What solar panel brands can I trust most?

[russ]

A few questions about a post boosting enphase systems if someone cares to reply please - some of the points don't make sense to me - excerts from a previous post follow:

4. "A BIG one, levelized cost of electricity. There is no $3000-5000 replacement of a major inverter in the second decade of service, otherwise standard with non-microinverter-based solar power arrays."

?seems like this is not a positive if you end up replacing individual panels over time due to inverter failures

7. "Easier, and cheaper, to design. Centralized inverters have to be designed to specific string sizes. Microinverters work on any string size from one on up. This saves a good amount of expensive engineering overhead."

? what is the big deal?

8. "Flexibility with mismatched modules and orientation. Traditional inverters require all solar panels to be exactly the same. With Enphase, they can mixed-and-matched. Also, unlike legacy systems, different sections of an array can be oriented in different directions, e.g. both west and south."

?correct - this is not exactly as I understand from other posts?

10. "Energy Harvest. This is probably the most important item: Enphase systems are proven producers of at least 10% (and up to 25%) MORE POWER, over identical installations of centralized inverter technology. This lowers the cost per watt produced, fewer expensive solar modules are needed to achieve the same output. Microinverters also operate efficiently at higher temperatures than big inverters, due to their digital components."

?Up to 25% more power generated?

12. "Monitoring. Enphase has an optional, but highly advanced "Enlighten" monitoring system that will email you if there's a systemic failure. This works especially well since each microinverter has an IP address. Other companies provide monitoring, but this system is simple, allows users to view performance and even post it on their website. A subscription fee applies, but there is no wiring required, since Enlighten transfers all data through the AC wiring itself."

?be interesting to have an idea of this ongoing cost?

13. "Overall Savings. Enphase makes the reasonable claim that its "Balance of System" and labor installation costs are 12-15% over previous systems, due to its simplicity. This is an overall gain of 20% for the ROI."

?an enphase system is really that much cheaper?

14. "Shading. Centralized inverters optimized each solar system to the weakest perfoming panel. A single maple leaf on a single panel can reduce overall efficiency by 3% across the entire array. Microinverters limit shading impact to a single panel."

?a single maple leaf = 3%?

15. "Basic efficiency. 95-95.5% CEC-rated efficiency is higher than average."

?correct? what would be average?

[SunGod]

A few questions about a post boosting enphase systems if someone cares to reply please - some of the points don't make sense to me - excerts from a previous post follow:

4. "A BIG one, levelized cost of electricity. There is no $3000-5000 replacement of a major inverter in the second decade of service, otherwise standard with non-microinverter-based solar power arrays."

?seems like this is not a positive if you end up replacing individual panels over time due to inverter failures
A: I know that Enphase will replace an inverter if it fails, they ship it out overnight. Even more interesting, it with this technology, you will find out if a Module fails. Its great to put the module manufacturers to the test .

7. "Easier, and cheaper, to design. Centralized inverters have to be designed to specific string sizes. Microinverters work on any string size from one on up. This saves a good amount of expensive engineering overhead."

? what is the big deal?
A: String sizing is a real pain, especially if you have multiple roof surfaces, angles etc. You just need good southern exposure, no more time really having to run calculations and playing with Autocad to make it work.

8. "Flexibility with mismatched modules and orientation. Traditional inverters require all solar panels to be exactly the same. With Enphase, they can mixed-and-matched. Also, unlike legacy systems, different sections of an array can be oriented in different directions, e.g. both west and south."

?correct - this is not exactly as I understand from other posts?
A: You can put different makers/watts on the same string. One inverter to one module. Just need good sun most of day.

10. "Energy Harvest. This is probably the most important item: Enphase systems are proven producers of at least 10% (and up to 25%) MORE POWER, over identical installations of centralized inverter technology. This lowers the cost per watt produced, fewer expensive solar modules are needed to achieve the same output. Microinverters also operate efficiently at higher temperatures than big inverters, due to their digital components."

?Up to 25% more power generated?
A: Ken's statement makes sense. Less copper. You loose power from the lenght of copper and then with the DC/AC conversion. With it right there, 1 to 1 instead of 30 to 1 on the inverter side, it will be more efficient. Less heat generated and seems components would last much much longer.

12. "Monitoring. Enphase has an optional, but highly advanced "Enlighten" monitoring system that will email you if there's a systemic failure. This works especially well since each microinverter has an IP address. Other companies provide monitoring, but this system is simple, allows users to view performance and even post it on their website. A subscription fee applies, but there is no wiring required, since Enlighten transfers all data through the AC wiring itself."

?be interesting to have an idea of this ongoing cost?
A: Their pricing is $2 per inverter per year or $9 per inverter for 5 years.

13. "Overall Savings. Enphase makes the reasonable claim that its "Balance of System" and labor installation costs are 12-15% over previous systems, due to its simplicity. This is an overall gain of 20% for the ROI."

?an enphase system is really that much cheaper?
A: It all kind of depends on your overall costs, utility usage. But it seems that you will get your money back quicker because you have a higher efficiency system.

14. "Shading. Centralized inverters optimized each solar system to the weakest perfoming panel. A single maple leaf on a single panel can reduce overall efficiency by 3% across the entire array. Microinverters limit shading impact to a single panel."

?a single maple leaf = 3%?
Shading on one module, does effect an entire array. Sad but true. Check it on wikipedia.

15. "Basic efficiency. 95-95.5% CEC-rated efficiency is higher than average."

?correct? what would be average?
A: From their Technical data sheet at 95/average I believe is 90%

[Mike90250]

I think enphase is baseing this on the "free razor" / expensive blades or
$15 printer / $19 ink marketing model.

The data stream from the inverters is encrypted. You can only use THEIR monitoring service, after the free install trial. With out the annual subscription to the monitoring, you have no way of judgeing output, or if one of your 20 modules/inverters is sick.

[Sunking]

Stick with manufactures like Sharp, BP Kyocera whose sole biz is not solar or RE applications. You want the manufacture to be in biz tomorrow to cover warranty issues and still carry the panels you bought yesterday available tomorrow for replacement and expansions. Use someone like Evergreen and they will not likely be in biz much longer.

[fromport]

You can only use THEIR monitoring service, after the free install trial. With out the annual subscription to the monitoring, you have no way of judgeing output, or if one of your 20 modules/inverters is sick.

I have successfully gained full acces to the EMU and am able to access all data from my local "brains". No need to pay enphase for full access to all my data (still within first year though so i can compare)

[solardood]

Any way you could share how you accessed the Enphase?

[fromport]

Any way you could share how you accessed the Enphase?

In short:
Open emu, insert SD card with new OS, boot from that with bootloader
Use serial console on the front.

[pvpbryan]

It depends on what you are looking for. Most manufacturers have 25 year power output warranties and 5 year product workmanship warranties. For lowest pricing, I'd say it is Yingli and Trina.

[fromport]

It depends on what you are looking for. Most manufacturers have 25 year power output warranties and 5 year product workmanship warranties. For lowest pricing, I'd say it is Yingli and Trina.

Somebody from north cali recently posted this on craiglist:

the containers full of Canadian Solar Inc. (CSI) solar panels that are currently sitting in our warehouse are 190 watt panels for $1.97 per watt, = $375 per panel; and thousands of 230 watt panels for $2.08 per watt/ $479 each.

According to the website of CSI is in business since 2001.
Panels are on the compatibility list of the Enphase Inverters (which is important for me)
Would it be a bad choice to choose such panels ?

[pvpbryan]

Somebody from north cali recently posted this on craiglist:



According to the website of CSI is in business since 2001.
Panels are on the compatibility list of the Enphase Inverters (which is important for me)
Would it be a bad choice to choose such panels ?

Considering they have a 25 year warranty and 6 year workmanship warranty, I'd say it'd probably be alright. However, a few things you need to be aware of:

- Make sure the above price is not the manufacturer's price, but the retail price
- Some dealers will offer a low price only to make it up in shipping costs
- Lastly, see what other people who have installed those panels think about them
- Panels are sold piece by piece instead of bulk

[b_fuentes]

panels!

Hey, I install panels. We mostly use SunPower - they are ranked with the top as far as efficiency, and I like them because of their sleek, modern, yet low profile look (compared to some other models). Also, BP has a slightly lower efficiency but last longer, they also look nice. Evergreen panels are good, and SunTech. I haven't used any others, but I'm sure any brand you've heard of would be a good choice!
The best steps to take from here are to
1. Check with a local installer to see what they think
2. If the brand they suggest to you is not one you want, ask if they use any other brands.
3. If you still don't like the selection, the best option is to find a company that ALREADY uses the panels you are looking for, rather than trying to get one company to change their methods.
4. The suggestions from the local company will probably be the best. They're trying to make the process as awesome as possible for you by buying the lowest cost, most efficient panel for your roof type.

Hope this helps!!
Brittany

[nate]

Proposals I'm comparing include SolarWorld, Yingli and Shuco. My hunch is they are all great and will perform fine. Any thoughts? How about appearance?

[Naptown]

All are good panels
The Solarworld are an american made module. Very good and can be competitive.
Yingli I have no experience with so can't offer an opinion.
Schuco are a good panel some are made in the US and some are made for them by Canadian Solar in China, and are identical in specification to the Canadian solar modules.
I would go for the lowest cost per watt installed if everything else is equal ( Inverter etc)

[arshadview]

never trust any brand

I'm extremely interested in getting solar panels for my home and wanted other people's recommendations of the brands they prefer. Thanks.

never trust brands practically check the solar module specifiction and if you want to buy more than one solar panels to make an array then choose the modules with same voltages

Mod note: Link removed

[Mike90250]

never trust brands .....

Brands are important, if you think you may ever want any warranty work done... All of the big brands have had issues in a batch of panels that take 2-5 years to show up, and have stood behind their products.