Blew $200 on cheap solar panels from Amazon that barely worked

I bought two 100 watt panels off Amazon for like $180 total last summer. Thought I was saving big for my backyard setup. They put out maybe 40 watts each on a sunny day in Phoenix. After three months one just stopped working completely. I ended up buying a proper Renogy panel for $150 that actually does 100 watts. Anyone else get burned by those cheap Amazon solar kits?

2 comments

2 Comments

schmidt.grant24d ago

Thought I was saving big" - yeah we all did buddy. I did the same thing with a 200W kit that ended up being more like 50W on a good day. The connectors literally melted after a month in the sun. Lesson learned, cheap solar is just expensive frustration in disguise.

johnson.ryan24d ago

Whoa, I actually had a totally different experience. I picked up a cheap 100W panel from some random brand for like 60 bucks and it's been chugging along for two years now. Still hits 85 watts on a clear day in Houston. Not perfect, but it powers my shed lights and a fan just fine. Sometimes you get lucky with the budget stuff, I guess.