Pricing in used panels

timselectric · Dec 15, 2023

Zombies are easy. They are everywhere, already.
I'm just not technologically savvy. That's scary as hell.

gotbeans · Dec 15, 2023

Hedges said:
How long do zombie websites remain alive?

You can keep up a website with low traffic for ~$2 a year so could be forever

egebhardt · Dec 28, 2023

I'm trying to find a cheap source of used panels this far north.

SanTan.com wants $430 shipping per pallet. 10-panel minimum.
Gilbert, Arizona (SanTan) is NOT close.

Anyone have a better idea?
Ideally I want ~250watt (give or take) used mono panels for ~$30 each shipped.
Obviously, I need to be flexible.

Hedges · Dec 28, 2023

If you can get quality for that. And efficiency, i.e. W/m^2; newer panels are above 200 W/m^2, older about 2/3 of that.
Mounting hardware starts to dominate cost. The following link puts structural at $0.11/W

Solar Economy, is it healthy?

But none of those things explain the cyclical (and predictable) drop in fuel prices in the months leading up to a primary election, throughout the last 30 or more years. Can you point out what you're referring to, because I'm not seeing it: It is true, that there are dips in some election...

diysolarforum.com

You can get new panels with Stabuli MC4 around 370W in the $0.20/W range. A bunch of us bought pallets.

But if you are short on cash and can mount the $0.10 panels cheaply, that works for some. Forum members have bought "cracked backsheet" panels. Mostly working, couple of failures.

Siamac · Dec 28, 2023

Hedges said:
If you can get quality for that. And efficiency, i.e. W/m^2; newer panels are above 200 W/m^2, older about 2/3 of that.
Mounting hardware starts to dominate cost. The following link puts structural at $0.11/W

Solar Economy, is it healthy?

But none of those things explain the cyclical (and predictable) drop in fuel prices in the months leading up to a primary election, throughout the last 30 or more years. Can you point out what you're referring to, because I'm not seeing it: It is true, that there are dips in some election...

diysolarforum.com

You can get new panels with Stabuli MC4 around 370W in the $0.20/W range. A bunch of us bought pallets.

But if you are short on cash and can mount the $0.10 panels cheaply, that works for some. Forum members have bought "cracked backsheet" panels. Mostly working, couple of failures.

The mounting is the biggest problem. It's holding up my project. Everything else is not so hard to get and not too expensive

Hedges · Dec 28, 2023

Some people get used steel pipe from oilfields. Some use pressure-treated lumber (stainless hardware and spacers so aluminum doesn't touch).
Some use unistrut. Some used old trailers. I used Unirac initially, and have since bought surplus on eBay. For roof mount, Z-brackets are cheap, but keeping water out of the roof worries me - I will be using standoffs and flashing.

DIY panel ground mount?

I’ve been reading that PT 4x4 and unistrut is the cheapest/best way to make my own panel ground mount. Is there any videos or other sources you can link me to for DIY ground mount systems.

diysolarforum.com

Cheap but viable ground mount solutions?

So I bought one of these per panel I have...

diysolarforum.com

Post your Ground Mount Setup

Lets keep this thread to member builds of their ground mount either home-made, store bought or Frankenstein. No questions or comments on the setup, just members post their mounts only with details below. I want a thread where people can scroll through everyone's post/pictures and see what their...

diysolarforum.com

gotbeans · Dec 28, 2023

Siamac said:
The mounting is the biggest problem. It's holding up my project. Everything else is not so hard to get and not too expensive

for DIY unistrut is easiest, (other than wood) from home depot / lowes galvanized steel. Cheaper than the aluminum mounts and 10-50 times stronger frames. You can get tons of additions to them like the T nuts to fit in the rail of them and slide to any position
can use the aluminum brackets that go on the solar panels with the T nuts

Siamac · Dec 28, 2023

gotbeans said:
for DIY unistrut is easiest, (other than wood) from home depot / lowes galvanized steel. Cheaper than the aluminum mounts and 10-50 times stronger frames. You can get tons of additions to them like the T nuts to fit in the rail of them and slide to any position
can use the aluminum brackets that go on the solar panels with the T nuts

My problem is having a tile roof. I don't know how to work with tiles. Is it doable for tiles?

Hedges · Dec 28, 2023

U-bolt to mount Unistrut on horizontal pipes. That lets you slide them to align with mounting holes on back of panels. Same as I do with Unirac, except those require an angle piece when mounting on pipe.

For tile roof, look into the brackets sold by Unirac and others. I guess you lift a tile or something to screw into wood the tile covers that. Bracket stick out to mount rails. I'm glad I don't have to deal with it.

SOLARHOOKS - Unirac

HOME » ATTACHMENTS » SOLARHOOKS EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR A QUICK, PROFESSIONAL TILE INSTALLATION Pro Series SOLARHOOKS is a complete line of attachment solutions for tile roofs. Featuring Unirac’s exclusive POWERARCH TECHNOLOGY which increases strength by up to 60% more than traditional tile...

unirac.com

gotbeans · Dec 28, 2023

Siamac said:
My problem is having a tile roof. I don't know how to work with tiles. Is it doable for tiles?

tile is a pain in the ass... and I'm talking about flat flooring tile lol
There are tile drill bits but it can still crack them.
Assuming you're in arizona/nevada or whatever with the curved tile I have no clue at all and would have to experiment with putting holes in them before doing/saying anything.
You can go buy some of the tile at the store and test drilling into it
but yea once you have holes you can seal it up with whatever roofing caulk stuff and then put a bolt through it into the strut or whatever

Siamac · Dec 28, 2023

gotbeans said:
tile is a pain in the ass... and I'm talking about flat flooring tile lol
There are tile drill bits but it can still crack them.
Assuming you're in arizona/nevada or whatever with the curved tile I have no clue at all and would have to experiment with putting holes in them before doing/saying anything.
You can go buy some of the tile at the store and test drilling into it
but yea once you have holes you can seal it up with whatever roofing caulk stuff and then put a bolt through it into the strut or whatever

There's a tile adhesive they make to glue the panel footings to. Kind of expensive but super easy. It's kind of a permanent thing though and I'm not sure if my tiles are screwed on tight enough. I might try it.

Otherwise, I guess I have to figure out how to do the solarhooks

gotbeans · Dec 28, 2023

Yea I have very little experience with the tile roofs. My experience is almost walked on one but it was too hot and then didn't lmao

but if you can attach a steel beam to it.. the unistrut could be it!

Search Results for unistrut at The Home Depot

www.homedepot.com

there's several sizes there you can look at and the nuts with springs

DPC · Apr 14, 2024

I was looking at 5 7 year old Sharp ND-240QCIBX in a local listing for 95 dollars each.
First impression was thats not bad even if they have degraded 10% or so.

But now I'm rethinking that.
Maybe these are not such a good deal.

Vigo · Apr 15, 2024

That's overpriced imo. If you could get them under $70/ea i'd look at it like paying a little more for the convenience of local. Problem with buying 5 panels online is anything that doesn't get close to maxing out a pallet equates to a lot of shipping $$ per panel.

Quattrohead · Apr 15, 2024

DPC said:
I was looking at 5 7 year old Sharp ND-240QCIBX in a local listing for 95 dollars each.
First impression was thats not bad even if they have degraded 10% or so.

But now I'm rethinking that.
Maybe these are not such a good deal.

Those were made in 2012 so everything about that seller is sketchy.
You should aim for 300-400W panels for less than $50, otherwise you might as well buy new.

ksmithaz1 · Apr 15, 2024

DPC said:
I was looking at 5 7 year old Sharp ND-240QCIBX in a local listing for 95 dollars each.
First impression was thats not bad even if they have degraded 10% or so.

But now I'm rethinking that.
Maybe these are not such a good deal.

Quattrohead said:
Those were made in 2012 so everything about that seller is sketchy.
You should aim for 300-400W panels for less than $50, otherwise you might as well buy new.

Look at the price / watt. You can buy new at $0.25/w . $95/240w = ~ $0.40/w. Terrible deal. Check San Tan Solar. They have 250's under $0.20.

Pricing in used panels

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