Sunpower vs Canadian Solar vs REC Solar

[csriram45]

Hello,

I am trying to understand few things. I have the following quotes for solar installation

16 Sunpower X series 345W - $27,368
6 kw Canadian Solar system - $19,200
6 Kw REC Solar system - 17,100

All of the above prices are before the tax credit of 30%. The second and third quotes are from local installers so not sure if they would be around during the entire warranty period while the 1st sunpower one is from a elite dealer.....

Question: Are the Sunpower panels really worth the addition $7K is cost? Will the cost over the length of say 10 years come ahead vs investing the additional 7k somewhere else?...

[silversaver]

All 3 quotation were nice especially the #2 and 3 for Canadian Solar and REC.

What type of inverter are they offering? any warranty from installer? turn key service? monitoring service?

[russ]

No 2 or 3 and plan that worst case you carry your own warranty

[csriram45]

Ok thank you for confirming that 2 or 3 is better. They all have warranty just like everyone else for 10 years etc. the question is how long they stay in business is a concern which can be said the same for the sunpower dealers too.

Between 2 and 3 which is preferred? Are both the panels on par? Both pricing are with emphase inverters and since I have no shading I could save even more if I went with a string inverter. Been split between the 2.

[silversaver]

With the price before Fed incentive, you can't go wrong with #2 or 3 since your out the pocket is so low and plus Enphase micro inverters. The only concern now is the installation job. I will prefer Enphase micro inverter since monitoring service are free with purchase of equipement. Anything goes wrong, call the manufacture for warranty replacement. Installer out the business? No problem. There are installers out there, all you need is giving them your log on and they will monitoring your system for you for free. They get pay from manufacture.

[SolarQuadrant]

Hello - Would you please PM The REC Solar dealer details? I am looking for options in the Bay Area too. - Thanks

[KRenn]

Hello,

I am trying to understand few things. I have the following quotes for solar installation

16 Sunpower X series 345W - $27,368
6 kw Canadian Solar system - $19,200
6 Kw REC Solar system - 17,100

All of the above prices are before the tax credit of 30%. The second and third quotes are from local installers so not sure if they would be around during the entire warranty period while the 1st sunpower one is from a elite dealer.....

Question: Are the Sunpower panels really worth the addition $7K is cost? Will the cost over the length of say 10 years come ahead vs investing the additional 7k somewhere else?...

Something is very wrong with your pricing. You have the SunPower panels at $5.00 a watt and you have the other panels around $3.00 a watt or under. The SunPower pricing makes sense for that part of California, the others don't. Are you subtracting utility rebates in those price figures? I know for a fact that REC modules aren't going for under $3.00 a watt gross in California, heck they're not even going for under $3.00 a watt gross in places like Arizona where solar is far cheaper.

Can you list the gross prices for all the systems before any rebates are deducted? It seems some dealer may be trying to pull your leg by deliberately masking the pricing.


The expected pricing on the Canadian system, before any incentives, should be roughly $21,000-$23,000. For the REC system you're looking at $23,000 to $24,000.

[silversaver]

His quotation is pretty low perhaps from local small installer who needs business

[KRenn]

His quotation is pretty low perhaps from local small installer who needs business

No, the numbers are off. The bottom two have to be after incentives. You don't see systems going for less than $3 a watt ANYWHERE in California, smaller installer or otherwise, you couldn't afford to stay in business.

[russ]

His quotation is pretty low perhaps from local small installer who needs business

How much do you expect the installer costs per kW?

[silversaver]

How much do you expect the installer costs per kW?

Canadian solar cs6p -250p 250W $244 x 24 = $5856
ephase m215 $138 x 24 = $3312
ephase accesories/cable/monitor $2332
unirack $1658
Other accessories $1123

Total about $14000 + tax and shipping

Labor + permit $3000

but I have to pay for the parts myself. I got a local installer quote me that number and he only does the installation. He will monitor the output and take care of warranty if necessary since manufacture take care the cost.

The parts quotation are from civicsolar

I think you experts know better than me about the cost of materials


To answer to your question, I need to know what are you asking. the real cost or with profits? I'm sure they pay sub not too much... It is a 1 day job.

[csriram45]

No the pricing for #2 and #3 are correct and if you say that this is insanely cheap then I would rather lock it in now .

I know I got a really good deal on. SunPower system too with some haggling for the Norther CA area but the REC and Canadian system just seem to say that its not worth paying extra for the SP system.

As I mentioned in my original post, the quotes are from small time installers though except for SP one

[KRenn]

No the pricing for #2 and #3 are correct and if you say that this is insanely cheap then I would rather lock it in now .

I know I got a really good deal on. SunPower system too with some haggling for the Norther CA area but the REC and Canadian system just seem to say that its not worth paying extra for the SP system.

As I mentioned in my original post, the quotes are from small time installers though except for SP one

I'm telling you, something is wrong with those numbers. I would make sure to ask very detailed questions on pricing, because that is below even Arizona and Texas pricing, both of which have marginally cheaper solar than California. Don't get locked into a contract you can't later get out of. I called up a few local installers in Nor Cal, including a couple smaller ones and NOBODY came close to that pricing pre-incentives.


Based on my experience in the industry, when there's that kind of discrepancy, its not that so much that someone is giving you a great deal, as much as it is someone not giving you all the facts. Specifically ask them for the pricing before any incentives, the total gross price of the system, as well as any related warranties, also query these 2 installers on what their history is like, how many systems they've installed, ask for references...etc.

[Naptown]

What would you think This costs in Maryland
240 ET300 poly's
5 Fronius IG+10.0-1 inverters
2 Fronius IG+ 11.4 -1 inverters
Schletter FS ground mount racking
7 Combiner boxes
new 400A service to accomodate a line tap
2 new meters (one to sub meter and one for SREC's
Installed turnkey

72 KW

[csriram45]

Ok I will double check all fine print. #2 works out to $3.2/kw prior to rebates and #3 even less of course. Will gather more details as well.