4kW system installion in Santee, CA

[sensij]

When I was getting quotes several months ago, one installer wanted to use Axitec panels. On paper, they look pretty good... but for whatever reason, most of the panels do not score well by the methods used by this group, especially when compared to the score of common Canadian Solar panels. If you want to use those scores as a reason to protest your installers swap, it might be worth contacting that organization to see if they can offer more information on why the scores are what they are.

[J.P.M.]

$4.33/Watt seems high. Also big + 1 on Thejq's comment on panel change.

[MikeInRialto]

I dint like idea if the brand being changed as well. I knife that smaller systems don't get as good as pricing that larger systems get, but I think can probably do a but better than that. From what I've seen $1800 sounds good on the panel.

Look up the coast of that brand of panel vs Canadian Solar - if there is a significant difference, Perthshire you can renegotiate.

[thejq]

I found this site while searching for info on panels and systems.

I've done my homework and have had MULTIPLE quotes. I've learned that Leases are bad....cars or solar. I looked at self-installation, but decided that I don't have the time or the manpower.

I've chosen a company. I don't know the rules on mentioning their name, so I'll just go into the details.

Quoted:
Canadian Solar 250W x 16 panels
Enphase Mircro-Inverters X 16.
Power panel upgrade to 200A service.
Includes all hardware, connections, switches.
Total $19,140

I've had quotes for the panel upgrade and they seem to average about $1800 with permits, so I figure my bottom line is $17,340 for a 4kW system. Installed with an installation warranty. That puts me at $4.34/kW and they dropped their price after one of my bids was the same cost as the original bid.

I guess the question, is now I'm told that they will be installing German Axitec 250W panels, although our original contract was for Canadian Solar.

Has anyone used both? Can you compare the two?

Not wanting to sound alarmed, but any installer who wants to deviate from the original contract, especially to a brand that no one heard of (or at least not very common) is a huge red flag. There're many members here installed Canadian Solar with good feed backs. Personally I'd insist on CS. Also at $4.34/W (without the panel upgrade), you're paying roughly $1/W more than the average quotes I see from San Diego County. I'm not sure if you have a particularly difficult installation or not, so maybe you can clarify.

[SD_Rider]

Canadian Solar is definitely Chinese panels. I think I read that they are assembled in Canada.

Not much on the web about Axitec.

[solar pete]

I found this site while searching for info on panels and systems.

I've done my homework and have had MULTIPLE quotes. I've learned that Leases are bad....cars or solar. I looked at self-installation, but decided that I don't have the time or the manpower.

I've chosen a company. I don't know the rules on mentioning their name, so I'll just go into the details.

Quoted:
Canadian Solar 250W x 16 panels
Enphase Mircro-Inverters X 16.
Power panel upgrade to 200A service.
Includes all hardware, connections, switches.
Total $19,140

I've had quotes for the panel upgrade and they seem to average about $1800 with permits, so I figure my bottom line is $17,340 for a 4kW system. Installed with an installation warranty. That puts me at $4.34/kW and they dropped their price after one of my bids was the same cost as the original bid.

I guess the question, is now I'm told that they will be installing German Axitec 250W panels, although our original contract was for Canadian Solar.

Has anyone used both? Can you compare the two?

Howdy SD Rider,

I haven't heard of the Axitec panels before, but there are hundreds of panels out there so that might not mean to much. In Australia there are a couple of Companies with German names and indeed they have offices in Germany but they buy teir 2 Chinese panels and put their names on them. These panels are typically crap, so I would dig into that company to see if they are indeed made in Germany or are they really a tier 2 Chinese panel. I know Canadian are a good panel and a good company but I think their panels might be made in China now too, not sure.

P.S There is nothing wrong with good tier 1 chinese panels like Trina and Jinko we have been using them for years with almost no problems.

Read up and hopefully someone will be along that knows about Axitec, cheers

[SD_Rider]

I found this site while searching for info on panels and systems.

I've done my homework and have had MULTIPLE quotes. I've learned that Leases are bad....cars or solar. I looked at self-installation, but decided that I don't have the time or the manpower.

I've chosen a company. I don't know the rules on mentioning their name, so I'll just go into the details.

Quoted:
Canadian Solar 250W x 16 panels
Enphase Mircro-Inverters X 16.
Power panel upgrade to 200A service.
Includes all hardware, connections, switches.
Total $19,140

I've had quotes for the panel upgrade and they seem to average about $1800 with permits, so I figure my bottom line is $17,340 for a 4kW system. Installed with an installation warranty. That puts me at $4.34/kW and they dropped their price after one of my bids was the same cost as the original bid.

I guess the question, is now I'm told that they will be installing German Axitec 250W panels, although our original contract was for Canadian Solar.

Has anyone used both? Can you compare the two?