Good Deal on a 45 Watt Solar Kit

[Denim Deb]

I wanted to revive this thread b/c I saw this in a flyer for $149...& am giving it more thought now. But, aside from a light & small fan, what else could be run by it? Like...would it re-charge my laptop? Would it run a toaster? Yes, I'm electricity-challenged. :/

If you're talking about the one from Harbor Freight, I read all the reviews. I was amazed at what all people were using it for-including running an AC! There is a number on the manual you can call. I'm seriously thinking of doing that in the hopes that they can tell me more. I'm also electricity challenged.

 

[k0xxx]

I wanted to revive this thread b/c I saw this in a flyer for $149...& am giving it more thought now. But, aside from a light & small fan, what else could be run by it? Like...would it re-charge my laptop? Would it run a toaster? Yes, I'm electricity-challenged. :/

Combined with a couple of gel cell or deep cycle batteries, it should have no problem recharging a laptop or running small appliances. Maybe even occasional microwave usage if you have enough battery storage and a large enough inverter. Just be sure to use the appropriate batteries (Gel Cell / AGC batteries if stored in the home. Regular Lead Acid Deep Cycle in a box outside, or in an box ventilated to the outside if inside the home).

If you do decide to go this route, find someone that REALLY knows what they are doing to assist you so that you don't over or under buy.

Ours charges a 60Ah gel cell and we have only used it for lights so far. Eventually I'd like to add another battery or three and a inverter, but that's down the road.

 

[i_am2bz]

If you do decide to go this route, find someone that REALLY knows what they are doing to assist you so that you don't over or under buy.

Well, that's the trick, isn't it? Everyone I know is pretty much as electricity-challenged as I am. Guess I need a new group of friends. :/

 

[Denim Deb]

I already have an inverter (2000 watt, I believe), and I think I have the battery. My DH got me the inverter for Christmas last year. He was going to install it in my truck so I could run my electric chainsaw out in the woods. (I can't use a gas one, it triggers my Meniere's) Instead, he bought a small generator. So, I'm hoping I'll be able to produce enough power for my tack shed to run a small heater. After all, if people are able to run an AC off of it, I should be able to run a heater just enough to keep the chill off.

 

[i_am2bz]

I already have an inverter (2000 watt, I believe), and I think I have the battery. My DH got me the inverter for Christmas last year. He was going to install it in my truck so I could run my electric chainsaw out in the woods.

I saw those in the HF flyer as well, DD, & wasn't sure how exactly they work...you plug it into the cig lighter of your car, then after it charges you can plug small appliances into it...? See, I'm really not sure...but obviously 2000 watts sounds more impressive than the 45 watts for solar...but then, you have to have gas to run your car to run the battery...or am I completely off the mark here?

 

[Denim Deb]

I already have an inverter (2000 watt, I believe), and I think I have the battery. My DH got me the inverter for Christmas last year. He was going to install it in my truck so I could run my electric chainsaw out in the woods.

I saw those in the HF flyer as well, DD, & wasn't sure how exactly they work...you plug it into the cig lighter of your car, then after it charges you can plug small appliances into it...? See, I'm really not sure...but obviously 2000 watts sounds more impressive than the 45 watts for solar...but then, you have to have gas to run your car to run the battery...or am I completely off the mark here?

As far as I know, you don't need to have your car running. It's a separate battery. And, you don't plug the stuff into your cigarette lighter, there's places to plug stuff in directly to the inverter.

Oh, and I was at a Drs office yesterday paying a co-pay. They had a new Reader's Digest sitting out. I know sometimes they'll have coupons in there for HF, so I picked it up and looked. Sure enough, there were the coupons. One was a 20% off one item, and another one was for the solar panels for $150! They let me take the page!

 

[i_am2bz]

As far as I know, you don't need to have your car running. It's a separate battery. And, you don't plug the stuff into your cigarette lighter, there's places to plug stuff in directly to the inverter.

Sorry Deb, what I meant was, you plug the inverter into the cig lighter, then plug the appliance into the inverter...? And the inverter draws power from your car battery? Does that sound right?

 

[k0xxx]

Inverters, of type being discussed, convert 12v DC into 110v AC. Some are meant to be plugged into cigarette lighter, while others are clamped to the posts of the batteries.

Inverters take their power directly from the battery. HOWEVER, If I remember correctly, a typical car cigarette lighter plug is designed and fused for about 15 amps. An inverter using 2000w at 12v would pull about 160 amps.

power(W) voltage(V) = amps(I)

So a large inverter should be directly connected to the battery using heavy gauge (4 gauge or larger) wire. The longer that the wire needs to be, the heavier the wire should be.

You can run down your car battery fairly quickly with a large inverter.

 

[Denim Deb]

Inverters, of type being discussed, convert 12v DC into 110v AC. Some are meant to be plugged into cigarette lighter, while others are clamped to the posts of the batteries.

Inverters take their power directly from the battery. HOWEVER, If I remember correctly, a typical car cigarette lighter plug is designed and fused for about 15 amps. An inverter using 2000w at 12v would pull about 160 amps.

power(W) voltage(V) = amps(I)

So a large inverter should be directly connected to the battery using heavy gauge (4 gauge or larger) wire. The longer that the wire needs to be, the heavier the wire should be.

You can run down your car battery fairly quickly with a large inverter.

That's why you have a separate battery for the inverter. The one we have is a heavy duty one.

 

[i_am2bz]

Yeah, I see some have the clamps attached that go directly to the battery.

Ok, so - bear with me, remember I'm electricity-challenged - how do I figure out how big an inverter I need to run a particular appliance? Be it a coffee-maker or chainsaw?

Oh, & what does "pure sine inverter" mean?