Just wasted $400 on a solar panel kit that barely works

I bought one of those DIY solar kits online last fall, thinking I could power my shed and cut my grid use. The ad said it would produce 800 watts, but on a good day I'm getting maybe 150. It's been cloudy here in Seattle for months, and the battery it came with won't hold a charge for more than a few hours. I should have just saved up for a proper install from a local company. Has anyone else had a bad experience with these cheap kits? What's a better way to start with solar on a budget?

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3 Comments

jake1576mo ago

800 watts down to 150 is a straight up scam. Brianhernandez is right, they always hide behind "peak" ratings that you'll never actually see. Those cheap batteries are basically fancy paperweights after a few cycles. You basically paid $400 to learn why proper solar costs real money.

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brianhernandez6mo ago

Man, that's a brutal loss. Did the kit list the 800 watts as a "peak" or "theoretical" rating instead of real output? Honestly, a lot of those ads are super misleading about actual performance.

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river_scott5mo ago

I mean, sometimes peak ratings actually work out if you've got good sun and a solid battery.

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