What $799.99 Buys in Rich Solar's Basic 400 Watt Kit, What It Leaves Out, and Why 400 W Sits Right at a 30 A Controller's Limit
Summary
Two 200 W panels, a 30 A MPPT controller, brackets, fuse holder and cables, and nothing that stores or inverts power. At 12 V, 400 W of panel is about 31 A into the battery, which is the Bravo 30's rating; Rich Solar's own guidance, read for an earlier guide, is up to 500 W at 12 V and 1,000 W at 24 V on that controller. Add a battery and an inverter and the real price of a working system is well above the kit's.
The package list, October 4, 2026
| Item | In the kit |
|---|---|
| Panels | 2 × MEGA 200, 12 V, 200 W each; Vmp 18.4 V, Voc 21.8 V |
| Charge controller | Bravo 30, 30 A MPPT |
| Mounting | 2 × Z bracket sets |
| Wiring | cable entry housing; 30 ft of 10 AWG solar cable; 10 ft of 10 AWG battery cable |
| Protection | 15 A inline fuse holder with fuse |
| Battery | not included |
| Inverter | not included |
| Price | $799.99 |
400 W through a 30 A controller
Charging a 12 V battery at about 12.8 V, 400 W is about 31 A, and an MPPT controller delivers what the panels make up to its current rating. So the kit's panels can, in full sun, meet the Bravo 30's limit; anything above it is clipped. That is not a fault. Rich Solar rates the Bravo 30 for up to 500 W at 12 V, and panels rarely sit at their rating for long. Set the same kit up on a 24 V bank and the controller's headroom doubles to 1,000 W.
Series or parallel
Two panels in series present 43.6 V open-circuit and the current of one panel; in parallel, 21.8 V and twice the current. The Bravo 30 detects 12 V or 24 V battery voltage automatically. Which wiring suits the run depends on the controller's input ceiling and the cable, which is where the 30 ft of 10 AWG comes in; our wire-size guide covers voltage drop at 12 V.
What a working system still needs
- A battery: a 100 Ah LiFePO4 stores 1,280 Wh, roughly what the two panels make on an average day in much of the country.
- An inverter, if anything runs on AC, and a fuse between battery and inverter sized for it.
- A second fuse or breaker between controller and battery; the kit's 15 A inline fuse is on the solar side.
For comparison, Renogy's 400 W 12 V Complete Kit lists from $1,899.99 with 2.4 kWh of battery, AGM or LiFePO4 by choice, and our earlier guide found its AGM version shipped with a 40 A MPPT controller and a 2,000 W inverter. The two kits are different products: one is a charging system, the other a power system.
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Sources
- Rich Solar — Basic 400 Watt Solar Kit
- Rich Solar — BRAVO 30 MPPT Solar Charge Controller
- Renogy — 400W 12V Complete Solar Panel Kit with 2.4kWh Batteries
- Renogy — 400W 12V Complete Solar Panel Kit (AGM version package list)
We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.