I show you the condition of my first solar panel I built, and how to prevent certain issues that came up. I also show you how I put up my professional solar panels purchased from UL Solar…
To read the complete review please visit our website http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Portable-Solar-Reviews/Goal-Zero-Nomad-13 where we test and compare the Goal Zero Nomad 13 with other top…
Video Rating: 5 / 5
33 comments
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bob royston says:
March 30, 2015 at 12:57 pm (UTC 0)
hi Robert very helpful i was going to use wood Bob
Garfield Oliver says:
March 30, 2015 at 1:07 pm (UTC 0)
LOOPPEY says:
March 30, 2015 at 1:22 pm (UTC 0)
@LOOPPEY Looking at the space between the roof and the back of the panels
causes me to ask my self in a multiple freeze and thaw could it put enough
pressure on the back of the panels to cause damage? I think it might.
shartne says:
March 30, 2015 at 1:48 pm (UTC 0)
Robert it would be a good idea to put some roofing tar on the roof under
the bracket around the hole you made to keep it from leaking. It comes in
tube made for a caulking gun.
Charles McCune says:
March 30, 2015 at 2:28 pm (UTC 0)
how much did those solare panels cost yea I cant wait to get my system
going but will be using taxes every year to start and to keep exspanding
year after year untle I get the wattage I want and also I want a wind
turbine fore a redundancy system you have great videos thanks.
hillbillydualsport says:
March 30, 2015 at 3:11 pm (UTC 0)
Keep it up Dude
LOOPPEY says:
March 30, 2015 at 3:11 pm (UTC 0)
I hope you don’t get snow and ice where these panels are, if you do I thing
they could break.
Frissen alistar says:
March 30, 2015 at 3:55 pm (UTC 0)
Do you use a powerchair but are tired of the restrictions on range Well you
can easily turn that restriction into a historial footnote for as little as
$300.00 (not to me, but for the supplies needed)… After 5 weeks and
several hundred miles of runtime, we still have yet to need the power
companey to recharge.ABOUTSOLARCELLS.COMXA.COM
8digitPDX says:
March 30, 2015 at 4:50 pm (UTC 0)
You might want to check that roof for leakage. I would suggest backing the
screws out, pumping a bunch of caulk in the hole then putting a slightly
larger diameter lag bolt back in the hole. A lag bolt is like a giant wood
screw. Found in the hardware aisle at Home Depot.
MSGDREWRY says:
March 30, 2015 at 5:42 pm (UTC 0)
do a vid – check the old panel and see how much it produces – if it works
at all why not use it? place some silicon over the bolt going through the
roof
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 6:42 pm (UTC 0)
@norm1962a Thanks for commenting. 🙂
urgentcareguy3 says:
March 30, 2015 at 7:39 pm (UTC 0)
@norm1962a What’s wrong with it????
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 7:45 pm (UTC 0)
@shartne I read up somewhere that roofing tar is usually used on “flat”
roofs, and not really needed for slanted roofs because unlike flat roofs,
the water doesn’t usually build up and sit around for weeks. But I agree, I
definitely need to look into some solution or material to help protect the
roof from any leaks that may occur in the future. For now it should do
fine, but maybe next month when I get a break from school I’ll look into it.
Jim Danforth says:
March 30, 2015 at 8:08 pm (UTC 0)
how many amps are you getting off of these?
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 8:15 pm (UTC 0)
@fanman1981 Great news to hear! Thanks for sharing 🙂
1kzrider says:
March 30, 2015 at 8:57 pm (UTC 0)
Good job man I have the UL 125 watt panel x4 they are good panels.
Schweizer135 says:
March 30, 2015 at 9:23 pm (UTC 0)
Water will find a way through those holes. It will wick into the wood which
will rot it out and cause each hole to widen making it leak more. Also,
bugs and bats will get in thru the vent now.
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 9:34 pm (UTC 0)
@patkane50 Well as I mentioned in several videos back, it’s extremely
difficult to create a DIY panel that has the same reliability and longevity
that a professional panel has. I built my solar panel to gain experience,
and from that experience I learned that it is cheaper in the long run if
you purchase professional panels. As mentioned in this video, UL SOLAR is a
newer company than most, so only time will tell if these prof. panels hold
up like they should.
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 10:30 pm (UTC 0)
@Chronic2112 That’s coming up in my next video. I should have that uploaded
no later than Fri/Sat.
The Guy That Does Everything Wrong says:
March 30, 2015 at 10:37 pm (UTC 0)
Thanks for the video, did you have any leaks in your roof from those holes?
I want to do the same thing on my shed but I’m too scared to put holes in
the roof!
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 10:47 pm (UTC 0)
@JimmyDistheMan A little over 9amps
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 10:50 pm (UTC 0)
@LOOPPEY …snow and ice break solar panels? Not quite, unless you have the
solar panels underneath a roof of some sort where large sheets of ice could
fall onto the panel, I don’t think snow or ice would ever cause you issues
with solar panels. The only issue you need to worry about is hail, but if
you use the right glass for your panel, it should be able to withstand most
hail forms.
Robert Smith says:
March 30, 2015 at 10:52 pm (UTC 0)
@mccunecp The price varied, because two I won in an auction, and one I
purchased with the Buy It Now (BIN) feature on eBay. The BIN price was $159
and $22 for shipping. The two auction panels I won for $89 ea. plus $22 ea.
for shipping.
MSGDREWRY says:
March 30, 2015 at 11:33 pm (UTC 0)
do a vid – check the old panel and see how much it produces – if it works
at all why not use it?
Charles McCune says:
March 30, 2015 at 11:48 pm (UTC 0)
@RobertSmith3 thanks for the infor and for ansering my questions and keep
us all updated as the time gose I to like to get good pannels that last a
life time and from what I hear a good well made pannel should last up to 30
+ years so I hop it all goes whell again thanks for the infor.
Bastard8word says:
March 31, 2015 at 12:02 am (UTC 0)
hello, i just ordered nomad13. is it possible to charge devices directly
with this? without using anyhthing between?
edit: ok i found the answer…
Daljit Kaur says:
March 31, 2015 at 12:28 am (UTC 0)
Can u do vids on gps plz, good vids
playhard23 says:
March 31, 2015 at 1:04 am (UTC 0)
Great video!
Pablo Gonzales says:
March 31, 2015 at 1:17 am (UTC 0)
nice comments heinrich . much appreciated
HEINRICXVI says:
March 31, 2015 at 1:23 am (UTC 0)
I own this and I don’t like it. The USB port charges at the same rate as
the nomad 7, yet this is twice the weight and bulk. Sure you can use the DC
plug, but who wants to carry a bunch of adapters around? Considering you
can’t even remove the ones already built in when you don’t need them. I’m
assuming this is marked to outdoorsy types who are counting ounces? e.g
backpackers etc. In my opinion it fails as a portable solution and its too
anemic for all other common uses.
Shayd says:
March 31, 2015 at 2:05 am (UTC 0)
But the power pack they wanted me to sell is 200$ and only 50 Watt Hour,
for 200 Bucks I have AGM Battery with over 100AH
Shayd says:
March 31, 2015 at 2:51 am (UTC 0)
When I had it wouldn’t charge my Galaxy S3, half an hour in full sun
”Charging” And and when I woke the phone up it was still at 20% I took
the phone off the sun to not overheat, It charged iPhone by 18% in 1 Hour
so that’s something but still not the 1amp that was promised
Geoffr524 says:
March 31, 2015 at 3:19 am (UTC 0)
I have the Nomad 7, and find that I have to have a battery between the
panel and the device to be charged, like my iPhone 4S. The battery pack
gives a more stable output for charging, whereas, my solar panel was
erratic, and not enough power to charge the phone, without the battery in
between.