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  • Affordable Solar

    Hey guys.

    As a few of you know, I'm quite into affordable solar energy. I am a dealer, myself, but admittedly: often I cannot ship to the USA and compete. I'd like to start this thread for a resource on saving money on solar "stuff", and for new and different affordable solar resources. Albeit, there are a lot of factors to consider, especially if you want government grants, grid tie in: but for the most part... this is for the DIY type / off grid - people who can consider grade B, unrated, cosmetic imperfections... and basically want to put together small and large systems, affordably.

    In all fairness, I won't pump my own stuff as heavily as others, that would be pretty spammy! We'll keep it wide open. I am going to quote some another message I left elsewhere to get us started:

    ($6.97/watt) 1 pcs 9V 2Watt 130*130mm Solar Panel Power Cell $13.95 incl. shipping

    To be more correct, I should have called it a "solar laminate", it's not a true "panel". A true 9v panel can be had here:

    ($11.24/watt) 9V 230MA 2W solar panels solar power panels 2watt $22.49 incl. shipping

    Sun-elec.com has some pretty good deals too. Sometimes.
    ($2.59/watt + shp.) SUN Solar Panel 30 Watts 18.70 Vmp $77.70 + shipping

    I also sell a 50 watt / 12v monocrystalline Grade A panel, warrantied, power warrantied, for $140 CDN. ($2.80/watt + shp.) Or, a 140 watt / 12v panel for $300 + shp. ($2.14/watt + shp.)

    I have also bought from Thamesmall on ebay, a fair bit: Good Vendor. I like his 6v / 200 mA panels (1.2) for about $7-8 USD delivered. I find if you take a small Walmart mirror and angle it flat in front of these guys, you get about 7.2v / 240 mA. Here is a search of his stuff, he also sells a small 10v, for under $10.

    Search Thamesmall for solar on ebay

    You can throw together a GREAT tracker for cheap too! It's picaxe / LDR based, the best circuit floating around, I figure (msg me about it if you like, I have the schematic). Here is an awesome 4RPM motor for it, for only $13.00 shipped (The description for this motor is wrong, it's for an ammeter.. but I contacted them directly and have the correct description)! Single Axis tracking gives you 10-35% extra energy. MPPT solar charging gives you an additional 10-30% as well over normal charging.

    Here's a screaming deal on the "power your home" solution:
    2480 Watts - Hyundai 248w Monocrystalline Solar Panel ($1.29/W!) x10 = $3200

    Please help me add to this and keep it up to date with the latest. I'll add some more soon!

    Cheers
    ----------------------------------------------------
    Alberta is under attack... http://rethinkalberta.com/

    Has anyone seen my Bedini Ceiling Fan that pushes the warm air down, and charges batteries as an added bonus? Me neither. 'Bout time I made one!!!!! :P

  • #2
    See through Thin Film Amorphous

    A great addition to the greenhouse...

    Take one of these and replace one of your green house panels. It will still let light in... but you'll be generating 130 watts, as well... then take that power and drive RED LEDs to enhance flowering (that's my idea, anyway). Or, put one on your roof and take advantage of it's high voltage to carry a line over a distance to add light in a downstairs room "real time". Or, play with solar based HV circuits.


    Micromorph Tandem Thin Film Solar Module 130w $195 ($1.50 watt + shp.)

    Spec:
    * Tandem cell with a-Si/uc-Si layer
    * Pmax: 132W +/-5%
    * Vmp: 118.6V
    * Imp: 1.11A
    * Voc: 146.6V
    * Isc: 1.27A
    * up to 10% cell efficiency
    * Size: 55.65"x43.89"x1.57"
    * Weight: 48.4lbs
    ----------------------------------------------------
    Alberta is under attack... http://rethinkalberta.com/

    Has anyone seen my Bedini Ceiling Fan that pushes the warm air down, and charges batteries as an added bonus? Me neither. 'Bout time I made one!!!!! :P

    Comment


    • #3
      I clicked on google and the first one that came up is 78cents/watt right now here with a 25 year warranty. here is america.

      Comment


      • #4
        Solar / AC Tip

        I recently help put together a system wherein the owner of a very large RV put 2kw on the roof, and when we put together the inverter / battery bank, we used a bank of used ultracapacitors. Variable speed compressors, like those used in Mitstubishi's heat pumps draw a lot more amps on start up... but then back off... the caps help smoothen and less the hammering of the invertors. Also great for multiple device simultaneous startups!
        ----------------------------------------------------
        Alberta is under attack... http://rethinkalberta.com/

        Has anyone seen my Bedini Ceiling Fan that pushes the warm air down, and charges batteries as an added bonus? Me neither. 'Bout time I made one!!!!! :P

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Kokomoj0 View Post
          I clicked on google and the first one that came up is 78cents/watt right now here with a 25 year warranty. here is america.
          post a link!

          added:
          Wow... you are correct. Just read the blog. This is the lowest price I have ever seen, ever. Here is the discussion blog, it has some contact information.
          Still not sure about the MOQ. Looks like they are HV for MPPT. Awesome.

          ALERT: BEGIN RESERVING AS MANY EVERGREEN MODULES AS YOU CAN AFFORD !!!! | Solar Energy Blog
          Last edited by kcarring; 11-10-2011, 08:19 AM.
          ----------------------------------------------------
          Alberta is under attack... http://rethinkalberta.com/

          Has anyone seen my Bedini Ceiling Fan that pushes the warm air down, and charges batteries as an added bonus? Me neither. 'Bout time I made one!!!!! :P

          Comment


          • #6
            For those who are DIY oriented I have found this two ebay sellers to be the cheapest:
            polycrystalline, photovoltaic items in solar cells store on eBay!
            Best GIFT, Christmas is coming items in from STELLAR store on eBay!

            70W for 55$ + shipping:
            eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

            eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

            Larger quantities are even cheaper...

            Comment


            • #7
              $1.16 a watt - 1 day only

              I got this in the email today... I have no association to this solar forum, at all.. but I thought I'd share:

              I quote the email:

              Dear kcarring and Friends of Solar Panel Talk,

              Happy Holidays!

              We are now closing in on 7000 members and fast becoming the premier solar forum on the Web. Check back in the next week and we will have a new look for Solar Panel Talk to make your user experience better.

              Solar Friday Blow-Out Sale: $1.16/watt for major brand 230w panel
              Friday, December 16, 2011 Only
              Our sponsor SolarTown is offering a One-Day sale on Solar Panels! With the end of the year coming, warehouses want to move inventory so solar panels are substantially discounted like never before. You may be trying to get in your last minute shopping before the end of the year. Contact SolarTown at 1-800-691-6821 or Contact SolarTown. Restrictions apply.
              ----------------------------------------------------
              Alberta is under attack... http://rethinkalberta.com/

              Has anyone seen my Bedini Ceiling Fan that pushes the warm air down, and charges batteries as an added bonus? Me neither. 'Bout time I made one!!!!! :P

              Comment


              • #8
                Kyle.

                What is the solar cell you show in your "12VDC -120VAC Mini Inverter ... " video?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by xee2 View Post
                  Kyle. What is the solar cell you show in your "12VDC -120VAC Mini Inverter ... " video?
                  That is a (cheap) Blue Planet 1.8 watt, 21VOC .120IOC amorphous panel they sell up here in Canada. They are pricey ($ / watt), especially normally, I would never pay their normal price ($20-30). Ridicoulous! A few times a year they go on for $9.99. I buy them then. I probably shouldn't... that's still $5 a watt, where my cost on other products is WAY less, under 2... but... they are of a size that is nice for certain projects you know? As well, I don't know I may be alone on this theory... but.. I like to have -some- amorphous around. I have 1300 watts of poly/mono crystalline mixed, but I like to have some amorphous too, it seems to do well in the shade, by comparison. As you may well notice, I have this obsession with "how much light can I make for a watt of energy LOL". The addiction, in fact REALLY kicked in when I found your channel LOL I love your channel man, I really do LOL You have taught me tons
                  Last edited by kcarring; 12-16-2011, 07:01 AM.
                  ----------------------------------------------------
                  Alberta is under attack... http://rethinkalberta.com/

                  Has anyone seen my Bedini Ceiling Fan that pushes the warm air down, and charges batteries as an added bonus? Me neither. 'Bout time I made one!!!!! :P

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    My advice for cheap solar is to get together with some friends or neighbors and order direct from the factories. Yes that will mean sourcing them from China or Korea as they make most of the worlds solar panels. My families company get our 300 watt panels for well under AUD$1 a watt. Not because we order lots (we use them on boats), but because the factories don't rip people off like the retail sector does.

                    Cheers,

                    Steve
                    You can view my vids here

                    http://www.youtube.com/SJohnM81

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Think about outfitting your house with small, cost-effective solar panels that connect into a socket and pump energy into your electric powered system instead of taking it out. You can put it on your top, but as opposed to other techniques where you have 20 to 30 solar panels and the only choice is to put them on your roof.

                      Sump Pumps
                      Sump Pumps

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