What is the best solar panel?

[GoingElectric]

I saw a recent article that Q cells seems to be the current favorite of installers.

Q Cells are very good product comparing to others. I would choose those myself, but not saying anyone else should.

[GoingElectric]

Any tier one panel will work. Price and availability may depend on region. To paraphrase one philosopher, the best solar panel is the one producing power on your house today.

Please remind me what "Tier 1" means?

[GoingElectric]

Beyond some basic level of quality, panels are a commodity.
Spend more time evaluating installers.
A poor install will always have a larger probability of lots of problems than panels.
Also, for a roof mount, get your roof inspected/serviced/reroofed as necessary.
A good install will last a long time.
Give your roof the highest probability of lasting as long.

Overall, be informed about PV. Doing so is your best and probably only defense against getting screwed.

Absolutely agree with that!
An excellent installer will get better results from average equipment, than the worse installer with the best premium equipment.

[Ampster]

Please remind me what "Tier 1" means?

https://www.evergreenelectrical.com....0manufacturers.

[J.P.M.]

Please remind me what "Tier 1" means?

Seems to me "Tier 1" is a buzz phrase for panels similar to CA restaurants' health board ratings which all seem to be "A". I'm not sure I'd want to eat at a slop chute that's lower than that any more than I'd buy and use a mongrel panel.

I think "Tier 1" means it's a non-junk panel but I haven't seen anything like a real qualitative standard applied to "Tier 1" by any recognized authority.
Nor have I seen such a rating on a panel data sheet or a panel ad.
I wonder who the "Tier1" police are.

[silversaver]

I am not sure who will be a tier 1 manufactures, but as a solar owner:

I am using Bosch panels now for almost 10 years, but Bosch has exit the solar market in US back in 2013. They still function as they should.

I had a good installer at the time of installation call Sullivan Solar power, but they are out of business now.

The roof has leak but I got it fixed with my own money since installer is out of business.

Gladly the SMA string inverter still working. Since it is a string inverter I don't have too much concern, it is ground lever service. I still have the number to the guy that install my solar system just in case I need help. The monitoring company is call Locus Energy and they are still in the market and working.


I will not find a small company that does only solar business. I rather find a company that perhaps does water heaters or roofing that is in the market with history just adding solar as one of their service. I do believe they will still be in the market today than fall with solar.

Good luck