Trina panels

Thick8
Thick8 Registered Users Posts: 49 ✭✭
edited July 2018 in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I have a previous student that now does solar installation. I was talking to him about the garage system that I'm working on and he offered some panels left over from a job. He will sell me 12 panels NIB for $2000. Are these panels any good? If they are a great deal I may get them now and store them until I'm ready for them.
· Share on Twitter

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,641 admin
    #2
    $2,000 / (12*330 Watts) = $0.505 per Watt
    330 Watt * $0.505 $/W = $167 per panel

    New panels are running around $0.63 to $0.85 per Watt

    https://www.solar-electric.com/residential/solar-panels.html?___SID=U (click on "read more" to see chart)

    So, very reasonably priced for new panel (good condition, no taxes, no shipping charges which can be relatively expensive).

    I think Trina panels are OK (don't remember any complaints here)--But hopefully others can address that question.

    Most panels come with 20+ year warranties... But with solar, companies come and go--Self insuring (you buy new panels if there is every a problem) is probably what happens to many these days (large companies do backup warranty claims. BP solar (no out of solar business), Kyocera both have replaced bad panels from production problems).

    Panels are "cheap" at the moment, so warranty is not a hug concern (other than as an indication of quality).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
    · Share on Twitter
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Sounds like a reasonable deal, about 50 cents a watt. I actually don't think panels are cheap right now, you could buy new panels about 18 months ago for as little as 27 cents a watt. Increase in tariffs have increased the cost of panels in the US.

    If these are new panels and he can give you a receipt. Then they would qualify for the 30% tax credit. This is a direct reduction of your tax liability. This credit is 30% until the beginning of 2020 for installed solar. After 2020 it is reduced each year until it goes down to 10%.

    Installers apparently often have extra panels from jobs. I guess they price assembly with a few extra panels, at least for commercial installations. I met a guy who does these and He sold me 6 similar sized panels for $500. 2 had been installed and had blemishes, a bent aluminum frame piece and a tiny scratch on the back of 1 panel. All of them still had the wires taped in place. 



    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
    · Share on Twitter

Categories