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Question for the collective..

I'm scoping out panels for a ground-mount array in my back garden, I've been out of the PV game for too long and want to get my toe back in.

Its not an ideal spot, SW facing and only gets an hour of sun in winter thanks to house shading, but in summer I think it should get a good few hours. Its good enough to have a play around with some panels but I don't want to spend top whack really.

I've found someone selling 250W Sharp panels that have been reclaimed from a house for £65 each. They look a bit scruffy, they could easily have been on the house 15 years plus I reckon. Would you buy them? Works out at 26p/watt and I see more modern bigger brand new panels are about 48p/watt (Canadian Solar 410W from bimble). Although I'd probably more likely go with their smaller 295W as they'd be easier to manhandle into place and probably give me more scope for mounting arrangements and not being too monstrously tall. So that'd be more like 55p/watt.

How cheap do second hand panels of unknown age have to be before I should buy? Is it worth a risk?

Its these panels http://www.solardesigntool.com/componen ... sheet.html

I see they're poly so probably not great for being in shade over winter

It wasn’t long ago that 25p/Wp was the price for brand new panels. It seems that prices have risen. A lot!

Used panels make sense where you have loads of space and are economically constrained. If I were you I’d go for the following:

• 1 or 2 of the mahoosive 600W panels currently on Bimble

• A charge controller and 24V of LiFePO4 batteries.

• A cheapo Y+L grid tie inverter controlled by a smart-plug

(The above isn’t compliant but it is cheap and would do the job. Lots of other options available too.)

Go for some newer but still cheap mono units from bimble or the like if the maths allow, better chance of finding / laying away some solar itch expansion stock for a while too, possibly.
Seeing how green B&Hove are ..can you not put an ad out for some assistance from a likeminded person in the area who wants to learn about solar but has far less experience than you, ..ie a patient training session in exchange for extra hands & tea!?

Many folk are "looking" at solar installs on the cheap but the thought of ldrilling supports onto a roof confounds and stops alot of people, ..practical teaching from someone with some experience is likely to kickstart more solar.

Do you reckon there's some local messageboard / freecycle / green values type group who can assist? ..any renewables courses at B-right-on Uni ?

How far have those already used panels degraded? If they have lost 10% of the original ouput (I have no idea on how much they will have degraded), then the price per W will be somewhat higher close to 29p/W.

Since these come of a house, presumably domestic install so vat has been paid and should not be charged again.

You should be paid to take them; they can't be recycled without expending alot of energy; so any genuinely eco-friendly place would need to ensure they at least generate more power before that happens regardless of who owns them at that point in time.

https://www.brighton.ac.uk/courses/stud ... -hons.aspx

Try contacting a tutor & see if any students want to get a feel for some solar? ..or cheap willing labour!?

Caesium wrote: ↑Sun Jan 22, 2023 11:23 am Although I'd probably more likely go with their smaller 295W as they'd be easier to manhandle into place and probably give me more scope for mounting arrangements and not being too monstrously tall. So that'd be more like 55p/watt.

How cheap do second hand panels of unknown age have to be before I should buy? Is it worth a risk?

As you live near Bimble I would go for those smaller ones too for ease of handling and will take up a smaller footprint than the older second hand ones.

Unless money is really tight I would stay away from second hand panels. Might need new connectors, might have insulation issues, might have degraded.

I forgot the proximity of Lewes to Brighton, ..what collection / delivery options between the two sellers?

And of course being in bimbles back yard, likely better service, potential for haggling a local rather than national delivery rate (if not got a big vehicle) more stock if SHTF with a panel, potential to ingratiate yourself with alocal supplier who might remember you & cut a better deal in future, locate spec matching stock as you bought from them , compared to, presumably, Facebook marketplace?

Thanks guys, some good points here! Enjoying the input.

So by the sounds of it the second hand panels just aren't worth it. They're of unknown age, could easily be halfway through their working life. And I suspect newer mono panels will have better performance in the shade? Here's the listing for the curious. https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-househo ... 1445008057 - I think I'll pass anyway.

Yes I'm pretty close to Bimble, I've been over already to pick up a few bits. So I guess the decision is just small or large panels. The smaller ones will be easier to mount and get in the car. I guess the only advantage to the huge 600W ones is a slight economy of scale so reducing the cost/watt a bit? bimble seem reasonably competitive on panel prices too, I've not found anywhere significantly cheaper?

I'm thinking I can DC couple this setup as I already have the 48V DIY stack, so probably a Victron SmartSolar controller and hook it directly into my DC bus. That keeps it all out of eyesight of DNO and I can legit DIY it all with no problems. No need for a new inverter and it keeps working in a powercut, all positives in my view.