How To Install Harbor Freight Solar Panels Part 2
This video shows how I used the 45 watt solar panel kits from Harbor Freight and also their single 15 watt solar panels to create a array of 28 panel delivering 420 watts. During the summer and fall in Texas I can count on a solid 8-9 hours of good sunlight so solar power makes sense to augment my wind turbines. Solar panels are easier to install and require less upfront work than wind turbines. In this video I show you the hardware you need and how to assemble and wire the solar panels for quick production.
@katz217 Thanks!
Glad to hear the out put is doing the job. Nice work Al.. Looks really good.
@deathmarch5 My roof is steel, I don’t have shingles to worry about but your cumment is useful to those who do. Thanks for sharing your knowlege.
I dont know if you are familliar with roofing but if you are handy with a metal break you could bend flashing around the frame sort of like skylight flashing or chimney flashing. running the pan flashing in the back under the shingles at least 3 courses of shingles. step flash the sides and counter flash the front. That way the whole unit can remain there for as long as the pannels are guarinteed for aprox 20 years. Unless you have a new roof, changing the roof after will be a nightmare.
@skippy3840 Nice! I just watched your video, it looks like we had the same basic ideal two years apart.
Nice combiner box, I think that I have seen that somewhere before……..(check out my video). Actually, if you use some 2 part epoxy to glue the bus bars down to the interior of the box you will not need to screw them down. My original ones are super glued and have lasted over 2 years with no problems at all.
@BattMann911 All access holes are sealed with silocone sealant, the mounting screws go into 2×4, on the low side of the box (as the roof is pitched) I drilled a small hole in each corner so that if any water got in it would immediately drain out of the low end. Boxes have been dry every time I have inspected them.
Since you drilled through the back of the junction box to mount the buss bars, how did you insulate the screws or seal the box so that water won’t get behind the box and cause a short between the two mounting screws?
@NoMoWires No problem, the junction box is a 4″ junction box. You could also grab the yellow pages and see if you can also find it at a local electrical supply store.
Good luck with your project, make sure to post a video for us if you can! God bless you.
Thanks Al,
I appreciate that fast response. I like how you did it and I like to go with an experienced guy who has proven methods!!
@NoMoWires The buss bars can be found in the electrical aisle at Home Depot, the latest ones I bought I purchased there.
For the hardware in this video I bought the junction boxes at Lowe’s and I also bought buss bars at Lowes, all in the electrical aisle.
Al, Where did you get the Buss Bars and Junction Boxes. We tore Home Depot apart and could not find that particular box and buss and there was not anything that close. It would have been about $15 per box for something close.
Thanks
@NoMoWires I’m adding the Dupont panels to the battery bank, the HF panels are staying and I’ll probably add more HF panels until I max ou the FM60 controller. Once you dedice on a panel type to a MPPT charge controller you really can’t mix and match or the maximum point tracking won’t work so you’ll loose the abilty to squeeze efficiency out of the panels. For this reason I will add more HF panels now that they are on sale again for $149. Take care!
Are you adding the Duponts onto the system or did you decide that the HFs were kust not going to do the job and decided to go with a more efficient panel?
@NoMoWires Thanks! I’m glad you find them useful. In the next couple of weeks the 2Kw of Dupont panels will be going up with the two Outback charge controllers and the electrical circuits should be fully finished by mid to end of September. The goal is to finish all the solar work by September. The wind stuff is being redone as well and I hope to finish all of it in October. Take care!
I have been watching all your videos. I have gotten great ideas how to install my first 3 HF Panels and wanted to say thanks. You have done one heck of a job. The time u spoent to make videos is greatly appreciated
Thank You!!
@Pat5725 I did use pressure treated wood Pat, I used Yellawood throughout the frame precisely so I won’t have to climb again in two years to replace it. For the next frames I’m thinking of using Trex which is wood shavings mixed with plastic and comes in 2×4s and it is totally impervious to weather. It’s more expensive that will really last a lifetime. Thanks for you comments brother.
I have a question. Why didn’t you use pressure treated wood instead? I can see over time the weather and rain rotting the wood on the frame. With all the great work you’ve done, I will like to see you go up on that roof once….to install it and let it last forever.
@bowtau9 Thanks for your comments!
Excellent work , thanks for sharing great vids keep them coming …
@nubbynubs123 Hopefully by next week you’ll see it all working together. Thanks buddy!
@econewpower Thanks for the explanation. Saved me a ton of reading.
@wtam69 It is a misconception that higher Amps means faster battery charge. It is the higher wattage that charges batteries faster. As you indicated, the higher voltage means less line loss so I can have a longer run of wire or use a smaller wire when I increase my voltage and as a side benefit the power conversion is more efficient.
@wtam69 Solar panels are not like batteries in the sense that they don’t store energy. A 12v 15watt panel has 1.25 Amps, so when you wire two in series you get 24v X 1.25 Amps = 30 watts. Your power doubles no matter if you wire in series or parallel and watts is the definition of power, your batteries charge equally as fast at 12v & 2.5 Amps as they do at 24v and 1.25 Amps.
Love your setup. Looks real solid and neat. I assembled a 60 watt panel but dare not put it on the roof for safety reasons. Can you tell me the advantages of wiring it in series? Is it lower voltage loss? Don’t you lose some amps?