suniva OPT260-60-4-1b0 vs Solarworld sw-02-5071US. Please help

[markh_dinh]

Installation is scheduled at end of the month with suniva OPT260-60-4-1b0 panels. Due to unvavailability, installer wants to swap out panels with Solarworld sw-02-5071US. Unfortunately I have no clue whether this is a fair swap. Please help.

[bonaire]

Civic Solar has a new special on similar Sunivas (OPT260-60-4-100-BAA), I just an emailer from them. Something like $292/module.

I wanted my installer to consider Suniva US-made modules but we went with SolarWorld SW 255 Mono 2.0 units. They're about the same, really. The model you show is just 5W higher than the 255s I ended up using. I'm someone who wanted "USA-made" so these were my 2 choices I decided between.

What inverter(s) will you use? For me, we went with two PowerOne Aurora 3.6. Came out pretty well, commissioned this past Monday.

[markh_dinh]

Civic Solar has a new special on similar Sunivas (OPT260-60-4-100-BAA), I just an emailer from them. Something like $292/module.

I wanted my installer to consider Suniva US-made modules but we went with SolarWorld SW 255 Mono 2.0 units. They're about the same, really. The model you show is just 5W higher than the 255s I ended up using. I'm someone who wanted "USA-made" so these were my 2 choices I decided between.

What inverter(s) will you use? For me, we went with two PowerOne Aurora 3.6. Came out pretty well, commissioned this past Monday.

will be putting up enphase m215-60-240* micro inverters. I have a lot about solar these past weeks but I still don't really know the differences among the many solar panels. I don't think these people are doing a bait and switch thing but I just want to make sure. congrats on your system.

[bonaire]

What made you go Enphase - was it shading or any other issues? The 215 will clip at some point and not allow the 260W panels to produce their peak power, during mid-day on the best days, but that's ok since they rarely do hit peak except for really good sun days. PowerOne has some new 250W and 300W microinverters out now as well.

[markh_dinh]

What made you go Enphase - was it shading or any other issues? The 215 will clip at some point and not allow the 260W panels to produce their peak power, during mid-day on the best days, but that's ok since they rarely do hit peak except for really good sun days. PowerOne has some new 250W and 300W microinverters out now as well.

It wasn't my decision. That was the system that the installer proposed and I didn't have any reason to disagree. As far as I know there is no shading or any issue with our roof. Are you saying that the inverter is the bottle neck of this system and will cause the panels not to operate at their peeks?

[Naptown]

It wasn't my decision. That was the system that the installer proposed and I didn't have any reason to disagree. As far as I know there is no shading or any issue with our roof. Are you saying that the inverter is the bottle neck of this system and will cause the panels not to operate at their peeks?

there may be some isolated times when the inverters may clip
However lack of some other derate factors at times (almost all year except for perhaps an few hours ) more than makes up for this.

[rick1]

there may be some isolated times when the inverters may clip
However lack of some other derate factors at times (almost all year except for perhaps an few hours ) more than makes up for this.

I have friends that replaced two of their three string inverters with Enphase micro inverters and are reporting a 10% increase on the micro strings compaired to the string inverter.

[markh_dinh]

I have friends that replaced two of their three string inverters with Enphase micro inverters and are reporting a 10% increase on the micro strings compaired to the string inverter.

Guess i will be getting the suniva after all. Not sure if that is a good thing but at least it is according to plan. Thanks for all the replies.

[russ]

I have friends that replaced two of their three string inverters with Enphase micro inverters and are reporting a 10% increase on the micro strings compaired to the string inverter.

How do they make the comparison? Often it is not apples to apples.

[bonaire]

If the string inverters being replaced were aging or wrongly configured or optimized for the string voltage, maybe the increased output is substantiated. We'd need to know more about those old ones. Also - why did they replace inverters anyway? Were they 10-years old? Faulty?

[Naptown]

I have friends that replaced two of their three string inverters with Enphase micro inverters and are reporting a 10% increase on the micro strings compaired to the string inverter.

This is a bit better than the empirical data which Enphase claims about a 7% increase in harvest. Realize also that weather can play into this also the Enlighten is not revenue grade so can be off by a couple of %

How do they make the comparison? Often it is not apples to apples.

See above

[russ]

People reporting events generally tailor the responses to make themselves look good.

[jigs]

Op, getting the same system as yours and need your help...

Installation is scheduled at end of the month with suniva OPT260-60-4-1b0 panels. Due to unvavailability, installer wants to swap out panels with Solarworld sw-02-5071US. Unfortunately I have no clue whether this is a fair swap. Please help.

Hi Op,

I am getting the same exact Suniva 260 mono black on black with enphase 215 micro. I am also getting the same number of (24) panels as you possibly next week. And coincidentally, I had the same issue where I was told they are not available because of popular demand and offered me to switch with Canadian Solar and now it seems they did find the Suniva with another distrib out of east coast. It was almost as if it was my post

I have a few Q:

1. Are you happy with the performance of your system ?
2. What is the daily output you are getting on your system ? I am in the West coast in SoCal with good southern facing sun.
3. Can you share a pic of your installation. Are you happy with the looks of the panels on your roof !?
4. Finally is your system installed on a tile roof, if so, what kind of tile bracket / mount system was used ? My installer (a roofing company) only recommends using Pro Solar Fast Jacks which does involve cutting the tiles. They say Tile brackets are not recommended in high wind areas such as ours (Inland empire).

Thank you for your response and help.

[MGE]

Jigs dont mean to butt in on the original poster but I installed 34 of the Suniva 260w panels with the m215 microinverters and couldn't be happier here in San Diego . Iv'e been on-line now for 95 days and have generated 4.45mw to date. No issues yet. Mine are installed on 2 flat roofs with slope to the south (17) and west (11) and 1 more roof sloped to the west (6).

[jigs]

Jigs dont mean to butt in on the original poster but I installed 34 of the Suniva 260w panels with the m215 microinverters and couldn't be happier here in San Diego . Iv'e been on-line now for 95 days and have generated 4.45mw to date. No issues yet. Mine are installed on 2 flat roofs with slope to the south (17) and west (11) and 1 more roof sloped to the west (6).

No worries at all. I appreciate a reply finally . I already have my 24 Suniva 260w panels up for a week now and City inspection is already complete. Waiting for Edison to make its changes and issue a PTO. 20 of them South facing, 4 on the north side of the roof which also is generating almost as much as the south facing ones. Maybe in winter, it will suffer quite a bit.

I had it on for 2.5 days, it generated around 100kw. Max it has generated is 40kw a day. So pretty satisfied with the system. My usage is about 1200kw and could not ask for a better system. I was looking for a 70-80% system but I have got close to a 100% system.

Can you let me know if you waited to turn on the system till after the Edison PTO ?