Solar pannel buying question

[Kareem Shihab]

Hello,
I recently found some solar pannels for sale. My knowledge of solar is prety limited and the pannels are alone. What should I look for when buying them. Is there certian grades of the silocon, what sort of connectivity wires should I look for? Anything else you can think of that I should look for would be helpfull thanks.

[Wilco Vercoelen]

Monocrystalline panels are the best. Also try to find out what the their tolerance is over time. The warranty is almost always 25 years. Try to get panels that are better available over time although it is difficult to predict. More and more companies are investing in bigger panels, 160W and more.
If you want easy installation, check if the panels are suplied with Quick-connect plugs. What is your application, grid-tie or a battery system?

[Kareem Shihab]

probably just a battery system. I am getting them from a retalier in the middle east around where im living, and it dosent seem like the kind of place that would give you a warranty when you bought them.

[Joe Blake]

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s1865651.htm

Saw this on "Catalyst" on the ABC tonight. Looks very interesting.

Joe

[Mark Parsons]

Greetings Kareem,

I found a very good online reference for DIY energy and systems to be

http://www.homepower.com/

Their site is full of great information.

If you know the Manufacturer and model of the Solar Panels you are considering, you can find considerable information online from the Manufacturer's web site. Specifications and typical wiring diagrams and installation instructions. The Manufacturer's warranty is normally lengthy due to the fact there is not much to go wrong over time.

Good luck in your investment.

Regards,
Mark