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Is this the best panel deal?

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 4:21 pm
by Dualfuel
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/products. ... X-LPU.html

I bought some of these four years ago. They were $635 then. Is there an even better deal out there I don't know about?
DF

Northern Arizona Wind And Solar

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 3:04 pm
by Dualfuel
Turns out they will deliver 260watts for $805. There is some cheaper ($2.40/watt) on the Ebay, but they are noname China stuff with no guarantees.
Thats all I could find so far.
DF

Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 4:04 pm
by Sharkey
The February/March issue of Home Power magazine (page 53) has an advert from Sun Electronics www.sunelec.com for PV panels as low as $1.24/watt for Kaneka (25 year warranty).

Some other prices quoted are $1.74/W for Sun, $1.98/W for Suntech, $2.44/W for Evergreen, up to $3.28/W for Kyrocera.

My understanding is that there is a surplus of PV right now, which is driving down the prices. Even $3.00/W seems like ten-years-ago prices.

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 6:05 am
by Dualfuel
We saw those Kanekas from Sun. They are 90volt panels. We'd need a MMPT controller. They also only give you a good deal if you order 24 panels at a whack.
I wouldn't have said no but they aren't the style that is known to be long lasting. Not sure what that is right now, amorphus or polycrystalline. They are also heavy so when you toss in shipping....well you get the picture.
So far the Kyroceras from Northern Arizona are the best deal that is compatible with my existing system. Not to say the Kanekas wouldn't work for somebody. Its just not me.
Prices are still falling though.
DF

Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 9:56 pm
by AccordGuy
As an aside, some makes of panels in the UK are being sold off cheap right now as the new feed in tariff system came in in April but the government stipulated that the PV panels must be on an approved equipment list (MCS). Any stock that suppliers had that was older non-MCS panels are now not eligible for the incentive payments on kWh generated (so virtually unsellable for new grid installs)...

Handy for folk buying PV for off-grid or who just don't care about the FIT scheme and just want to buy some dirt cheap panels.

I've just picked up some brand new boxed BP 380J modules for £165 each (half the price compared to a few months ago and about the same price as the no-name Chinese ones). Even though they are good and built to the same standards as the bigger 3-series panels, they aren't on the MCS list. BP has only managed / bothered to get the higher power (eg. 3220S) models certified.

Good news for weedy folk like me that can't lift a 220W panel by myself on a ladder :D.