Want to purchase Solar Panels from China and import to USA...
- Thread starter HLB
- Start date
JLBinTN
New Member
If new are that cheap now, used will be cheaper soon enough (if not already). Glad it worked out for him.
How far away from battery do you plan to mount this array? You can center tap the string and ground reference that. This way you have +1394v 0v - 1394v. You can get 1700V SiC mosfets to drive hv primary of 2 isolated hf transformes to step this down to something useful. Obviously this is super dangerous and I would spend extra money on thicker wire to run panels at normal voltage. Or generate AC at the array and step up to 960Vac via 2x 480V transformers back to back then back to 240/120 at the house.
Last edited:
HLB
New Member
That figure was an earlier estimate.
Actually better than that - 16.3 cents per Watt.
HLB
HLB
New Member
Approximate distance from the meter base is 250 feet.
I hope to find a solution other than brute force expensive heavy wire. Power companies do this with high voltage.
It ~could~ be that I could use a capacitive voltage divider with a transistor based oscillator to draw the required amount of current off of the downstream shunt capacitor which is fed by the upstream capacitor in series with the high voltage dc solar panel line. That way the transistor voltage would not have to be too much more than the battery voltage, but the current would be high. It looks like a buck dc to dc converter can be configured in several ways but none of them that I have seen allow the switch to be on the lower voltage end of the circuit. A capacitive voltage divider would allow that but, well, I am probably missing something. This is just theory with little experience to ride on. Need to do some research.
Step up and step down transformers would be great but I have not looked at availability and cost yet. We are talking about 25KW transformers here. They are pretty big on the power poles. Need to do some research.
The danger of the system needs a lot of thought. Alternating current does the fibrillation thing with your heart. Direct current does not do that but it can fry you like a resistor if you are on it too hard for too long. High voltage insulation might be costly. Need to do some research.
HLB
HLB
New Member
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2020
- Messages
- 21,094
Typical commercially available transformers are cost-optimized and have much higher no-load current that you would like to drive with an inverter-battery system. They operate part way into saturation, so inductance drops as current rises part way through each AC cycle, and current then shoots much higher.
They are also wound asymmetrically, with primary having more leakage to air. If you use a step-down transformer and drive it in reverse as set-up, that requires even higher current. And can grumble (make noise.)
transformer excitation current - isolation transformer used as auto-transformer
So you think you can backfeed a transformer secondary, either as step-up or as auto-transformer? Turns out these things aren't so ideal and reversible as one might expect. It isn't just the greater inrush (primary is often wound outside secondary to reduce inrush current), but also idle current...
diysolarforum.com
I found that feeding primary at half rated voltage (120V into a 240V winding or 240V into 480V winding), the transformer was well behaved and drew 1/10th as much no-load current.
I suggest using a 50 kVA transformer at half voltage for 25 kVA.
You want step-up to much higher voltage. Better look for a transformer intended for step-up, and then operate it at half rated voltage.
If you used a typical 240/480V to 120/240V transformer for step-up, I think 3:1 voltage boost is the most you could achieve following my recommendations. Drive one 240V primary winding at 120V. Connect other 240V primary winding and both 120V secondary windings in series with it as auto-transformer, or 360V. Should be good for 1/4 of VA rating (coupled through transformer) so 3/12 of VA rating in auto-transformer configuration.
tonyandjill
New Member
Has anyone here PERSONALLY, successfully imported solar panels from China? Or PERSONALLY failed at it? I have several quotes for DDP shipping with panels, batteries, inverters for $5-7k. That's for the shipping only. Supposedly no other taxes, fees, duties to pay, shipped to my door. I have also read that the section 201 tax on bifacials has been lifted for now and until June of 2024 the anti-dumping duty is lifted from certain Southeast Asian countries. Just wondering if anyone has successfully dealt with any of these suppliers on Alibaba (Dawnice, Enten, Eitai, Lovsun, Greensun etc.)? Also, is the "Trade Assurance" worth purchasing? I've read that they usually favor the seller.
As much as i would love to hear everyone's opinion eventually, right now I'm looking for personal experience. I already know the risks! I know there are just as many liars, cheaters and thieves in China as there are in the USA. I realize there is no one to hold them accountable. I realize it will be difficult and take a long time. I can handle difficult, and i have time. I'm looking for personal experience with good, reputable sellers in China. I believe there are a few! I'm looking for someone that has taken advantage of the apparent tax reprieve.
Thanks.
As much as i would love to hear everyone's opinion eventually, right now I'm looking for personal experience. I already know the risks! I know there are just as many liars, cheaters and thieves in China as there are in the USA. I realize there is no one to hold them accountable. I realize it will be difficult and take a long time. I can handle difficult, and i have time. I'm looking for personal experience with good, reputable sellers in China. I believe there are a few! I'm looking for someone that has taken advantage of the apparent tax reprieve.
Thanks.
Yes, to Europe anyway (no tariffs). DDP incoterms include all the costs/taxes, but many vendors in China don't want to do that with the States because the tariffs make it too complicated. Maybe times changed somewhat nowadays, ymmv.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2020
- Messages
- 21,094
Yes, according to this thread you posted in:
diysolarforum.com
Want to purchase Solar Panels from China and import to USA...
Oh, with engine hoist lifting things from the bottom (like a transformer) they can tip. So I added a strap around the top. Also have to prevent straps on bottom from slipping to center and unbalancing. I think I did install side handles and lift tool chest that way last time. Unloading new one...
diysolarforum.com
tonyandjill
New Member
which post? I see the OP and another guy bought from inxeption.Yes, according to this thread you posted in:
Want to purchase Solar Panels from China and import to USA...
Oh, with engine hoist lifting things from the bottom (like a transformer) they can tip. So I added a strap around the top. Also have to prevent straps on bottom from slipping to center and unbalancing. I think I did install side handles and lift tool chest that way last time. Unloading new one...
tonyandjill
New Member
I guess i should have been more specific. looking to import panels from china, to the US. thx.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2020
- Messages
- 21,094
OK, not literally imported from China, which apparently is subject to US duties.
He ordered from China, and they shipped from Vietnam.
He got them for $0.16/W. I have no idea of quality.
Is it your desire to import from China, or to get a deal like that on PV panels?
tonyandjill
New Member
My understanding is their warehouse is in the US somewhere. Selling limited quantities of various panels. Not that they're importing.
Edit: well maybe they are importing them themselves, but the purpose of my question was to gain knowledge from someone that has imported direct from china before, because right now, that's what i'm looking into. The price of panels, batteries and inverters far outweighs the cost of the APPARENT taxes, duties and fees. I can share some of the quotes if needed.
I don't care where they come from, I do care about quality.
Last edited:
I looked at quotes two years ago and was scared off. Unless you are looking at buying at least one full container (~250-300kW) I don't see any way it would pay off; there are too many fixed fees which makes it less appealing for companies to work with you. I would expect that within a few years that number will go closer to 3-5 containers in a single shipment.
tonyandjill
New Member
Hey, thanks for that. Super helpful. Exactly what I was looking for. Just kidding. As i said, someone that has actual experience buying DIRECT from CHINA, recently preferably. lol
Last edited:
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
After the OP posted - "buying direct from China", I thought - okay what would they cost direct?
I have an active commercial Alibaba account, so posted an RFQ for a pallet of 550-600W panels - long story short, buying just one pallet of panels DDP with import paid all in, was going to cost darn close to what I pay now from Canadian vendors. I could not get anywhere close to the 16-cents per kW of the OP.
No I didn't authorize the purchase, but took all the same steps leading up to an actual purchase with the exception of the final paying part.
(Somewhere in China there is a sales person cursing my name in Mandarin....I suspect)
I have an active commercial Alibaba account, so posted an RFQ for a pallet of 550-600W panels - long story short, buying just one pallet of panels DDP with import paid all in, was going to cost darn close to what I pay now from Canadian vendors. I could not get anywhere close to the 16-cents per kW of the OP.
No I didn't authorize the purchase, but took all the same steps leading up to an actual purchase with the exception of the final paying part.
(Somewhere in China there is a sales person cursing my name in Mandarin....I suspect)
tonyandjill
New Member
Here's one of the quotes but they're almost all around 25k. At this point I'm not excited about the megarevo inverter bc of all the problems I've read about. I would probably just pay for the 18kpv from signature. The cheapest quote for a 550w BF from jinko was $68.50. The cheapest r10klna was $1675 or so.
Obviously price is important or i wouldn't even consider this, but right now I'm mostly looking for someone with experience dealing with customs, duties, shipping etc. Most importantly, looking to find a legal way around dumping dooty. On paper right now it seems possible.
Attachments
Last edited:
Similar threads
