DIY solar

[andrew mason]

sorry if this is a repost, have not seen it before.
i am skeptical about it, as it claims so much.
<a href="http://greenecoclub.com/gde/">http://greenecoclub.com/gde/</a>

[rreidnauer]

With the pitch they're throwing, it's good to be skeptical.

The probable fact is, they are just providing information that you could otherwise dig up on your own with a little investigating. Like, a place to source damaged panels dirt cheap to be rebuilt. I'll tell you without charging you a dime. Try local municipalities and the Dept. of Transportation.
BTW, good luck disassembling damaged panels without further damaging the good silicon wafers. Furthermore, good luck making your own panels weatherproof. Yea, it can be done cheaper, but it will be laborous and lifespan of the panels will be short. With mono and polycrystaline panels getting into the lower $2 per watt range, is it really worth the effort for short term panels? (check this site for most recent prices: http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/solar_panels.htm )

[andrew mason]

i heard that before on the site about transportation for panels, what is the likely hood that i would get ones that are usable?
also, i had it on my old computer, what was that website that sold the "B" grade solar panels?

[rreidnauer]

Well you can pretty much count on any panels they are offering as broken. The idea being, you'd *try* to extract the undamaged silicon wafers, and build functioning panels from them. The thing is, those wafers are so thin and delicate, you'd drive yourself silly just trying to remove them from old panels, never mind assembling them back together. Can it be done? Sure, but you'll be earning it through much work and frustration.
I'm sure the information they are selling will be full of stuff that you already know about, and the rest will be info will probably be not what you'd be hoping for. Short of LHBA, I bought a few of those "info offers" over the years, and I always come up disappointed.
I don't recall a website for blemished panels.

[StressMan79]

I almost got laughed off the phone. I called the hiway sign contractor here in WA state. I basically gave up after hearing his response.
Anyway, like Rod implies, you'll likely be better off just buying new panels.
assume a 20 year lifespan,
(2$/watt)*(1000watt/kW)/[4sun-hr/day*365day/yr*20yr*50%efficiency of downstream components]
You are looking at 14cents/kw-hr of electricity. double that for the whole system and you are now looking at 27cents/kw-hr. That is spendy compared to grid tied elctric. But keep in mind the 8cents or so you pay is only for the power, you also have to pay delivery (~$20/month) and you KNOW how much your cost will be. I am skeptical that electric rates will stay as cheap as they have been, I don't want to start a politiccal debate, but cap and trade will greatly increase end user rates. Who knows what will happen over the next 20 years? I want to lock in my cost, sooner than later.
-Peter

[andrew mason]

sounds good, i will start shopping around for solar panels.... im going to look inot the harbor freight ones, they have exelent prices on everything.
where did you guyd get your panels?
to be honest, i will proably do it grid tied, as the house i am puting them on is a rental, and the solar can be used to bring in renters, and it lowers the bill.
thank you.

[ragdump]

Harbor freight panels are toys and not that cheap go to Sun Electronics you won't find panels cheaper than there and they are real solar panels

[andrew mason]

Harbor freight panels are toys and not that cheap go to Sun Electronics you won't find panels cheaper than there and they are real solar panels

got it, sun electronics... thank you.

[rreidnauer]

where did you guyd get your panels?
Actually, I bought mine used, locally via an Ebay auction. (twelve Sharp NT175-U1) At the time, it was a great price at $4/watt. I sure didn't expect prices of panels to come down as they have.

[hemlock77]

I have a silly solar sizing question for off grid application. Through a conservation plan I have sized us to a 3500 watt panel plan. Does that mean that inverter needs to be the same wattage? So far we are looking at a 24 volt system. It is obvious that I still have much to learn in the subject. Most of what I have come across on line are either sales pitches or anecdotal information. I am open to suggestions for books, videos etc..
Stu

[lilbluehonda]

The inverter works off the battery bank you can use any size you what,3500 watts of solar is a whole lot of panels and you'd need a sizable bank of batteries,Home Power magazibe has a lot of good information you can even subscribe to it on line and read it on your computer and you can search back issues

[hemlock77]

I am working on further reduction of consumption needs. Still much to learn, thanks for the tip.
Stu

[StressMan79]

When you are off grid, you can't live like you have unlimited power...@$4/watt for your entire system (batteries/inverters/charge controllers/AND panels), and you get 5 sun-hrs/day, that means that you get 5kw-hr/day for 4000 dollars. Say you lose half your investment in 5 years, due to needing a new battery bank and you bought 10250 kw-hr for 6k, or around 33 cents/kw-hr. Now take inefficiencies out (~20%) and you are left with a 10 yr cost of 41 cents/kw-hr. Not so nice in comparison to the 10 cents us suburbanites currently pay. To be equivalent, you need to cut consumption by a factor of 4.

[rreidnauer]

With 3500 watts of solar, the set up should be:


minimum 48 volt system (would require charger(s) capable of 73 amps, or increase of battery bank voltage)
1600 amp.hour, 48 volt battery bank (based on charge rate of 0.15~0.2C for 25% discharge of bank)
up to 6000 watt inverter (3 hours full load to 75% battery capacity. Note: this discharge rate would likely shorten battery life, but it would be unlikely you'd be drawing full load for any extended time)