Community Forums

Suprz · 03-27-2020, 03:40 PM

Just wondering if anyone has purchased used solar panels and what their experience was.

Thx

jcussen · 03-27-2020, 03:54 PM

Picked up some used 327 watt LG 96 cell panels off ebay for $110 each, free shipping. These came from some solar farm in Arizona. 21% efficiency. Most good panels have a 25+ life span, these were manufactured in 2015.

Allen_C · 03-27-2020, 09:46 PM

I bought 2 160w 24v panels a couple years ago. There were about 10 years old off of a commercial building that was demolished. They have been great and output about 90-95% of their original rating.

John Hilley · 03-31-2020, 09:33 AM

I installed two of the 327 watt panels from AZ seller on two of my friends motorhomes. They got them for $85 picking them up in Gilbert, AZ. Work great.

SLOweather · 03-31-2020, 12:29 PM

The first panels I ever bought were used 40 watt ones from the original Carizzo Plains solar plant. That was probably 30 years ago. I still have 2 and they still put out close to rated power.

They were over driven at the plant with mirrors to put out more than the rated power. The only observable effect is that the Tedlar cell backing has discolored.

And just a couple of months ago, I replaced the crappy flex panels I had installed on the Sunstar with 2 high efficiency 250 watt Sunpower panels from Santan, $90 each or $0.36 per watt. They had even less expensive ones, but these were almost half the weight of those.

SJ-Chris · 01-02-2021, 01:22 PM

250 watt Sunpower panels from Santan (located in Gilbert, AZ) are now costing $50/panel. Shipping cost will kill the deal, but if you are local or traveling through you can pick them up yourself. I planned on picking up 1 panel to create a simple 250w system for one of my RVs, just to have some solar to charge my 200AH bank. A day before I arrived, they had a special and lowered their price to $35/250w panel. In my mind, that's almost free. So I couldn't help myself...I picked up two 250w panels for my RV and I picked up two more for another RV I will likely get in the spring. They also sell all the other components needed in a makeshift kit.

500w (250w x 2) plus MPPT controller, fuses, wires, brackets cost me only $225! What a steal... I'm looking forward to some downtime in Jan to install them myself.

Note: Panels are 10 years old. Each was tested and outputting optimal Volts and Current.

If you need some basic solar and are in their area, I don't think you can beat this price for the value.

Enjoy!
Chris

atreis · 01-03-2021, 07:18 AM

Wow! That's a heck of a deal on 10 year old panels. They should have lots of life left in them.

Pappion · 01-07-2021, 09:12 AM

I bought two 235W panels from Santan Solar, Gilbert AZ. They work well. Paid a bit more for the rectangle shape, but it catches less wind for portable ground placement. They must have been pole mounted, and label lists the inverter output, which is missing.

tundranurse1 · 01-07-2021, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pappion

I bought two 235W panels from Santan Solar, Gilbert AZ. They work well. Paid a bit more for the rectangle shape, but it catches less wind for portable ground placement. They must have been pole mounted, and label lists the inverter output, which is missing.

How did you make portable panels out of those panels? Do you have pics of your connections; and, how did you make a stand to put them on?
We have a solar port in the side of our camper. We boon dock on our 5 acre property close to us. I hate how loud the generator is when my husband uses it to charge the battery.

Pappion · 01-08-2021, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tundranurse1

How did you make portable panels out of those panels? Do you have pics of your connections; and, how did you make a stand to put them on?
We have a solar port in the side of our camper. We boon dock on our 5 acre property close to us. I hate how loud the generator is when my husband uses it to charge the battery.

I gave up on alternate connectors and went with standard MC4 solar connectors. No solar port so I went with MC4 port.
https://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Edge-.../dp/B07MMWKR29
When traveling I can use unwired MC4 to cap them, protect them from dust and water.
I gathered enough scrap aluminum to build side brackets for the panels. Right now they are propped up. One is resting on my 100W portable panel at 30 degree tilt, the other is less tilt resting on a foot stool. Hey, I have seen people propping them up with hiking sticks.