Harbor Freight Tools THUNDERBOLT SOLAR 59171 Assembly instructions

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Owner’s Manual & Safety Instructions
Save This Manual Keep this manual for the safety warnings and precautions, assembly,
operating, inspection, maintenance and cleaning procedures. Write the product’s serial number in the
back of the manual near the assembly diagram (or month and year of purchase if product has no number).
Keep this manual and the receipt in a safe and dry place for future reference. 22g
When unpacking, make sure that the product is intact
and undamaged. If any parts are missing or broken,
please call 1-888-866-5797 as soon as possible.
Copyright©2021 by Harbor Freight Tools®. All rights reserved.
No portion of this manual or any artwork contained herein may be reproduced in
any shape or form without the express written consent of Harbor Freight Tools.
Diagrams within this manual may not be drawn proportionally. Due to continuing
improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein.
Tools required for assembly and service may not be included.
Read this material before using this product.
Failure to do so can result in serious injury.
SAVE THIS MANUAL.

Page 2 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 59171
WARNING SYMBOLS AND DEFINITIONS
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards.
Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
will result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in minor or moderate injury.
Addresses practices not related to personal injury.
Safety Precautions
Read all safety warnings, instructions, illustrations and specifications provided with this kit.
Failure to follow all instructions listed below may result in electric shock, fire and/or serious injury.
1. Shield eyes and face from batteries at all
times. Wear ANSI-approved safety goggles
and heavy-duty work gloves during use.
Batteries produce explosive gasses.
2. Use only as intended.
3. Do not allow red and black cable clamps to touch
each other or same metal object during use.
4. Do not use if bare wires are exposed, or
the connectors appear damaged.
5. Use in low voltage systems only. Do not use to make
connections exceeding 100 Volts or 10 Amps.
6. Inspect before every use; do not use if parts
loose or damaged.
7. The warnings, precautions, and instructions
discussed in this instruction manual cannot
cover all possible conditions and situations
that may occur. It must be understood by the
operator that common sense and caution are
factors which cannot be built into this product,
but must be supplied by the operator.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

Page 3For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 59171
Operation
Note: The numbers below correspond to the Parts List and Diagram on pages 6 & 7.
This kit supplies all the cables necessary to connect SAE solar panels to
charge controllers, batteries, power stations, and other devices.
1. SAE to SAE Dual Extension Connector: Use to
extend the length of any SAE cable. This can be
used if the lead wire on a Solar Panel is not long
enough to connect to other system components.
The red wire is positive and black wire is negative.
Note: Extending lead wire may reduce the
voltage coming from the Solar Panel.
2. SAE Polarity Adapter: Reverses the polarity of
SAE connector on certain devices. For example, the
polarity may need to be reversed depending on if the
connection is coming from, or going to, a battery.
3. Female 12V Plug: Connects solar panels or
charge controllers to devices that normally
connect to 12V plugs in vehicles. The red
wire is positive and black wire is negative.
4. Male 12V Plug: Connects solar panels or
charge controllers to devices to connect
different solar components to a vehicle
battery through the 12V port. The red wire
is positive and black wire is negative.
Note: Do not use to charge a car battery with a
solar panel without a charge controller. A solar panel
should not be connected directly to a battery.
5. LED Charge Indicator: The red wire is
positive and black wire is for negative.
• Indicates if power is being provided from
a solar panel or charge controller.
• Verifies if the polarity of a cable is
correct. If the LED does not light, use the
SAE Polarity Adapter to correct the issue.
Note: Only use with 12V Solar Panel systems.
Do not apply more than 24VDC.
6. SAE to 8mm Adapter: Converts an
SAE connector to a 7909 (8mm) barrel
connector. Use to connect Solar Panels to
various Power Stations with an 8mm input port.
7. SAE to Battery Clamps: Connects various
SAE components directly to the terminals
of various batteries. The RED clamp should
connect to the Positive battery post, and the
BLACK clamp to the negative battery post.
Wiring
Note: Only a licensed electrician and a licensed building
contractor can safely design and implement a grid
tie-in system. Any grid tie-in system must meet all
applicable building and electrical codes, and must meet
standards established by the area power company.
1. Run wires from panels, through weatherproof
grommets and into enclosure where charge
controller/regulator is located. Use wires
of the proper size and rating and use twist
connectors (not included) to connect wires.
2. Secure all connections using terminals, or solder
all wire splices to ensure good connections.
3. Weatherproof all connections and route the wire in
a way that it will not be torn loose from the panel.

Page 4 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 59171
Servicing
Procedures not specifically explained
in this manual must be performed by a
qualified technician.
TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY
FROM ELECTRIC SHOCK:
Before service, maintenance or cleaning:
a. Dry outdoor wiring thoroughly while
wearing electrically insulated gloves.
b. Disconnect solar panel after use.
c. Disconnect all batteries after use.
TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY FROM
ELECTRIC SHOCK OR CUTS:
Do not use damaged adapters.
If wiring insulation is damaged or
weathered, solar panel glass
is cracked, or housing is opened, have the
problem corrected before further use.
Cleaning
Clean and inspect all adapters and the solar power
system used with these adapters MONTHLY, or
more frequently to maintain peak efficiency.
1. Wear electrically insulated gloves and
ANSI-approved safety goggles.
2. Inspect the general condition of the solar power
system, including panel, batteries, controllers,
and mounting connections. Check for loose
hardware, wiring insulation damage or weathering,
cracked glass, open housing, cracked or broken
parts, loose or corroded contacts, and any other
condition that may affect its safe operation.
3. Inspect and maintain batteries according
to supplier’s instructions.

Page 5For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 59171
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY
THE MANUFACTURER AND/OR DISTRIBUTOR HAS PROVIDED THE PARTS LIST AND ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM
IN THIS MANUAL AS A REFERENCE TOOL ONLY. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER OR DISTRIBUTOR
MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND TO THE BUYER THAT HE OR SHE IS
QUALIFIED TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS TO THE PRODUCT, OR THAT HE OR SHE IS QUALIFIED TO REPLACE
ANY PARTS OF THE PRODUCT. IN FACT, THE MANUFACTURER AND/OR DISTRIBUTOR EXPRESSLY
STATES THAT ALL REPAIRS AND PARTS REPLACEMENTS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY CERTIFIED AND
LICENSED TECHNICIANS, AND NOT BY THE BUYER. THE BUYER ASSUMES ALL RISK AND LIABILITY
ARISING OUT OF HIS OR HER REPAIRS TO THE ORIGINAL PRODUCT OR REPLACEMENT PARTS
THERETO, OR ARISING OUT OF HIS OR HER INSTALLATION OF REPLACEMENT PARTS THERETO.
Record Product’s Serial Number Here:
Note: If product has no serial number, record month and year of purchase instead.
Note: Some parts are listed and shown for illustration purposes only, and are not available
individually as replacement parts. Specify UPC 193175458018 when ordering parts.

Page 6 For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797. Item 59171
Parts List and Diagram
Parts List
Part Description Qty.
1 SAE to SAE 16AWG Copper Wire Dual Extension Connector 1
2SAE Polarity Adapter 1
3 Female 16AWG Copper Wire 12V Plug 1
4 Male 16AWG Copper Wire 12V Plug 1
5 SAE to LED 16AWG Copper Wire Charge Indicator 1
6 SAE to 8mm 16AWG Copper Wire Adapter 1
7 SAE to Battery 16AWG Copper Wire Clamps 1

Page 7For technical questions, please call 1-888-866-5797.Item 59171
Diagram
6
5
4
3
2
1
7

26677 Agoura Road • Calabasas, CA 91302 • 1-888-866-5797
90 Day Warranty
Harbor Freight Tools Co. makes every effort to assure that its products meet high quality and durability
standards, and warrants to the original purchaser that this product is free from defects in materials
and workmanship for the period of 90 days from the date of purchase. This warranty does not apply to
damage due directly or indirectly, to misuse, abuse, negligence or accidents, repairs or alterations outside
our facilities, criminal activity, improper installation, normal wear and tear, or to lack of maintenance.
We shall in no event be liable for death, injuries to persons or property, or for incidental, contingent,
special or consequential damages arising from the use of our product. Some states do not allow the
exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation of exclusion
may not apply to you. THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES,
EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS.
To take advantage of this warranty, the product or part must be returned to us with transportation charges
prepaid. Proof of purchase date and an explanation of the complaint must accompany the merchandise.
If our inspection verifies the defect, we will either repair or replace the product at our election or we may
elect to refund the purchase price if we cannot readily and quickly provide you with a replacement. We will
return repaired products at our expense, but if we determine there is no defect, or that the defect resulted
from causes not within the scope of our warranty, then you must bear the cost of returning the product.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.