Passes 32 of 34 checks in Minneapolis in December, with 1 critical failure.
The kit contains 4 × Renogy RSP100DC 100W 16BB N-Type, 1 × Renogy Rover Li 40A (RNG-CTRL-RVR40), 2 × Renogy Pro 12V 100Ah Smart LiFePO4 w/ Bluetooth & Self-Heating and 1 × Renogy 2000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter (INVT-P2). The maker does not publish how the panels are wired, so we check the layout a 12 V controller can start on with the fewest panels in series: 1 in series × 4 strings.
What fails, and where
In all three: Phoenix (warm, December), Denver (moderate, December) and Minneapolis (cold, December): 32 of 34 pass
- Damages hardware
The fuse in the kit is wrong for a lithium battery.
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The included ANL fuse is not suitable for a lithium bank.Sources: Renogy Pro 12V 100Ah Smart LiFePO4 w/ Bluetooth & Self-Heating. ABYC E-11 - Cuts power
The batteries run close to their limit, and a fridge starting up can trip them.
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margin is 7%. A compressor start will use it up.
A year with this kit in three climates
Across the nine runs the same kit goes from no blackouts (garage in Phoenix) to 349 days without power (cabin in Phoenix). The hardware is identical in every run. Only the weather and the load change, so a review from one location says little about yours.
| Use | Phoenix, AZ (warm) | Denver, CO (moderate) | Minneapolis, MN (cold) |
|---|---|---|---|
| VanWeekend van, 400 Wh a day | 1 days without powerfirst 7 Dec, longest 1 days | 57 days without powerfirst 6 Jan, longest 39 days | 113 days without powerfirst 5 Jan, longest 69 days |
| CabinYear-round cabin, 1,697 Wh a day | 349 days without powerfirst 3 Jan, longest 231 days | 343 days without powerfirst 2 Jan, longest 106 days | 344 days without powerfirst 3 Jan, longest 248 days |
| GarageGarage backup, 453 Wh a day | no blackouts | no blackouts | no blackouts |
What to add so it passes in the cold
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| Part | Why | Qty | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable 8 , 8.8 mpanels to controller, red + black, 4 m run | 21.2 A × 1.56 = 33.1 A; 1.7 % drop at 20 V string voltage. | 8.8 m | Search |
| Fuse 50 A + holdercontroller to battery | 1.25 × 40 A = 50 A, and no more than the wire's 60 A. Class T because lithium short-circuit current exceeds what ANL can break. | 1 | Search |
| Cable 1/0 AWG, 1.1 mbattery to inverter, red + black, 0.5 m run | 186.7 A against a wire rated 285 A; 0.5 % drop at 12.6 V. | 1.1 m | Search |
| Fuse 250 A Class T + holderbattery to inverter | 1.25 × 186.7 A = 233.4 A, and no more than the wire's 285 A. Class T because lithium short-circuit current exceeds what ANL can break. | 1 | Search |
| Lugs 10 AWGstud size to match the terminals | One per cable end. | 4 | Search |
| Heat-shrink for 10 AWG lugs | One per lug. | 4 | Search |
| Lugs 1/0 AWGstud size to match the terminals | One per cable end. | 4 | Search |
| Heat-shrink for 1/0 AWG lugs | One per lug. | 4 | Search |
| Battery monitor shuntrated at least 225 A | Measures what goes in and out of the bank: 1.2 × 186.7 A inverter draw. | 1 | Search |
Kits that pass more checks
- Renogy 400W 12V Complete Solar Panel Kit with 2.4kWh AGM Batteries 34 of 34 pass, 0 critical
- EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max Solar Generator PV400W (D2M-400SP-1) 33 of 34 pass, 0 critical
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus Solar Generator (With 160W Solar Panel) 33 of 34 pass, 0 critical
How this page was computed
Every compatibility rule the checker has runs against the kit in the worst solar month of each city. The year is simulated hour by hour with the listed loads; parts to add come from the auto-fix and the computed parts list.
- Kit contents from the manufacturer verified 2026-09-16
- NREL PVWatts v8 typical weather years Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis; fetched 15 September 2026
The formulas are the same open engine the checker runs; the methodology page lists every constant.
These results are for reference. Wiring must be installed by a qualified electrician. Mobile installations follow ABYC E-11; stationary ones NEC 690/706.