Where to pick up a few solar PV panels?

unkel

If delivery not possible, or very expensive, I might be willing to collect anywhere in Ireland (including Northern Ireland)

Anyone do these for reasonable money? I'm looking for 2 panels 330W ideally, but 250W/275W/300W will do too

I don't mind if they are second hand, or B-grade

rolion

unkel wrote: »

If delivery not possible, or very expensive, I might be willing to collect anywhere in Ireland (including Northern Ireland)

Anyone do these for reasonable money? I'm looking for 2 panels 330W ideally, but 250W/275W/300W will do too

I don't mind if they are second hand, or B-grade

I have bought 2 x 250W solar panels view years ago,to test the waters and the Sun. Are now sitting over the kitchen roof as i cannot use in any combination...

You will need few more,maybe 4 at least to warm-up and start an inverter.

unkel

So those 2 panels are not doing anything for you?

I'm not going to go for an all out PV installation on my roof just yet, but I'd like to do a little 2 panel low budget play project on my shed. Which will only fit 2 panels. 330W each would be better but I guess 250W would do. Shed is not ideal anyway as the two parts of the roof are facing east and west

rolion

unkel wrote: »

So those 2 panels are not doing anything for you?

I'm not going to go for an all out PV installation on my roof just yet, but I'd like to do a little 2 panel low budget play project on my shed. Which will only fit 2 panels. 330W each would be better but I guess 250W would do. Shed is not ideal anyway as the two parts of the roof are facing east and west

You will need minimum 4 to get the minimum starting / power-up of the inverter....did i a mistake, please dont repeat it as well...
Mine ABB needed 120 as the minimum juice to even make a noise or light a LED...

unkel

It's only a 500W nominal inverter I'm getting. It will be switched off in winter. About 700-800W in panels would be ideal but 500W will do for the project as long as I could get them cheaply

quentingargan

Check Vstart for inverters. Quite a few start at 50V, so will fire up on two panels no problem.

Wholesalers sometimes have end of line modules if you're looking for something cheap like that, PM me, but looks like Rolion has what you need for now

Calahonda52

quentingargan wrote: »

Check Vstart for inverters. Quite a few start at 50V, so will fire up on two panels no problem.

Wholesalers sometimes have end of line modules if you're looking for something cheap like that, PM me, but looks like Rolion has what you need for now

Has the show not moved on now where by each panel can have its own micro inverter?
Not my area, read it in Hello magazine, or similar in a hairdressers

quentingargan

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Has the show not moved on now where by each panel can have its own micro inverter?
Not my area, read it in Hello magazine, or similar in a hairdressers

The people who make micro inverters would like you to think that, and these are fine on apartment blocks or where you can get at the panels, but they are a disaster on house roofs. The one part of a PV system that is very likely to fail during the life of the system is the inverter. I'd prefer not to have to get scaffolding on the roof to fix it when it fails. :eek:

unkel

Picked up 3 end of range 250W panels from quentingargan today for very reasonable money. Nice meeting you and thanks again, Quentin

quentingargan

I can usually squeeze those MC4s apart easily enough without the tool. You can't get the crimped connection out once you have pushed it into the plastic though...

unkel

Got my inverter today, testing two of the panels and they're working great. Saw 300W briefly when the sun came out, which is rather nice for a 500W system in the middle of winter on a very cold day.

Also made my first beginners mistake a few days ago - didn't realise you can't just open those MC4 connectors again after you click them together. Little cheap tool ordered from Amazon. Should have got one from Quentin. This delays me putting them on the shed roof by a few days. There's nowhere in Dublin I could go pick one up, is there?

Total system spent including mounting kits, about €500 for a 750W system. Should see payback in about 5-6 years, because I will use the full daytime load for daytime use (that I can't schedule at night at the cheaper rate, nor can't do with power other than electricity, like gas or oil)

serox_21

What inverter brand have you bought?
From where and what's the price?