Generators for home use

Sunforce 50048 60-Watt Solar Charging Kit

List Price: $599.99 Price: $279.95 You Save: $320.04 (53%)

Product Details Weatherproof, durable solar panels can withstand impacts from hailstones travelling 50 miles-per-hour Built-in blocking diode helps protect against battery discharge at night Designed for RVs, cabins, homes, boats, back-up and remote power use

Customer Reviews

Innovative design from China, packaging needs help
*Update* 6-2010, while my original panels are still running strong so long as I hose them down once a month, I've noticed that the PVC pipe provided to hold them in place has become brittle with sun exposure, hence I would now in 20/20 hindsight recommend a coat of on the PVC parts to prevent UV cracking later in life. I do not think the Krylon Fusion product was available when I first setup my first panels but UV cracking of the support structure could cause panel damage in years 2 and 3. Meanwhile Amazon got their hands on some obsolete & discontinued Sharp panels (12.5% efficiency vs the new 13.1% efficiency) - if you are serious about needing lots of solar power in a small space, this is a big kit - you can view it here:...

January 20, 2008 (santa clara, CA USA) | Helpful Votes: 837 | Rating: 4

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This product has been grossly misrepresented
I purchased two of these kits (8 panels) and mounted them on the top of my RV. I have had them on the top of my RV now for approximately 8 months. When I received the units, I tested each of them for the open voltage measurement noted in the instructions with a digital meter and found each to be producing 21 volts unloaded. Encouraged that the panels were working properly, I went ahead and took the time and expense to mount them to the top of my RV. After 8 months, here's what I found: First of all, the 15 watt, 1 amp peak output rating that Sunforce advertises is not correct. The peak output rating for each of these panels should have been advertised at approximately 750 milliamps per panel. The total peak output that one could typically expect from the 4 panels in this kit would be around 3 amps. 3 amps under perfect conditions. I have noticed that the boards are extremely prone to large drops (upwards of 45%) in current...

May 9, 2010 (Athens, GA USA) | Helpful Votes: 393 | Rating: 1

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Permanently installed on roof
The panels are installed on my garage roof, wired in to a battery bank and inverter which primarily functions as a very large (4KW) uninterruptible power supply for the house. So far, everything is working fine. They keep the batteries topped off without using power from the grid. Like most manufacturer's specs, the 60 watt claim is hard to realize. The panels' current output is about 3.2 amps under bright sun, which yields only about 45 watts into a 12 volt gel cell battery at 14.2 volts. The panels can output about 20 volts which would indeed yield 60 watts, but not while connected with the included charge controller. A MPPT controller would achieve 60 watts, however. The included controller is acceptable in that it works as advertised. One good thing about it is that it does not shunt the panels when the battery is charged, it actually opens the circuit, which means the excess panel output would be available for other uses. I intend to build another device for...

January 6, 2008 | Helpful Votes: 217 | Rating: 5

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