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diy solar

Panel problem

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Bruce Housman

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Dec 10, 2019
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I was given a 1'x4' panel. Carrizo solar Corp, super gold module, s/N 701972. When hooked up to a meter it jumps all over the place. Is it junk?
 
Looks like your panel is worth $1,000...in the 80s
 
You could look on the back for a rating sticker. Doubtful though.
 
I would be surprised if it has a rating sticker based upon its vintage. I have a panel from 1979 and it measures about 16 inches by 41 inches...whatever that is in metric as the panel I have is French made, and I bought it new in Bora Bora in 1979 but that is not the point. The point being a panel from that vintage doesn't produce much power for the surface area even when new. The panel I have is/was 40 watts at a voltage of about 22 volts VOC. With a panel of that vintage measuring one foot by 4 foot I would not expect much more than 40 to 50 watts power simply based on the surface area.
Good to play with (if it works at all) and is, perhaps like mine, could be considered a work of technological art.
Wiley
 
Wiley said:
I would be surprised if it has a rating sticker based upon its vintage. I have a panel from 1979 and it measures about 16 inches by 41 inches...whatever that is in metric as the panel I have is French made, and I bought it new in Bora Bora in 1979 but that is not the point. The point being a panel from that vintage doesn't produce much power for the surface area even when new. The panel I have is/was 40 watts at a voltage of about 22 volts VOC. With a panel of that vintage measuring one foot by 4 foot I would not expect much more than 40 to 50 watts power simply based on the surface area.
Good to play with (if it works at all) and is, perhaps like mine, could be considered a work of technological art.
Wiley
Click to expand...

Curious-what did that panel cost in 1979?
 
New Mexico Will, If memory serves it was $200. At that time the French government was heavily subsidizing solar thru out French Polynesia. Locals could purchase up to ten panels at a very low cost. I was good friends with many locals and one purchased his ten and sold three to me and like I said if memory serves I paid $600 total for the three. These panels have glass front and back and the solar cells are full discs. I'll add a photo. I used them "loose" unmounted for the rest of that voyage which wasn't that much longer as I was on the back leg of a three years cruise to New Zealand.
Upon my return I built a rigid FG dodger upon which I mounted two of the panels. They worked well but by the end of my second voyage just to FP and back they were showing water intrusion problems which grew to the point the panels no longer were producing electricity. I removed the panels when I relocated to the Puget Sound. I've kept the panels as the glass is special in that it has no iron in it, however, have had no luck getting the two layers separated as the sealant seems quite resistant to solvents I have tried. Again see photo of the two. Good panel.jpg Damaged panels.jpg
 
I bet you could sell them for double what you paid on etsy or ebay. Somebody would love to hang those on a wall.
 
Supervstech, The panels that have the water intrusion are toast, the spare unused panel still works fine. I had it connected to a small 12 volt bilge pump running a water feature up at our pond for a summer. But now it's hanging out in my bar/ pool room as "tech art" someday I'll get it up on the wall.

NMW, You really think someone would pay money for the junk panels?
 
From what I’ve seen people will spend thousands $$$ on a banana duct taped to cardboard. LOL ?
Anything is sellable on EBay ?
 
Duct tape it to your roof and ask $300,000. That banana sold for $150,000!!
 
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