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Canadian Tire

Coleman 40W Folding Solar Panel with pwm $99

  • Last Updated:
  • Aug 9th, 2018 2:25 pm
Deal Guru
User avatar
Nov 21, 2002
12014 posts
4369 upvotes
Winnipeg
makaturing wrote: I left a car battery hooked up to one for the entire winter. The battery was removed from the car and taken into an unheated cottage, and the panel was placed in a window. The setup was left untouched for five months. When I finally went up there this spring, I put the battery back in the car and it fired right up, and has been running fine ever since.
did that with an 1.8w(now their 2.5w) panel for 10 bucks on an old car battery. Tested after winter it was 12.9@night 13.3-13.8 during the day(even hit 14.4v on real direct sun)@200mah. Seems thats enough for winter storage no pwm is needed on these. Those little ones have kept my old quad battery going. Double check the clamps tho, weak wired connections I re-did a couple so far that fell off. Again pick the tool for the job.
Deal Addict
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May 16, 2011
2588 posts
2052 upvotes
Clarington
Hmmmm - tempting. Was thinking about buying a 12v water pump for my rain water collection. Would be a good pairing.
Banned
Nov 12, 2003
1821 posts
192 upvotes
If I were to place 2 or 3 in parallel on the roof of my RV to maintain my battery, what would be a good charge controller?
Sr. Member
Nov 13, 2007
509 posts
303 upvotes
Ontario
hover42 wrote: If I were to place 2 or 3 in parallel on the roof of my RV to maintain my battery, what would be a good charge controller?
Google MPPT. You can find some on ebay. For an rv I would buy two of them and set them up to have an output of 24v instead of 12v. You have less loss like that and that is how a mppt controller works best. It will only output the 12v needed thought. took me a while to figure out how these new controllers work. I was running tow 65w panels parallel so I get over 24v output and running my controller and all worked quite well. I also never put them on the roof. On the ground so I could move them around to find the sunny spots.

And just to let everyone know. Just put this charger controller in the garbage when you get it. They are good for nothing. It is ok if you are only charging a dead battery to about 75% charged. That is it. Once you get there it will turn the charge on and off every minute or so. Never fully charge a battery.
Deal Addict
Jan 30, 2010
1255 posts
814 upvotes
Canada
A real mppt charge controller will likely cost over $100. Most of the cheap Chinese ones listed on eBay are fakes...They are a standard charge controller with a mppt sticker on it.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Nov 21, 2002
12014 posts
4369 upvotes
Winnipeg
gates59 wrote: Google MPPT. You can find some on ebay. For an rv I would buy two of them and set them up to have an output of 24v instead of 12v. You have less loss like that and that is how a mppt controller works best. It will only output the 12v needed thought. took me a while to figure out how these new controllers work. I was running tow 65w panels parallel so I get over 24v output and running my controller and all worked quite well. I also never put them on the roof. On the ground so I could move them around to find the sunny spots.

And just to let everyone know. Just put this charger controller in the garbage when you get it. They are good for nothing. It is ok if you are only charging a dead battery to about 75% charged. That is it. Once you get there it will turn the charge on and off every minute or so. Never fully charge a battery.
there's quite a debate about mppt vs pwm. for a 40watt panel its plenty good and will bring your 12v to a full charge if your 12v is battery is capable.
here's good lttle read to start
http://www.solar-electric.com/solar-cha ... asics.html
Deal Expert
Jun 15, 2012
15662 posts
10440 upvotes
Southern Ontario
Dumb question, if my RV battery is almost dead, will it charge my RV battery AND give my RV a small amount of power to charge our phones/camera through the outlets, provided there is sunlight, or does it not work like that?
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Nov 21, 2002
12014 posts
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Winnipeg
AncasterRFD wrote: Dumb question, if my RV battery is almost dead, will it charge my RV battery AND give my RV a small amount of power to charge our phones/camera through the outlets, provided there is sunlight, or does it not work like that?
as long as the battery hasn't sit for too long and has become suphated beyond taking a full charge any more, then yes it will. It'll charge faster with better exposure to the sun vs a shaded area.
Deal Addict
Jan 30, 2010
1255 posts
814 upvotes
Canada
AncasterRFD wrote: Dumb question, if my RV battery is almost dead, will it charge my RV battery AND give my RV a small amount of power to charge our phones/camera through the outlets, provided there is sunlight, or does it not work like that?
One panel is not enough. the propane fridge control board, water pump, furnace fan, leak detector, lights etc will drawing more power from the battery than this panel will be charging.
Deal Expert
Jun 15, 2012
15662 posts
10440 upvotes
Southern Ontario
Never even thought of that, thanks.

Would I need any extra parts to connect two?

Or is there a better deal somewhere else then because I need more power?
Sr. Member
Nov 13, 2007
509 posts
303 upvotes
Ontario
Best bet would be to get a second battery. If you go out for a long weekend a second battery is all you need. For longer trips a second battery and close to 100w of solar power would be ok.
Newbie
Mar 21, 2010
45 posts
9 upvotes
Saskatoon
HiEveryone wrote: I'll be buying a car battery and using it with an adaptor on my cpap machine to go camping this summer...
Would this be able to charge the battery during the day so I can get multiple days use out of it?
Make sure you don't buy a car battery! You need a deep cycle battery. For mine, I bought an ~80 Ah deep cycle battery and it will run my CPAP for 3 days without charging. A car battery won't even make it through one night.

As far as this charger, it may extend you a bit.
Deal Expert
Jun 15, 2012
15662 posts
10440 upvotes
Southern Ontario
Although not eco, someone said a digital generator is more bang for buck, faster, more juice, and not solar dependent, obviously.
I haven't even looked into them.
Is that what people use in large RVs?
Sr. Member
Nov 13, 2007
509 posts
303 upvotes
Ontario
Most larger rv's come with a generator built in. And yes it is way better to have a generator than solar but as long as the noise is acceptable.
Deal Addict
Jul 23, 2013
3038 posts
1059 upvotes
A small town north o…
AncasterRFD wrote: someone said a digital generator is more bang for buck,
A digital generator? I know about random number generators, but if we're talking about electricity, that's a new one on me. :?:
Deal Addict
Jan 30, 2010
1255 posts
814 upvotes
Canada
AncasterRFD wrote: Although not eco, someone said a digital generator is more bang for buck, faster, more juice, and not solar dependent, obviously.
I haven't even looked into them.
Is that what people use in large RVs?
I think he meant inverter generator. They are quiet and light weight but can be expensive.
Sr. Member
Dec 20, 2007
958 posts
339 upvotes
cphenix wrote: Make sure you don't buy a car battery! You need a deep cycle battery. For mine, I bought an ~80 Ah deep cycle battery and it will run my CPAP for 3 days without charging. A car battery won't even make it through one night.

As far as this charger, it may extend you a bit.
Thank you for the advice, is that with the humidifier on or off?
Deal Guru
User avatar
Nov 21, 2002
12014 posts
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Winnipeg
makaturing wrote: A digital generator? I know about random number generators, but if we're talking about electricity, that's a new one on me. :?:
One with an inverter. a 2000w honda/yammy or variants. check costco. But parks do have generator noise rules.Alot run both

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