Feeler: How much can I sell a 4 year old 19.25kw system for?

[J.P.M.]

JPM, thanks for the donation idea. That's a good backup if Craiglist doesn't work out. If neither of those is a good deal, I'll split the system in two and give two family members systems....assuming I can find somebody to install them.

We aren't tearing our house down for another few months but I'll update this post when it happens (also with the Tesla Solar Glass Roof). Thanks again.

You're welcome. Thank you far the promise of updates.

[SunEagle]

Many folks ask high prices on craigslist but if they get the price they are asking is another story. Same thing with Ebay, I see folks listing items for high prices but when I search the completed versus sold prices its obvious that the high priced stuff just never gets sold. That said, installation cost is gone and someone is going to have remove the old system carefully, pack and protect it so that is money is out of your pocket or the purchaser. If you sell it to someone, the type of person looking for a deal rarely has insurance for them getting injured on the job so make sure your insurance covers injuries to people you are selling equipment to. Plan that whoever shows up will have blatantly underestimated the task and you will need to plan in plenty of your own time to keep an eye on them. Sun Electronics has had used panels listed for sale in the 30 cents/watt range in their emails. The solar edge optimizers and inverters probably are best sold on Ebay.

Lot to be said for JPMs suggestion if you can find the right charity.

BTW, Testa does not sell a glass roof, they sell a roof that is mostly injected molded plastic covered by glass panels. Injected molded plastic on a hot roof does not give me lot of confidence on longevity. The glass panels probably will not fail but what is holding them in place is far less likely to last in the long term. Nevertheless it sounds like you have money to burn so good luck.

In the past DOW introduced shingles that generated power from the sun. Those things failed due to heat build up. They stopped making them back in 2016.

I hope Tesla has found a way to get rid of the heat so the solar part functions better then what DOW did.

[peakbagger]

Many folks ask high prices on craigslist but if they get the price they are asking is another story. Same thing with Ebay, I see folks listing items for high prices but when I search the completed versus sold prices its obvious that the high priced stuff just never gets sold. That said, installation cost is gone and someone is going to have remove the old system carefully, pack and protect it so that is money is out of your pocket or the purchaser. If you sell it to someone, the type of person looking for a deal rarely has insurance for them getting injured on the job so make sure your insurance covers injuries to people you are selling equipment to. Plan that whoever shows up will have blatantly underestimated the task and you will need to plan in plenty of your own time to keep an eye on them. Sun Electronics has had used panels listed for sale in the 30 cents/watt range in their emails. The solar edge optimizers and inverters probably are best sold on Ebay.

Lot to be said for JPMs suggestion if you can find the right charity.

BTW, Testa does not sell a glass roof, they sell a roof that is mostly injected molded plastic covered by glass panels. Injected molded plastic on a hot roof does not give me lot of confidence on longevity. The glass panels probably will not fail but what is holding them in place is far less likely to last in the long term. Nevertheless it sounds like you have money to burn so good luck.

[preilly44]

JPM, thanks for the donation idea. That's a good backup if Craiglist doesn't work out. If neither of those is a good deal, I'll split the system in two and give two family members systems....assuming I can find somebody to install them.

We aren't tearing our house down for another few months but I'll update this post when it happens (also with the Tesla Solar Glass Roof). Thanks again.

[J.P.M.]

Thanks Ampster for the response Ampster. I'm glad I got at least one reasonable response. It's ridiculous to say there is no market for used panels because of no solar credit, that's like saying there is no market for used Tesla's because there is no $7500 tax credit. As long as the used price is a good amount lower than the new price with the tax credit, there is a market. I checked out craigslist and it looks like that is the way to go.

Thanks again for the response.

Whether you think all the responses save one so far are unserious, in the interest of information exchange, I'd be interested to see a bill of sale showing what price/terms you get if/when the array does sell.

I was going to guess a total system sell price of no more than ~ 1/4 to maybe 1/3 of the lowest going rate you can find per watt for panels alone and only then if you include packing, insurance and freight in the price, and that's only if you get lucky and find a DIYer who didn't know much and lets you breakdown and ship before inspection of a running system.

So, maybe a couple grand less dealer prep, freight, etc. if you get real lucky.

If I was doing it, knowing want I think I might know, if I thought the thing was worth > $5K or so (which I don't, but appraisers are a slippery bunch sometimes), I'd get it appraised, check your tax situation (you'll lose the option to take the std. deduction and must itemize on your federal return at least), and then, sort of like giving a vehicle to a charity, donate it to a 503C as household goods. Just know there are a few hoops to jump through, but they're not too difficult. Know that if you donate, the "household goods" donated must be in good condition - I'd assume for an array that means working, My guess is you might do better by gaming the tax system than peddling the panels.


FWIW, like it or not, I believe Mike's 4 statements on the subject are a fair representation of reality and so reasonable. But what we all may think or have convinced ourselves of matters less than muskrat crap. A thing is only worth as much as the highest price someone is willing too pay - or less.

[Ampster]

Life is full of cynics. Keep us informed on how it goes. That includes the the Tesla Glass roof

[preilly44]

Thanks Ampster for the response Ampster. I'm glad I got at least one reasonable response. It's ridiculous to say there is no market for used panels because of no solar credit, that's like saying there is no market for used Tesla's because there is no $7500 tax credit. As long as the used price is a good amount lower than the new price with the tax credit, there is a market. I checked out craigslist and it looks like that is the way to go.

Thanks again for the response.

[Ampster]

Where is it located? There seems to be a market for used systems in the Bay Area of Northern California. I do not have a clue about the numbers but, I bought two sets of used Sunpower panels from some vendors I found on CL.

[Mike90250]

Used systems have no tax benifit
Buyers likely don't want used.
someone may take it for free, or you may have to pay trash man to dump them.

Not much of a market for used solar gear, sorry

[preilly44]

Lol.

[Sunking]

Pay me $1000, and I will haul it off for you.

[preilly44]

I'm going to be tearing down my house and rebuilding with a Tesla Solar Glass Roof and I will need to sell my 19.25kw system with my 67 Suniva Opt 275-60 solar panels and my 3 Solar Edge Inverters (2 RSE7600a's and 1 SE3800). I'm guessing I'll be listing them on Craigslist and Ebay (for pickup only). Does anybody have any idea what I could get for the system?

Thanks in advance!