The Thunderbolt Magnum 100w Solar Panel Kit is on sale, with coupon, from Harbor Freight for $149.99 through October. When I hooked one bulb up to my bench power supply and dialed up the voltage to 12.8V (nominal lead-acid battery voltage) it reported power draw of 320 milliamps. Limitations apply. The charge controller reduces overall system maintenance and prolongs the life of your battery. Posted By: Saint Augustine on 10/13/15 09:49am Hi: Just bought a Thunderbolt 1.5 watt solar charger for my RV from Harbor Freight. Definitely not MPPT as I monitor panel voltage and it fluctuates based on battery state and not tracking maximum power point. I've got a MT50 controller hooked up to a Solar Epic Tracer 4215BN charge controller that is putting power into a 12V AGM. The universal DC power adapter, the battery terminal clamps, power control … A solar charge controller is designed to receive power from a solar panel or array of panels and use it to charge a battery or bank of batteries. The box and ads suggest that you can simply plug into … Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. ... Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 4 amp 12 Volt Charge Regulator. This Thunderbolt Magnum solar charge controller regulator protects and regulates the charge of a 12-volt storage battery using solar panels. Buuuutttt, can the led bulb circuitry be ran off the 120v mains electricity? Solar Charge controller acts as a regulator that connects solar panels and the batteries. Curiously, the long wire ends in a standard light bulb socket. Good … ( Log Out /  Since this is larger than 200 you do not need a charge controller. Charger will come on. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. pigtail). Make sure this fits by entering your model number. As far as I can tell, all the sockets in the charge controller are the same. Which I know the charger is only putting out 12v. Note: Specifications are approximate and subject to change. Price: $54.99 + $4.99 shipping. A final half-meter long adapter has the unknown HF solar automotive connector on one end and a barrel connector on the other. Thunder’s design makes it weather-resistant. THUNDERBOLT MAGNUM SOLAR 100 Watt Solar Panel Kit – Item 63585 / 64335 Portable and easy to set up, this reliable, durable solar energy kit delivers 100 watts of free, clean and quiet energy. 4.7 out of 5 stars 2 ratings. The charge controller reduces overall system maintenance and prolongs the life of your battery. But instead of the 120V AC household voltage we would expect from such a socket, it carries the battery DC voltage. For California consumers: more information about our privacy practices. So another possibility is there’s more incoming power than your battery can absorb. Handles up to 500 watts of solar… The solar charge regulator features three LED indicators (high voltage, low voltage, charging) and three connections for the solar panel (keyed two-pin connector… Voltage meter told the truth and paragraph has been rewritten.). I have one yes it works great for 100 watts and also provides lighting all-day but had problems with the first controller and would like one that holds 400 watts with the pig tail . Order now to reserve your unit. Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt Magnum Manuals & User Guides. There are many different kinds of controllers … Does anyone know if the 4 to 1 connector is wired in series or parallel? Great product In this page we will teach you how to wire two or more solar panels in parallel in order to increase the available current for our solar power system, keeping the rated voltage unchanged.. We will also explain the difference between a parallel connection of two or more identical solar panels and a parallel connection of two or more solar … A solar charge controller is simply a device used to regulate the way solar panels apply electrical charge to your batteries. Protect and prolong the life of your battery with this solar charge controller. Because someone somewhere will end up trying to put this bulb into a regular socket. Three connections for: Solar Panel (keyed two-pin connector… The other end of the connector is a standard J connector used in cars. The ultimate solution would be to look at the components inside the box and see what it's doing. This wire terminates in a connector common to Harbor Freight solar products but its exact type specification is unknown. We guarantee this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship 90 days from the date of purchase. Excess power turns into heat and things quickly go downhill. The manual claims there is over-current protection as well, but there appears to be no way to adjust the current limit, either for charging or for discharging. So our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands. For the sake of convenience, let's believe you possess a a 100 watt appliance or load that you would like to operate, free of charge through solar … This involves varying charge … The regulator provides overcharge protection at 14 volts and discharge protection at 10.5 volts. To charge a cell phone or other small electronic item, plug the item’s power cord into the USB Port on the front of the Charge Controller. ( Log Out /  For use with 12V solar panels and batteries only. Page … For example it is commonly used to make electric connections to trailers. It’s important to use a charge controller as it improves the efficiency of a solar-powered … This solar charge controller or "charge regulator" is capable of handling a solar cell array voltage of 15-25 volts. I’m no expert but until one jumps in, I’m going to guess it depends on the storage battery and how much charging current (amperage) it can accept. Theoretically the charge controller should already have blocking diodes on the solar panel side, otherwise it will give all back the solar power at night. Brand: Thunderbolt Magnum. It is definitely not the MC4 connector common in rooftop solar installations. NiCd ... Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt Magnum Solar Briefcase Solar Charger Manual Manual (8 pages) Harbor Freight ... Controller… Clearly not enough components on the circuit board to convert the 120v down to 12v. Sadly a bit dangerous of a design for this product to use. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. User Manuals, Guides and Specifications for your Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt Magnum Battery Charger. When it comes to purchasing one, you can either buy just the 100-watt solar module, or you can get the full 100-watt solar panel kit that includes the module, a charge controller, cables, and … to charge with 320 Watt solar panel, if the battery system is 12V, the charge controller must be 30A at least, if the battery is 24V, then a 20a charge controller is ok. ⭐what size charge controller for 2 275w … We have invested millions of dollars in our own test labs and factories. However you still need a blocking diode, to prevent the battery from discharging to the panel at night. You'll only hear from us. I cant find the wattage of those LED bulbs anywhere. Thanks for the tip on the automotive connector, I’ll look into it and update accordingly. My son bought a separate charge controller because he said the Harbor Freight was not flexible enough…..so no he needs a pig tail with the female DC connector. In the simplest of terms, a solar charge controller regulates the power that is transferring from a solar panel to a battery. ( Log Out /  The solar charge regulator features three LED indicators (high voltage, low voltage, charging) and three connections for the solar panel (keyed two-pin connector), battery (keyed two-pin connector) and 12v output (3 in. (UPDATE: An earlier version of this paragraph incorrectly stated 120V AC conversion took place, a bad assumption based on the standard light bulb socket. Also has a universal DC power adapter to charge your phones and tablets. The average 12 volt solar panel produces … But in fact the four panels are capable of standing separately as each panel is in their own frame and has their own folding stand. This is a decidedly nonstandard and confusing way to do things. E 11 SmartBank, (either by it’s own decision in the case of SmartBank Standard or under the control of SmartGauge in the case of SmartBank Advanced) has attempted to operate the split charge … (~5.5mm OD, ~1.5mm ID, 12mm length) The barrel connector fits into a corresponding jack on the controller. I think I’m done with this controller. Handles up to 30 amps of solar… That way if you ever want to add to the system, you can. For any difficulty using this site with a screen reader or because of a disability, please contact us at 1-800-444-3353 or [email protected]. Database contains 1 Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt … Clean, quiet portable power in an easy to, Get 10% Off Your Entire Purchase When You Open a New Account. I'm currently using the suggested settings for a Gel battery and … More of a question than a comment. Thanks for the review. It detects when to allow the maximum available charge that the solar … But can the led bulb be inserted into a normal 120v light bulb socket? The four panels connect into a 4-to-1 module. I just bought one and I am trying to find out what the size is for the barrel connector on the lights. It seems pretty simple, just hook them together at the battery, however I’m not sure if I’m missing something that may potentially be dangerous, like exploding the battery or??? ... Buy a good panel and charge controller. Calculating Solar Panel, Inverter and Battery Charger Specifications. The package content lists wires but not their length. Consumer, It is the charge controller that regulates the charging of the batteries. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. TP-solar Solar Panel Kit 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Off Grid System for Homes RV Boat + 20A 12V/24V Solar Charge Controller + 16ft Solar Cables + Z-Brackets for Mounting 4.5 out of 5 stars 234 This fits your . Each panel has a 3 meter long wire permanently attached. And we can sell them for a fraction of the price because we cut out the middleman and pass the savings on to you. The Thunderbolt Magnum Solar Kit produces more than enough energy to run or charge the battery for your motor home. Change ), not explicitly covered by either specification. The charge process is performed in a ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ way. Hi quality solar panel 100 Watt/12v. The package includes a 1 meter cable to connect controller to battery. I just pulled out the bulb and looked inside of the bulb itself and can clearly see it is not built to handle 120v. The simple charge controller covers the basics, guarding against battery overcharging and over-discharging at adjustable voltage thresholds. I used an sealed 12v 12aph battery and it only stayed lit for about 40 minutes. I ran them down to 12.5V today and leaving them like that for now. but will be back in stock by Dec 29. Owner's Manual & Safety Instructions (PDF), Prevents battery back-drain through panels at night, For use with solar arrays typically 15-22 volts, 25 volts max, Multiple electric protection: low voltage, overcharge and discharge protection. As far as I can tell, all the sockets in the charge controller are the same. Item 63585 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Every product picture showed the four panels lined up in a row. (~5.5mm OD, ~1.5mm ID, 12mm length). So the barrel connector for the lights have the same dimensions as the solar panel barrel connector dimensions listed in this post. The kit included two LED light bulbs, each of which have a 5 meter long wire. Had such good results with the first one I purchased a second kit. Once it checks the battery has full charge, it stops the charge flow and thus optimizes the charging process as well. Disconnected the panels from the controller. Due to popular demand this product is currently out of stock, Shop charge controllers and a variety of electrical products online at Lowes.com. So the barrel connector for the lights have the same dimensions as the solar panel barrel connector dimensions … The manual, posted online as a PDF, fails to describe a few useful details which we’ll cover here. I just bought the 100w kit and was looking at the bulbs and socket. (UPDATE: Thanks to a tip in the comments, we now know this is a connector commonly used in the automotive world and can be purchased from auto parts stores. David Lottig. This works out to roughly 4W, which should last a lot longer than 40 minutes on 12Ah battery. Find charge controllers at Lowe's today. Welcome to this informative article. Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 500 Watt Charge Controller. I bought one at an auto parts store. This charge regulator came with the 45 watt Harbor Freight solar kit. It's just that simple! Charger the green light at the top of the . And the socket is a generic socket with 240v molded into the plastic. Protect your 12 volt lead-acid or gel cell battery from overcharging and deep discharging with this 30 amp solar charge controller. Beginner's Guide to Solar Charge Controllers; Solar charge controllers, also known as solar regulators, are an integral part of any stand alone solar system. Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 4 amp 12 Volt Charge Controller. Nice simple kits. ( Log Out /  This solar charge controller or "charge regulator" is capable of handling a solar cell array voltage of 15-25 volts. Be sure your battery’s maximum charging rate allows the maximum current generated by all panels combined. Bolting them together is optional. Adding it all up: Each of the panels can be up to 3.5 meters from the central 4-to-1 hub, and that hub can be up to 3.5 meters from the controller. Does anyone know if 2 (or more) of these set-ups can be wired together in parallel using one common storage battery? Seeking more power than what a 1.5 watt solar panel could provide, it’s time to step up to the 100 watt solar kit, Harbor Freight item #63585. While this connector follows the pattern of SAE J928 and J1239, it is not explicitly covered by either specification.). The amorphous solar … The manual hints at some kind of maximum charging over-amperage protection, but I found nothing to control the amperage limit. Do you have those measurements for the barrel connector? So as a general rule of thumb you don't need a charge controller unless you have more than five watts of solar … It can also be used to power various appliances like smaller stoves … I have tried several settings and nothing seems to work. Protect your 12 volt lead-acid or gel cell battery from overcharging and deep discharging with this 30 amp solar charge controller. My batteries keep boiling over. The Thunderbolt Magnum Solar Kit produces more than enough energy to run or charge the battery for your motor home. 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