DIY Solar Install

[Gilligan]

The only thing I can say is that you could probably save some money by sourcing the equipment from different vendors. That's not going to be as convenient as a all inclusive kit but I paid around the same price for a system twice that size.

Also be aware that if you're planning on doing the install yourself that those panels are big. So going to be a challenge getting them onto a roof without a second person or a machine.

Where do you suggest because I'd love to double that for that price as well!

[Markyrocks69]

Where do you suggest because I'd love to double that for that price as well!

I bought 20kw worth of sunpower high efficiency panels off of a fantastic seller off Ebay called santansolar for roughly 6000$ shipped . 60 x 340 watt panels that's appx 33c a watt. The shipping is expensive but they will actually sell in bulk for cheaper than advertised prices.

I got the rails off of solaris-shop.com, got 30x 12ft sticks of unirac for around 16-1800 shipped.

Bought the L feet, and other misc hardware on Ebay for relatively cheap to mount the panels.

I bought 2x sb 7.7 inverters off of invertersupply.com for 2800 shipped.

I spent probably another 1000-1500 on wire ect but each system is unique. I do have money in disconnects, breakers, conduit ect but even a kit isn't going to account for everything. I probably have more than 11 grand in but not much more but I could have built a 10kw system for at the very least 5000 less.

But ya Santan solar is great. Very happy with the quality of service. Those guys are legit. I was very skeptical of them at first but they really proved that they are the bar none best place to find cheap high quality panels.

I'd like to add that I don't work or benefit in anyway from santansolar. Also the panels I bought retail for 400$ apiece that I got for around 100$ apiece. This was over the winter so supply demand ect your results may very.

[nsgoldberg]

I bought 20kw worth of sunpower high efficiency panels off of a fantastic seller off Ebay called santansolar for roughly 6000$ shipped . 60 x 340 watt panels that's appx 33c a watt. The shipping is expensive but they will actually sell in bulk for cheaper than advertised prices.

I got the rails off of solaris-shop.com, got 30x 12ft sticks of unirac for around 16-1800 shipped.

Bought the L feet, and other misc hardware on Ebay for relatively cheap to mount the panels.

I bought 2x sb 7.7 inverters off of invertersupply.com for 2800 shipped.

I spent probably another 1000-1500 on wire ect but each system is unique. I do have money in disconnects, breakers, conduit ect but even a kit isn't going to account for everything. I probably have more than 11 grand in but not much more but I could have built a 10kw system for at the very least 5000 less.

But ya Santan solar is great. Very happy with the quality of service. Those guys are legit. I was very skeptical of them at first but they really proved that they are the bar none best place to find cheap high quality panels.

I'd like to add that I don't work or benefit in anyway from santansolar. Also the panels I bought retail for 400$ apiece that I got for around 100$ apiece. This was over the winter so supply demand ect your results may very.

This is great, thank you for the breakdown!

I looked at santansolar's listings and it seems like most of them are used panels. Is that what you purchased?

I'm not opposed to buying used panels, I actually didn't realize it was even an option. The only downside I really see is that you don't get the warranty with them, and you already have some degradation of the panels, depending on how long they were used.

I've also decided to go with microinverters, instead of optimizers and an inverter. It's actually cheaper and easier.

[Markyrocks69]

This is great, thank you for the breakdown!

I looked at santansolar's listings and it seems like most of them are used panels. Is that what you purchased?

I'm not opposed to buying used panels, I actually didn't realize it was even an option. The only downside I really see is that you don't get the warranty with them, and you already have some degradation of the panels, depending on how long they were used.

I've also decided to go with microinverters, instead of optimizers and an inverter. It's actually cheaper and easier.

They do sell used panels but the one I purchased were listed as new, never installed. The only thing I can say about buying from them is get a shipping quote from them first bc it can be expensive. I opted to have my panels delivered to a shipping terminal close to my house and they just forked them into my truck. It's cheaper this way rather than lift gate service to the house. Also make sure if you buy from them read the description of the listing bc they do sell panels with the labels removed for whatever reason, off grid use only. Dont ask me how they get their panels I'm assuming that they must have a relationship with sunpower. Also yes you dont get the factory warranty but as far as items in the system the panel is the least likely item to fail. I still don't have my system up and running yet, its been a marathon. I will say I tested like 10-15 panels out of 60 and they were all putting out more than they were rated for. Sunpower doesn't have a +/- 5% they manufacture like up to +5%. So sunpower panels should always equal or beat the label as far as production.

But ya I had some electrical issues I needed to square away, not that is settled I'm waiting on parts, a company sent me the wrong thing which I'm not happy about but in the next week or 2 I should have it wrapped up. Having to rearrange a bunch of stuff is a real time suck. But ya I'm not a fan of microinverters. I know that the ones big enough to handle a 300+ watt panel cost like 100+ a piece. That's completely on you. I had thought about buying the smaller cheaper ones but I couldn't justify losing 100 watts per panel. It's like 30% lose right out the gate.

[nsgoldberg]

They do sell used panels but the one I purchased were listed as new, never installed. The only thing I can say about buying from them is get a shipping quote from them first bc it can be expensive. I opted to have my panels delivered to a shipping terminal close to my house and they just forked them into my truck. It's cheaper this way rather than lift gate service to the house. Also make sure if you buy from them read the description of the listing bc they do sell panels with the labels removed for whatever reason, off grid use only. Dont ask me how they get their panels I'm assuming that they must have a relationship with sunpower. Also yes you dont get the factory warranty but as far as items in the system the panel is the least likely item to fail. I still don't have my system up and running yet, its been a marathon. I will say I tested like 10-15 panels out of 60 and they were all putting out more than they were rated for. Sunpower doesn't have a +/- 5% they manufacture like up to +5%. So sunpower panels should always equal or beat the label as far as production.

But ya I had some electrical issues I needed to square away, not that is settled I'm waiting on parts, a company sent me the wrong thing which I'm not happy about but in the next week or 2 I should have it wrapped up. Having to rearrange a bunch of stuff is a real time suck. But ya I'm not a fan of microinverters. I know that the ones big enough to handle a 300+ watt panel cost like 100+ a piece. That's completely on you. I had thought about buying the smaller cheaper ones but I couldn't justify losing 100 watts per panel. It's like 30% lose right out the gate.

Thanks for the info! Were those panels mono or poly? It seems like the only panels available at that price are polycrystalline. Still considering buying some of the used panels.

The microinverters are a little pricey, but I'll pay ~$2600 for 24 of them (and another $500 for the combiner), and then I don't have to worry about oversizing the inverter for future expansion. I can simply put new panels in with more microinverters.

Why did you have to rearrange? As in rearrange your grid on the roof?

[Markyrocks69]

Thanks for the info! Were those panels mono or poly? It seems like the only panels available at that price are polycrystalline. Still considering buying some of the used panels.

The microinverters are a little pricey, but I'll pay ~$2600 for 24 of them (and another $500 for the combiner), and then I don't have to worry about oversizing the inverter for future expansion. I can simply put new panels in with more microinverters.

Why did you have to rearrange? As in rearrange your grid on the roof?

My panels are poly but they do occasionally have mono. The only real major differenced is that mono are slightly smaller for the same watts as poly and the heat performance drop off is slightly better. Most people agree that the differences are pretty insignificant. The panels I bought are high efficiency so I'd assume that theyd perform better than just regular panels. The ones I got are wired in a way that only small sections are affected by shading instead of the whole panel.

My rearrangement was due to buying older inverters first and planning the system around them and then needing to buy different inverters and the requirements for the new ones being complete polar opposites of the old....

[Gilligan]

I was talking with my brother and his argument to go micro-inverters was that panels never produce their rated power in practice and that your string needs to get to 100v before the inverter really kicks on. Whereas with his micro-inverters he gets output before the sun is even fully up.

I'd love to hear if he is right or wrong because I don't want to just take one person's anecdotal evidence as fact!

[Markyrocks69]

Hes right that it takes a certain amount of volts b4 a string inverter will kick on but 100v is literally like nothing, if you have 24 panels it's like what 4v per panel. They probably put that out in the dark, just from moonlight.

[Gilligan]

Hes right that it takes a certain amount of volts b4 a string inverter will kick on but 100v is literally like nothing, if you have 24 panels it's like what 4v per panel. They probably put that out in the dark, just from moonlight.

That's a LOT of panels on one string isn't it?

Like a SB7.7 is rated for 10amps of current per string and up to 480v. If you have 340w panels that put out 42v (Like a Sunpower 340 P17)... you won't be able to put 24 panels on a string.

Do I understand that correctly?

[ButchDeal]

I was talking with my brother and his argument to go micro-inverters was that panels never produce their rated power in practice and that your string needs to get to 100v before the inverter really kicks on. Whereas with his micro-inverters he gets output before the sun is even fully up.

I'd love to hear if he is right or wrong because I don't want to just take one person's anecdotal evidence as fact!

Well if the comparison is micro to solaredge then your brother is wrong. SolarEdge has buck/BOOST voltage regulators so they can and do come on before micros..

I am not sure where he is getting the 100V from

[Markyrocks69]

That's a LOT of panels on one string isn't it?

Like a SB7.7 is rated for 10amps of current per string and up to 480v. If you have 340w panels that put out 42v (Like a Sunpower 340 P17)... you won't be able to put 24 panels on a string.

Do I understand that correctly?

I wasn't describing my use case if you have 24 panels I'd assume that theyd all be connected to the same inverter. Even if it was only 10 panels in a string. That's 10v per panel. Mine were putting out 400+ at sunset

[Mike90250]

I wasn't describing my use case if you have 24 panels I'd assume that theyd all be connected to the same inverter. Even if it was only 10 panels in a string. That's 10v per panel. Mine were putting out 400+ at sunset

400V might be voltage, but at sunset, there will be very little power, maybe 3-10 watts at most...

[Markyrocks69]

400V might be voltage, but at sunset, there will be very little power, maybe 3-10 watts at most...

Ok who cares, this is a pointless path this conversation is going. Do your own research don't listen to your brother. I tell my brother whatever you think is right do the opposite bc you're most likely wrong.

[Gilligan]

Ok who cares, this is a pointless path this conversation is going. Do your own research don't listen to your brother. I tell my brother whatever you think is right do the opposite bc you're most likely wrong.

Pump your brakes man... the guy that you responded to, wasn't me.

I GET why 400v matters even if you have 3-10 watts, because we are talking about turn on voltage.

Please make sure you aren't throwing my conversation out because you think someone else's reply is mine.

[Gilligan]

Can you put 24 inverters without massive clipping on one MPPT?

I'm getting that data from this datasheet.