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Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE

 
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 82013858
United States
09/24/2022 08:30 PM
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Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Best as in:

1. Best quality
2. Best cost
3. Best reviews

Thank you!
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 82763567
United States
09/24/2022 08:34 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Best as in:

1. Best quality
2. Best cost
3. Best reviews

Thank you!
 Quoting: Tars Tarkas, Jr.


[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]


[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]


This is what works for me.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 69390326
United States
09/24/2022 08:38 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
I love my kid midnight solar.never gives me problems.great ratings.only wish it handled higher current.its stackable though.i just dont need a second one yet.mines 1 year old.uses one amp all night.on 300cca lawnmower battery.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 82013858
United States
09/24/2022 08:40 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Best as in:

1. Best quality
2. Best cost
3. Best reviews

Thank you!
 Quoting: Tars Tarkas, Jr.


[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]


[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]


This is what works for me.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 82763567


Thank you! Anyone else?
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 81096904
United Kingdom
09/24/2022 08:43 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Renogy got panels an charge unit. Looking at there lithium battery’s but that’s where the bigger prices kick in
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 80815623
United States
09/24/2022 08:45 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
victron is the best. And it has blue tooth.
But it cost them Dollar.s
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 65571479
United States
09/24/2022 08:47 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
What is your use case?
.

What is your budget?
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 69390326
United States
09/24/2022 08:53 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
The real question is the inverter.thats where it gets hard to know the truth.
The prices are crazy.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 52828044
United States
09/24/2022 08:57 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Victron is the best in my opinion. Some of their products may not pass US codes so be careful if you have to have it inspected.

The cheap chinese stuff seems to work fine too. I have a couple of 8 year old Chinese charge controllers that have been running since I got them. No problems out of them, but I wouldn’t hook them up to a lithium bank either.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 75679511
United States
09/24/2022 09:04 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
My mobile setup is an Ecoflow max with 2 60w panels. So far its been amazing and the best $600 ive spent this year.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 79434524
United States
09/24/2022 09:05 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
EG4 is the best bang for your buck. Pretty cheap and great build quality. Check out “will prowse” on utube. He tears it down and goes over build quality. Good stuff.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 68677926
United States
09/24/2022 09:09 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Lithium is a money math equation.since lithium is lightweight and can be run down the deepest,its a win for transportation.
But in a home situation,capped lead acid wins.
Lithium supplies 4x the power but has a death rate.lead acid has no death rate.
Is lithium less than 4x in price?
So far theres people saying twenty plus years on lead acid.you will get about ten years on lithium.thus you have to cut lithiums price in half again.thats 2x leads price.
Lithium cant touch that.capped lead acid wins in home power supplies if properly maintained.
Trin says stay away from trojan and deep cycle agm.
Justsayno

User ID: 81592897
United States
09/24/2022 09:15 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
My mobile setup is an Ecoflow max with 2 60w panels. So far its been amazing and the best $600 ive spent this year.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 75679511


I have been looking at the Ecoflow river pro with the additional battery so 1440 watt hours, not sure about which panels to get, just want to end up with 400 watts
Also going to buy 1000 watt propane generator to top the system off if we don’t get sun for a week, which happens a lot in Michigan winters
Malu
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 68677926
United States
09/24/2022 09:22 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Get diesel then.you can make bio diesel way easier than gasoline.or rig your generator to run on straight ethanol.gasoline will be too expensive in ten years.think ahead,way ahead.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 68677926
United States
09/24/2022 09:25 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
My mobile setup is an Ecoflow max with 2 60w panels. So far its been amazing and the best $600 ive spent this year.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 75679511


I have been looking at the Ecoflow river pro with the additional battery so 1440 watt hours, not sure about which panels to get, just want to end up with 400 watts
Also going to buy 1000 watt propane generator to top the system off if we don’t get sun for a week, which happens a lot in Michigan winters
 Quoting: Justsayno


You aint gonna get much of a deal on panels.1$ a watt.squarish has less chance of breaking but takes more mounts when doing a bunch.thus your real cost in panels is mounting hardware.one badass hailstorm can ruin you.the bigger the panel,the more risk of breakage.
Justsayno

User ID: 81592897
United States
09/24/2022 09:28 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
My mobile setup is an Ecoflow max with 2 60w panels. So far its been amazing and the best $600 ive spent this year.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 75679511


I have been looking at the Ecoflow river pro with the additional battery so 1440 watt hours, not sure about which panels to get, just want to end up with 400 watts
Also going to buy 1000 watt propane generator to top the system off if we don’t get sun for a week, which happens a lot in Michigan winters
 Quoting: Justsayno


You aint gonna get much of a deal on panels.1$ a watt.squarish has less chance of breaking but takes more mounts when doing a bunch.thus your real cost in panels is mounting hardware.one badass hailstorm can ruin you.the bigger the panel,the more risk of breakage.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 68677926


I am going with the portable/foldable panels as i expect to be on the move, $1.50 a watt for refurbished Ecoflow panels
Malu
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 79434524
United States
09/24/2022 09:35 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Lithium is a money math equation.since lithium is lightweight and can be run down the deepest,its a win for transportation.
But in a home situation,capped lead acid wins.
Lithium supplies 4x the power but has a death rate.lead acid has no death rate.
Is lithium less than 4x in price?
So far theres people saying twenty plus years on lead acid.you will get about ten years on lithium.thus you have to cut lithiums price in half again.thats 2x leads price.
Lithium cant touch that.capped lead acid wins in home power supplies if properly maintained.
Trin says stay away from trojan and deep cycle agm.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 68677926


LiFePo4 batts operate 7000 cycles and at that point they still operate at 80% efficiency. That is over 20 years of a full discharge everyday, which will never happen in a properly specced system.

Do some more research on batt setups. You may suprise yourself.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 65571479
United States
09/24/2022 09:40 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
What is your use case?
.

What is your budget?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 65571479


It’s important to know what you are trying to accomplish with solar before throwing money at it..

You will save more be being more precise with your specific application.

This is why I asked what your use case is..

Budget is also important, because “best” will fall into price categories.

Unless you have big budget.

You are typically looking at $1-$4 per watt solar to assemble a reliable, high quality system.

What kind of system are you looking for?

Off grid?
Grid tied?
Hybrid? Ac coupled? Dc coupled?

Want to spend all money upfront or invest over time?

.

“Best” is a relative term..

.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 65571479
United States
09/24/2022 10:23 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Solar charging implies you will have batteries…

Do you have batteries? If not,

What type of batteries are ideal for your application?

Lead
Nickel
Iron
Lithium
Something else?

How about capacity? Voltage? Discharge, charge rate, ambient temps, etc?

Ambient temps concerns?

Do you want to power a few small devices or large loads for long times?

Batteries can go for cheap

to crazy expensive

Typically Money buys capacity and durability and dependability

.

You solar charger choice will be based around your battery chemistry and voltage and capacity.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 82013858
United States
09/24/2022 10:49 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
What is your use case?
.

What is your budget?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 65571479


I want to use it when the power grid goes down. Budget is open but maybe $2-3k.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 81073269
Canada
09/24/2022 10:49 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
I bought the bluetti with 3 pv200 panels. Will run the fridge
and freezer for two days without recharge..maybe longer. If sun is shinning, it charges faster than it's used. It is 4k...yeah, wife was mad...lol...but after she saw it running everything, and making coffee, she was OK with it. I had to do it. My responsibility for the family to try and keep us alive during the reset (schizo I know). But it is silent and she gets it. Also a dual fuel Genny if opsec isnt a concern.
You have to decide for yourself. I hummed and hawed for a month over it. Also, it was charged two months ago and still 100% charge. Only way to know if it was worth it is if shtf...and well, yeah.
Good luck. You can always sell it if nothing happens.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 82763567
United States
09/24/2022 10:59 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
What is your use case?
.

What is your budget?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 65571479


I want to use it when the power grid goes down. Budget is open but maybe $2-3k.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 82013858


Here I did a thread on exactly what you want….

This way is very inexpensive, and good quality

Everything is In This thread
Batteries
Panels
equipment
It’s all here

Thread: I highly recommend everyone get a back up solar energy system set up ASAP, you can do it for cheap, I show U….
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 82013858
United States
09/24/2022 11:02 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
What is your use case?
.

What is your budget?
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 65571479


I want to use it when the power grid goes down. Budget is open but maybe $2-3k.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 82013858


Here I did a thread on exactly what you want….

This way is very inexpensive, and good quality

Everything is In This thread
Batteries
Panels
equipment
It’s all here

Thread: I highly recommend everyone get a back up solar energy system set up ASAP, you can do it for cheap, I show U….
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 82763567


Awesome, thank you and everyone else!
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 16324238
United States
09/24/2022 11:05 PM
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Re: Best solar charging equipment -- PLEASE POST YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE
Best as in:

1. Best quality
2. Best cost
3. Best reviews

Thank you!
 Quoting: Tars Tarkas, Jr.


Are you doing it yourself, or having someone install, because there is a pretty freaking wide range of solar stuff





GLP