Harbor Freight 100W Solar Setup with Charge Controller 2021

This panel can put out close to 100 watts youtube.com/post/UgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8Fh… 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.

I installed 4-100watt kits to run things in my double wide on 5 acres in the mountains, 3 years ago. I use 4 marine deep charge 12 volt batteries in parallel as battery bank storage for when the grid power is shut off to keep the refrigerator, tv, some lights, etc. going instead of a fueled generator. It also runs my cooling during the spring/summer/fall months during the day and washing machine. It's separate from the grid power so nothing feeds back. It's been keeping my utility power bill low, while their rates keep jumping higher. I just purchased one of these newer 100watt panels to add on to my system and try it out. So far so good. Really easy to add on to my other roof mounted panels.

Thank you. I needed that tip on making sure the polarity is correct

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing.

thanks for the info it was so helpful bro no I’m gonna power every single thing inside my trailer. Hell yeah thank you dude

Great video!

Wow! Thanks for the tip about the flipped polarity. I didn't know that and I am a retired electronics technician! They flip the polarity on an extension cord, which makes ONE of the ends have the wrong color! I think I would put heat-shrink of the proper color on those because ONE MISTAKE of wrong polarity can really do some damage to whatever you connect backwards. After 50 years of believing "RED" is positive.... "BLACK"" is negative.. I don't trust my future "self" to remember THIS ONE is backwards. Heat shrink tubing solves the problem so when I am older I won't FORGET.

Good info bud thanks

I’m looking to put in a system like this to maintain my lawn tractor battery over the winter in my shed. Now the steps you laid out where to connect the battery first and then the solar panel in order to charge a 12 volt battery at the correct voltage. If I’m understanding this correctly, is when the sun goes down for the evening the charging will stop until it rises again in the morning and the solar charger should revert back to the proper charging voltage for that 12 volt battery, am I correct? Also does that charger controller work like an auto battery charger, if not do you know by chance if anyone makes one? Great video!!

I liked your Video. Can you tell me How Many Panels and Batteries Etc . To run a Refrigerator. Thank You for your Help 👍

Good video

Thanks for the video. I am using the harbor freight charge controller and im wondering if i need to flip the polarity on the panel and battery the way you have done here. Thank you

I think you can swap where you used the halves of the cut in half adapter cable and the colors should match. (Use the half that is currently being used to connect the battery side over to be used for the solar connection, and then move the other half that was being used for the solar connection over to be used for the battery connection)

What size wire goes into the CC. It’s not working with a #10 wire. I got it to work but it feels like I should be using a #12 wire.

Do you know what the ocv should be set at on a single 100w panel? My says 5v. Anything would help. Can't find anything on it.

What is that means..17volts means cannot charge 12v battery using that controller.. I got the same problem..because that controller defaulted 14.5volts to cut off charging...

If I want to add a second battery,,,does anyone know, do I set it up in a series or parallel?

How can this help my electric bill?

They make connectors that will switch polarity and keep your wiring straight.

Thank you for the great videos on HF solar systems, content and production quality. Just getting started and have several questions. How do you setup multiple panels to the charge controller? The 35 Ahr battery seems pretty small, about 425 watts. Will the controller charge any 12 volt battery and multiple batteries connected in parallel? The rating of 100 Watts is based on what conditions and how you determine the actual power output of the setup? Thanks again, best regards, Dan