Sun 130 (M) panels - $1.98/w

Snailster

Sunelec.com has Sun 130 (M) panels for $1.98/W - $257.

Anybody's got any experience with "Sun" panels?
I googled the heck out of it, but can't find anything
about the company. Where are they based?

Thanks

BB.

Re: Sun 130 (M) panels - $1.98/w

You can take a look at this thread:

sun-130 panels

The company is out of Florida and does have some very good deals... However--there is a mix of name brand, name brand 2nd's, private labeled name brand off-spec., and private assembled name brand off-spec'ed under documented under spec'ed panels. All with similar names (Sun, Sunpower, Suntech, etc.).

Has caused a lot of confusion and frustration. The 130 watt Sun panels are a mixed bag... Only appropriate for low voltage positive grounded systems that don't need UL approval. Actually, a vanishingly small subset of solar RE systems.

That being said--if you accept the limitations (which the vendor does almost zero explaining)--many people are buying the panels and installing in negative ground off-grid systems because they are so cheap and can be happy with the results.

-Bill

Snailster

Re: Sun 130 (M) panels - $1.98/w

Thanks Bill for the link, and for succintly summing up what actually the Sun labeled products are! I feel little bit bad that I did not find the thread myself, but at least I tried (my search did not work because I did not think of putting the "dash" in the Sun-130 name).

Reading about the Sun 130 panels I've come to the conclusion it's not for me. This is for me first PV system, and shipping to Hawaii is not cheap, so if I decide to go that route, I need to buy something decent.

I am in a bit of a bind here, because the only decently priced panels I can get locally are the SolarWorld 175 which are 24V. Which means I need to go mppt, and as you've suggested in response to my other post, for a small system like mine, a pwm controller would suffice.

But I suppose that's all a part of the magic of living on a small island in the middle of nowhere... Thanks again!

BB.

Re: Sun 130 (M) panels - $1.98/w

You are welcome Snailster,

By the way--I have problems using the search here too... Many times I will type in short words and it will tell me nothing is found...

I use Google with this type of search--and it works well (that is how I found the other thread):

normal google search terms site:wind-sun.com

"site:" will limit Google to searching only on the site http://wind-sun.com

I find it works very well on most sites when you want more complex searches--or if you are getting strange results.

-Bill

Snailster

Re: Sun 130 (M) panels - $1.98/w

Thanks for the Google search tip, it works! Tried it and rediscovered the Sun thread you pointed me to. Interesting.