Best Solar panels?

[DrEvil]

Hi all,

I am looking to get a solar power system installed on the roof (for the Feed In Tariff) by one of the following companies: Allied-Renewables, Solar Century, Hatch Solar,....(or others after more research):

Different companies use different panels but what should I look out for? Is 250W about the best panels on offer at the moment? I hear monocrystalline are more efficient, which I

[Mike90250]

20% efficiency is "oversold", a realistic number is 16%. From that, you will only harvest about 75-80% of the label rating of the panel, since the panel will not be on the roof at 77F, it will heat up really toasty warm, and warm panels loose some power.

Look at the warranty, and how failures in the first 2 years are handled, if the panels make it through 2 years, they are very likely to go for another 20.

Good Luck

[s.xavier]

The brands I like because the companies are reputable and will stand behind their product:

Top Range (premium solar panels)
1) SolarWorld
2) Sanyo
3) Sharp

Mid Range (discount solar panels)
1)Trina
2)Samsung
3)Conergy

My favorite:
Suniva Solar Panels ... highly efficient, USA made, USA company!!!

[DrEvil]

Thanks for the comments. I have had an offer from a local company 'Solarpanelinstallerspv'.
They use Suntech solar panels? I am in the UK but the panels are from a reputable global brand I belive.

The panels are monocrystlline with an apparent efficiency of 14.8% seen here:
http://eu.suntech-power.com/en/products/products.html

They are offering the following for [B]

[russ]

Suntech is well known

The specs are good such as -
- Power Tolerance 0/+5%

The Suntech warranty is good -

• 25-year transferrable power output warranty: 5 years/95%,
12 years/90%, 18 years/85%, 25years/80%
• Based on nominal power
• 5 years material and workmanship warranty

The party that you mentioned are offering the same terms as any other installer are they not? No big deal

How long the super FIT is available is anyone's best guess - the government can stop that tomorrow or next year by decree.

That a 3 kW system supplies 200% of your power requirement is a bit of a stretch most likely - sounds like sales blather. The fact the company offers the testimonials that they do is a bit worrisome - shyster companies always love testimonials!

How much you might generate at your location depends - get several offers with whatever production estimate they might offer.

[DrEvil]

Thank you Mike, Xavier and Russ for the comments so far. A bit more reading this time I

[Naptown]

A few things
The enter key is your friend a bit more white space between sentences would be appreciated.

Please go to the string sizing tools of the inverters you are looking at and make sure a string of 7 or 8 will even trigger the inverter.

The Sanyo IMHO is not worth the money. The warranty is shorter and it depends on reflected light from the rear (dark roof no workee) to achieve the rated power.

You will most likely never see the rated power for more than a few minutes a year and with losses from inverters etc never.

[DrEvil]

...but Naptown - are you thinking of the Sanyo HIT Double (Bi-facial photovoltaic modules)? I am looking at the HIT Power N series - HIT-N240SE10 to be precise.
see here:http://us.sanyo.com/HIT-Power-Double
The HIT-N240SE10 don't 'require reflected light from the rear' do they - I have a dark roof!

[Naptown]

...but Naptown - are you thinking of the Sanyo HIT Double (Bi-facial photovoltaic modules)? I am looking at the HIT Power N series - HIT-N240SE10 to be precise.
see here:http://us.sanyo.com/HIT-Power-Double
The HIT-N240SE10 don't 'require reflected light from the rear' do they - I have a dark roof!

I could not find a data sheet on that module.
however the amorphous film layer and the reduced warranty make me skeptical.

[russ]

One feature of the model mentioned according to the (web site)

'Valuable Features HIT Power solar panels operate silently, have no moving parts' How in the world would you get moving parts into a solar panel?

Light from the reverse side will never provide enough energy to pay from itself on a white roof. I don't understand what they are thinking.

Quote, 'So whilst there is a substantial difference in cost, there is a substantial difference in return I am advised.' Most if not all of that is salesman's blather.

[s.xavier]

SMA inverters pretty nice and they had an interested promo running sometime back that if the inverter fails SMA would replace it and give you extra money Thats standing behind your product.... Aurora is a nice inverter as well so I'll leave choosing the system up to you.

The Sanyos are a touch pricey but they are indeed pretty neat. You may want to get a 5kW inverter so you can add on in the future if need be... 4kw or 5kw inverter about the same... beats buying another inverter in the future

[CarrieTaylor]

Hello guys I've been making my own panels. Bare in mind they're not the big mega watt panels you can just buy but they work. I can build a 80 watt panel for less than a $120.

[Sunking]

you can just buy but they work. I can build a 80 watt panel for less than a $120.

Whoopee, what a waste of time and money. I can buy a manufactured panel for $100 and they actually work and come with a warranty.

[Ray]

Does anybody know QJ brand solar panel??It is popular selling in SA.

[s.xavier]

Does anybody know QJ brand solar panel??It is popular selling in SA.

QJ looks like a chinese made module. Haven't done any work with the QJ so I'm sure they are in the same class as Trina Solar, SunTech etc.. The only thing when it comes with the Chinese Solar companies is stick with the larger players ... better in the long run