Looking to sell an old system

[graeaglecrawler]

I've been lurking for a while but never posted and I bought this used system thinking I was going to install it but never did. I currently have a heat pump water heater for the summer and thermo-syphon system plumbed to my wood stove for the winter. The collectors are new and the tank and heat exchanger, pumps,etc. are used.

https://reno.craigslist.org/app/d/solar-hot-water-system/6233463155.html

[graeaglecrawler]

Is there a better place to sell used solar equipment, anyone? Thanks

[J.P.M.]

Is there a better place to sell used solar equipment, anyone? Thanks

E bay ?

[LucMan]

Scrap yard

[peakbagger]

Sorry to say, but its going to be tough sell. Solar thermal is pretty dead technology now that the price of PV has dropped so significantly. The equipment looks dated and what you think are panels appear to only be part of a panel. What you have are the "guts" and they have to be installed in a insulated box with low iron glass. The only real value is if someone has an older system that they are trying to keep running and they might have use for the controller. Your best place to sell is craigslist and maybe some "dreamer" will decide to take a shot at it. If he comes to see it be willing to negotiate as the scrap value is minimal.

[britanyweel]

Does anyone know if there are some great platforms for selling such things without loosing too much money?

[Balerenes]

I don't this that Craigslist is the right platform for such a system. I mean, just think about the delivery! But ok, the biggest issue is that people are not going on Craigslist to buy such items. Plus, I think not so many people use this platform now, as the quality decreased significantly. Try to search some alternatives for Craigslist. I think you might find your buyer on forums. Search for some forums specialized in sustainable energy, or electricity and post your panel there. I guess the engagement to your post will be much higher than on Craigslist were people are going for buying cheap stuff.

[Solordabber]

I don't know. I think these systems are great. Especially for a tinkerer like me. I have thermistors with digital led readouts all over my system and I enjoy going out to the garage to check on my latest harvest. This was mostly available to me because of Craigslist at very low cost and I like that it gives this worthwhile equipment a new home.

I know I can't compete with the running cost of photovoltaic and net metering. Especially if I bought my system new and paid for installation but I'm afraid net metering might not be here forever. At least in it's current form. Utilities have ways to make up for net metering by increasing the cost of other things like charging more for natural gas even though gas has been cheaper due to fracking which drove me to install hydronic heating to begin with.

Also, the California Public Utility Commission just recently voted down (fortunately) a new net metering tariff that would have raised our base monthly electricity charge from $10 per month to between $70 to $90 per month. (Decision 16-01-044).

I'm just mentioning this because there are some that say solar thermal is dead. I just think it's on a temporary hold.

Just for fun I did a test on my first solar thermal panel that I bought for $150 off of Craigslist. It was an Alten 4'x8' panel that I leaned against the garage door and connected an input and output hose with a pump to a plastic trash can with about 50 gallons of water in it. Then I turned on the pump for one hour and measured the temperature increase. In that time the temperature went from 60 to 110 degrees. My engineer student son calculated that the panel had an output of around 7,000 watts and then went to one of his professors who did a very quick calculation by rounding all the numbers and coming up with 7,000 watts. Not bad for one 4x8 panel! My son said the professor stood back looking over his calculations and said in disgust "but this is such a lousy form of energy". It's true I can't mine bitcoin with it, at least not directly.