[huntinghawk]

Anyone wanting to get started small scale on solar now is the time.

Harbor Freight 45watt solar kit is on sale for $169.99 but you should be able to walk into the store & get a December flyer. The flyer has a 20% off any one item. That will put the price at about $136 + tax.

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-watt-solar-panel-kit-90599.html

 

[huntinghawk]

The kit is three 15watt solar panels. I already have two of the 15watt solar panels.

I think at 45 watts adviseable to use a charge controller for charging a battery.

HH

 

[huntinghawk]

The deep cycle battery will just last longer in what you are using it for versus a car battery. But any battery can be over charged.

I don't recommend getting a charge controller less then 10amp which would allow expanding the amount of solar panels without having to get a larger controller.

HH

 

[huntinghawk]

Summertime is when you would have the best chance of over charging a battery because of so many hours of sunlight. That 45watt unit would give max 3 amps per hour. Figure 10 hours & that would be 30 amps per day & if you don't drain that much off each night you have a good chance of over charging.
Charge controller will cost less then half what a battery will cost so a good investment to protect your batteries.

HH

 

[huntinghawk]

Harbor Freight has a 7amp controller for less then $30 which would be enough to handle two of the 45watt kits. But that is the maximum the controller could handle.
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-solar-charge-regulator-96728.html

HH