GE Panels

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in General Solar Power Topics #1
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Can anyone provide me with honest info about GE 200 watts panels?
Are they reliable, easy to install, strong, tough?

Thanks
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: GE Panels
    Amilkar wrote:
    Can anyone provide me with honest info about GE 200 watts panels?
    Are they reliable, easy to install, strong, tough? Thanks

    What's GE's warranty on them, 20 or 25 years ?
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #3
    Re: GE Panels

    25 years output;
    5 years workmanship
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: GE Panels

    GE panels are made on the old Astropower line the GE bought at bankruptcy 4 years ago. Never Heard anything bad of Astropower or GE panels, all Si panels are basically the same, buy what ever is the lowest cost and is available
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  • crewzer
    crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: GE Panels

    Amilkar,

    The GE 200's specs are a bit unusual:

    Peak Power (Wp) Watts 200
    Max. Power Voltage (Vmp) Volts 26.3
    Max. Power Current (Imp) Amps 7.6
    Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) Volts 32.9
    Short Circuit Current (Isc) Amps 8.1

    What's your planned location, application and configuration?

    Regards,
    Jim / crewzer

    P.S. The Kyocera 200 specs are quite similar.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: GE Panels
    crewzer wrote:
    Amilkar,

    The GE 200's specs are a bit unusual:

    Peak Power (Wp) Watts 200
    Max. Power Voltage (Vmp) Volts 26.3
    Max. Power Current (Imp) Amps 7.6
    Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) Volts 32.9
    Short Circuit Current (Isc) Amps 8.1

    What's your planned location, application and configuration?

    Regards,
    Jim / crewzer

    P.S. The Kyocera 200 specs are quite similar.

    Sharp 208u1 are:
    Peak Power (Wp) Watts 208
    Max. Power Voltage (Vmp) Volts 28.5
    Max. Power Current (Imp) Amps 7.3
    Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) Volts 36.1
    Short Circuit Current (Isc) Amps 8.13
    Just a touch different.

    How is panel supply doing, now that most of Calif is not sucking up panels, any easier to get, or still months of lead time?
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #7
    Re: GE Panels

    since the host of this board is out of stock would it be feasible for me to post pricing?

    and i second the term "unusual" in describing the panel's specs... :roll:
    also, at over 3 feet wide by almost 5 feet tall, i find them one of the more awkward panels to handle vs a bp or suntech
    so yes on the reliable, strong and tough and a no on the easy to install.
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  • lukey
    lukey Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭
    #8
    Re: GE Panels

    I am curious to where I could get the GE 200W panels. Anyone know? The host of the forum only has a limited supply and I will eventually need about 20kW

    Thanks.

    Luke
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  • Roderick
    Roderick Solar Expert Posts: 253 ✭✭
    #9
    Re: GE Panels

    I don't know the GE panels, but the voltages look almost identical to the Mitsubishi panels we have. Only the currents are different. I guess with the same number of cells, that would be expected.

    If you're young and strong, ignore the next statement. I found a 3' x 5' panel, at 34 pounds, hard enough to get up to the roof. It was clumsy, and not small enough to get under one arm. The GE's are 40 pounds. But then, I'm not especially strong.

    NAWS has other panels, I'm sure, as do other places. Are you attached to the GE's for some reason? You can try a Google for "solar panel price survey" to see some of the other stuff out there.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #10
    Re: GE Panels

    Just was looking at price surveys and found this interesting note:

    " Note: As a guide, the industry is looking to drive module prices down to $1.5-2Watt over the next decade, if it is to make large inroads in to the grid tied electricity market, without subsidy. "

    Interesting.

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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #11
    Re: GE Panels

    Thanks:

    (Crewzer: You know me from another forum. I live in Puerto Rico and I have been trying to put together a small system since 8 months ago.)

    So far I have the following: One MX60; One Exceltech 1100; Four Exide 6 volts, 216 amps. (20 hrs.) batteries.
    The only thing missing is... believe or not... the solar panels! I wanted to buy them from Arizona Win and Sun but shipping and handling is impossible. Hence I will buy them in Florida. The company there suggested 4 GE (200 watts) or 6 Kyocera (130 watts).
    That's the reason behind my original question.

    Thanks again.
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: GE Panels

    If your in Florida, check out www.sunelec.com ... they have B grade Evergreensolar panels for under 3.50 watt ... I've seen them in person and its nuts what the German fabs think is seconds!, it you don't care about UL stamp ( but basically the same panel ) you can get them for under 3.00 watt by the pallet of 30.

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  • warren
    warren Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭
    #13
    Re: GE Panels
    Solar Guppy wrote:
    If your in Florida, check out www.sunelec.com ... they have B grade Evergreensolar panels for under 3.50 watt ... I've seen them in person and its nuts what the German fabs think is seconds!, it you don't care about UL stamp ( but basically the same panel ) you can get them for under 3.00 watt by the pallet of 30.


    I just went to that site & saw nothing anywhere near those $/watt. Best I saw was ~$4/watt?? Where did you see the 2nd's etc??
    thanks

    Sorry, I'm blind....answer is on the home page not in the solar panel section.

    My apologies.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #14
    Re: GE Panels

    Are "B grades" really as good as regulars?
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #15
    Re: GE Panels

    Well no, they have minor imperfections. On the 30 I just bought these are what I observed,

    Interconnection tape slightly crooked,
    Cells that have the outer most edges just a tad jagged instead of straight,
    Cells slightly misaligning so the gap between cells is not uniform
    The small feeder lines ( the size of a hair ) not straight.

    None of these imperfections will make any measurable difference is power output.

    From 2 feet, you can't see these imperfections, and they have the same performace rating of the "perfect" panels. If you want solar panels that you could use as framed art, pay for the perfect panels, if you want to have a better ROI consider seconds ...

    I also like getting the panels that are the lowest rated of a family .. for the Evergreens, its 170/180/190 watt for the same panel, the slight imperfections make the panel not meet the 180 watt spec so you actually getting a very GOOD performing 170 watt panel. I just fired up a 5.1kw array , initial performace is exceeding my expectations


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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #16
    Re: GE Panels

    henry,
    what pvs and controllers are in this array you are testing?
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #17
    Re: GE Panels
    Solar Guppy wrote:


    I also like getting the panels that are the lowest rated of a family .. for the Evergreens, its 170/180/190 watt for the same panel, the slight imperfections make the panel not meet the 180 watt spec so you actually getting a very GOOD performing 170 watt panel. I just fired up a 5.1kw array , initial performace is exceeding my expectations

    What do you mean by "panels that are the lowest rated of a family"?
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