Great Price on Solar Panels

[bdosborn]

$1.62/watt is a great price:

80 watt Solar Panel

Bruce

[canned o minimum]

WOW ! I jus GOTTA git me sum a them !!

[Galen]

Interesting. Anyone done business with this company before, or have experience with these types of panels?

[cracker39]

That site also sells 36 polycrystalline solar cells for $49.99. That quantity of cells will make an 18V, 80 watt panel. If you buy 72 cells for $99.98, you can make your own panel rated for 18V and 160 watts. As you have to buy tabbing wire, solder, and materials for the panel itself, I'd think that the more cells you buy would lower the overall cost per watt.

Making solar panels isn’t hard to do, but takes lots of time and patience. If you don't want to spend a lot of time and work, then buy your panels ready made. A YouTube video explains how to construct a solar panel.

Assuming that you have a soldering gun and voltmeter, the supplies to add to the cost of the cells should result in an 80 watt solar panel shouldn't cost much over $1.00 per watt. Using the wire and solder that you already bought, making another panel should cost even less. (When I have to buy a tool for a project, if it's a tool that will be used fairly often for other projects, I don't count the tool as part of the project cost.)

[absolutsnwbrdr]

This was another on that site, if you're interested in building your own.

475W kit...

http://www.solarblvd.com/p1890/108-Sola ... _info.html

Thats pretty darn tempting!

[bdosborn]

That site also sells 36 polycrystalline solar cells for $49.99. That quantity of cells will make an 18V, 80 watt panel.

Making a weatherproof panel is extremely important and its hard to do. I'd be interested in seeing a DIY panel that has held up to a couple years of use.
Bruce

[KenC]

$1.62/watt is a great price:

80 watt Solar Panel

Bruce

Thanks Bruce,

Looks like it is time to buy a panel, I'll be able to save on shipping and pick it up since it only about 20 miles north of me.

[KenC]

Here are some photos of my 2-40 watt panels I picked up from Solar Blvd. I used a stainlees steel piano hinge with rivets to join the 2 panels together, next will be to pick up a controller and 10 gauge wire. I should have right around $200 in the complete set up once it is done.

[bdosborn]

Nice! What controller did you get?

Bruce

[KenC]

Nice! What controller did you get?

Bruce

Thanks, I owe my new solar addiction to you ( just kidding) I really owe you my thanks for the tip and link on the great prices.

I have not picked up a controller yet but leaning towards a Morningstar Sunsave SS-6-12 or a SS-10-12, what are yout thoughts, not sure if I will ever need more that 80 watts, just running LED ligts ath a ARB 12 vlt fridge.

[bdosborn]

I have not picked up a controller yet but leaning towards a Morningstar Sunsave SS-6-12 or a SS-10-12, what are yout thoughts, not sure if I will ever need more that 80 watts, just running LED ligts ath a ARB 12 vlt fridge.

I'd go with the 10. You never know, you might want another panel and its only ~$7 more to get the 10.

Bruce