt solar panel power?
If I got a 40 watt solar panel kit would it provide enough energy for a couple fluorescent bulbs and an energy-efficient mini fridge? And also for charging a laptop? If not, how big of wattage would be needed? And WTF is the lingo for this stuff anyways? Thanks.
- ANSWER:
  It will not power a fridge because even a small fridge pulls a few watts. With a hand held 75-100w inverter it will power 2 CFL bulbs 15w+15w =30w (Maybe). You need a small 12v battery with a small charge controller to keep a stable voltage so you do not damage your inverter.
QUESTION:
Where can I find a solar car kit in Malaysia?
Preferably the race car type.
I've tried Jalan Pasar, didn't ask all the shops though. But most of them only sell solar panels. How about Low Yat Plaza?
- ANSWER:
  try Kampung Pandan
QUESTION:
How to set up solar power for your home?
I saw an ad to the following items

Chicago Electric Power systems
45 Watt Solar Panel Kit
400 Watt/800 Watt power inverter
Power Inverters 2000W Cont./4000W Surge

What else is needed to get electricity from the solar panels into a home?? How does this work?

I get a lot of sun and would be great to lower my HUGE summer electric bill. Lots of Sun = Lots of Heat = A/C all of the time = $$$$.
- ANSWER:
  Sounds like the system "Liz" described is kind of cobbled together; you want to install a "listed" solar photovoltaic system, and have it installed in a "Code compliant" manner.
  
  Depending on who or where you purchase your system, they will probably offer to install it for you. This is also a good idea, which will include a warranty on the product and the installation. You want the installation to be done correctly; remember, there is no way to turn off a solar collector. Unless covered with a special black-out blanket, the only way to "turn off" a collector panel is to turn it over; a difficult task on a sloping roof.
  
  You will want to know what additional dead load this will place on your roof structure and be sure that the roof system will support it. You will need to check with your local building department to see what Code requirements you will have to comply with. If your home has a truss roof, you will probably need to have a structural engineer verify that it will support the added weight, or design modifications to the roof framing that will allow the installation of the SP System. You may also have to contend with Zoning requirements. Although a variance is always possible, it can be a very expensive proposition.
  
  Good luck.
QUESTION:
Can a Harbor Freight solar panel resist hail?
I just bought a Harbor Freight solar panel kit and I am concerned about damage it might receive from weather conditions. It appears to have some sort of plastic over the solar cells.
- ANSWER:
  I have one up and it hasn't destructed yet. It does what they say. I have it connected to 2 5 volt golf cart gel cells in series. You would need about 20 of them to power most things directly.
QUESTION:
Do you need a regulator to hook up a 5000 Watt Power Inverter to a Solar Panel?
I am thinking about buying a 5,000 Watt Continuous/10,000 Watt Peak Power inverter and a 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit, to use to run the lights and some utilities with, and I was wondering if I would need a regulator.
- ANSWER:
  Hey Katrina, sounds like you've been shopping at Harbor Freight. There are two types of power inverters in the world, intertie and independent. An intertie inverter will take power form any amount of solar you have, up to its rated limit. If you are looking on the shelf at power inverters that cost a few hundred dollars, they are not this type. An intertie inverter that is rated at 1000 watts will take solar power from several panels wired in series totalling any amount of power up to 1000 watts and synchronize its output with the grid power. Then it will directly feed solar power out to the grid, offsetting some of what your home is using. A 1000 watt intertie inverter might cost you 00 USD or more.
  
  The less expesive independent inverters have to be hooked to a battery, so the voltage going into the inverter is always regulated to nominal battery voltage. Then you can use your solar panel to charge the battery with. Most inverters you find on the shelf at Harbor Freight, auto parts stores, truck stops and sporting good stores are this type. They cost a fraction of what the intertie models do, but must have a battery to anchor the voltage feeding into the inverter. There is no reason you can't use a 45 watt solar panel to charge a deep cycle boat battery, which feeds an inverter of this type, but you won't get a lot of power out of it for very long. Once the battery is discharged, it might take that panel a week to charge it back up again. We have an arrangement like this in our barn, 4 golf cart batteries run a 750 watt inverter, which is used to run a bank of compact flourescent light bulbs. The inverter is only used for a few hours each week, and the little 50 watt panel we have keeps the batteries charged up the rest of the time. Projects like this are fun and interesting, but with a 45 watt panel, you won't be offsetting much of your electric loads from your homes system. Good luck Katrina, and take care, Rudydoo
QUESTION:
Is this a good kit for building a solar panel?
http://cgi.ebay.com/108-Solar-Cells-3x6-Tabbed-Diy-Panel-Kit-w-Wire-Flux_W0QQitemZ110511517068QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19baffed8c
- ANSWER:
  Only if for some reason you need to design a panel to a particular voltage and current capability that is difference from a prefab'ed panel.
  
  Lots of work and you still need to weather proof it and mount the individual cells into a frame.
  
  Consider a prefab unit
  http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90599
QUESTION:
Are there problems adding other charging units like wind power to a Harbor Freight Solar Panel ChargeControler?
I would like to buy a small wind generator and just add the negative and positive wires to the negative and positive wires in my Harbor Freight Solar Panel kit. The Harbor Freight Solar Panel kit's charge control will still protect the battery from over charging right? Even though the charge controller would be buffering more wattage then what the manufaturer probably intended it to buffer? If so, could there be long term implications on the charge controller or battery?
- ANSWER:
  Hey Me, what are you using for battery storage? If I understand the harbor freight kit properly, it does not have a battery included, or it is a very small sealed AGM type battery. If that is the case, don't bother adding another source of charging power, you'll just fill that battery up faster and still have no place to put your excess energy. If you have a good sized deep cycle battery or two hooked up, my suggestion is simply get a wind turbine that has it's own charge controller, most of them do. Then wire it straight to the battery bypassing the harbor freight unit. A good example would be Southwest Windpowers Air 403, puts out up to 300 watts, although in ideal conditions on a tall tower, but has its own internal regulator, like a car alternator. So the two wires coming down the tower go straight to the battery, and the turbine is already prevented from overcharging anything.
  
  In most wind/solar power systems, the charge controller is the achilles heel. It is the one thing that breaks down first and causes the most problems. We've been living in a wind and solar powered home for years now, I can speak from experience on this. We've not purchased the HF kit because the panels are not built as robustly as they need to be to be mounted on the roof of a home in all weather conditions, and the wiring harnesses are not designed for permanent installation, to be sunlight resistant, etc. Also the electronics are not UL listed to my knowledge, so they would not be legal for in home installation either. They are terrific little units to make small amounts of power in a portable application, like camping, or a remote shed for example. Adding another source of power to be fed through the existing controls of that kit would be like welding a bed on the back of a Ford Pinto in order to use it as a pickup truck. My suggestion is to have a good sized battery pack, like a pair of Trojan T-105 golf cart batteries (220 amp hours) then get a small turbine with its own regulator, and wire it straight to the batteries. The batteries will happily take a charge from either source, or both simultaneously, that's how our home works. If you really want to do some shopping for this stuff, get a subscription to Home Power Magazine, they regularly run articles on all the available panels, turbines, controllers and othe components to home power systems. If you subscribe, you can use their website to review archived articles in past issues that have all the write ups you're looking for. Good luck Me, and take care, Rudydoo
QUESTION:
Where can I buy a complete solar kit for a home?
Is there companies that sell complete solar kits (solar panels, inverters, regulators etc) but excluding the batteries and excluding installation?
The inverter needs to provide 220V and not 110V (or both) and the company needs to be willing to export.
The inverter needs to be between 5000kva and 7000kva and I need between 2000W and 3000W worth of solar panels.
Thanks.
Is there companies that sell complete solar kits (solar panels, inverters, regulators etc) but excluding the batteries and excluding installation?
The inverter needs to provide 220V and not 110V (or both) and the company needs to be willing to export.
The inverter needs to be between 5000kva and 7000kva and I need between 2000W and 3000W worth of solar panels.
Thanks.
- ANSWER:
  Places like partsonsale.com have kits, but understand that you will probably want to optimize a kit for each individual install. It is the normal practice not to have batteries, and to wire for 220V, even in the US.
  
  What country is the export to? Might it be more economical to buy separate parts from a distributor?
QUESTION:
45 watt solar panel kit with a 300 watt power inverter? would this even run my toaster? thats 120v 60hrz 840w?
- ANSWER:
  The inverter is only designed to deliver 300 watts, so no.
  There must be a battery in there, you didn't mention it. If you work out the current that a suitable inverter would need to draw to drive a suitable inverter, and the battery is able to safely supply that current, you can cook your toast.
  However you must then look at the solar panel, at 45 watts it will take some time to charge a suitable battery for the job. And it can only do this when there is sufficient sunlight. So the time it can charge at 45 watts is limited in a 24- hour cycle.
  Ultimately, the 840 W for your toaster needs to be supplied from the 45 W panel.
QUESTION:
I'm Thinking Of Getting This Solar Panel Kit, Is It Feasible?
I would love to be able to produce electricity for my home in a safe and clean manner, for the sake of the environment AND for my rather challenged finances, but I really haven't got thousands to invest in the project.

I found this kit online, which seems to offer what I need for a VERY low price.... needless to say I'm suspicious.

So, anyone with knowledge of these things.... can you tell me if this just nonsense/a con, or does it look like a decent way forward for me?

http://www.homemadeenergy.org/?hop=cyprusmete
- ANSWER:
  Alright, first of all I do not think the site is a scam, but what they are telling you is not the whole story.
  What they sell you is the basic concept of building a solar panel. They explain how to connect the solar cells, and fabricate a panel using basic supplies that you can purchase either at a hardware store or at Radio Shack. If you do some research on the internet you can find sites out there that provide this information for free.
  
  As far as building the solar panel for 0. that is a relative price depending on what materials you are able to salvage. Your big expense is the solar cells themselves. Most likely what they are going to tell you is to look online for damaged, or second hand solar cells. Sometimes you can find them on Ebay, and there are numerous companies out there that sell bulk solar cells, both new and used. Damaged or used solar cells are cheaper, but require a lot more work to utilize, new is easiest, so you will pay accordingly.
  The rest of the materials are pretty inexpensive. Plywood, plexiglas, silicone caulk, etc. The materials you need from Radio Shack cost about . for the initial investment, and the materials will last a good while. In a nutshell, if you use scrap lumber, and used solar cells you might be able to build a 100 watt panel for under 0. maybe even less. If you really dig around, there are places where you can find damaged solar panels, that have been discarded, and you can tear them apart and recycle the solar cells.
  Once you build the solar panel, you are only part way there. The panel is producing DC current, and your home runs on AC. The normal home set up would have the solar panels connected to a battery bank, so the panels keep the batteries charged, and the home runs off the batteries. Same problem, batteries are DC, your home AC.
  You would need an adapter to change the DC to AC before you could hook up to your home. A DC converter will run you about 0. normally. The big problem is this. When you convert from DC to AC you lose most of what you have generated. Here is an example:
  A compact flourecent bulb is using about 40 watts of power, maybe a little less. Your solar panel is only producing 100 watts, so you will only be able to power two lights in the house, three at the most.
  In order to run the lights, fans, radio, etc. you will need a roof full of solar panels. Nobody ever tells you this.
  Here is a simple solution if you are really serious. The trick is to run part of your home straight DC. Then there is no need for a DC converter. You can get DC flourescents which only require about 4 watts of power. DC fans, are the same, they require very little DC current to operate. Basically anything you have in your home that runs on batteries, a laptop for instance, can handle the DC current.
  You can have an electrician re-route some of the wiring in the house to your solar system. Lights, ceiling fans, and a few outlets for DC appliances. Eventually you could convert the entire home to DC, but just getting the lights and other smaller appliances on DC will same you a lot of money. With a DC system you only need a few solar panels to do the whole job, not a roof full.
  You will still need a bank of batteries which are a little on the expensive side. If you are running DC however, you only need a few batteries to support the system, instead of 8-10 batteries. The batteries will need to be a deep cycle battery that are made to be recharged regularly. Car batteries do not work very well. The batteries you need are like the ones used in golf carts, fork lifts, etc. You can purchase reconditioned batteries at a reasonable price (-40 a piece) in most parts of the country, and usually they will give you a warranty if they are reputable.
  Anyway, I tried not to be over detailed here, so I could keep this fairly short, so I hope you get the basic idea.
QUESTION:
What parts do I need to put together some solar panels and tie them into the grid?
I have a relatively small home, but space to work with on the roof and in the yard. obviously i know i need solar panels, but what parts do i need specifically (please dont just say "a kit") to tie it into the power grid so the power company pays me for the power i produce. Any brand name preferences would be welcome.
- ANSWER:
  I did some searching for you and found this site.
  There is more info on how to.....
  Hope it helps!
QUESTION:
Solar Panels For Homes, Anyone knows About It ?
I need to know more info on where can i find solar kits for homes, how much it's worth it and what type should I use for an average 2000sq ft home.
- ANSWER:
  To start with most solar Modules have a 25 year garantee to provide 80% of the rated power.
  
  Next the size of your home has nothing at all to do with the size of solar electric system you need. You have to size your system by your electric usage.
  
  If you are wanting to go grid-tie, you will not be able to hook it up your self. The Electric Co. requires the local building inspector to sign the paper work and the building inspector requires a lic. electrical installer to get a permit. So most you could do your self is mount the hardware and hire someone to pull a permit and finish the wiring.
  
  To start with you need get your last 12 months electric bills and find the kWh used and total it for the whole year. Divide that by 365 days and you will have your usage per day. Find out what the peak sun hours are for your area and divide your daily usage by the sun hours. Now you have the size of a system you need.
  
  Start by reading this link
  
  http://www.oynot.com/solar-power.html
  
  Go to this link to get your sun hours.
  
  http://www.oynot.com/solar-insolation-map.html
  
  Then go pick the system you need from one of the links this page.
  
  http://store.oynot.com/gts-grid-tie-systems.html
  
  You can aswell use this link and it will do most of the math for you along with give you details on how much money you could save and priceing for the system you really need.
  
  http://www.oynot.com/how-solar.html
  
  The first text link is an Excel spread sheet.. Try it out.
QUESTION:
What are some websites that you can buy Lego kits that have motors, solar panels, etc.?
These sets must have wires, motors, and battery packs at the least.
- ANSWER:
  The best source is Pitsco, I've included the link below. They are very oriented to educational aspects utilizing Lego.
  We have bought unique individual parts from them especially for robot building associated with First Lego League competitions.
QUESTION:
Portable Solar Panels - why are they so expensive?
Hi,

I've been reading about solar panels and different approaches - buy ready made, make your own etc and there's one question I'm not able to answer or find an answer to - why are the ready made ones so expensive (smallest from £800)?

For example:

you can get 36 solar panel pv cells for around £40 on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/36-3x6-solar-cell-kit-DIY-solar-panel-/280645585174?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item4157c7c916
That's about as many as you get on a standard ready made panel: http://www.solargadgetstore.co.uk/solar-power-station-60-w.html

next thing you need is a battery to store the power. If I'm looking at the right thing, then the prices start around £50 for a 12V battery:
http://batterymegastore.co.uk/products/group/?c=Battery&a=Renewable+Power

then there's some wires, a skeleton / rack to hold the panel and some circuitry.

My guess is that most of these things are made in Asia for a fragment of the cost they are sold for, so how does the final price amount to £800 and more? Fat margin? Freight costs?

if anyone can answer this, that would be of great help.

thanks.
this is the £800 ready made set I'm referring to:

http://www.solargadgetstore.co.uk/solar-power-station-60-w.html

It's DIY, so no labour in the price, it's pretty much only the parts I described.
- ANSWER:
  You can go to a hardware store for the wire and parts for the frame.
  
  You can use a automotive or marine (Deep Cycle) battery.
  
  You will need a 12v power inverter to power your ac devices.
  
  The real expensive part is the solar panels themselves. Unfortunately is is costly due to the manufacturing process. The end result is when you add up everything, you are paying twice to three times the cost of purchasing the electric from the electric company.
QUESTION:
do anyone have the power4home-solar kit and do it really work?
this kit gives you step by step instructions on how to build and install your solar panel
- ANSWER:
  This describes my opinion:
  
  http://www.nlcpr.com/Deceptions6.php
  
  conclusion: don't waste your money.
QUESTION:
if i buy 2 solar panel kits of 45 watts each how much would i making in kwh?
Im trying to save money in my light bill so i'm thinking of buying some solar panels I need to produce 2000 kwh and how do i go by connecting it to my house
- ANSWER:
  Others above have covered the calculations quite well.
  
  For a real world data point, each 1000 watts of solar array in my area of northern California produces about 2000 kWh of energy per *year*.
  
  Those little 45-watt kits from Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, etc., can be fun, but they have amorphous silicon panels, and from what I've heard, are very optimistically rated. One guy who analyzed the kit said that the panels actually returned more like 5 watts each in bright sun, for a total of 15. Also, those kits are designed to charge a lead-acid battery, and provide stand-alone electric power. They cannot be connected to hosue wiring. Given the inefficiencies of storing energy in a battery, I suspect what you would get is enough to run a laptop for maybe a couple hours a day, or a small compact fluorescent bulb for twice that.
QUESTION:
DIY kit for solar panel?
i am very much interested in making a solar panel, my problem is where i can acquire the main components in order to build it, i am staying here in abu dhabi UAE i'm always searching on the internet for shops that can provide me a DIY kit but i did not find one, i need somebody who knows where i can get these things, please let me know.
- ANSWER:
  I know Northern Tool ships to Canada, but not sure if they ship to the UAE. http://www.northerntool.com
  If you know how to construct your electrical controllers from the component pieces, a source the does ship worldwide is DigiKey, http://www.digikey.com Since they handle Toshiba and Sanyo components, it might be worth checking with them to see about the Photovoltaics. The PV panels are not a normal catalogued item, but they can do special orders.
  
  I would think you might have a Siemens distributor in the UAE, but I suspect you already looked.
  The charge controllers are very easy to make and profit margins are very great for the ready made units. I am not sure my email will appear under the blue banner, but give it a try, I can direct you to the technical notes and application notes that explain the operation of MOSFETs, there are a few, but they are well written in the event you have not studied them yet, And also give you a few details they do not always cover well in the notes to expand the current handling capabilities.
  
  In the event the banner does not toggle, emnefair1@yahoo.com
QUESTION:
How to install solar panels at home without lots of extra wiring.?
I'm interested in installing myself but have no knowledge of solar panels.Can the excess be sold back to the national grid and how does that work?. What is the average cost?. Where is the best place to get all the equipment from?. Does anyone sell kits for individuals with everything needed included.? What can be run off an average size panel. What is the best size panel to start with?.
- ANSWER:
  They don't really produce enough electricity to sell to the National grid. I assume you're in the UK. A better bet is panels that heat water using the heat of the sun. In winter the water coming off the mains is close to freezing, warm it up before it goes in to your hot water tank and that will save energy and much cheaper than solar panels that produce electricity. I assume you are turning your computer off when not needed. Turning your TV off instead of leaving it on standby. Using low energy light bulbs. Wearing warm clothing in winter and turning the heating down a little. Driving only when you have to? Saving energy is usually better than producing it. I'm quite interested in these new "bright" LEDs - they are really efficient at producing light. I find "low energy" light bulbs are useless for many applications. Like I can't see to read! Leds may replace them soon. I had LEDs for my Christmas lights and they were efficient and controllable.
QUESTION:
How much for Solar panels?
I live in a 2 bedroom bungalow in the east midlands and I am considering having solar panels & new tank fitted to heat water etc. My other rooms are lounge/kit/Bathroom/hall/conservatory, has anyone out there had this sort of work done in a similar building if so how much are we looking at approx please, all answers gladly received.
- ANSWER:
  Consider a building power meter first to work out your daily/yearly electrical consumption.
  Try to be energy efficient as possible.
  Then size a solar project noting your roof aspect, pitch and area.
  The price of solar panels has come down in the last year.
  Use a calculator to work out your return on investment.
QUESTION:
How much would it cost to purchase solar panels to power a bus?
I want to have power on a bus for some of my belongings. How much to do so and where can i buy the kit with a good warranty? Thanks alot!

You will not get best answer by recommending power4home.com :/
Oh and i needs to be waterproof as well..
- ANSWER:
  To power the bus it'll cost more than the bus ! ;o)
  To charge your gadgets and maybe run a small inverter, maybe a couple of thousand dollars.
QUESTION:
Solar panel diy guide/kits, do they work?
We were wondering if it makes sense to install solar panels on our roof? We are pretty handy and do these online kits work? Any recommendations so that we can save on our power bill, thanks.
- ANSWER:
  Yes they work. I would do just a little research first. But definitely you can save thousands by building your own. Solar Heaters are the most efficient but I would also combine the solar panels and like a mini turbine to save for home. A good kit I would try is the link below it helped me start saving huge, Happy Building/Learning!
  
  Mark
QUESTION:
Is a 3 volt solar panel with a 6.5 mA broken?
well, I've got an old solar panel kit from some relatives of mine. Well, as a kid, you can probably guess that I put in a closed circuit backwards and all sorts of dumb things. well, I tested it with an electrometer and it is capable of giving up to 5 volts, but only 6 mA. I am guessing I fried something because now I can't generate a small motor the size of your thumbnail. I'm not sure that it's something painfully obvious, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
- ANSWER:
  It would help if you told us the size of the panel. Were your measurements made in bright sun?
  3 volts x 6.5 mA = 20 mW
  
  The smallest one I found for sale has a power level of 80 mW, 4 times the one you have. It has an area of about 10 cm² or about 1.6 square inches. If your panel is a lot smaller, then that may be normal.
  
  But I think it is damaged.
  
  .
QUESTION:
Do it yourself Solar Panels?
We are researching home made solar panels and are wondering if anyone has used the Earth4Energy.com kit? 555energy.com says Earth4Energy.com is the best kit to purchase. Has anyone used a kit?

Which kit did you use?
How easy was it to build?
How much did it cost to build the panels?
How many kw or watts does it produce?
Any other info on the kit or panels you built would be helpful.

Thanks!
- ANSWER:
  http://www.usedsolarpanel.net/
  http://www.homemadeenergy.org/
  Building your own solar panel and making use of solar power not only makes for an intelligent, respectful use of the planet's resources but it can improve the lives of all us. After learning how to make a solar panel, you could sleep soundly in the knowledge that you can make electricity to power your home and are contributing less to harmful emissions. If this is not motivation enough then read on...
  Imagine for a moment, a situation where you would be smiling with glee instead of gasping with sheer terror when you receive your electric bill. Sound impossible? Well, think again. By building your own solar panel, the utility company could end up paying you for the surplus energy your DIY solar panel produces. When it cannot make electricity, at nighttime for example, you can use power from the grid.
  Many countries including; Australia, Canada, Israel, Netherlands, UK, Germany, Spain and some states in the US have introduced something called a Feed-In Tariff which means customers get paid for the electricity made on their property using a DIY solar panel.
  Of course, this doesn't apply everywhere. I'm sure there are other schemes which differ from country to country, so it is important to find out which one applies to you before you make one.
  So, how much does it cost? That of course relies on your budget as there are many different ways you can go about building your own solar panel. It all depends on what your energy needs are, how much of the work you can do yourself and what you are willing to compromise on. You have to consider the following things and how much they cost:
  Materials
  
  http://www.earth4energy.com/
  http://www.greendiyenergy.com/
  There are DIY solar panel kits available that are ready to be assembled and have everything you need to make it, of course, these cost much more. However, it is possible to find nearly all of the materials in your local hardware store cheaply and learn how to make a solar panel easily. The only thing you may want to buy ( it is possible to make these at home but its not recommended!) are solar cells. These are what convert the sunlight and make electricity but you can buy these easily online. You can even buy broken ones and repair them, saving even more by making this.
  Tools
  This can be done using common tools but you may need to buy a soldering iron if you don't already have one.
  Plans
  Now this is the really important part, learning how to make a solar panel. It is no good doing all the research and getting all the materials, if the plans you are building your own solar panel from do not produce a working version at the end of it all. There are loads of guides on the Internet but I would always recommend buying plans with easy-to-follow instructions on this from a reputable company who knows what they are talking about.
  
  Author: Joseph Park Other Blog Links
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QUESTION:
Does anyone know about solar power?
I really need to know what size battery I need to use with a 60 watt solar panel kit. Also how many batteries I will need. I will be using this kit with an old self contained camper. Thanks
- ANSWER:
  The 60 watts is probably overstated, but let's assume it's correct. At 12 volts, that's 5 amps. Generally, we try to charge a lead-acid battery at 5% of capacity, or at least 3%. That means a 12 volt, 100 amp-hour battery.
  
  You can find gel cells equivalent to this, or just use a single car battery (deep cycle marine battery is better).
QUESTION:
Whats the best site for Solar Power?
Hey, I want to become more 'greener' and need a site with good, solid information on DIY solar panels and kits, and possibly even videos on how to do so. Has anyone got good links?
- ANSWER:
  Hey, I think that http://solarpoweredgarden-lights.com is really good. I purchased the kit for about 0 and I can tell you, I reccommend it to everyone! Also, there is loads of FREE information aswell, and videos lol.
QUESTION:
How to select solar panel charger for laptop (basic electricity related questions)?
Hi,

I have ASUS UL30VT laptop. The text on the battery says 15V, 5600 mAh, 84Wh. The adapter (black box on the cord) is:
Output: 19 V DC, 3.42 A, 65W
Input100~240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal

I went to ebay and found different solar panels but I am not sure which parameters I need to look for. For example this one
http://cgi.ebay.com/5W-18V-mono-solar-panel-car-12v-battery-laptop-charger-/120746170292
It has a number of specs. Will it work for my laptop? And if not, which parameters indicate that? If yes, how long will it approximately take to charge the battery?

Also I found several other ones
http://cgi.ebay.com/Portable-Solar-Power-Panel-Kit-40-W-Laptop-Batt-Charger-/170514447329
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Solar-Panel-Battery-Charger-LAPTOP-19V-US-/390325758943
which are way more expensive than the first charger. Why is that? Is it because they seem to provide not only the charger but also the battery? Or is it because the panel is more powerful which leads to faster charge times? Will it work with my laptop?
- ANSWER:
  Your first concern would be damaging the laptop. At the least, you would likely void its warranty. Why do you want to do this? There's no way it's economical if any alternatives (like AC power or car battery) are available. If you are lucky, the first one might charge the battery enough during a day to provide power for about an hour's use. You'd also be very lucky if it lasts a year, or perhaps even works when you get it.
QUESTION:
Does a 40 watt Solar Battery Charger come with battery protection to prevent overcharging of batteries?
Does a Tektrum 40 watt Solar Panel/Blocking Diode Cable/2m long Cable and Clamps Battery Charger Kit, Is this solar panel fitted with a battery protection circuit to prevent overcharging of batteries?
Or is it recommended to have a Solar Power Charge Controller. if so which one is best to use?
- ANSWER:
  That's a very good question and I don't know about those specific products. I get most of my stuff from the site below because they really know their stuff.
QUESTION:
Solar Panel Demonstration Ideas?
Hey i am going to build a scale model house and demonstrate how you would use solar panels to provide energy. I am thinking of buying some kit solar panels and wiring up some lights to show how they power the home. Also i might hook up a battery in the house to show how you can store the energy. I might also have a large battery hooked up outside the house to represent a power plant that could provide emergency power. Any ideas or comments would be great. Thanks
- ANSWER:
  Hey Al, great idea. I don't know how big the model is, or what you're using for lighting and such. Here's what I've been doing. We have a solar and wind powered home in the Northern Great Lakes. The last few years, I've been going into the local school and teaching a solar power seminar to the 5th graders. I don't have a model home, but we just pile some stuff on a table, like a small radio, a couple lamps and portable DVD player. For fun I've added a string of LED Christmas lights and a DC fan from a truck stop. All this stuff is hooked to a 12 volt battery for a trolling boat motor. The Christmas lights and one compact flourescent bulb are powered by a small inverter from the auto parts shop, which is also connected to the battery. I show the kids our little, "home," and then we pull the plug from the wall, which isn't actually doing anything anyway, and they see that a power failure doesn't affect it. Next I have a 50 watt solar panel with a DC plug on a long wire that the kids take outside and set up facing the sun, and when we plug it into the battery, they can see the voltage come up some. A couple ammeters will demonstrate how much the house is using, and how much the panel is delivering. On a good day, the panel can run all the stuff in our house and have a little left over to charge the battery. This is a great way to illustrate how a solar power home works, and the kids like getting involved.
  
  Afterward, we have a field trip up to our house so they can see an actual working solar home first hand, but the classroom activity is really fulfilling even without the field trip. What I would suggest is you look for a battery like this, maybe 75 to 100 amp hours if you can find one, or larger, then shop for a panel, not more than 50 watts. This way the panel will not overcharge your battery if it is plugged in for an hour or so without any load on the battery. I don't know if your model will hold this battery, or you could add a shed in the yard for it. Then for effect, put in a switch that switches the entire model home load from the battery to a 12 volt converter that plugs into the wall. You could simulate a power failure by unplugging it, and then turn on the battery. Lots of possibilities.
  
  There's a great mag out that gets into the nuts and bolts of all this stuff, Home Power Magazine. Our home was even featured in it a couple times. I suggest subscribing to it online, it isn't expensive, then use their search engine to look for an article called, "Trying the Small System First." It is all about what you are doing. Good luck with your project, and take care...Rudydoo
QUESTION:
how many watts/volts does a RV camper use in 1 day?
i'm looking into buying a solar panel kit for my RV to eliminate the cost of electricity. I dont know how big of a panel to get. they come in 12 watt up to 130 watts and bigger! Thanks!
- ANSWER:
  It will depend on what appliances you have running.
  You're not going to run any 110VAC devices are you?
  Forget about trying to run an air-conditioner.
  
  Frankly, I'd just worry about the 12V circuitry.
  Add up the watts of all the bulbs you have.
  That's the built-in low-voltage lighting.
  Just use the solar panel to re-charge the batteries.
  Run your furnace, frig. & stove on propane of course.
QUESTION:
Solar Panel Batteries?
My Grandfather just purchased a cheap solar panel kit for his ranch that could not muster enough power to run his mini fridge.

He has two 6 volt batteries running positive to negative and would like to add more batteries. Probably 12volt. How would he go about hooking up the other batteries and what kind of wire or coil should he use.

Also, I saw on youtube a guy recommending a lead-acid battery from walmart for under . I was just going to go to ecology and just pick up some used batteries but I may be wrong.

Any help for a first timer might help me and my gramps out will be appreciated.

Thank you
- ANSWER:
  If he is going to be running off batteries at night, he would be better off with "traction" batteries.
  Traction batteries are true deep cycle and can better withstand deep discharge. Golf cart batteries at Sam's Club (the other half of Walmart) are "traction batteries."
  
  If your grandfather needs safe refrigeration, a mini fridge won't do it. A 110 fridge takes too much power to run off solar panels and most won't hold their cold very well if unplugged for long.
  
  I run a fridge off grid with hybrid deep cycle marine starting batteries. It's an Engel 40. The price has gone up over 0 since I bought mine. It's a real fridge with a compressor and freon 134a. But it runs on 12v dc or 110vac and only uses 36 watts running because of a special compressor design. It will freeze food if you turn the dial down to 2 out of 5. It can also deep freeze.
  
  I use mine to keep eggs, milk, cheese and fruit juice.
  
  Your grandfather would need 400 amp-hours name plate rating of batteries at 12v to run the Engel, and probably 100 real watts of panels to recharge his battery bank. The Harbor Freight 45 watt panel set only puts out 30 watts on a clear cool day. That won't do it.
QUESTION:
Portable Solar Panel?
I am a boy scout and I want to make a solar panel kit that I can pack up and bring anywhere. I want it to be portable and big enough to power a cell phone charger, double a battery charger(for flashlights), a portable fan, a clock, and enough for more stuff. Can you list what I would need? Needs to be low priced.
Ok well more accesories means unknown since I dont know what I will be plugging in. Could be a laptop for family campouts. Or a portable tv. Could be anything. And the powerfilms are too small for what I need. Not enough power. I've seen some before.
- ANSWER:
  Since you are a Boy Scout, you should be getting Boys' Life magazine. PowerFilm Solar regularly has an ad in Boys' Life to do the exact thing you are looking for.
  See http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/BePrepared/
  
  Go sell more popcorn to get enough money to buy it.
QUESTION:
Is anyone out there living off grid? Can you either tell or explain to me how I can do it too?
I have been trying to go green. But hope to buy a solar panel kit to save some money on my lights.
- ANSWER:
  Living off the gird involves having some source of power (solar, minihydro, wind) and generally being very, very, energy efficient in what you use. There's a really good magazine called home power that has lots of on- and off- grid alternative power info...

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