# Used solar panels



## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

We're just starting to look into solar and don't know much yet, but an acquaintance just replaced some panels and is offering the old ones to us. We are supposed to make an offer. These are Kyocera from 2005. I have model number and such of that's helpful. They look to be in good condition. Where would I find info about roughly what they might be worth?

Thanks!


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

You can buy all sorts of new panels these days for 75 cents to a dollar a watt, so 10 year old panels aren't worth over 50 cents a watt.....if that. 

They probably paid $4-5watt for them at that time, that is how much they have come down in 10 years.

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/surveys/free-solar-panel-price-survey/


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Why is he replacing them? Is he guaranteeing that they work?

I wouldn't pay anymore than 1/2 of what I could them for new since you wouldn't have any kind of warrantee with them.

WWW


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Take a multimeter along and test them.
Its that simple.

Kyocera are some of the better panels,
I have 16 of them, no issues what so ever.
Mine are 10 years old, were bought as 'Off Spec', (scratch & dent),
Came with full factory warranty, and haven't been a seconds trouble.

They also put out 10 to 20% more current than rated!
Nothing like free power!

Simply test them...
Open circuit or load test, doesn't matter most time, just a quirk of solar production,
If the open circuit voltage is up, they will produce under load also.
If they are producing the wattage, or open circuit voltage then they are still working fine...

Look for cracks in the glass,
Or 'Mold' under the glass.
Corrosion looks like 'Mold' under glass, that's where 'Mold' picked up its name...

'Frosting' in the cells is something else to look for,
It looks like ice frost forming on a window pane, but it will be limited to the cells themselves.
That's impurities showing up in the silicone wafer base material.

As far as I know, Kyocera wasn't effected by the contaminated silicone issue,
But BP and China made panels were. 2000 to 2005 mostly.

By now, if they were effected, it would be showing up bigtime.
Silicone turns from the usual dark violet/purple to a very light colored violet/white and its VERY easy to spot...

My 'Harbor Freight' battery maintainer solar panels all died of the silicone rot...
No big deal at $25 a piece and I only had 3, but its still a kick in the crotch.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

This is an older retired gentleman who has a tiny place that doesn't take much power. He replaces his solar panels every 10 years, whether they need it or not. Does the same thing with his truck. Personal quirk I guess.

Thanks for the ideas on things to look at/for!


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## Alaska (Jun 16, 2012)

I have to agree with not paying more than 50 cents a watt. New panels are cheap and have a warranty.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Get them cheap enough, there isn't any such thing as a 'Bad' quality panel...
A little creative wiring (doing what the big makers say you CAN NOT do, but you can), and they are an asset.

I picked up some panels from the state Department of Transportation,
Used on those flashing light signs...
Batteries, charge controllers, panels for about 2Â¢ on the dollar.

They make GREAT stand alone units, security lights, fence chargers, walkway lighting, 
In a pinch they could easily be 'Ganged' to produce a serious amount of current...

'Weak' panels & batteries still have value, just not in a full on solar array...
Just getting a few more bucks out of your investment before they hit the scrap heap!

I probably shouldn't give this away...
BUT,
I'm night vision capable.
I don't like using a laser to illuminate dark spots out and away from a light source of some kind... (Gives away your position to anyone with night vision)

So, even those little $10 lighted garden ornaments have a use...
Simply replace the visible LED with an Infra-Red led (old remote controls),
And they charge all day, light up even the most remote corners at night with NON-visible light.

ANY working solar panel can have a use, no matter how small...


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## AndrewD (Nov 24, 2015)

Solar panels generally last about thirty years, so provided that they work properly, you should be able to get a good 20 years out of them. However, prices of solar panels have fallen so much over the past ten years that it might make more financial sense just to buy them new. I&#8217;m not saying that you should turn down the deal, but wy_white_wolf makes a really good point. Are you sure that these panels are going to work properly once you get them installed? It would not be good at all to get them up and discover that they&#8217;ve lost a lot of their efficiency. The warrantee is also an issue. It might make sense depending on your situation, but just make sure that you do a careful analysis of what each option would cost you before you proceed. Good luck!


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