$405 per 130watt panel...is that the lowest price?

[DualFuel]

 I bought these panels 4 years ago for $635. They worked fine and weren't seconds. Before I leap again. Has anyone found a better bargain for individual panels?

I am looking for 17volt open circuit voltage for use with a 12volt system. I saw some panels with a 90vdc rating for a $1.00 a watt but my setup can't use those.

Just wondering if there is any better deals out there.

Thanks,

DF

[wdyasq]

Well, it depends on what you want to do. I would chose to buy cheap panels and use an MPPT to get the efficiency up. The Outback FM80 is ~$600. One can use thinner wires and you get about a 30% boost in output from such a device.

The arithmetic:

130W at 20V is 6.5A; 6.5 X 12 is 78 effective watts 405/78 = $5.09W

3 of the 60W $0.98W panels costs $176.40 + $600 is 776.4/180 = $4.31W

------

Even if we add 10% for lack of efficiency it is still cheaper by the time one buys the second low voltage panel. This is BEFORE one factors in the lower cost of wire.

But, it's your project. You get to spend the money and you have to live with whatever result you get.

Ron

[DualFuel]

Dear Ron,

I went back and reviewed those Kaneka Panels. Figured I better go through the math here again...

My Kyroceras (today) gave me 7amps each @14.40 bank voltage that'd be 100.8watts that I am actually getting. Wholesale solar sells them for $415 individually.

So that gives $415/100.8watts for $4.12/watt. The price is $405 for two panels shipped together, and usually they do free shipping.

 I liked the looks of the FM80 Outback. Its rated for 150vdc input. These Kaneka panels are sold for $.98 per watt in quantities of 50units and up. Four of these panels could be purchased for $1.40 per watt not including shipping. Or $84 per panel.

So if I got the Kanekas, it'd be $336 for the panels and they weigh 32lbs a piece so shipping comes into play. Dunno what that'd be. Non trivial though. The Outback is $589 from Wholesale Solar.

$589+$336+$X=925+X

Lets say you get 60 watts from the panels and skip the shipping thats 925$/240w for

3.85/watt

Whereas if I bought two Kyoceras for $810 that'd give $810/201.6watts for $4.02/watt.

 Ron it looks like it boils down to the shipping. Both ways have advantages. The Kyroceras are plug and play for me. I don't need more wire for them.

 The FM80 would be a definite upgrade.

I was hoping to spend less then $800 but your idea might be worth it for a permanent installation.

 What I like about the Kyroceras is that they can be seperated to charge smaller isolated banks or joined together to charge one big bank. I can mix and match depending on where I need the power. They are really handy if I leave the semi in the bush and want to keep it trickle charging.

 The FM80 sounds like the road to a more permanent established system for a house or shop.

Definitely worth calling and finding out about the shipping.

DF

[cardamon]

Northern arizona wind and sun has the kyocera kd 135 for $362.  In fact I bought one just a few weeks ago.. http://sunelec.com/ is reputed to have good deals...

[Volvo farmer]

Additionally...

Those Kanekas are a thin film panel aren't they? And the Kyroceras are the more traditional polycrystalline, right?

Since your numbers seem to be boiling down to a 10-20% difference in price, my vote would be for polycrystalline every time. In 15 or 20 years, that amorphous technology that Kaneka uses might prove to work very well and stand the test of time, or it might not. The polycrystalline type panels that Kyrocera makes have been around for over 30 years now and generally hold up very well.

Also, those MPPT controllers tend to be pretty reliable but if one should fail, it would be pretty hard to charge 12 or 24 volt batteries with 90V panels in an emergency.

That's the way I look at it anyway.

[ghurd]

That is exactly what I was thinking.

G-

[DualFuel]

It looks like shipping is $60.46 from Wholesale solar for a total of $870.46 for KD135 while Northern Arizona has cheaper panels but higher shipping and their total comes in at $805 for two panels.

[hayfarmer]

second the motion,I bought a couple of amorphous panels and ended up in trash heap.went with the bp 175 watt mono's.happy camper now.

[DualFuel]

http://cgi.ebay.com/120w-solar-panel-charing-for-12v-dc-120watt-solar-panel_W0QQitemZ280470113680QQc
mdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item414d524d90

These Laviesolar people are offering free shipping on this panel and $2.40 per watt.

What quality is this panel?

DF

[ghurd]

Quality?  Who knows.

They are just imported Chinese panels.

Some have TUV ('metric'?) junction boxes, which can get a bit complicated in the US.

One of the feedbacks says they are not in the US.

It raises a red flag for me if the Only company selling them is on ebay,

does not have a toll free phone number,

and has external advertising on its homepage.

G-

[DualFuel]

Dear Ghurd,

Right! Thanks for making me take another look. I have definetely NEVER had any problems with Wholesale Solar in Mt. Shasta and my friend Mark, has bought thousands of dollars worth of solar panels from Northern Arizona. Greed got a hold of me there for a minute and clouded my long term thinking.

DF