Jul
17
2011
How To Install Harbor Freight Solar Panels Part 2
By Solar Expert
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.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
@chummaker1 Not sure I understand your question. I finally ended up connecting my panels in sets of four so that four panels were in series and then those would be in parallel with the next set of four. If you connect the positives to positives and all the negatives to negatives you will have a parallel connection which does not raise your voltage.
Hi Al,
Thanks for your videos…..I have a question about how you connected the HF panels in series. In the video you connected just 2 panels then another 2 panels and then another 2. Can’t you connect all the panels in the group, positive to negative, one right after the other the same way solar cells are tabbed in series inside the panel??? Thanks.
Hi Al,
Could you speak a bit about mixing and matching, panels, batteries, etc.
Hi Al,
You videos are great…..in one of the videos where you are talking about your batteries and you mentioned a device that extends the life of the batteries but I couldn’t catch the name of it. It is yellow (gold) in color and it was on the side of the rack holding the baterries, what was it’s name again??
@REDZONE133 I appreciate your comments and you’re right. I was adding some more panels today and cleaned it up, got rid of the screws and bus bars and used wire nuts instead. Check out the channel tomorrow for the new video. Thanks and God bless you.
I really like your videos, thxs for posting them.I am worried about your combiner box shorting all of your panels if water gets to those two screws going through your bus bars.It might help to insulate the screws before inserting them into the bus bars.Again thxs for taking the time to do the videos.
@kmluddy Good, I thought about that but they would have been too inclined so I wen with the existing roof pitch. Good idea to tie them to the boards as they are too flimsy without the wood frame.
I just did something similair but i kept the metal brackets that came with the kits and incorporated them with the wood frame and worked out great check out my new vid, thanks great info
@lamartosh I’m glad they are useful to you. Let me know when you post the videos.
Thanks
Hey my name is Lamar Tosh I think you have made the best videos it has helped me so much I have 12panels now. I’m working on more I will put a new video on soon thanks for the videos keep the good work up job bless you
hello..sorry but i didn’t hear it clearly the tool you use on the junction box that will connect your wires…TIA
@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?