Sunforce 39626 160-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit

by Sunforce

Product Features

• High-efficiency polycrystalline solar cells from Sharp provide advanced power output
• Weatherproof solar cells feature durable aluminum frames with tempered glass coverings
• Includes two 80-Watt polycrystalline solar panels, a 200-Watt power inverter, a 30-Amp digital charge controller, a voltage tester, and a wiring kit with mounting accessories
• 25-year solar panel warranty
• Kit is easy to install and virtually maintenance-free

Product Details

Payments for Specified Energy Property in Lieu of Tax Credits Program Guidance [PDF]

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Payments for Specified Energy Property In Lieu of Tax Credits Application for Section 1603 [PDF]

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Payments for Specified Energy Property In Lieu of Tax Credits Terms and Conditions [PDF]

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USA Sun and Wind Map [150kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 58.2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B001D6GZ3Q
• Item model number: 39626
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,298 in Automotive (See Top 100 in Automotive)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Sunforce 39626 160-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit will give you several more reasons to love the sun. It provides the power you need, while helping you save money and protect the environment. This kit is ideal for cabins, recreational vehicles, remote power, back-up power, and 12-volt battery charging. It comes with everything you need to start producing up to 160 Watts of clean, free power in all weather conditions.

Sunforce kits are easy to set up and operate.

Convenient Power That Helps You Save Money and Protect the Environment
The Sunforce 39626 160-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit lets you harness the power of the sun, the most powerful and plentiful source of energy available to us. This inexhaustible supply of power is freely available wherever the sun shines, and gives users the freedom to power their homes, RVs, boats, batteries, and electronic equipment far from civilization or right in town. Solar power can help cut your energy bills by reducing your dependence on the main electrical grid, and can also provide back-up power during outages. Unlike nuclear and fossil fuels, solar power systems are clean and pollution-free, and they require very little maintenance to operate.

Sunforce Solar Panels are effective in areas of both high and lower sun exposure, making them ideal for use in the United States. View Larger

Everything You Need to Power Up
The Sunforce 39626 160-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit has everything you need to start generating power. It includes two (2) Sharp 80-Watt polycrystalline solar panels with durable rustproof aluminum frames, a 200-Watt power inverter, a 30-Amp Digital Solar Charge Controller, a voltage tester, and a wiring kit with mounting brackets and accessories for easy installation.

With the included 30-Amp Digital Solar Charge Controller installed, there is no danger of reverse current sapping your battery strength at night. This charge controller can also handle up to 500-Watts of solar power, making it ideal for future expansion and use with additional solar panels.

About Polycrystalline Solar Power
Polycrystalline silicon is a material consisting of thin wafers that are cut from a silicon crystal which has grown in several directions. This advanced surface texturing process provides polycrystalline solar panels with a higher power output than amorphous panels of the same dimensions, and makes them more cost and space-effective. These individual wafers are assembled into panels that are covered by durable, weatherproof tempered glass. Thanks to their efficiency and durability, these solar panels require virtually no maintenance once installed. This kit includes two Sharp polycrystalline solar panels that have a maximum power output of 80-Watts/4.67-Amps each.

Solar panels convert sunlight into an electric current; they do not actually store power. Sunforce Solar Power Kits are primarily used to recharge all types of 12-Volt batteries, including lead-acid automotive batteries, deep-cycle (traction type) batteries, gel-cell batteries, and heavy-duty (stationary type) batteries. When using these solar panels to run appliances on a regular basis, the use of deep-cycle marine batteries is recommended. This type of battery is designed to withstand the frequent charge and discharge cycles associated with solar panel use. This kit does not include a 12-Volt battery.

The included 200-Watt power inverter allows you to use traditional 110-Volt appliances with this system. The included 30-Amp Digital Solar Charge Controller must be installed to prevent any connected batteries from overcharging. It can handle up to 500-Watts of total power from any number of solar panels connected in parallel. The charge controller will also keep any connected batteries from discharging at night.

Product Description

The 39626 160 watt solar back up kit with sharp module includes 30 Amp digital charge controller,12V voltage tester,two sharp 80W solar modules,two solar mounting brackets and one 200 Watt inverter. These solar panels have high efficiency Polycrystalline solar cells. The panels' anti-reflective coating allows for more absorption of light in absolutely all weather conditions. The 39626 can easily be connected to more solar panels for more power. This product is what you need if you are looking to power a home, boat, RV, pump, beacon, and lighting equipment. The panels have a textured cell surface to reduce the reflection of sunlight. This kit is excellent for back up and remote power use and the panels are completely weatherproof. The panels come with an aluminum frame for extended outdoor use. This kit is the perfect solution for anybody as it is extremely easy to install and maintenance free. The kit's panels are UL listed.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Panels are great, the rest of the kit is mediocre, June 7, 2010

By 

Joe Cooper (Mountain View, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sunforce 39626 160-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit (Automotive)

I bought this kit for installation on the roof of my motorhome. Delivery was delayed, and then rescheduled a couple of times, so delivery was problematic; but everything arrived in good condition. In short, I've been ecstatic about the PV panels, and kinda "meh" about everything else.

So, let's talk about the good: The panels are fantastic. Well-made, long warranty, and they consistently produce more than the advertised power when in direct sunlight (12 amps is not unheard of, according to the charge controller display; though that's only for a few minutes each day...it mostly hovers between 6 and 10 during the peak sun hours of the day). I won't hesitate to buy more Sharp solar panels when it comes time to expand my array.

The rest of the kit, however, leaves something to be desired.

The worst aspect of the kit is the lack of documentation. The solar panels have documentation, but it covers mounting on permanent structures, and with brackets wholly unlike the ones provided in the kit. The wiring examples in the solar panel documentation also has no relation to how this kit would be wired up on a motorhome or boat. The charge controller also has a little booklet, but there's nothing about mounting the panels or wiring them up on a motorhome or boat. So, you're kinda on your own when it comes to bolting them down and wiring them up; it's not rocket science, but it's not obvious either. I sent an email to Sunforce asking a couple of questions I had about the installation, and got no reply.

The Sunforce inverter is cheaply made. While it works, it is noisy and gets quite warm. The fan has also started making yucky noises in the 4 months I've used it. I bought a 1000W Wagan inverter recently, and it is quieter and cooler. Even before the fan started making noise, the inverter itself had a high pitched hum.

The provided DC meter is less than worthless. I couldn't see the indicator lights when the sun was bright enough to check the solar panels. Luckily, I have a nice DMM, so I just tossed the provided DC meter. There are DMMs for less than ten bucks on Amazon that I'm sure are better than this volt meter.

The cable provided is lighter gauge than the documentation suggests you use for runs of this length, and it only covers the run from the panels to the controller; and not the run from the controller to the battery bank. So, you're on your own there.

The mounting brackets had a couple of unthreaded nuts, which was inconvenient and a time-waster. So QC during the packaging process is kinda lax.

The charge controller is the only Sunforce-branded component in this kit that I actually like. It's small, it's cheap, and it does the job reliably and with reasonable indicator lights and display. It doesn't run hot, doesn't make noise, and looks good stuck in the wall of my motorhome. I have no complaints about it.

So, to sum up: Great solar panels, decent charge controller, but this kit is over-priced at the full-price. I paid about $850, which was about the same price as the two panels by themselves at the time, so a pretty good deal. These days, with the price being back up $1000, you'd be much better off buying the panels independently, and using the remaining $200 to buy a high quality charge controller (the Sunforce one works fine; you can get it for about 30 bucks, I think), good heavy gauge stranded copper wire, a good inverter, and higher quality brackets (hopefully with documentation that covers using those brackets). If you don't have a DMM, pick one up. You'll spend about the same amount, and end up with a much better installation when you're finished...and with nice thick wire, you can add more panels later without having to run more wire, which is not something I can say for my installation.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amps everywhere, January 1, 2010

By 

M. L. May - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sunforce 39626 160-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit (Automotive)

Great product, well made and even in winter laying flat they were putting out over 6 amps on top of my RV.

51 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Packing problem, January 1, 2009

By 

Mr. S. Clark - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sunforce 39626 160-Watt High-Efficiency Polycrystalline Solar Power Kit (Automotive)

I ordered this but although the two panels and mouting kit were present the packing was inadequate and well battered - being only very thin fibreboard for something weighing 60 pounds and no proper bubblewrap of panels. A corner of the packing had broken open. It would seem the charge controller and and inverter are missing. The panels seem OK but I would advise purchasers to inquire as to packing. Maybe Amazon need to charge 20 dollars more for packing. Howevever good value if enventually I get everything!
S