80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

easytim
easytim Solar Expert Posts: 57 ✭✭✭✭

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    It might be. I've never heard of that brand but just for comparison's sake here's an 85 WattKyocera from the forum's host:

    http://store.solar-electric.com/kysokc85wa12.html

    Before you buy any panel I suggest you determine what you intend to do with it and see if it meets expectations. Too many people buy panels which then turn out to be inadequate for their uses.

    There's lots of people here who can help you figure it out if you just give us some info on what you want to accomplish.
  • easytim
    easytim Solar Expert Posts: 57 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    THANKS,
    The 85 WattKyocera is $444.00 with shipping

    The one on e-bay is $300.00 with shipping

    I live in Missouri

    I will be using 15 watts at 12vdc for 7 hours each night to drive five 3 watt LED bulb's

    I really want to do this - I have a web page about the LED's
    I'm not selling anything only here, its only for information I can't find anywhere else http://webpages.charter.net/easytims/LED_project.htm
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    Well, 15 Watts * 7 hours is 105 Watt/hours.
    An 80 Watt panel will generally produce an average of 56 Watts with good insolation. Over however many good hours you can get at your locale, say 4, would be 224 Watt/hours per day. Much more than your project needs, but you may want to expand, right?

    So all you need is a battery to store that power in and a charge controller. You're in the realm of "small trolling motor battery" of 100 Amp/hrs or less and a controller that can handle say 10 Amps of current.

    Something like this:
    http://store.solar-electric.com/ss-10.html
    Or you may be able to get away with this:
    http://store.solar-electric.com/ss-6.html

    Just as examples. For a battery, something like an Exide ED4 or such.

    You may want to read this thread on wire sizing:
    http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?t=29

    And don't forget the fuse!
  • easytim
    easytim Solar Expert Posts: 57 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    Yes, I want to leave room to grow, I want to add more LED's

    10 LED's at 3 watts each = 30 wattsx 7 = 210 Will this work?


    I would rather have better than too small
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    I've left out the losses for inefficiencies as I always do because I'm too lazy to do the math, but yes you should be able to run up to ten 3 Watt LED's for 7 hours off that set-up. You might get as much as 320 Watt/hrs in a day, but I rather doubt it - that would assume 80% efficiency for 5 hours. :p

    How's your solar exposure? Check out your site for length of time of direct sun and any possible interfering shadows.

    Nice work on the LED exploration, btw.
  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    Buying panels on eBay is not worth the supposed savings ... shipping is VERY troublesome with solar panels due to the glass ... you have NO means of recourse once you pay, get the panel and it doesn't work or is not what you expected, its at best a royal pain to get it exchanges or you money returned
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    As SG suggests, name brand panels from reputable retailers are available for under $3/watt. It has been interesting to watch Pv prices on E-bay. Ever since Sun Electric started to list them the price has gone through the floor. You used to see panels for $5-10/watt! Suckers kept buying them. Since Sun started listing, the price tends to run ~3-5/watt. Still too much, but people are finally getting wise!

    I have been known to buy panels on Ebay, but I never spend more than ~60% of what a new one is worth, it just doesn't make sense. I just missed a set of BP/Solarex 63 watters that match the ones I already have. I told myself I would pay $2/watt. I got sniped at $2.05.

    SG is also correct about shipping. People gouge you on shipping them by the each. I have shipped a few across the country (USA) and it cost ~$30 for a M55 Siemens.
    So even if you get a bargain on the panel, you have to factor in the shipping.

    Good luck,

    Tony
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    "Buying panels on eBay is not worth the supposed savings"

    Well I'd say be careful. I've had a $700 refund when I purchased a camera from the someone who had no intention of delivery. It was a bit below mark, when he made 3new listing identical to the one I had purchased I started the ball rolling by notifying Ebay and Paypal. It took about a 3 week but I was refunded the money.

    I do think you should be careful, That said the listing looks legit, you have noted that the panels are NOT UL listed, they do appear to have been through about every other saftey standard. The shipping is reasonable. I did not check out your website but these will not qualify for the tax credit. Though they have some confusion about shipping stating FedEx in body of listing and Priority Mail in Shipping info they do offer insurance, this should be enough for it to arrive safely or PayPal should insure purchase price (NOT including shipping)

    Though they have only been on Ebay for a year they have 47 positive feedbacks and no negative. You could also check with PayPal for their record there. You can also go and read the feedback left by others.

    I recently purchased 2 - 170 watt UL listed panel at less than $3 a watt delivered. They were NingBo Solar panels and I was impressed with the quality of the build. The frame was much heavier than the Evergreen 'Cedar' panels I have and they were close to specs so far.

    If you are making a major purchase on Ebay, you might want to go through the hoops to get 8% cashback from Bill Gates... He's started a search engine "bing.com" if you use the search engine and search for "Gold Coin" or "Ipod" often a listing will be shown to get 8% cashback, click on the listing and get to Ebay through the search engine you'll get 8% credited to you PayPal account for you first 10-20 purchases (you have to reach Ebay through Bing.com and have and use a paypal account for purchase)

    It was as high as 35% last christmas season, it takes 2 months, but I've gotten almost $800 back at this point. Other than being a user I have nothing to do with PayPal, Ebay, Bing, or Bill Gates (and I'd like to go Linux...)
    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.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: 80 watt panel on e-bay - is it worth it?

    I should say Norther Arizona Wind and Sun is a great sponsor and has reasonable prices and is worry free. They are also great about having lots of hard to find items for solar. I got all my wire connects MC3 in the past and MC4 for the new panels, also lay in lugs for grounding and the only place I found for wire strain relief for my combiner box. Great place and people to work with!
    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.