[Elecraft] Solar panel sale

[Charles Greene]

John and All,

Check out Northern www.NorthernTool.com  They have some good prices on 
solar charging panels from 70 ma and UP, and a charge controller.  In 
particular, they have a portable folding 6 watt panel for $69.99 + shipping.

I charged the marine battery on my boat with a 11 watt unit and got 6 years 
life out of a battery with a nominal 3 year life (length of the warrantee 
period).  I used a charge controller that now seems not to work.  The solar 
cell still works, and I think I'll just use it without the charger watch it 
to see that it does not over-charge.  This may be a good option for the K2 
battery, where you are just trying to restore a partial charge in the field 
to get a few more operating hours.

At 10:18 AM 6/8/2002 -0700, John McClain wrote:
>For those of you that are interested in letting Mother Nature power
>your QRP station, go by Harbor Freight and take a look at their 5 watt
>solar panel.  Just last week I purchased a 10 watt folding panel from
>Connecticut Solar for $89.99 plus $10.00 shipping so I was surprised
>today when I purchased the Harbor Freight panel and found that it is
>the same panel that Connecticut Solar sells in their folding  panel.
>Same frame, same connector, same everything plus you get mounting
>hardware and legs that are not included in the 10 watt panels.  The
>nice thing about the 5 watt panel is that it normally sells for $49.99
>but it is on sale for $34.99. I plugged the 5 watt panel into Don
>Brown's solar charger and it is now busy charging up the battery in my
>K2.  I measured the output at 19.85 vdc with no load and 12.4 volts
>while it is charging up a the K2's battery that had been discharged
>down to 11.5 v.
>
>When you go to Harbor Freight, you may have to ask for the panel.  The
>store here in Tucson had it hidden in the back room

73, Chas, W1CG