Customer Reviews for Renogy - 400 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Kit w/ 4 Pcs 100W Solar Panel and 40A MPPT Charge Controller - Black
Customer Rating
5
So easy!
on May 3, 2021
Posted by: Discoveringlockenest
from Ft. Myers Beach, Florida
We wanted a simple but effective energy system and decided on the Renogy 400w premium solar kit and (for now) one Renogy Smart Lithium Battery (will be adding two more soon). This system is easy to connect with instant results! The Blue Tooth module and the Renogy app is so user friendly and informative! This is our first solar system but thumbs up to Renogy!
Added the 400 Watt 12 Volt Renegy Premium Kit to the roof of my 2008 Winnebago View motorhome this weekend. The kit was pretty complete and was able to do the install on the roof using self-made modified aluminum brackets and VHB tape without screws penetrating the motorhome roof. Didn't like the brackets provided in the kit since they were too low and did not have enough surface area to ensure good, strong bracket-to-roof adhesion. The only equipment I added to the Renogy system was an on-off switch from the solar panels to the charge controller so that I could disconnect the solar panel power when working on the battery system. I also added an inverter with a 300 amp in-line fuse to the batteries to run most of the power in my motorhome. Great Renogy kit and quite simple to install, even though the instructions were lacking and, I think, could use more detail.
As luck would have it, the first day I have time to set this up is mostly cloudy.
Oh well
The sun came out for a bit. Solar panels were kicking out 457 watts, max charge power was 710 watts, max discharge was 589 watts (I tried out a grid tie inverter as well). The 116 additional charge power tells me I can run my grid tie all day and maintain 100% battery charge (even on mostly cloudy days). This increases my estimation of savings on electric bill to between 50% and 75%.
My only regret is that there was no option for a larger charge controller so I had room to expand without needing to replace the charge controller.
Any chance you have a reasonable upgrade program for the charge controllers?
Installed wiring from the roof to the basement equipment bay this morning. This afternoon we mounted the charge controller in the same bay and then connected the wiring from the roof to the charger. Then ran wiring the charger to the batteries. So far, so good. I suggest downloading and reading the Z panel connector instructions before ordering so that you can order the well nuts recommended for mounting the solar panels to the roof while you wait for the panels.
System arrived in good condition in just a few days after ordering. I am in the process of installing system. Components appear to be high quality. Renogy internet site seems to offer good technical help and support. I under stand the reason for not supplying instruction manual with panel kits but I would have preferred having a manual included with kit. Is am a beginner and it would make installation easier.