Solar Cell from Ebay - lifetime

[asafloz]

Hi,

before a ear ago I built 120 W solar panel ,
I bought the cells from ebay ,
the problem that there lifetime is limited,
Does anyone have experince with vell that live longer ?
Does anyone can point on a internet seller(ebay or other site) that sell cell with good life time ?

Thanks.

[Mike90250]

home built solar panels, can rarely be sealed from moisture, and moisture + electricty is what destroys the panels (the cells). Folks that live in the southwest desert (Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, SoCalif) where there is low humidity, get longer lifetimes.

Sorry.

[asafloz]

yeah I know thats,

how long does the cells without moisture can live (ebay or internet cell) ?
Does anyone have experince ?

[Mike90250]

yeah I know thats,

how long does the cells without moisture can live (ebay or internet cell) ?
Does anyone have experince ?

At least 40 years . First units built are still working at >80% power. It's the moisture combined with the surface wires, and the layers the cell is made of.

[Sunking]

Like most things on EBay you are taking your chances. With respect to solar panels they are mostly either factor rejects/defects, discontinued models, or from companies like Evergreen who have gone bankrupt or out of business. In most cases they do not come with any warranty, and it will be very difficult to get a replacement or more panels for expansions. You pays your money, you take your chances.

[asafloz]

Does any one know a reliable ebay seller ? that he have experince of years with his panel he built from the ebay seller ? I am looking for such one.

[Mike90250]

.....discontinued models, or from companies like Evergreen who have gone bankrupt or out of business. ......

You must have had a bad experience with evergreen, always bashing them.

They have just announced a higher efficiency panel, using micro wires on the cell fronts, that block little light from the underlying panel.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=eslr they are NOT bankrupt, and like many business, in tough times. They got stiffed by Barclays and Lehman Brothers, chose bad partners in Sovello & SilPro, they have problems, but aren't dead, till everyone stops buying them. They have washed a lot of debt off their books, and they still have the State of Massachusetts wanting them to succeed. With their high tech mfg process that uses 50% less of raw material. Stock is cheap, I may buy some...

[Sunking]

Stock is cheap, I may buy some...

Have looked at their quarterly reports, financial statements and tracked their stock? right now they are at 86-cents, down 50% from a month ago. Down 92% from their peak 2 years ago. They are a ghost company. Their monthly obligations far exceed their income. They owe many time more than the company is worth. I am not bashing them, I am warning folks to stay away.