It detects when to allow the maximum available charge that the solar … This solar charge controller or "charge regulator" is capable of handling a solar cell array voltage of 15-25 volts. 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. Limitations apply. But instead of the 120V AC household voltage we would expect from such a socket, it carries the battery DC voltage. Solar Charge controller acts as a regulator that connects solar panels and the batteries. Does anyone know if the 4 to 1 connector is wired in series or parallel? Since this is larger than 200 you do not need a charge controller. I'm currently using the suggested settings for a Gel battery and … Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt Magnum Manuals & User Guides. Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 4 amp 12 Volt Charge Controller. Make sure this fits by entering your model number. ... Buy a good panel and charge controller. It can also be used to power various appliances like smaller stoves … For example it is commonly used to make electric connections to trailers. The regulator provides overcharge protection at 14 volts and discharge protection at 10.5 volts. I've got a MT50 controller hooked up to a Solar Epic Tracer 4215BN charge controller that is putting power into a 12V AGM. Three connections for: Solar Panel (keyed two-pin connector… It also has a charge controller that guards your device against discharge or overcharge. The average 12 volt solar panel produces … It is definitely not the MC4 connector common in rooftop solar installations. This charge regulator came with the 45 watt Harbor Freight solar kit. 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. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The Thunderbolt Magnum Solar Kit produces more than enough energy to run or charge the battery for your motor home. 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 … 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 … While this connector follows the pattern of SAE J928 and J1239, it is not explicitly covered by either specification.). Protect your 12 volt lead-acid or gel cell battery from overcharging and deep discharging with this 30 amp solar charge controller. Definitely not MPPT as I monitor panel voltage and it fluctuates based on battery state and not tracking maximum power point. ( Log Out /  This fits your . So the barrel connector for the lights have the same dimensions as the solar panel barrel connector dimensions listed in this post. Thunderbolt magnum 100 watt solar … The kit included two LED light bulbs, each of which have a 5 meter long wire. The solar charge regulator features three LED indicators (high voltage, low voltage, charging) and three connections for the solar panel (keyed two-pin connector… 4.7 out of 5 stars 2 ratings. 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 package includes a 1 meter cable to connect controller to battery. For use with 12V solar panels and batteries only. I bought one at an auto parts store. We have invested millions of dollars in our own test labs and factories. Clearly not enough components on the circuit board to convert the 120v down to 12v. The four wire side are half a meter long, and the unified side has a 3 meter long wire towards the controller. Great product Which I know the charger is only putting out 12v. Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 500 Watt Charge Controller. The charge controller reduces overall system maintenance and prolongs the life of your battery. So the barrel connector for the lights have the same dimensions as the solar panel barrel connector dimensions … ... Thunderbolt Magnum Solar 4 amp 12 Volt Charge Regulator. The charge controller reduces overall system maintenance and prolongs the life of your battery. I just bought one and I am trying to find out what the size is for the barrel connector on the lights. Be sure your battery’s maximum charging rate allows the maximum current generated by all panels combined. Once it checks the battery has full charge, it stops the charge flow and thus optimizes the charging process as well. The package content lists wires but not their length. 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. 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. Note: Specifications are approximate and subject to change. 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. Hi quality solar panel 100 Watt/12v. 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. So another possibility is there’s more incoming power than your battery can absorb. Handles up to 500 watts of solar… There are many different kinds of controllers … Brand: Thunderbolt Magnum. 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 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. The Thunderbolt Magnum 100w Solar Panel Kit is on sale, with coupon, from Harbor Freight for $149.99 through October. Due to popular demand this product is currently out of stock, Do you have those measurements for the barrel connector? 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. NiCd ... Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt Magnum Solar Briefcase Solar Charger Manual Manual (8 pages) Harbor Freight ... Controller… 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. That way if you ever want to add to the system, you can. As far as I can tell, all the sockets in the charge controller are the same. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. (~5.5mm OD, ~1.5mm ID, 12mm length). Shop charge controllers and a variety of electrical products online at Lowes.com. After 10 Hours for . Handles up to 30 amps of solar… Excess power turns into heat and things quickly go downhill. Order now to reserve your unit. The box and ads suggest that you can simply plug into … Calculating Solar Panel, Inverter and Battery Charger Specifications. And the socket is a generic socket with 240v molded into the plastic. The manual, posted online as a PDF, fails to describe a few useful details which we’ll cover here. So our tools will go toe-to-toe with the top professional brands. If the panels are to be deployed and stowed frequently, leaving them separate might make sense as the panels are much easier to handle individually. For California consumers: more information about our privacy practices. Sadly a bit dangerous of a design for this product to use. 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. 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. Curiously, the long wire ends in a standard light bulb socket. The simple charge controller covers the basics, guarding against battery overcharging and over-discharging at adjustable voltage thresholds. 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. Charger will come on. Thanks for the tip on the automotive connector, I’ll look into it and update accordingly. Database contains 1 Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt … pigtail). 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. 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 . 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 … I just pulled out the bulb and looked inside of the bulb itself and can clearly see it is not built to handle 120v. This wire terminates in a connector common to Harbor Freight solar products but its exact type specification is unknown. The amorphous solar … More of a question than a comment. The ultimate solution would be to look at the components inside the box and see what it's doing. Bolting them together is optional. Nice simple kits. The charge process is performed in a ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ way. Each panel has a 3 meter long wire permanently attached. (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. I have tried several settings and nothing seems to work. Standalone Solar … It is the charge controller that regulates the charging of the batteries. Hi quality charge controller… Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. This involves varying charge … User Manuals, Guides and Specifications for your Harbor Freight Tools Thunderbolt Magnum Battery Charger. But can the led bulb be inserted into a normal 120v light bulb socket? Item 63585 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. We guarantee this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship 90 days from the date of purchase. The Thunderbolt Magnum Solar Kit produces more than enough energy to run or charge the battery for your motor home. This Thunderbolt Magnum solar charge controller regulator protects and regulates the charge of a 12-volt storage battery using solar panels. It’s important to use a charge controller as it improves the efficiency of a solar-powered … My batteries keep boiling over. Also has a universal DC power adapter to charge your phones and tablets. I used an sealed 12v 12aph battery and it only stayed lit for about 40 minutes. Page … This works out to roughly 4W, which should last a lot longer than 40 minutes on 12Ah battery. This solar charge controller or "charge regulator" is capable of handling a solar cell array voltage of 15-25 volts. Charger the green light at the top of the . A final half-meter long adapter has the unknown HF solar automotive connector on one end and a barrel connector on the other. Consumer, Good … The manual hints at some kind of maximum charging over-amperage protection, but I found nothing to control the amperage limit. So as a general rule of thumb you don't need a charge controller unless you have more than five watts of solar … I cant find the wattage of those LED bulbs anywhere. I think I’m done with this controller. David Lottig. The other end of the connector is a standard J connector used in cars. The charge controller shuts off the pwr at 10,8 volts. The four panels connect into a 4-to-1 module. 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. Clean, quiet portable power in an easy to, Get 10% Off Your Entire Purchase When You Open a New Account. (~5.5mm OD, ~1.5mm ID, 12mm length) The barrel connector fits into a corresponding jack on the controller. (UPDATE: An earlier version of this paragraph incorrectly stated 120V AC conversion took place, a bad assumption based on the standard light bulb socket. Had such good results with the first one I purchased a second kit. Welcome to this informative article. Price: $54.99 + $4.99 shipping. Thanks for the review. Does anyone know if 2 (or more) of these set-ups can be wired together in parallel using one common storage battery? 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 … ( Log Out /  Thunder’s design makes it weather-resistant. ( Log Out /  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 … Disconnected the panels from the controller. Change ), not explicitly covered by either specification. Find charge controllers at Lowe's today. For any difficulty using this site with a screen reader or because of a disability, please contact us at 1-800-444-3353 or cs@harborfreight.com. You'll only hear from us. We won't sell, rent, or trade your email. Because someone somewhere will end up trying to put this bulb into a regular socket. This is a decidedly nonstandard and confusing way to do things. 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. 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. Voltage meter told the truth and paragraph has been rewritten.). As far as I can tell, all the sockets in the charge controller are the same. I just bought the 100w kit and was looking at the bulbs and socket. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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??? I ran them down to 12.5V today and leaving them like that for now. In the simplest of terms, a solar charge controller regulates the power that is transferring from a solar panel to a battery. However you still need a blocking diode, to prevent the battery from discharging to the panel at night. Every product picture showed the four panels lined up in a row. 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