Solar Panel Deals?

[randomq]

You used to be able to buy solar panels in Kurtistown for less than a dollar a watt. Are there any other places on the island selling new/surplus panels cheap? Bonus if they offer reasonable roof mounting to an agricultural shed as well.

I'm already off-grid and have the rest of the components.

[terracore]

Costco sometimes has them but it's hit or miss. I got most of mine from Amazon.

[randomq]

I've bought a few 100w on Amazon for special uses. We're the ones you bought at Amazon or Costco bigger than 100w?

[terracore]

I've bought a few 100w on Amazon for special uses. We're the ones you bought at Amazon or Costco bigger than 100w?

The favorite panels I bought from Amazon were 150 watts.  They were square shaped.  The reason that they were my favorite is that they were easy to haul up the ladder, but not really easy meaning it was a good size to stop at.  And also the size was the perfect dimensions to match the corrugation on my roof when used with the Z brackets.  And four of them were the exact wattage I needed for the charge controller / battery setup.

I never bought any panels at Costco.  The first time I saw panels there, they were too big to fit into my sedan, and I didn't want to come back with the truck.  The second time they had smaller 100w panels, but then I didn't need any.  

The prices on Amazon fluctuate a lot, or at least they did when I was shopping for them there.  One time I was shopping for a 10 watt panel to keep the little 12v battery on my generator topped off, but I found a 50 watt panel that was cheaper than any of the 10 watt panels. I wound up getting the 50 watt panel and used that and the little generator battery to power a security camera for a couple of years until the camera succumbed to the weather. The 50 watt panel (and the generator battery) are still going strong a few years after that.  

When shopping for solar products Amazon, make sure to check out the "warehouse deals".  They change frequently, so it's a bit of a treasure hunt.  Kind of off topic, but "warehouse deals" is also a good place to search for things that Amazon normally won't ship to Hawaii.  One time I wanted a server rack and it was so heavy or whatever Amazon literally would not ship anything like that to us, but then I found one on "warehouse deals" and it was delivered to our house UPS 3 days later.

['elepaio]

FWIW, The BIG BLUE folders with built in brains are great. We have 2x28 for EDC and 2x100 parked outside direct to Deep Cycles.

Keep Local ?? Have not purchased from them ( yet ) but the Guys at Mattos were genuinely friendly and awesome while we were window shopping last year.. Made us feel welcome. No face diapers in sight ( see note on door LOL ) and shook our hands !!! Our kinda people.

poorgot
www.mattoselectric.com

[terracore]

From social media:

Brand New never Installed Kyrocera 215 watt panels
I have 30 of them in stock
contact Doug From Solarman
EIGHT ZERO EIGHT
THREE ONE THREE ZERO SIX ZERO EIGHT
TEXT IS BEST

$169

[MarkP]

When I have bought panels in the past it has been off craigslist. Solar companies have had new ones that didn't get installed. I haven't done it often enough to confirm it as a regular thing though.

[kalakoa]

The reason these panels don't get installed is that they're "too small" to bother. An array of 400W panels requires less wiring and mounting hardware than an equivalent array of 250W.

[Durian Fiend]

The reason these panels don't get installed is that they're "too small" to bother. An array of 400W panels requires less wiring and mounting hardware than an equivalent array of 250W.

Maybe too small for maximum efficiency in an installation but easier to haul up onto your roof in a solo effort, as terracore mentioned, and really there's not that much more hardware and wiring necessary for the do it yourselfer. 

Looks like Doug the solarman has some older inventory that he wants to move out.  That's a good price for those panels.

[kalakoa]

not that much more hardware and wiring necessary for the do it yourselfer.

DIY means "your time is free".