Where to Buy Solar Panels For A Small Home Setup

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

Too_Many_Tools

2007-01-07 19:39:07 UTC

I have a cabin that I wish to install a solar panel setup on.

What are the sources today for economical and reliable solar panels?

What is the going rate for $/watt?

Noting that vendors like Harbor Freight are now carrying solar panels,
what is your opinion of their performance for the money spent?

Finally I note older panels sold on occasion....are they a good value?

Thanks

TMT

merlin-7

2007-01-07 20:03:35 UTC

Permalink

I think that Harbor Freight panels are fine for smaller systems, price per
watt is not bad and you get the mounting hardware with them and a couple of
5watt 12 volt lights.
However, if you need a system over 200 watts or so, I would look elsewhere.
The HF 45 watt kit comes with 3 15 watt panels. They are big for the amount
of energy they produce and I do not think the panels could take much of an
impact.( I have 3 sets of them)
Joe KI4ILB

Post by Too_Many_Tools
I have a cabin that I wish to install a solar panel setup on.
What are the sources today for economical and reliable solar panels?
What is the going rate for $/watt?
Noting that vendors like Harbor Freight are now carrying solar panels,
what is your opinion of their performance for the money spent?
Finally I note older panels sold on occasion....are they a good value?
Thanks
TMT

drydem

2007-01-07 23:28:09 UTC

Permalink

If you live in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas
you might be able to find inexpensive used (surplused) solar panels
locally. Solar panel lose their generation efficiency over time
so commerical solar array panels are replaced periodically.
Surplused solar array panels are often about 10 to 15 years
old (retaining 100% to 90% of their original generation efficiency).
Solar array panels that have previously been installed with
light concentrators ( freznel lense, mirrors arrays ) tend to
lose their power generation capacity more often than those
not subject to light concentrators. Older surplused solar
panels often generate less watts per hour than a newer
more efficient solar panel of the same surface size. Surplused
solar panels are also often attached to heavy frames,
so transporting surplus panels can be problematic.
Surplused solar panels may also need to be tested and repaired
before they are reused. IMHO recycling a working surpluse
solar panel is actually a much more ecologically friendlier
act than buying newer more efficient solar panel .

Harbor Freight's solar panels are rather expensive per watt
because they are selling mainly smaller solar array panels.
FWIW the last time I looke the $/watt sweet point
for new solar array panels appears to be when one is using
about 100W-160W solar array panels. However, the major
startup cost of a solar array system is not the panels (which
last from 20 to 40 years) but the power inverter/converter
(?lifespan?) and the deep cycle heavy duty battery array
( 4-12 years lifespan ) which is used to store the power
generated by the solar array panels. IMHO the quality of
the power inverter/converter and the electrical storage
system is more likely than the solar panels to be enhance
the reliablity of any proposed solar panel array system.
The ROI for a solar panel array system is dependent
on the average amount of annual sunlight at the
proposed site.

p***@frontiernet.net

2007-01-19 03:01:58 UTC

Permalink

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Thank You

Post by drydem

If you live in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas
you might be able to find inexpensive used (surplused) solar panels
locally. Solar panel lose their generation efficiency over time
so commerical solar array panels are replaced periodically.
Surplused solar array panels are often about 10 to 15 years
old (retaining 100% to 90% of their original generation efficiency).
Solar array panels that have previously been installed with
light concentrators ( freznel lense, mirrors arrays ) tend to
lose their power generation capacity more often than those
not subject to light concentrators. Older surplused solar
panels often generate less watts per hour than a newer
more efficient solar panel of the same surface size. Surplused
solar panels are also often attached to heavy frames,
so transporting surplus panels can be problematic.
Surplused solar panels may also need to be tested and repaired
before they are reused. IMHO recycling a working surpluse
solar panel is actually a much more ecologically friendlier
act than buying newer more efficient solar panel .
Harbor Freight's solar panels are rather expensive per watt
because they are selling mainly smaller solar array panels.
FWIW the last time I looke the $/watt sweet point
for new solar array panels appears to be when one is using
about 100W-160W solar array panels. However, the major
startup cost of a solar array system is not the panels (which
last from 20 to 40 years) but the power inverter/converter
(?lifespan?) and the deep cycle heavy duty battery array
( 4-12 years lifespan ) which is used to store the power
generated by the solar array panels. IMHO the quality of
the power inverter/converter and the electrical storage
system is more likely than the solar panels to be enhance
the reliablity of any proposed solar panel array system.
The ROI for a solar panel array system is dependent
on the average amount of annual sunlight at the
proposed site.

TRecupero

2007-01-08 04:43:17 UTC

Permalink

Try Solatron Technologies, they have kits that cover all the parts except
the baterries. I bought my system there and a would do so again in a
heartbeat. http://www.partsonsale.com/cabins2.html

M&M

2007-01-08 11:27:15 UTC

Permalink

Switch to Solar & Save $25 K
No Equipment to Purchase - it's free!
http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy
Customer signup is free/ Distributorship is free!
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Franchises will be sold in the future. You can do it all.

Your future financial and business success starts here

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Watch the video,[click play under photo of Ed on right] and Listen to
the 24 Hour Info line
Tuesday - Wednesday & Thursday Conference Calls:

Prospecting Calls followed by Q&A
Note: These are not company calls, but calls for our team!

712-432-3900 Access Code: 9700861#

6:30 pm PST / 9:30 pm EST

24 Hour Info Line: 620-294-1186

The new 24 hour info line is helping everyone spread the business.
3-way as many people as you can into this tool as a first exposure.

National TV Exposure:

Ed Begley is the Citizenre Official Spokesman.

Ed Begley has a REALITY TV SHOW previewing Jan 1
after the rose bowl parade titled "Living with Ed".
http://livingwithed.net/

Switch to Solar & Save $25 K
No Equipment to Purchase - it's free!
http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy

You are invited to http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy, and
to watch the video.Customer page.

Become a sales associate-FREE- at http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy
Or you may call the 24 Hour Info Line:
620 294 1186 3 min overview

Post by TRecupero
Try Solatron Technologies, they have kits that cover all the parts except
the baterries. I bought my system there and a would do so again in a
heartbeat. http://www.partsonsale.com/cabins2.html

Mike Payne

2007-01-08 19:37:49 UTC

Permalink

And when will Citizenre be installing its first system? He may not be able
to wait that long.

Post by M&M
Switch to Solar & Save $25 K
No Equipment to Purchase - it's free!
http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy
Customer signup is free/ Distributorship is free!
Become a sales associate-FREE- at http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy
Franchises will be sold in the future. You can do it all.
Your future financial and business success starts here
http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy
Watch the video,[click play under photo of Ed on right] and Listen to
the 24 Hour Info line
Prospecting Calls followed by Q&A
Note: These are not company calls, but calls for our team!
712-432-3900 Access Code: 9700861#
6:30 pm PST / 9:30 pm EST
24 Hour Info Line: 620-294-1186
The new 24 hour info line is helping everyone spread the business.
3-way as many people as you can into this tool as a first exposure.
Ed Begley is the Citizenre Official Spokesman.
Ed Begley has a REALITY TV SHOW previewing Jan 1
after the rose bowl parade titled "Living with Ed".
http://livingwithed.net/
Switch to Solar & Save $25 K
No Equipment to Purchase - it's free!
http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy
You are invited to http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy, and
to watch the video.Customer page.
Become a sales associate-FREE- at http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy
620 294 1186 3 min overview

M&M

2007-01-08 11:25:56 UTC

Permalink

Switch to Solar & Save $25 K
No Equipment to Purchase - it's free!
http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy
Customer signup is free/ Distributorship is free!
Become a sales associate-FREE- at http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy
Franchises will be sold in the future. You can do it all.

http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy

Watch the video,[click play under photo of Ed on right] and Listen to
the 24 Hour Info line
Tuesday - Wednesday & Thursday Conference Calls:

Prospecting Calls followed by Q&A
Note: These are not company calls, but calls for our team!

712-432-3900 Access Code: 9700861#

6:30 pm PST / 9:30 pm EST

24 Hour Info Line: 620-294-1186

The new 24 hour info line is helping everyone spread the business.
3-way as many people as you can into this tool as a first exposure.

National TV Exposure:

Ed Begley is the Citizenre Official Spokesman.

Ed Begley has a REALITY TV SHOW previewing Jan 1
after the rose bowl parade titled "Living with Ed".
http://livingwithed.net/

Switch to Solar & Save $25 K
No Equipment to Purchase - it's free!
http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy

You are invited to http://www.jointhesolution.com/usasolarenergy, and
to watch the video.Customer page.

Become a sales associate-FREE- at http:www.powur.com/usasolarenergy
Or you may call the 24 Hour Info Line:620 294 1186 3 min overview

Hope that this helps

Vaughn Simon

2007-01-08 21:54:48 UTC

Permalink

Post by M&M
Switch to Solar & Save $25 K

Hey! You started a thread a couple weeks ago and that was fine. Now you
have progressed to out and out spamming. Joining (and adding to conversations)
is fine. This is not a place to advertise your business.

Vaughn

Roderick

2007-01-09 03:03:18 UTC

Permalink

It would help to have a better idea of what you plan to run off the
solar panels. If the idea is basically to use your cabin like outdoor
camping, and just power a compact fluorescent light to read by, the
Harbor Freight solution might be what you want.

With small systems, $/watt is not the typical figure of merit, as it
will be significantly influenced by fixed costs. For instance, $100
worth of wire is insignificant next to the cost of 2-3 kW of solar
panels, but significant next to the cost of a 50W panel.

If you plan to run a regrigerator, TV, computer, etc., then it would be
a good idea to make a list of these, then size your system. For a
large system, $5 / watt is a good price for panels, and it can easily
go higher. Counting the other components my system (with no batteries)
costed about $8 / watt, but I then got back about $1 / watt in federal
tax credit, and $2.50 / watt from the state, ending up with an
installed cost of about $4.50 / watt, bottom line. This was
self-installed - hiring an installer would have pushed the price back
to maybe $9-10/watt.

If you want to see my experience, I posted a video on

http://www.archive.org/details/DIY_self_installed_solar_photovoltaic_panels

I hope this isn't considered spamming, as I posted the link in another
message, already. The video is non-commercial (home movie).