# Sunforce 50044 60-Watt Solar Charging Kit



## Guest (May 18, 2008)

Is this worth putting on my wish list?

http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-5004.../dp/B000CIADLG/ref=pe_23090_8963490_as_img_6/

Am I understanding correctly that that includes the panels? How much is 60 watts good for?


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

IMO sunforce is not worth spending the money on! they are a cheap "china" made product, go with an north american product like Sharp and you will be far better off and happyer with it.

60 watts is not that much depending on what your doing with it. I run my whole house on 450 watts of solar panels and it still is not enough!


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## Guest (May 18, 2008)

no1cowboy said:


> IMO sunforce is not worth spending the money on! they are a cheap "china" made product, go with an north american product like Sharp and you will be far better off and happyer with it.
> 
> 60 watts is not that much depending on what your doing with it. I run my whole house on 450 watts of solar panels and it still is not enough!


I wasn't expecting to be able to run the house. I was thinking of emergencies, and the ability to run a fan and a light bulb and maybe a radio.

$300 is beyond my means at the moment. It would be nice to know if it's worth saving up for something like that.


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

If thats all your going to do with it and its going to sit doing nothing for most of the year then it would most likly work good for you, 60 watts is ok for that. the batterys are what count, they determine how long you can run those things. myself though I would not touch it. 


> $300 is beyond my means at the moment. It would be nice to know if it's worth saving up for something like that.


IMO no! you would be better off saving up for better made products.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

If it doesnt say Kyocera,GE,BP,Mitsubishi,Sharp or some other famous major manufacturer name youve heard of odds are its junk.

What you are looking at is a toy that may last 2 years.For 375 dollars you can get a quality unisolar with a 20 year warranty.
http://store.altenergystore.com/Sol...iSolar-64-64W-12V-Thinfilm-Solar-Panel/p1986/

Key words....
Good=anodized aluminum frame,20 year warranty
Bad=ABS plastic,no warranty

The difference between disposable garbage and extreme high quality is about 25%,so buy ONLY the best and it will outlive you.

So yes,save up and get the good one.

Smart of you to ask if its a good one or not,folks here will be able to make sure you get quality if you dont know.

Now if you are looking for a low quality item that may work short term,what you saw is it.It really is true,the 'cheap' China products are garbage.


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## Guest (May 19, 2008)

mightybooboo said:


> For 375 dollars you can get a quality unisolar with a 20 year warranty.
> http://store.altenergystore.com/Sol...iSolar-64-64W-12V-Thinfilm-Solar-Panel/p1986/


That looks like just a panel. Is there something that needs to go with it?


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Yes.
A charge control and a battery.

In that 'other' package that "175 watt inverter" is a very inexpensive container of smoke.

Translation; If you plug the wrong thing into it (the inverter) poofff out comes the smoke. It is now dead. No repairing it. It is then . . .a paper weight.

2nd translation; Thats how it goes with the very low end equipment. 

As booboo says that Unisolar equipment is "good stuff".

Should you--or anyone--decide to go for that "$300" package . . . . .well remember . .ya get what ya pays for.


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## WisJim (Jan 14, 2004)

If you want some cheap solar panels to play around with, check on eBay for "VW solar panels" that they ship in new cars to keep the battery charged. If you look for a decent price including shipping, you can sometimes get those 3 or 4 watt panels for $15 or so, and that will give you something to play with. Those Amazon/Harbor Freight panels are not, in my opinion, worth throwing your money at.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

ladycat said:


> Is this worth putting on my wish list?...


Only as a play toy to learn a little about solar. Maybe rig up a light for the barn or chicken coup. Nothing to consider adding to for the future or hooking up to your house or depending on if the power goes out.

One of the 45w kits at Harbor Frieght or on ebay would save a little cash.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Ifd your going to spend that kind of money get 2 of harbor freight kits and a GOOD charge controller. It would be about the same price, get you more power.

As for how much power that panel will produce, It will put 60watts of power into the battery, the batter is to small to do to much so a larger batter will be needed.
Depending on where you are, thats 60 watts for 3-4hrs, so you can run a 60watt light for 4hr, 20watt for 12hrs. Figure you fan is 100watts, your talking a couple of hours/day of fan usage. All of these times are based on minimal cable loss and no voltage conversions lossses. 

When looking at solar, How big is your load and how big is your source(panel rating X hrs of full light). You need source to be the same or better than your load.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Just about everyone who has bought the package reports the charge controller immediately fails so thats sure no bargain.

Morningstar makes a small controller that actually works for 28 dollars
http://www.altersystems.com/catalog/sunguard-series-45amp-charge-controller-12v-p-343.html

Plenty of various inverters for very little cash that will actually power something...
http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/150_800_watt.html


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

I've been trying to find a cheaper version of this controller for those that want extended winter lighting in there chicken coups.

http://www.altersystems.com/catalog/sunlight-10-amp-lighting-series-charge-controller-12v-p-396.html


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## Jim-mi (May 15, 2002)

Don't ask what I'd like to do to those greedy$$$$ merchants who put together packages of Cheap products.

A charge controller that fails very quickly is just one of those things that will make the newbie quit and say "Ah s***,-- it doesn't work"


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

wy_white_wolf said:


> I've been trying to find a cheaper version of this controller for those that want extended winter lighting in there chicken coups.
> 
> http://www.altersystems.com/catalog/sunlight-10-amp-lighting-series-charge-controller-12v-p-396.html


I have one of those works great, I use it to turn on a dozen LED lights through out the house at night. ebay has a one in a 6amp for $43.00

ebay also has a china controler for $30. dont know how well it would work?
jotasolar


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

no1cowboy said:


> I have one of those works great, I use it to turn on a dozen LED lights through out the house at night. ebay has a one in a 6amp for $43.00
> 
> ebay also has a china controler for $30. dont know how well it would work?
> jotasolar


I have a 15a version that I got off ebay for about $55 a couple years ago. Plan on using it to control a water pump for an orchard when everything else gets set. Nice thing about it is that I can controll in 3 1/2 min increments.


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