Trina vs. ET panels

nichtwichtig

Solarcity is offering me two options for panels.

How would you compare these?

Trina TSM-PC05 & TSM-PA05 245W:
http://www.etsolar.com/upload/Downlo...1908184582.pdf

ET BLACK MODULE Polycrystalline ET-P660245BB 245W
http://www.etsolar.com/upload/Downlo...1908184582.pdf

I am told that "the specs are very similar" and that the main difference is aesthetics.

Cariboocoot

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Welcome to the forum.

Neither of your links work for some reason.

Trina is a "known brand": http://www.solar-electric.com/trina-solar-multicrystalline-240-watt-tsm-240pa05.html

I suspect the ET panels are no-name Chinese made for the retailer. They are probably cheaper.

Personally I'm not too concerned with aesthetics. I'd say get the panels that will do the job for the best price. Many will ask about warranty, but considering the number of actual PV failures vs. actual PV company failures perhaps warranties are irrelevant.

SkiDoo55

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

I have 20 of the Trina 230 watt panel up for over 3 years in my array facing @246 degree. Last year I added 20 of the ET 250 watt in an @156 degree, both at 18 degree tilt. Did like the black frames for the new array due to it semi facing the street side.
bothe systems are performing as calculated and more. Have no complaints with the ET seem to be on quality with the Trina's. Price was about the same at the time but Trina's weren't available at that time either.
don't think you could go wrong either way.
Trina's have produced 24,068,753 watt hous since install 08/10/2010 Zantrex GT3.8NA
ET's have produced 4,562,871 watt hours since install 07/23/2013 Conext TX3800NA

jaggedben

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

ET is far from a no-name brand. I've installed more ET's than Trina. First time I installed ETs was back in 2010, and the most recent was yesterday.

I don't think there's a meaningful difference between the brands.

pleppik

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Cariboocoot wrote: »

Many will ask about warranty, but considering the number of actual PV failures vs. actual PV company failures perhaps warranties are irrelevant.

This may be some of the best PV advice I've seen.

Just make sure you can get good warranty coverage out of the gate: honest-to-goodness manufacturing defects are most likely to show up fairly soon after installation.

solarix

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

I've installed lots of both and have Trina's on my place. If I had to choose, I would go with ET Solar as the leads are long enugh to be be skip wired (However I don't think SolarCity even knows of this technique). If you go with SolarCity, make sure they do a good job - the ones I've seen have wiring hanging down etc. The other difference in the two panels may be appearance. The ET panels you list are black framed, Black background. The Trina's may be just aluminum. If no body can see your arrays, the alum. panels are more productive as they don't get quite as hot, but the all-black panels do look dramatically better.

vtmaps

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

solarix wrote: »

If no body can see your arrays, the alum. panels are more productive as they don't get quite as hot, but the all-black panels do look dramatically better.

The installers around here prefer black frames because the snow and sleet melt off sooner. --vtMaps

niel

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

skido,
do you know what the trinas produced during 2013 as it looks like on the surface that the trinas are outproducing the ets?

nichtwichtig

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Thanks everyone, for your most excellent and useful comments!

OOPS!-I messed up the original links. Let me try that again:

Trina TSM-PC05 & TSM-PA05 245W:
http://tinyurl.com/lyzba3s

ET BLACK MODULE Polycrystalline ET-P660245BB 245W
http://tinyurl.com/l5ufbgq

nichtwichtig

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Aesthetics are a big deal in my family, so we prefer the black frames.
Do the Trinas also come in a black frame?

What percentage of productivity will I lose if I use black instead of aluminum?

Also: What's the difference between TSM-PC05 and TSM-PA05?

SkiDoo55

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

PC05 is a discontinued product according to Trina Site
they do have a black on black module but I think it was in a 240 watt size.
your deal with vendor may be with what they have or can get stock on hand type deal?

nichtwichtig

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Forget the TSM-PC05 and the TSM-PA05.

The vendor now says this panel will be the Trina option:
http://tinyurl.com/le86wcv

So please direct your comments to this one vs. the ET:
ET BLACK MODULE Polycrystalline ET-P660245BB 245W
http://tinyurl.com/l5ufbgq

Thanks

nichtwichtig

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Now the vendor says the ET was the wrong one too.

Here are the correct panels to compare:

Trina TSM-PA05.18
http://tinyurl.com/le86wcv

Sunivia OPTIMUS SERIES: OPT 60 cell (mono) (Black frame)
http://tinyurl.com/l8aluhh

The latter panels have more watts (265)—the design would be adjusted so that the total power for the system would be the same.
My wife and I prefer these, because the sleeker, blacker look.

Sunivia also makes a related panel (with the white diamond dots) that is definitely NOT acceptable to us.
Here’s a link that shows both models: http://tinyurl.com/cpz5o2v

nichtwichtig

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Now the vendor says the ET was the wrong one too.

Here are the panels for me to consider:

Trina TSM-PA05.18
http://tinyurl.com/le86wcv

Sunivia OPTIMUS SERIES: OPT 60 cell (mono) (Black frame)
http://tinyurl.com/l8aluhh

The latter panels have more watts (265). The design would be adjusted so that the total power for the system would be the same.
My wife and I prefer these, because the sleeker, blacker look.

Sunivia also makes a related panel (with the white diamond dots) that is definitely NOT acceptable to us.
Here’s a link that shows both models: http://tinyurl.com/cpz5o2v

Dricus

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

The black backsheet heats up slightly more than the white back sheet. I'm not sure where you live?

If you reach regular ambient temperatures above F80-90, I would go for the white back sheet, as the heat
will affect the performance of your panels. May be just a couple of W's less though.

The installers around here prefer black frames because the snow and sleet melt off sooner. --vtMaps

THat's a nice point, I didn't know that!

nichtwichtig

Re: Trina vs. ET panels

Dricus wrote: »

The black backsheet heats up slightly more than the white back sheet. I'm not sure where you live?

In Marin County, north of San Francisco.