Are these panels worth getting?
- Thread starter Liam M
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chrisski
Solar Boondocker
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- Aug 14, 2020
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Not sure what 3bb is.
I do think$75 is a good deal for that panel. Just inspect for cosmetic flaws and if able do a VOC check. An ISC would be a little harder without a hook ammeter.
Because used, Not eligible for solar credit. I’d use them.
I do think$75 is a good deal for that panel. Just inspect for cosmetic flaws and if able do a VOC check. An ISC would be a little harder without a hook ammeter.
Because used, Not eligible for solar credit. I’d use them.
justoneguy
New Member
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- Jan 30, 2021
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In the age of $0.1/watt new panels shipping out of China it's hard to justify these old and inefficient panels. If not for these tariffs we could have brand new modern $0.15/watt panels and this 10 year old junk would be almost worthless to deal with.
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Thank you.
You’re right, I found a sales brochure dated 2014, so 10 yrs old.
I’m going to pass.
I only need 6 at around this size, maybe can find newer, smaller panels for just a bit more.
I happened to notice the Solaris has Canadian Solar 390w panels (minimum 4 but additional discount for more) for sale at $99. The shipping adds a bit but pretty good price for brand new mono panels. https://www.solaris-shop.com/canadian-solar-cs3n-390ms-390w-mono-solar-panel/
I am really tempted to buy a dozen for a future upgrade.
I am really tempted to buy a dozen for a future upgrade.
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
BB usually means busbars between the cells
chrisski
Solar Boondocker
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Still not sure what that means.? I’ll let this be a great mystery on life.
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
The metal things going through the middle of the cells. Fewer busbars / less black = more Boomer of a solar panel
Here's a 3
Here's a 5
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
Priced properly, it's great if people that can afford the ugliness / extra square footage can upcycle these old panels out of the garbage bin.
Sometimes I wonder if we can find a really cost-efficient way to ship this old bulky stuff over to parts of the world that can really use it...
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
Yeah, that is why I qualified it with "cost-efficient". Labor alone is going to be kind of crazy (though I guess if it's for a good cause you could get some volunteer labor. The non-profit's risk-management and insurance is going to be upset though when they find out volunteers are lifting 50 lb panels all the time and stacking up pallets)
It's probably cheaper for a container ship to drop off a few extras along the way from china to the US / Europe, than to send old stuff back along the way.
It's probably cheaper for a container ship to drop off a few extras along the way from china to the US / Europe, than to send old stuff back along the way.
That's a good point. One back injury could tank the whole operation.
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
We have a local non-profit solar installer, that I'm on the volunteer list for. And we do handle things that big / do roof mounts. But the insurance is I believe passed onto the customer so there's a better chance of balancing the books from the project revenue.
If you're doing something as low value add (in the sense of cashflow, not social benefit) as carefully shipping ancient solar panels to the developing world, you're going to need a constant stream of cash donations to pay for that insurance.
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
You know this could be a thing. Like the whole "buy one give one" schtick when people are selling expensive socks Direct To Consumer.
