markhurley
New Member
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Are used panels any good?
Used panels
- Thread starter markhurley
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As I replied in your other thread, it depends on the brand, age, and warranty status and price point.
MichaelK
Solar Wizard
I just made three purchases of four 245W panels in the last couple of months. These were all 30V grid-tie panels removed from a one year old reposessed grid-tie system. Each set of 4 for 220$. I checked each and every one before loading them onto the truck. They all appear to be in like new condition. I already have one set up and running, and they are producing power like they were brand new. I am just tickled pink!
How did you find them? I have been looking for local sources of used panels in the mid Atlantic region.
markhurley
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Where do you live? It seams like Texas and California are the closest places and I'm in Tampa.
It took awhile but I found them by checking craigslist and offerup on a daily basis
Also I sourced these locally to keep the price down because shipping is a bitch , I had to drive a couple hundred miles but that kept the price down.
Thanks!
Thanks. I almost bought from them, but it would make the most sense if I need a larger number due to the flat rate shipping you mention.
MichaelK
Solar Wizard
I found one set of four new Astronergys for 400$ last year on EBay. They were local, one town over from me in Corona, California, so I contacted the seller about local pickup. He said yes, so I made a bid lower than his asking price that with tax came out to 100$ per panel, or 400$ for a kw, through EBay. My last three purchases though were off of Craigslist (same town); a total of 12 Astronergy 240Ws that I got for 55$ each. The seller said they were 1 year old repossessed panels from a defaulted grid-tie installation. Those were all cash and carry sales.
You generally find that PV panels are guaranteed for 20 years BUT, and it's a big but, if you read the small print, only the performance of the cells tends to be guaranteed for that long - the panel's construction invariably is only guaranteed for 1-5 years. PV cells are bulletproof, I mean there really is nothing to go wrong, but the cell interconnects and the bypass diodes, now they can fail, not often admittedly, but they fail much more readily that a PV cell would.
If I was going to buy used panels, I'd try to find out how long the warranty was when the original product was produced. Warranties are often based on MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure) analysis, the warranty period just being a cost-effectiveness statistical analysis exercise i.e. what is the minimum warranty period that balances cost-effectiveness and market competitiveness? Warranty = 1 year, nah, wouldn't trust them. Warranty = 5 years, OK, I'd give them a punt.
If I was going to buy used panels, I'd try to find out how long the warranty was when the original product was produced. Warranties are often based on MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure) analysis, the warranty period just being a cost-effectiveness statistical analysis exercise i.e. what is the minimum warranty period that balances cost-effectiveness and market competitiveness? Warranty = 1 year, nah, wouldn't trust them. Warranty = 5 years, OK, I'd give them a punt.
jeremy_nash
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I purchased 16 250 watt panels from Santan solar, the panels including freight to my local freight depot was $880
Metalophile
Analytical Chemist
Today I bought some used 260 watt panels locally which are about 4 years old, but not much weathering on them - looked like they had been installed ~ 2 years or less. I paid $100 apiece for them. I know Suntansolar has these for less, but not after accounting for shipping to Arkansas. anyway, on the drive home I was thinking of other applications of inexpensive used panels. One Idea I had was using one as a picnic table top. Then you attach a charge controller and battery underneath to run LED landscape lighting all over your yard (or for use in parks). Or build a solar shed where the roof is made completely of panels instead of roofing materials. Does anyone do that?
gnubie
Solar Wizard
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Someone here has built an open carport with the roof being panels. It's a standard structure apart from their not being any metal sheeting for the roof, just the framing and attached to that are the rails for the panels and on that the panels. It's not waterproof, which given that its an open structure anyway isn't a problem. It was more about shading the car.
PHoganDive
Solar Enthusiast
In snow belt country, you have to build for snow loads. Roofs need to be heavy duty so as not to collapse when they have a couple of feet of snow on them...solar panels alone can't do that...they can sit on top of a suitably strong roof, but they are not strong enough on their own.
I chuckle when I see a lot of roofs down south, they are light enough duty they wouldn't last one winter up north.
I chuckle when I see a lot of roofs down south, they are light enough duty they wouldn't last one winter up north.
Holy crap. These guys are less than 1/2 mile from where I work. I wish I had known about them before I pulled the trigger on my new panels. I got a great deal at $159/330W panel delivered, but damn... $60 for a 250W panel that's 6-8 years old? I would have JUMPED on that.
Thanks for the reference jeremey_nash.
Metalophile
Analytical Chemist
Here in Arkansas the largest snow I have seen is about 8 inches of wet snow. Something like that happens here on average once every decade. What I'm thinking of is a small solar shed, maybe 12' x 6'. The panels would be supported by a few 2x4 underneath, but no other decking. Down in the Arkansas I'm more worried about the shed toppling from thunderstorm winds than being crushed by snow. I'm just looking for a way to deploy more of these inexpensive used panels and have them serve a dual purpose for me.In snow belt country, you have to build for snow loads. Roofs need to be heavy duty so as not to collapse when they have a couple of feet of snow on them...solar panels alone can't do that...they can sit on top of a suitably strong roof, but they are not strong enough on their own.
I chuckle when I see a lot of roofs down south, they are light enough duty they wouldn't last one winter up north.
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