old solar panels

Tooltime
Tooltime Solar Expert Posts: 45 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I have a friend that needs to remove some old panels off a house that are years old. maybe 20 or more. He does not know anything about them and they are a 4 hour drive for me to look at them. Is it worth my drive?
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: old solar panels

    How much is your time worth?
    You know nothing about the panels, including size and actual age. This is what is commonly referred to as a pig in a poke.

    Twenty-year-old panels may still be good, but they won't be as good as new panels even if they are still at full spec. Back then an 80 Watt panel was huge. Now you can buy 200+ Watt panels for $1 per Watt.

    Unless you want to do him a big favour in removing them, I'd pass. Then again I'm a lazy old man. :p
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  • Tooltime
    Tooltime Solar Expert Posts: 45 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: old solar panels

    Thank you, right now with getting ready to move, to the off grid place I shouldn't waste my time. I have picked out the panels I want to buy from Arizona and have been talking with them.
    I bought a aims inverter from The Inverter Store. pure sine wave 24 volt 3000 watt, 9000 20 sec peak. with built in 1500 watt mttp charge controler. I have my 8 new 6 volt 215 ah batteries. And my battery cable ordered from Ebay. This week I will order my 265 watt SolarWorld panels.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: old solar panels

    You bought an AIMS inverter with built-in "1500 Watt" charge controller.

    *sigh*
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  • Tooltime
    Tooltime Solar Expert Posts: 45 ✭✭
    #5
    Re: old solar panels

    OK, you got my attention.......

    charge controller specs:
    Rated Voltage: 24V
    Input Voltage Range: 30-55Vdc
    Rated Charge Current: 60A
    Max DC Load: 15A
    No Load Current: < 10mA
    Bulk Charge: 29.0V (default)
    Floating Charge: 27.0V (default)
    Equalization Charge: 28.0V (default)
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: old solar panels

    Those Solarworld panels: Vmp 31.9, yes? Low for a 24 Volt system, see?. Put two in series and the Vmp is 63.8, never mind the Voc.

    Now the input max on that built-in controller is 55 Volts ...

    Notice a problem?
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  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: old solar panels
    Tooltime wrote: »
    charge controller specs:

    Bulk Charge: 29.0V (default)
    Floating Charge: 27.0V (default)
    Equalization Charge: 28.0V (default)

    I assume that the bulk voltage is what we normally call absorb voltage, but then I shouldn't make assumptions, especially since I've never seen or heard of a solar charge controller with an equalization voltage lower than the bulk (absorb?) voltage.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: old solar panels
    vtmaps wrote: »
    I've never seen or heard of a solar charge controller with an equalization voltage lower than the bulk (absorb?) voltage.

    --vtMaps

    WOW! Just noticed that. Definitely something wrong there! Perhaps the two voltages reversed in a typo?
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