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diy solar

Just picked up 36 285W STP285 from Santan Solar for $70 ea

snoobler

Solar Honey Badger
Joined
Jul 10, 2020
Messages
8,387
Location
HBR, AZ
Received the promotional email:


Online prices shows $80. Called to place an order to get the $70. Jason indicated it should be fixed on the website soon.

Why did I buy 36 of them?

My name is Steve, and I'm a solarholic.

Srsly tho, I've been thinking long and hard of going grid-tie on our Phoenix home. This 10.28kW worth of panels will provide about 65% of my usage assuming I can get it all on the roof. These panels still have their labels and are thus not restricted to off-grid only.

The panels cost me almost exactly 1 year worth of juice from SRP. With mostly DIY, shooting for a <4 (probably 5) year breakeven (based on the 65% offset), and it's an opportunity to learn about the grid-tie side of things, of which I know nothing essentially meaningful.

I'm not ready to go for it, but this deal will be hard to beat in the next year, so I'm willing to pull the trigger even if they have to sit for some time.
 
Some day I will aspire to snooblerdom status. DIY Solar King.

Hey, I have about talked myself into using the 280AH LiFePO4 cells in my van instead of the 120 AH LiNMC cells. 7200 WH baby!

You never know, I may live long enough to collect social security after all instead of dying in a tragic, totally avoidable RV fire. That is my other aspirational goal, to end up being a drain on society...
 
Indeed. They are less than 0.5 miles from my work.

36 panels is a lot to move on an extended pallet. I've actually only picked up half of them so far. Glad I got the long bed. Gotta find space for the other half :)
The roof of my house is available. I live in North Phoenix, but I have a cargo van... :sneaky:
 
Probably around $500. I had thirty 500watt panels priced from China and shipping was $1,200. I’ve learned it’s cheaper per watt if you buy by the pallet.

We bought 54 Talesun 330W as a 3-person group buy. 27 per pallet, two pallets. Even after shipping, they were still $1.59/Watt.
 
I had 4 new 375w panels shipped from AZ to OH and the total cost, including shipping, was just over $0.50 per watt.

4 on a pallet drop tailgate service to my home.

SanTan gets multiple quotes to find the best rate.
 
I had 4 new 375w panels shipped from AZ to OH and the total cost, including shipping, was just over $0.50 per watt.

4 on a pallet drop tailgate service to my home.

SanTan gets multiple quotes to find the best rate.
Is that $750?
 
I think it may have been $770 or $780, I would have to find the invoice for an exact amount.

Close enough to call it just over 50 cents/watt in my estimation.
 
I think it may have been $770 or $780, I would have to find the invoice for an exact amount.

Close enough to call it just over 50 cents/watt in my estimation.
Close enough. Just trying to figure cost shipped.
 
It's worth asking them about shipping. They may still be competitive.
Shipping can be cheap enough. I've paid $180 to $400 for 1 to 4 pallets, up to 1500# one pallet and 5000# spread over 4 pallets, to San Jose. They came from SanTan, from Southern California,, from Oregon, from Canada.
I have things shipped to a nearby trucking terminal, then go with my pickup truck.

Often seller gets good prices. SanTan did. Another vendor's shipper came in high ($750) so I tried Google and shipping brokers. Fed Ex was $8000. CST was $225
 
Just a heads up. Picked up another 25 panels from santan.driving to their place monday.
250w trina . Used , 35 a panel .x-mas sale.
Up to 18kw now. Might just be enough. Lol
 
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