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Used Solar Panel Brands?

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Nikg736

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Aug 21, 2021
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Yes, I've tried to read all the other used panel threads. Through reading those I have decided buying used panels may be worth the gamble as many people have had great success. Check for physical damage, snail trails, micro cracks etc, and also test for voltage and amps.
The sole remaining question I have is about brands. It has been mentioned that brand and warranty are important decision factors in addition to physical inspection and electrical testing.

So...are there any specific brands that people like, or any to specifically avoid? Many names I have seen I recognize such as Q-cells, Trina, Canadian Solar, Jinko, Samsung, Yingli. Some I don't know anything about such as Phono Solar(expensive), Stion (commercial grade?), Solar World, Silfab. Most of these are priced at about $0.27-$0.35 per watt based on original panel specs. Obviously price per watt changes if only testing at 80-85% capacity.

And what kind of warranty am I looking for? I'm assuming people are talking about original warranty on the panels, not a warranty buying them used.

I'm currently leaning towards some Q-cells 330w panels that are claimed to be producing 100% output for $90/each.
There's also a guy in Knoxville (Jay's Solar) that appears to have lots of different panels on a rotating basis selling for super cheap...sometimes less than $0.20 per watt. However, that is about a 5 hour round trip drive for me, so I was wondering if anybody had used him? I think people said they're pretty good and reputable.

Thanks
 
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Before going with used panels, you should check out some of the better new prices online. If you can use a full pallet of panels, they often come in around that same price level, 0.25 -0.30 per watt. What appears to be the case is used panels are at a discounted price to the original price of those panels new, however panel pricing has come down quite a bit recently and similar panels new can be had for the same or less than those used prices. I'd look at Signature solar, Santan (no connection with either) and some of the other sites mentioned here.
 
Steve's advice is spot on, IMHO.

I think we are in a market glut at the moment due to large production runs from international manufacturers, especially those in China, and south Asia sources. That effective *over-supply* has put a lot of downward pressure on prices across most of the globe and the entire new panel market has had to adjust to this reality -or lose their sales.

It appears to me that the used panel sellers have not entirely adjusted their prices to reflect this oversupply, and I find that peculiar. Likely a matter of time before they wake up and realize they are losing market share; why buy used panels when for a few dollars more you can get new panels.

Sellers of used panels may have a different business model and don't mind the carrying costs of large inventories of used panels. If your business got the panels at a *haul it away* prices of $2-25 per panel, maybe you can afford to sit on that stock (I suspect that supply chain costs of delivery and inventory management are a larger percentage of their true costs than was their price per panel to acquire the stock). Seems like santan responds to the market pressure with sales/promotions, to try to stay competitive. Speculation from up here in the cheap seats but thats what it looks like. (those number reflect my own speculation on large solar roof projects and their replacement/upgrade cycles)

I do think its a great time to buy panels and batteries both. And we have the luxury of shopping for size/fitment rather than a scramble for the biggest watts per panel. Case in point, the 550w Renogy panels are great - but at 90" x 45" & 64lbs, they have their own challenges in mounting and handling. Most frames/mounts have been targeting 66x40 in panels, and the larger ones are kind of a PITA to be sure, but decent performance in terms of efficiency, though not always competitive re $ / Watt.

As some of the dollars from US Federal programs to invest in solar begin showing up in the market (money is spent on these projects to buy massive numbers of panels) these market demands may push prices back up. Caveat emptor.
 
Excellent feedback, and I have heard of Santan and Signature Solar. I think I saw Santan has some kind of free shipping offer going on, but I'm sure there is a minimum order amount that applies.
The problem here is that for the project I have in mind, I only need 10-12 panels, so a pallet of 25-30 is two to three times my need.
Also, I'm sure the shipping on 10 panels vs a full pallet isn't all that much different. Shipping costs for such large items would certainly blow that $/watt calculation out of the water...I think. For those reasons I am trying to stay within a reasonable distance to pick them up in my Sprinter Van.

As I said, I will absolutely give another look at Santan and Signature...maybe even call them to see what they can do.
However, is there any feedback with regards to my original question about brands and warranties? Also, any comments about some of the new panels from manufacturers like New East Solar and ZN Shine out of Cambodia? Many manufacturers I've never heard of from countries I never knew were producing panels. However, that place in TN has brand new 370W ZN Shine panels for $98 each or $2750 for a crate of 31 panels. That's like $0.25/w for new panels that apparently also qualify for solar tax credits.

Thanks
 
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How exactly does a new panel warranty work in the real world?
These panels should last for 20+ years. What are the chances that your panel distributor will still be around in 10 years?
Then the panel manufacturer?
Finally, if they don't cover the costs of shipping for some type of exchange or replacement, does it even make sense to pursue a warranty claim if a few panels die in the first 5 years or so?
It seems to me that the value of a "new" warranty is to protect the buyer from chronic failures due to quality issues, etc.
Over paneling with the knowledge that some of the panels will die and be removed from the array in the next 10+ years seems like the way to go.
 
I'm with you on the warranty stuff, Dave911. I think a longer warranty is just more of a gauge of potential quality, but who knows. And things change so quickly these days that even reputable brands from 10years ago may be doing things totally different today. And that goes for everything...not just solar panels. Car and home audio has been a mild hobby of mine for a few decades, and some brands that were top of the line back in the day are now just cheap garbage, some are still good. But it is quite possible to have a 30yr old amplifier that will still outlast a brand new one from the "same" company. Can apply to vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, appliances, tools etc. etc. As things start getting produced on a large scale, commoditized and prices drop...it generally becomes a "race to the bottom" in cost and quality.
 
I'm a chronic over-researcher when it comes to the things I buy, I spend weeks and weeks looking things up before I commit to purchasing anything.

That being said I have NEVER cared how long a warranty is on a product and have never picked one brand over another solely because it had a "better" or longer warranty.
 
Andrewr05 said:
I'm a chronic over-researcher when it comes to the things I buy, I spend weeks and weeks looking things up before I commit to purchasing anything.

That being said I have NEVER cared how long a warranty is on a product and have never picked one brand over another solely because it had a "better" or longer warranty.
Click to expand...
Sounds just like me. Actually doing some research on those NE Solar panels right now. Seem to be a great deal, however there is a thread that identifies what may be a problem with soldering and the possible impact on longevity of these panels.

diysolarforum.com

NE Solar 370W solar panel review

Panels arrived. 2 out of 18 damaged. Will do some testing after I clean up the mess. Damage claim reported to Signature Solar.
diysolarforum.com diysolarforum.com

So, Andrew...help me out here. What panels would you look for at about $0.25 - $0.30 per watt and why?
 
Have you tried to check to see if there are any close by wholesalers? I was able to get 365w REC left over panels from big projects for $80, that they're unable to sell to companies due to limited quantities. REC seems to be a top tier brand by the looks of their construction, made in Singapore.
 
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I am near Raleigh NC, but Charlotte and anywhere between Raleigh and Asheville is within reason. Not sure how to check for wholesalers in my area. That's a good deal on REC panels.
 
Nikg736 said:
I am near Raleigh NC, but Charlotte and anywhere between Raleigh and Asheville is within reason. Not sure how to check for wholesalers in my area. That's a good deal on REC panels.
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I would think think there are around that area, because the solar companies likely get their equipment from a local distributor that isn't too far. I accidentally found them on FB but I'm sure there are other means to search them out.
 
Nikg736 said:
I'm with you on the warranty stuff, Dave911. I think a longer warranty is just more of a gauge of potential quality, but who knows. And things change so quickly these days that even reputable brands from 10years ago may be doing things totally different today.
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Agree, a long warranty from a big company that has been around for decades is typically a good indicator that they have an extreme level of confidence in their product. A long warranty from a small company is almost useless when it's 25 years long.
With that said I am pretty sure that Solar Panels are prorated and given their size weight and ever decreasing cost is it really worth replacing panels with ones of the same wattage?
I suspect that in five years I might want to replace my 60 cell 365W LG panels with newer panels if someone can ever get that same size panel up to 500W.
 
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seneysolar said:
These guys have a warehouse in NJ. LTL shipping wouldn't be too bad to NC. This is a great price for new.

a1solarstore.com

Jinko 390W Solar Panel 144 Cells JKM390M-72HBL-V Clearance - A1SolarStore

Jinko 390W Solar Panel 144 Cells JKM390M-72HBL-V at A1SolarStore
a1solarstore.com a1solarstore.com
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That is a good deal, but I still really like the idea of picking up some "new leftovers" from a local distributor/wholesaler. Likely to be very affordable and also putting smaller odd-lots of panels to use. I like the idea of reducing waste through buying used or new yet un-sellable items and lots. Not opposed to getting new, but prefer the other options.
It is surprising that the used panel sellers are asking so much. In light of what is available new, I would think the price on some of the used panels should come down a solid 10-25%.
 
seneysolar said:
Great deal if they are still doing free shipping. The Twin Peak Rec is an older product line, but still very good panels. They are also handy if you need a slightly narrow panel (39" width) vs most others are in the 42-44" range nowadays.
Buy em!!!
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For sure, if I didn't already have a dozen of the 365NP2's or have more land :) but the post was a suggestion for OP.
 
OK, so REC is good quality? I've heard of a lot of these brands such as REC, but just because I've heard of them doesn't mean they are high quality. Also, does an older product line just mean they might be a little less efficient? I'm actually OK with that because I also tend to think that as products get developed and competition increases, the quality/durability tends to decrease.
 
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