diy solar

diy solar

Need a single residential solar panel

O

Owen Parker

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Jul 24, 2021
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I am in a van moving southward. Presently in Savannah GA heading to Jacksonville FL. I have a 24v battery system in the van and need a large solar panel. I always wondered why no one ever seems to use the large ones and assumed it was the size and hard to fit with a maxair fan and the like. I'm starting to think it is because a single one seems impossible to buy. Does anyone know of a place I can drive up to purchase a single residential panel? I'm hoping for something 400+ watts and it has to be 84" or less in length. I know I can get one in Texas, but was hoping to get some solar in action asap and figured Florida would surely have a place. Googling for Savannah never mentioned SanTan Solar. Says permanently closed now. I'll happily make my way to anywhere around Jacksonville southward. If there is a reason people don't use the beasty residential panels on the roof of a van, I'd like to hear that as well :)
 
Just check the VMP of what ever panel you buy. 300-400w with VOC of 35-40v may not have enough VMP to make the SCC happy to actually get close to name plate.

Figure 28v for the battery, plus 5v for a Victron SCC to star charging, you’d be at 33v minimum, round up for some loses you’d need 35vmp minimum.
 
740GLE said:
Just check the VMP of what ever panel you buy. 300-400w with VOC of 35-40v may not have enough VMP to make the SCC happy to actually get close to name plate.

Figure 28v for the battery, plus 5v for a Victron SCC to star charging, you’d be at 33v minimum, round up for some loses you’d need 35vmp minimum.
Click to expand...
Yes, I was thinking 40v at the very minimum. Most of the panels I have spec-ed were 48+ so that was what I hoped to get. I'm in Tampa/Clearwater area for a while and there are a great many solar installer companies. Surely I can find one. I'll have to check craigslist but I am not sure a used solar panel would be a good risk. Maybe someone selling piecemeal via craigslist versus a regular installer selling by the pallet or the 4 panel minimum which is so popular. Never dreamed it would be so difficult to find :) Thanks everyone for the info. Greatly appreciated.
 
MisterSandals said:
Have you tried craigslist? Quite a few in Jacksonville area.

jacksonville.craigslist.org

Heliene 132HC-M10-SL Solar Panels: Go Green Man Solar - electronics - by dealer - sale - craigslist

Our B-Grade panels have slight cosmetic differences but work perfectly. performance is of the highest standard. Every purchase comes with Go GreenMan Solar's assurance in the form of a 1-year...
jacksonville.craigslist.org
Click to expand...
Well, MisterSandals, you have the solution. Too bad I didn't check this before I left Jacksonville yesterday. Now in Tampa area for a couple weeks. Hopefully I can find someone similar in this area. My search of craigslist was terribly UN-fruitful. There is no category for solar panels and such and typing it in got me a couple people selling used personal panels and a shitload of used cars and motorbikes! LOL Any chance you could share with me how you searched to find the perfect solution in Jacksonville? I really and truly hate to ask, but desperate times... :)
 
Try contacting them, don't rely on 3rd party info. Their own site presently gives address and phone number.

I couldn't remember if I had seen a site closing sale or something else. I do find other references to closed, in September saying closing "next month" which would have been October.

Santan Solar Savanah is Closing - iRV2 Forums

For those on the east coast, be aware that the Santan Solar Savanah, GA location is closing next month. They will still operate from their Gilbert, AZ location. If you dont mind driving, youll save
www.irv2.com

Check eBay, set a location for you, sort by location. Maybe you can find someone along your route.
 
MisterSandals said:
Selected the Jacksonville area. Then searched for “solar” in the “for sale” area.
Just a wide search.
Click to expand...
Thanks again MisterSandals. Removing panel from the search helped a little. Not much in the area, but a lot of solar companies so, fingers crossed...
 
Looks like Santan announced closing of the Savannah office in September on the FB page. I hope they keep the Arizona office open just bought 12 395 watt panels with their buy 3 get 1 free black Friday sale. About a 40-mile trip each way but not too bad I don't mind the drive.
 

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Try https://www.rexelusa.com

I believe that you should be able to pick them up in person if it anything like our Platt Electric, which seems to be the same company with different names in different parts of the US.
 
Have you tried A1 Solar? They're essentially a clearing house, and have distribution points in several states.

You'll have to go pick them up. It's how I got four Trina 360W panels. Strapped them to my car's roof rails and cross bars.
 
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