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Kaneka Solar panel worries..
By cr8zy1van, Section Solar Posted on Fri Aug 26th, 2005 at 07:53:28 PM MST
Anyone had any experience with these?

I recently started looking at commercial panels, and found this link:

LINK

2 Kaneka 60watt panels (120 total watts) for $461.16. Thats $3.84 per watt! Has anyone purchased these "thin film" panels, or heard any horror stories? Furthermore has anyone purchased Kaneka panels specifically? I want to get the most bang for the buck, but would rather spend more money to get a quality panel. Any discussion would aid me in making my purchase.

Kaneka Solar panel worries.. | 15 comments (15 topical, 0 editorial)

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by bob g on Fri Aug 26th, 2005 at 02:09:02 PM MST
(User Info)

the only question i have is what does the astericks mean as attached to the warranty figures??

i always go to the fine print, but i don't see the reference, perhaps i missed it.

i want some solar too, but am not crazy on return on investment, ie. high dollar per watt.

and how do solar panels in general hold up in hail storms? or rather how much hail can they stand? how large? pea size? marble size? golf ball? grapefruit? volley ball? lol

i would certainly need them to handle marble size, but sure as heck i put em up and here comes the medicine ball size hail.

bob g

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by windstuffnow (elenz(at)windstuffnow(dot)com) on Fri Aug 26th, 2005 at 03:05:59 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.windstuffnow.com/main

Bob,
I have some evergreen panels and their warranty states it will withstand 1" diameter at 50mph. I always wondered if it was a single they shot at the panels for testing purposes or if it would withstand a "shower" of them.

I tend to be a bit skeptical of any advertizement from the company the product is made. There is so much hype and mini lies in marketing its difficult to sift through to the truth sometimes. A wonderful example is a Fast food TV ad... The sandwich is thick, juicy, burger hanging over the bun, tons of goodies in the middle... an extreemly noticable "gap" between buns. When you get there, there is no gap between the buns, burger is an inch from the edge and hardly anything inside, tomatoes cut thinner than physically possible but usually there is a huge pile of lettuce to make up the difference...right? Everyone should demand they get one that looks like the one on TV !

Your right ! Watch the fine print, read it twice before you buy.

.
Have Fun! Windstuff Ed
[ Parent ]

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by ghurd on Sun Aug 28th, 2005 at 09:31:16 AM MST
(User Info)

Bob and Ed,
I believe the UL listed PVs have a minimum for hail speed and diameter.
Not sure what it is, we don't get much large hail, but I've never heard of one broken by hail around here.
Seems UL wants to sell a book, then you can look it up!
G-

[ Parent ]

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#14)
by vegasjak (vegasjays@cox.net) on Wed Jun 25th, 2008 at 11:11:16 AM MST
(User Info)

I bought 33 of these little Kaneka panels and installed them on a solar well. They were well constructed and well packaged. I got 87 volts out of the box but am told that they will break in to the 67 volt rating. I put three pumps in the well. One three inch flex pump from Grundfos and two four inch Grundfos flex pumps. I bought a package from a guy in Oklahoma. I won't recommend him to anyone. His electrical diagram was just plain silly. He wanted to run all three pumps on one #12 CU circuit and his relay system to switch to Alternating Current was wired with # 20 stranded wire. I am a master electrician and I rewired everything so that each four inch pump ran on 12 panels and the three inch ran on 9 panels.
Now I am putting 9 more of these panels on the site to feed a small cabin. There are controllers that will accept the higher voltage and remember with higher voltage you can use smaller wire. When these new panels have charged the batteries for the cabin I intend to relay them to boost the power on the pumps.
These wonderful pumps will run on 30 to 300 volts AC or DC. I am getting about 25-30 gallons a minute in a two inch line.
I would recommend these kaneka panels to anyone. They are well made, easy to handle and work just like they are supposed to. Jack

[ Parent ]

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by MelTx on Fri Aug 26th, 2005 at 02:40:52 PM MST
(User Info)

Hello On the page that your link brings up right by product # it says "be the first to write a reveiw....Does that mean that they havent sold any yet ????
MelTx

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by DanG on Fri Aug 26th, 2005 at 03:02:08 PM MST
(User Info)

It looks like they don't have a true North American Division, so the product may be "Gray Market" and the Japanese warranty is null & void, unless altenergystore is willing to back them... U/L listing means it meets standards for most weather events.

"Low voltage PV modules maintain initial energy conversion efficiency (after full stabilization) over long periods, attesting to its outstanding reliability. Low voltage modules will maintain more than 90% of their minimum rated power for 10 years ( based on data from silicon PV modules installed over a month under conditions of 25ºC, A.M. 1.5 and 100mW / cm2)."

**based on data from silicon PV modules installed over a month???

79W initial and 60w sustained to 54w at 10 years, higher output in high temperatures.

dunno - who wants to buy 20 and write the review?

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by rottingspinalcord (rottingspinalcord@yahoo.com) on Sun Aug 28th, 2005 at 08:16:30 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.myspace.com/11208715

if i had the money i would order a few of them but i really dont so idk and the shipping isnt calculated. and they dont tell the size. im lookin for good cheapish 1foot by 1 foot solar panels. if anyone knows of theese please tell me.
dont ever get stuck in the sky when your high-soad
[ Parent ]

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by searat on Wed Aug 31st, 2005 at 04:33:56 PM MST
(User Info)

They are listed at something like 67 volts, 0.9 amps. May not be too practical for 12v or 24v battery charging.

Lowest $/ per watt on earth starts @ atensolar.com (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by AtenSolar (sales@atensolar.com) on Fri Sep 2nd, 2005 at 08:38:09 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.atensolar.com

If you want the lowest cost per watt, then go to http://www.atensolar.com. Atensolar is selling these a-si panels for $3.10/watt!! Technical specs are on the website.

Also, I am selling Kaneka 60 watt at $3.49/watt!! Substantially lower than anywhere on the internet!

-Sales Team

Re: Lowest $/ per watt @ atensolar.com (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by Seth on Sat Apr 8th, 2006 at 10:58:57 PM MST
(User Info)

I don't seem to see a list of products for sale at the link you provided.
Trying to move my solar pannels is fun.
[ Parent ]

Re: Lowest $/ per watt @ atensolar.com (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by AtenSolar (sales@atensolar.com) on Tue May 2nd, 2006 at 07:08:37 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.atensolar.com

We are a wholesaler/reseller of modules & pre packaged systems so it is impossible to quote one single definitive price ($cost/watt). Put in another way, there are many variables that determine pricing. Having said that, we usually sell our ATPV 40 watt modules for about $2.99/watt. Options include aluminum mounting brackets at $1/panel and $2.30/panel for UL approved rubber MC connectors.

We are reluctant to self promote our modules but want to offer more cost effective choices to American and Canadian customers, especially when utility prices are on the rise. Please let us know if you have any questions 1-732-810-1983 or 1-800-310-7271. Regards, Sales @ Aten Solar.

[ Parent ]

Re: Lowest $/ per watt on earth starts @ atensolar (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by craig110 on Sun Apr 9th, 2006 at 08:10:38 AM MST
(User Info)

I went all over the site and couldn't find any prices. Just an FYI, but I rarely contact a company to get a price quote on something. If Aten Solar's prices are good, how about adding them to the product descriptions?

[ Parent ]

Re: Lowest $/ per watt on earth starts @ atensolar (3.00 / 0) (#12)
by AtenSolar (sales@atensolar.com) on Tue May 2nd, 2006 at 07:18:15 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.atensolar.com

With silicia prices increasing for the unforeseeable future, we would like to offer more options to our North American customers. We see that thin film technologies such as Aten Solar with its 40 watt modules and Kaneka with its 60 and 120 watt modules can fill the void at certain price points, projects and state rebate incentives schemas.

[ Parent ]

Re: Lowest $/ per watt on earth starts @ atensolar (3.00 / 0) (#13)
by Seth on Sun May 7th, 2006 at 11:09:14 PM MST
(User Info)

wonder if you can discounts/incentives in Wa St .. probably not ..

ill bet its a 2 year waiting list !!!!
Trying to move my solar pannels is fun.
[ Parent ]

Re: Kaneka Solar panel worries.. (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by Nijen (bartcody at gmail.com) on Thu Oct 23rd, 2008 at 11:45:02 AM MST
(User Info)

Hey I have heard nothing but good things about kaneka panels and http://www.wholesalesolar.com has the same panel for $3.78 a watt!

I think that alt energy store buys them from Wholesale Solar!

Kaneka Solar panel worries.. | 15 comments (15 topical, 0 editorial)

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