Best place to buy solar panels

[a64pilot]

I bought mine from a major home installer in Pensacola Fl. They differed in appearance from the new model of Canadian Solar 250W panel and people want the whole roof to match, so I bought them for I assume what he paid for them buying pallets of panels at a time. That was four or five years ago and I believe I paid .50c a watt.
You can find some great deals on quality panels like Kyocera used to be a very good panel, but sit down when you get the shipping quote, which makes sense, it’s pretty much like shipping large mirrors. Several pallets at a time delivered on a truck really reduces shipping I believe but if you want a couple delivered by UPS, it’s going to be real expensive.

[mfahrenthold]

https://www.mrsolar.com

[cottonsail]

I'll second the Sun electric in Miami. 2- 500 watt Sanyo panels at $.49 per watt.

[weavis]

Lets try this. "Politics Aside......"

Cf sometimes turns into a moan fest about politics...Its not in keeping with the topic and generates a lot of bad feeling.

Question is Best place to buy solar panels.

Next political comment gets the thread closed and the poster infracted..

[Capt Doug]

I was trying to figure out what all the fuss was about solar panels and the politics of solar panels who makes the best solar panels so I went back and look at the posters almost all of them were from outside of the US aha I got my latest to solar panels from a company in California renogy.Com ordered through Amazon free shipping on the whole package controller and cables about $1 per watt MAGA

[piloto]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I just came across this in my morning financial news:



The U.S. solar industry has lost 62K new jobs and $19B in investments because of the Trump administration's tariffs on imported panels imposed nearly two years ago, according to a new report from the U.S. Solar Industries Association. Despite the tariffs, global panel prices have continued to fall due to an oversupply in top producer China, while U.S. prices are among the highest in the world for solar. A meeting today at the International Trade Commission could decide whether President Trump makes changes to, or even cancels, the four-year tariff that was imposed in early 2018.





I don't expect Trump to cancel any tariffs until right before the next election, so should I run up to Canada to buy panels?? Last time I looked they were cheaper in Australia, but that's a long way to sail.

Things are not as bad as the above portrayal makes them appear. As someone who’s been in the renewable energy business for over 35 years my advice would be to shop around for a standard land based panel provider for your solution. Yes prices have continued to decline, no the tax credits don’t depend on the modules being of American origin or manufacture. American government projects do depend on ARRA requirements, but that’s a separate issue from rebate or ITC eligibility’s. There is a American manufacturer whose modules are within a 10 or 15% cost margin of the modules available of Chinese, Indian, or (insert other country here), in my opinion, a small price to pay for supporting home manufacturers. Quality is generally good either way and the products will serve the intended purpose. So simply source your panels from a conventional provider and I think you won’t pay a premium for “marine” being attached to the descriptive. The fact is, almost all of the panels are encapsulated and resistant to environmental conditions needed for proper service. What you really need is proper guidance for product and sizing/choice criteria, something any experienced Solar vendor should be able to provide.

Despite the current administration’s lack of market support (and, in fact, discouragements) Solar has continued to grow exponentially each year because of people’s economic common sense realizations that they are able to reduce their costs of energy and thus, overhead, improve energy efficiencies and autonomy capabilities by employing renewables. The solar industry, while still nascent, continues to overtake traditional conventional energy generation and, in fact, has surpassed those sources because it costs less over the long term per kWh. This, plus the current emphasis on storage capabilities has led many to what amounts to grid defection, complete self sufficiency without reliance upon a utility network or some hybrid solution in between providing peak shaving and time of use offsets coupled with reliable energy during utility outages (witness current events over much of California of utility shutdowns). These outages will continue to increase as the aged and deteriorating distribution infrastructure combined with environmental events cause people dependent upon the grid network to lose lights, refrigeration, pumps, fans, and other necessities during the outages, planned or otherwise. (Sorry, that was the extent of my short rant/overview).

[mgnm02]

When you say best do you mean best or cheapest?

[Johnknutson]

I'm glad this question came up. I am looking to install solar on my boat this spring. Currently, I have a wind generator but would like the opportunity to create more power. Is there a resource that I can consult when putting together my system? I see lots of articles about marine solar, but few that list all the component pieces, monitoring capabilities, and cabling schematics. I would like to do it myself if I can, but maybe it makes sense to hire an engineer? What do you think? Happy Friday all!

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Johnknutson

I'm glad this question came up. I am looking to install solar on my boat this spring. Currently, I have a wind generator but would like the opportunity to create more power. Is there a resource that I can consult when putting together my system? I see lots of articles about marine solar, but few that list all the component pieces, monitoring capabilities, and cabling schematics. I would like to do it myself if I can, but maybe it makes sense to hire an engineer? What do you think? Happy Friday all!

Yo really have 3 choices:

1. Hire a pro who really knows what they are doing. (Ask to see their marine electrical and commercial liability insurance certs.)

2. Learn what you need to, to do the job properly. (May not be an effective use of time, as the pro has taken years and years to perfect their craft)

3. Pay your boat insurance, cobble something together, and hope it turns out.

[piloto]

Originally Posted by mgnm02

When you say best do you mean best or cheapest?

Best vs. cheapest: the prices should remain about the same, warranties being pretty much standard across the board at 25 years (though keep in mind many, if not all of the module companies, haven’t been around as long as the warranty itself. The main criteria should be efficiency and quality. You may pm for any recommendations (so as to avoid what might appear to be an endorsement of one sort or another) if you wish.

[Eshelby67]

I bought 3 used 100 watt panels for 50 bucks each and two new mppt regs, two 200ah batteries split in two systems and it has run refrigeration, anchor winch, all lights, pumps, macerator, tv, computer, charges tool batteries ect and all for under $1200 and has been running faultless for about 26 months so far. (Touch wood)
P.s its hilarious seeing grown men feeling threatened /envious of a 16 yo girl

[byersdr123]

So glad I can come to this site and read other people's experience and insight , but do we need to be political about it? You could have just said the Tariff between the US and China I think everybody understands who is behind it but you have to go there you had to throw in your $0.03 worth of political views I think it should not be allowed and maybe you should be banned from the site because this. place that needs to be free of that

[Ballsnall]

[QUOTE=piloto;3035387]Best vs. cheapest: the prices should remain about the same, warranties being pretty much standard across the board at 25 years.

Most residential panel warranties are either 10 or 12 years. You can count on one hand the brand's that offer a 25 year product warranty. Regardless, you would have 0 chance of claiming the warranty using std domestic panels on a boat.

As for the best place to buy solar panels than definitely not your marine chandler, for fixed panels buy the highest rated wattage brand name panel you can get direct from a local residential installer. Don't believe what everyone else says, size is everything. For flexible panels then I would just shop online for the best price per watt. Most of these are made with the same silicone from the same factory's regardless of price, just test the output once installed to make sure they perform as advertised.

[Mistress Sirena]

Hi all when I was in Keys it was very difficult to source panels and delivery
many promises none kept so I purchased panels and controller from Home Depot Grape solar 185 watt mono X4 $198. each they work great with 45 Amp
MPPT controller also from HD free delivery to store made in USA will buy more
when finances allow.easy peasy

[pufferfish]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

That is not Trumps fault, US is able to produce the cells and the panels themselves, they developed the technology in the first place. The process can be automated and there are no tarifs on local products anyway, cheap labor is also widely available there. We should not rely on China alone to safe the world from global warming, climate crisis and whatever with solar and lithium batteries. China has no climate crisis btw, they take care of activists.

All Greta fans should start thinking before bashing the wrong people.

For the record: Germany had a Solar industry as the green wave transformation to renewables started, all companies producing solar panels are now out of business with massive lay offs because of cheap imports from China and NO TARIFS.

The EU tried to protect the German solar panel industry with tariffs against Chinese panels. This strategy failed abysmally and was abandoned in 2018. Protectionism never worked and invariably harmed the interests of the population at large throughout history around the globe.

The German solar industry is alive and still punching well above its weight by developing innovation and focussing now on smart storage systems and infrastructure development such as smart collaborative microgrids.

https://www.cleanenergywire.org/fact...s-perspectives