Buying Used Solar Panels

Recycling solar panels.

Buying Used Solar Panels is a perfect way to get cheap solar power for your remote applicaton. Most solar panels have a remarkably long life and used photovoltaics can be a very cost effective option.

Tips for buying pre-owned solar panels

buying used solar panels cabin

The life expectancy of a solar panel is still unknown. Panels that have been functioning for 30 years and more are still producing energy, upping life expectancy estimates every year.

Good news, especially if the panels were a bargain in the first place and the benefits don't stop there. Recycling photovoltaics keeps harmful chemicals from being deposited in landfills.

Buying used panels may be the right choice for you if:

You're on a restricted budget.
You have ample area to place the panels.
You're handy and can make small repairs and electrical connections.
You're powering a cabin or remote lodgings.
You have small projects like powering the garden shed or workshop.
You have time to seek out serviceable panels.

Disadvantages of Buying Used Solar Panels

It can be difficult to combine different panels to form a large solar array.
Older panels are often less efficient than newer ones because they were manufactured at a lower efficiency and because the efficiency rate has dropped over the years of use.
Less efficient panels require more square footage to produce adequate power taking up more space
Older panels are less attractive than newer models. Some neighborhoods care about such things and may prevent you from displaying them.
Even small amounts of shade can dramatically reduce the amount of energy output in panels built before 2005. This problem can be rectified by placing older panels in a location where they receive no shade from trees, structures or each other.

What to Look For

When buying used solar panels the single most important consideration is the energy output of the panel.
The newer the panel the more energy it'll produce per square inch. Most newer technologies are focusing on producing more compact panels. Larger panels still produce lots of energy they just require more room.
Choose panels that are in good repair or that have easy to fix damage (connections that need solder or cracked glass).
Some panels brown with age which doesn't affect their ability to produce power.
Monocrystalline (one crystal) photovoltaics are a higher quality than polycrystalline (many crystals). It's easy to see the many crystals in the polycrystalline cells below as opposed to the monotone color of the monocrystalline cells. It takes less time to produce small pieces of silicon than one larger piece.

Polycrystalline solar cells

Monocrystalline solar cells

Where to Find Used Solar Panels

Older solar panels that are still in good condition can be picked up for a more than fair price.
Look for them at swap meets or flea markets and home or farm auctions are excellent sources. Try placing classified ads in local papers or blanket ads that cover huge territories. Also there are numerous businesses and recycling centers that specialize in the sale of used solar panels.

If you're handy you can pick up damaged panels for super cheap or even free!

Obtaining solar panels that are in good repair for a low cost is obviously the best way to go but many problems with solar panels can be repaired at little or no cost if you're the least bit handy.

CircuitWorks Conductive Epoxy or SilverPrint are 2 epoxies that are impregnated with silver and can be used in the place of solder to make repairs on your solar panels. They're not cheap but they allow repairs where soldering can be difficult.

Although solar panels are high technology, many common malfunctions are on the low tech side such as corroded or loose connections, cracked glass and broken frames. and low tech problems can frequently be fixed with a minimum of cost or effort.

Take a voltmeter along and test the circuit of each panel before you negotiate your price.

Here's how to test the Open Circuit Voltage of a solar panel.

With the panel in full sun and your voltmeter set to measure DC volts apply the leads to the + and - terminals at the same time. Your meter should read close to 21 volts on a healthy 12 volt panel.

On panels that are designed to function as a set of 4, each of the 4 panels should read somewhere between 4 and 5 volts.

Because the solar energy industry is moving very quickly and technology is constantly improving buy the newest that you can afford. The more recently your panels were designed and manufactured the more features will be included and the longer they'll last.