Make or Buy ?

I bought another solar panel since this one:

https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2026/03/solar.html

This second one has similar specs and cost about the same but it was just a panel.  It didn't come with all the little cables and clips.

I like solar panel specs, right on the back, easy to test, nice !

One thing I added was a series diode to prevent the battery discharging through the diodes of the solar panel at night.  I might change out that diode later for a MOSFET circuit but I'll have to research that to see what the pitfalls might be.  One problem is that the solar panel puts out 18 volts or more in full sun and that much voltage would probably zap the gate of a MOSFET.  So a circuit is required to protect the gate.  Another thing is that as I've encountered before, MOSFETs can conduct in both directions (unlike a diode).  So maybe it's best to just live with the voltage drop across the diode for now.

The other thing I'll need is a cable which can easily be connected to either the lawn tractor battery or the car battery (yellow top).  So I was thinking of possibly cutting off the cable with the gator clips on my now disused Sears battery charger.  Then the idea would be to install Anderson Powerpoles on that cable so the clips could still be used either with the Sears battery charger or the solar panel.  But those clips look kinda grungy (that's what happens after decades).  So I looked up the Mueller Electric number stamped on the clips (46A) and both Digikey and Mouser still sell them !  I will have to include them in my next parts order !

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm