Solar panel prices - all over the place, why?

Question

I'm looking at getting a couple of 'full size' solar panels to keep some backup batteries charged. I already have a system doing the same sort of thing on my boat in France and have various bits of hardware from earlier versions of that system that will do nicely for a smaller system at home. (e.g. MPPT charger, inverter, etc.)

Looking at the prices of solar panels they're all over the place, though it would seem that 'standard' domestic panels are now less than £100 each in general. Given that this panel (or maybe two) won't be ideally placed I want to get panels that will perform as well as possible in a non-optimum position, so what is the best type for this?

Smolley · Accepted Answer

I bought these:

Chris Green · Answer

That's a bit what I was meaning about prices all over the place. The Eco-worthy ones seem very expensive compared with some others.

An Eco-worthy 200 watt panel is £79.99 on eBay. I can find loads of

440w and even 500 watt panels at about the same price, e.g.:-

formatting link

Is this just because people buying on eBay for their camper-van or car don't realise the prices there are much higher than they should be paying? Or is it because pro-rata prices for small panels are much higher, or what?

Peter Johnson · Answer

There's probably less demand for smaller ones and for all I knowmanufacturing of large ones could be more efficient than for smallones.

RJH · Answer

They are in fairness £130 for the 240W kit - panels plus controller and wiring/plugs/sockets.

I suspect it's the convenience of knowing the kits will work out the box.

Maybe there's a difference in quality, output/size, or brand loyalty with the panels?

alan_m · Answer

Or is it like batteries on Ebay and it's just BS Chinese specifications. "Genuine" phone batteries with 4x the capacity that Apple/Saamsung supply with their phones? AAA rechargeable with 6x the capacity of battery with a brand name you recognise :)

Are the 500W panels actually 100W? Are all the panels specified with same incident sunlight etc?

Theo · Answer

Nobody is installing 200W panels on buildings. Larger panels require less money spent on mounting rails, hooks, wiring and so on - much more economic to fit 500W panels. That means there are massive economies of scale in 500W panels that there aren't in 200W panels, which are much more niche. City Plumbing and Midsummer Wholesale are selling many pallets of panels per day, while your campervan merchant is nowhere near that level.

Also some of the 'camping' panels are built of a different technology (amorphous silicon) compared with building panels (crystalline). Plus panels for off-grid systems are designed with a lower string voltage to charge lead acid batteries, rather than be inverted to feed into the grid.

Theo

Chris Green · Answer

The 500w panels are from a reputable local plumbers merchant and they have quite a range in stock, at similar prices so I'm pretty sure that is the current 'going rate' for full-size panels aimed at domestic roof installations. Google shopping shows quite a lot more at similar prices and, then, the silly priced ones.

wasbit · Answer

FYI I have read complaints about poor Eco-worthy customer service ie being non contactable or ignored.

wasbit · Answer

Second hand ones show up regularly in Facebook marketplace.

Solar panel prices - all over the place, why?

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?