Opinions on Harbor Freight Tools solar charger?

A new Harbor Freight Tools store just opened up here, and I found there a solar panel that sells for around $12 and is advertised to charge batteries and even run small toys and things. There was no name brand and no specs about how much current it puts out.

Does anyone here have one of these? What do you think of it?

I do not have this particular item but I can tell you that Harbor Freight's house brand stuff is crap. This has held true for several tools that I convinced myself that it didn't matter if I got a good one or not. D'oh.

That's kind of the impression I've gotten as well. I think of it as a retail outlet for items that you would otherwise find at a flea market, "As seen on TV", web stores, or eBay; or in an infomercial promoting an item as "not available in stores." I have a tendency to cringe every time someone suggests some light that they found at Harbor Freight.

Hooligan said:

I do not have this particular item but I can tell you that Harbor Freight's house brand stuff is crap. This has held true for several tools that I convinced myself that it didn't matter if I got a good one or not. D'oh.

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Brighteyez said:

That's kind of the impression I've gotten as well. I think of it as a retail outlet for items that you would otherwise find at a flea market, "As seen on TV", web stores, or eBay; or in an infomercial promoting an item as "not available in stores." I have a tendency to cringe every time someone suggests some light that they found at Harbor Freight.

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You really should not compare other sources with HARBOR freight. The crappy a$$ junk Harbor Freight sells is in a category all its own.

My apologies, it was presumptuous of me, and guilt by association (aka profiling.) The people wandering around in the store just looked like refugees from our local flea market

N162E said:

You really should not compare other sources with HARBOR freight. The crappy a$$ junk Harbor Freight sells is in a category all its own.

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Brighteyez said:

My apologies, it was presumptuous of me, and guilt by association (aka profiling.) The people wandering around in the store just looked like refugees from our local flea market

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ROTFLOL!!

CCrane has one that's only $3 more that actually works. I bought one years ago and just stuck it in with the hurricane gear and figured I'd mess around with it if I ever needed it. It was only $15. My expectations weren't very high.

In the 6 week blackout at my house following Katrina I dug it out and actually used it repeatedly to charge NiCad and NiMH AAs. Being only $15 it wasn't the best or easiest way to go but in that situation it was well worth the small price and it DID work. I could have lived without it but I was glad to have it.

I hope to get a 10 watt panel and a deep-cycle marine battery before the next season but I'll keep the little one in the kit. Check it out.