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  • Memars
    Junior Member
    • Nov 2024
    • 5

    #16
    Originally posted by J.P.M.

    As I have always suggested, buying low buck anything, especially PV equipment is the errand of a fool.
    Do deep research, meaning first learning how PV works and then set goals of what you want to accomplish.
    Then see what's available that meets your criteria.
    Then, spend more time and effort on finding an established electrical contractor who has been around long before PV got to be the darling of the well off and has sold PV for morethan a few years.
    Most problems with residential PV stem from vendors who are inexperienced and/or unprofessional.
    I get it. If I want to install the system by myself, I need to learn a lot or I will need to solve more problems then.Thanks

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    • littleharbor2
      Solar Fanatic
      • Jan 2016
      • 223

      #17
      Well, one thing is for sure if you're gonna buy 12 Volt panels, you're gonna pay top dollar. The larger the wattage, the better the price per Watt gets and with an MPPT controller you can use any voltage panels for a 12 Volt system say, or a 24 Volt system?
      2 Kw PV Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 460ah,

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      • sdold
        Moderator
        • Jun 2014
        • 1443

        #18
        Originally posted by Memars

        That's amazing! I will shop around though I don't need the system with that much power.Thanks for sharing.
        How much power do you need? 600 watts of panels is a very small system. I had a three-bedroom house in Northern CA with a lot of sun, and my 4000 watt system was barely enough to supply the 22-25 kWh each day average that I needed.

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        • J.P.M.
          Solar Fanatic
          • Aug 2013
          • 14995

          #19
          Originally posted by Memars

          I get it. If I want to install the system by myself, I need to learn a lot or I will need to solve more problems then.Thanks
          Not quite but close.
          It's obvious you'll need all that knowledge for DIY, but you'll need the knowledge just as much if turnkey vendor installed.
          In either case, unless you understand how all this works and what's available, at best you'll probably not get the best design and system and most bang for your buck from a vendor, and at worst, you'll get screwed.
          With vendors, the less you know the more you get screwed. Seen it happen a lot.

          Comment

          • Memars
            Junior Member
            • Nov 2024
            • 5

            #20
            Originally posted by sdold

            How much power do you need? 600 watts of panels is a very small system. I had a three-bedroom house in Northern CA with a lot of sun, and my 4000 watt system was barely enough to supply the 22-25 kWh each day average that I needed.
            I use a relatively small balcony power system, so four solar panels are enough for me, but of course I may upgrade my system in the future.

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            • sdold
              Moderator
              • Jun 2014
              • 1443

              #21
              Approximately how many kWh do you use per month, average?

              Comment

              • Brightside
                Junior Member
                • Feb 2025
                • 12

                #22
                Don’t go cheap on your panels, find one that makes sense, that has a 20,25 + year warranty, with a solid company that has been here, and will be here.

                Comment

                • J.P.M.
                  Solar Fanatic
                  • Aug 2013
                  • 14995

                  #23
                  Originally posted by Brightside
                  Don’t go cheap on your panels, find one that makes sense, that has a 20,25 + year warranty, with a solid company that has been here, and will be here.
                  Like Sunpower seemed to be, maybe ?

                  Good panels but way overpriced. Now they are only missed by those who bought their product and hype. Only possible good side is that like other quality panels, their panels don't seem to fail much.
                  As for not going cheap, other panels with equal high quality and reliability were always about 20-25 % less expensive in my area.
                  Bottom line: Panels are about the most reliable component/link of a residential PV system.
                  And while not trying to paint all installers with the same brush, installers are the least reliable link with most of the blame for that going to gullible/lazy customers who never did the necessary homework to avoid getting screwed and usually and blindly bought on low buck only and so allowed poor quality installers to survive and even thrive.

                  Which, BTY is why I'm not hopeful about your future prospects as described in your other post.
                  As laudable and high minded as your goals and your outlook may be, most potential customers don't care a hoot about your high ideals.
                  People's shortsighted care about quality stops at their wallet.
                  Last edited by J.P.M.; 02-07-2025, 07:41 PM.

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