Just bought 8.5kw Sunpower panels!!

[littleharbor]

would just testing the voltage work? I tried testing my other panel that I know is working, even under load (hooked to dead battery) it wouldn't produce amps on voltmeter but it would show the volts

Are you configuring your meter correctly? For current you need to take the positive lead and plug it into the correct input. That would be the input at the bottom

left on this meter.
Volt meter.jpg

[Brandon8791]

I did yes, it may be the fuse is blown, but I tried 2 different meters 😂 be my luck their both blown... may have to get another one to try it n see, or maybe hook up something up thatll put a strong load on it, I figured the battery would work but tried two different batteries too lol

[littleharbor]

I was going to mention the possibility of a blown fuse, but forgot. Doh!

[J.P.M.]

Yeah I got .40 a watt... I'm going by what the sunpower panels cost new. Its difference between buying say Michelin tires vs yang kang. Obviously Michelin is the better name brand and going to be better quality. New runs about $2/w vs the .40/w I got them for with very little use. Kinda like buying a used car that's say 6 months old. Save a decent amount, but not as much as being saved on these panels. Which I understand I can get other cheaper panels new for alittle bit more, but theres no risk involved on these panels considering theres a 60 day warranty from the seller n 30 day money back from ebay

Not my $$/choice/opinion/life and sure NOMB, but my and I'd guess other informed opinion would probably disagree with the validity of your analogies.

For one thing, it seems that informed opinion is coming around, after ~ 10 yrs. or so of watching/comparing it to just about everything else that's decent quality, Sunpower panels, while good, are no better in any demonstable way with respect to annual output or reliability than other stuff from reputable mfgs.

Comparing one panel to another is very much like comparing one garage door opener to another, or one toaster to another. They're pretty much all a commodity. If you swallow the S.P. hype, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but know you'll pay for your folly - if that's where the $2.00/Watt figure you're using came from.

For another, I'm not sure I'd buy used tires. I might buy a used car, but only as a grocery hauler, and then it sure wouldn't be a slightly used Mercedes - maybe a Toyota or a Ford.

Unless something has changed recently, you will not be able to buy new Sunpower panels by themselves for any price. Sunpower will not sell panels alone directly to you. Nor will most or any dealer or vendor, at least not with Sunpower's knowledge and acquiescence.

I don't understand where your $2.00/W number comes from. Nor do I agree with your statement of no risk for the used panels. You are essentially buying a pig in a poke.

If the goal is to get a system to offset some or all of an electric bill for some combination/mix of least long term cost and hassle as your lifestyle and opinions may dictate, seems to me a more valid way to set/determine cost difference between a system using used panels vs. a system using new panels might be to compare the upfront cost difference between new panels at ~ ($0.50/W + freight) - ($0.40/W), add in any +/- amounts for differences in B.O.S. (balance of system) components (the S.P. stuff might take ~ 20 % less racking for example), and any labor differences caused by using one panel over the other, and then reduce the cost of new paneled system by 30% of that system's cost. Compare the two bottom lines for long term cost, put some cost as you see fit ( a PITA factor) on the intangibles of risk and hassle as you see them, and choose the least cost option.

My guess is doing it that way may have more validity than some other ways, maybe even your $2.00/Watt method. I'd also SWAG (and only because it's not my $$ at stake), that even without the consideration of the greater uncertainty of used panels, the difference in bottom line, installed price would favor a new paneled system over a used paneled system if for no other reason (informed SWAG maybe) than that the loss of the 30% tax credit on the entire system will far outweigh the ~ ($0.10/W+ freight) cost savings by using used equipment.

You will certainly do what you want, and seem to have done so. Others who are considering following you example, may have some second thoughts, or get somethin g to think about if they read all my mental spoor.

Good luck. I hope it all works out well.

Take what you want of the above. Scarp the rest.

[Brandon8791]

Wanted to update everyone! Sorry it took so long. I got the 24 panels, the 360 watt ones are basically in new condition. The 345 watt panels (10 of them) were scratched up on the frames in a few places but nothing significant. One panel has what looks like a fogginess to the glass on the left side, and one panel had something dropped directly onto the glass shattering it unfortunately.

the company is however standing behind the two damaged panels n replacing them, theres 1 that has a few scuffs on the back paneling which I agreed to compensation since its fully outputting and plan to silicone over it.

I would upload pics but the file sizes are about 4 to 5 mb a piece n it only allows uploads of 2mb per upload

[Mike90250]

.... theres 1 that has a few scuffs on the back paneling which I agreed to compensation since its fully outputting and plan to silicone over it.

I would upload pics but the file sizes are about 4 to 5 mb a piece n it only allows uploads of 2mb per upload

1) silicone is not water vapor proof, you may get 5 years out of the repair, but consider it an expendable panel.

2) most photo editors let you easily reduce the file size to something more realistic (Irfanview guide follows)

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/65221/resizing-an-image-using-irfanview/

[Brandon8791]

Theres the pictures, moved a few, how they stacked them, fogging on the glass on one panel on the edge, n the damaged backing, and of course the broken panel. Faded glass and broken one will be replaced, scratched backing is gonna be siliconed but their offering to refund me $30 I paid around 125 to 130 per panel minus freight

EDIT: the more I look at the scratches on the backing the more I'm thinking it didnt go through to the cell except in that one tiny deep scratch maybe. Is it possibly safe?