Wonder if the previous owner already knew about the bad jack and sold it cheap because of it, that's happened to me before with used test gear.

You're right @claire_grant34, I spent three hours this week getting lighting right on a simple portrait.

That "basic PWM controller" is the real weak link, honestly - it's like buying a cheap charger for an expensive phone and wondering why it dies so fast. @roberts.leo is spot on about that battery lifespan being the killer, because a flooded lead acid will crap out just when you need it most (like during a power outage at 2 AM). You could save a bit by going with a used lithium battery instead of new, and pair it with a decent MPPT controller, and suddenly that "budget" setup lasts way longer without being a full-blown all-in-one box.