Complete beginner has questions

[solarlover2023]

Hello all, I had purchased a 100w solar panel from harbor freight for experimentation. I’m a complete beginner and have a couple of questions.

First, I will be charging a ecoflow River solar generator. I had bought a charge controller, but heard that I will not need it when charging a solar generator, is this correct?

Second, my solar panel has sae cable, which isn’t too common I heard. I have bought a sae to mc4 adapter cable, which I will connect to the sae cable coming from the solar panel (with sae adapter for polarity situation). I will then connect that adapter cable to a mc4 to xt60 adapter cable, which will be plugged in to the solar generator. I want to make sure that my plan will work. Let me know if I can answer any questions. Thank you!

 

[timselectric]

but heard that I will not need it when charging a solar generator, is this correct?

Yes

Second, my solar panel has sae cable, which isn’t too common I heard. I have bought a sae to mc4 adapter cable, which I will connect to the sae cable coming from the solar panel (with sae adapter for polarity situation). I will then connect that adapter cable to a mc4 to xt60 adapter cable, which will be plugged in to the solar generator. I want to make sure that my plan will work.

Should be fine. I would check the polarity before connecting to the river. Just to verify the adapter is correct.

 

[Hedges]

If your Ecoflow has a PV input (rather than direct battery connection for charging), then you wouldn't need a charge controller.

Connectors should work. Double-check polarity with meter.

100 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Amazing deals on this 100W Solar Panel Monocrystalline at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

$125 for 100W. What is your deadline for returning?
Shop around and see if you want to go a different route. 100W panels are good size to pack, and can be shipped. Commercial/residential panels these days are 300 to 600W and 1.5 to 3.0 square meters. Voltage may be too high for Ecoflow input.

Large quantities we order from places like Santan Solar by the pallet, may pay $0.10 to $0.50/W. Small quantities you could get from Craigslist or sort eBay by distance. Installers buy extra and have leftovers, also have old ones taken down.

 

[solarlover2023]

If your Ecoflow has a PV input (rather than direct battery connection for charging), then you wouldn't need a charge controller.

Connectors should work. Double-check polarity with meter.

100 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Amazing deals on this 100W Solar Panel Monocrystalline at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

$125 for 100W. What is your deadline for returning?
Shop around and see if you want to go a different route. 100W panels are good size to pack, and can be shipped. Commercial/residential panels these days are 300 to 600W and 1.5 to 3.0 square meters. Voltage may be too high for Ecoflow input.

Large quantities we order from places like Santan Solar by the pallet, may pay $0.10 to $0.50/W. Small quantities you could get from Craigslist or sort eBay by distance. Installers buy extra and have leftovers, also have old ones taken down.

I do have a couple weeks left to return. Though I did get it for $99 on sale and did see it perform well in review videos. If the voltage is too high, would it simply not charge the ecoflow or would something worse happen. Thank you

 

[solarlover2023]

If your Ecoflow has a PV input (rather than direct battery connection for charging), then you wouldn't need a charge controller.

Connectors should work. Double-check polarity with meter.

100 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Amazing deals on this 100W Solar Panel Monocrystalline at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

$125 for 100W. What is your deadline for returning?
Shop around and see if you want to go a different route. 100W panels are good size to pack, and can be shipped. Commercial/residential panels these days are 300 to 600W and 1.5 to 3.0 square meters. Voltage may be too high for Ecoflow input.

Large quantities we order from places like Santan Solar by the pallet, may pay $0.10 to $0.50/W. Small quantities you could get from Craigslist or sort eBay by distance. Installers buy extra and have leftovers,

I do have a couple weeks left to return. Though I did get it for $99 on sale and did see it perform well in review videos. If the voltage is too high, would it simply not charge the ecoflow or would something worse happen. Thank you

I only plan on having a 100w for awhile as I’m mainly just doing this for fun and cannot afford more

 

[solarlover2023]

Yes

Should be fine. I would check the polarity before connecting to the river. Just to verify the adapter is correct.

Is there a certain polarity checker you recommend, preferably off of amazon?

 

[Hedges]

A DMM is useful to check polarity. Wide range of price, features, ranges, quality.

Since I do a lot in the electrical field, I have a Fluke DMM that measures up to 1000V and 10A. I also have a harbor freight with clamp ammeter that measures up to 1000A AC and DC (some clamps are AC only.)

I saw some clamp DC ammeters on Amazon around $40. If you're not trying to measure current, or measure AC from the grid (only from your Ecoflow), the cheapest DMM from Amazon or Harbor Freight could get you started.

If panel voltage exceeds Ecoflow specs it will kill the PV input circuit at least, and maybe more. Check the manual and do not exceed it.

If Ecoflow River with 288 Wh battery, one 100W panel is good to recharge in a day.

https://www.amazon.com/EF-ECOFLOW-Flashlight-Generator-Emergencies/dp/B09HGYTDTZ

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1Y8n2+srZL.pdf

"Solar charger input 200W, 10 .. 25V"

Stick with a "12V" nominal PV panel, which will have something less than 25Voc". Don't use a "24V" nominal panel which would be way too high.

"Lithium ion", likely a flammable chemistry. Be careful where you charge it in particular, and always regard it as a potential incendiary device.

 

[timselectric]

Is there a certain polarity checker you recommend, preferably off of amazon?

Any digital meter that can read DC, will do.

 

[littleharbor2]

If you plan on experimenting with solar then do get a DMM Heck, sometimes they give them away at harbor freight. otherwise, you can borrow one from a friend long enough to verify polarity of the adapter.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Though I did get it for $99 on sale

For reference, I bought a 410W panel fro that price here in Europe including 24% VAT.

 

[solarlover2023]

For reference, I bought a 410W panel fro that price here in Europe including 24% VAT.

Wow! How did you find one that cheap

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Wow! How did you find one that cheap

I just browsed some online stores and got them from there:

AURINKOPANEELI ASTROENERGY 410 W HC PERC MONO

Tekniset tiedot Astroenergy RAJOITETTU ERÄ !

aurinkosahkotukku.fi

Granted, with actual conversion it's $108 (99 Euro), but you get my point.

 

[solarlover2023]

Now we’re talking! Finally got it set up