Where to buy grid-tie solar panels with no shipping costs?

[LoveCareThinkDo]

I've got a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. It is 79" wide. My plan is to buy two grid-tie style panels and mount them cross-wise, one in front of the other. Most of the grid-tie panels I have found are in the 60 - 70 inch long range. Yes, I know, the roof is not that wide, but I am fine with them hanging over a bit, as long as they aren't longer than the van is wide.

I also want to get as much wattage as I can reasonably get in the panels, even if I won't have the battery to hold all that the panels will put out. This will make my batteries last longer and give me plenty of extra for the cloudy days. I'm thinking anywhere from 250 - 300 watts per panel, for a total of 500 - 600 watts.

I have found some 275 watt grid-tie panels at the AltE store for only $152.35 each. That would give me 550 watts up top for about $300. However, the shipping is $298 and they are all the way up in Massachusetts, so picking them up isn't feasible. (I'm in Missouri right now and planning to head in the opposite direction.)

I've seen Bob Wells mention several times that there are places near Quartzsite and Blythe that have good deals. I did some searching and found Solar Bill in Quartzsite. I've also seen JimInDenver's posts about just looking at local solar dealers. But, I'm in the boonies and there isn't much local anything. 

So, here's the question: Are these places in Quartzsite and Blythe really significantly cheaper than what one might find in the midwest (or between Missouri and Arizona)? Would it be reasonable to wait till the RTR to buy panels? Do the dealers down there jack up the prices during the RTR or do they tend to offer discounts during that time?

I've also seen mention of the occasional group buy, but I will start another thread for that discussion.

Thanks,
CC

 

[highdesertranger]

to get a deal on grid tie solar panels,

1. look on craig's list
2. ask an installer for house if they have any left overs
3. find the wholesaler in your area.

highdesertranger

 

[blars]

Home Depot has free ship-to-store on many items, and their solar panel prices are pretty good in some cases.

 

[LoveCareThinkDo]

Home Depot has free ship-to-store on many items, and their solar panel prices are pretty good in some cases.

I'll take a look. The closest Home Depot is 70 miles away.

...

OK, I just took a look. They are wanting over $400 per panel for 300 watt panels, and that's in a 4-pack. I would be better off to just drive all the way to Massachusetts.

 

[scottrod31]

If you are going to b close to Falstaff i bought a 270 watt panel this spring for $170. With many brackets at Arizona wind a sun
Scott

 

[LoveCareThinkDo]

If you are going to b close to Falstaff i bought a 270 watt panel this spring for $170. With many brackets at Arizona wind a sun
Scott

I thought you probably meant "Flagstaff" and I was right. Thanks. They have almost the same solar panel as was listed at the AltEStore for only a couple dollars more. Don't know how long that sale will last though. I just sent them an e-mail.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Falstaff was a beer.

Flagstaff is a town that sells beer.

Easy to mistake the two.

 

[scottrod31]

Stupid autocorrect
Scott

 

[bonvanroulez]

Falstaff was a beer.

Flagstaff is a town that sells beer.

Falstaff is also an opera by Verdi.

I don't think they drink any Falstaff in Falstaff.

I don't know if Flagstaff has opera.



On topic, Flagstaff has solar panels.

:lol:

 

[LoveCareThinkDo]

2.   ask an installer for house if they have any left overs

I have sent e-mails to every installer and supplier in this corner of my state. One has already replied saying he will check when he gets in on Monday. We'll see what I find. 

If I can't find anything withing reasonable driving distance in my area, I will just wait till I come through Flagstaff. I have sent an e-mail to the dealer there asking if I could buy the panels that are on sale now at the sale price and then pick them up in January. But, if those are closeouts instead of a sale on regular stock, then it is unlikely they will want to let them sit there all that time. If they are a normal stock item, then I'm sure they will be happy to take my money now and hold it till later. We'll see what they say.

Thanks,
CC

 

[LoveCareThinkDo]

Update:
I ended up going to Northern Arizona Wind and Sun in Flagstaff, AZ. I recognized James, at the front counter, from Bob's video and he gave me the 7% discount, even though the time for the discount had passed.

I got two 305 watt Canadian Solar panels for $178 each, after the discount, and with no sales tax. I got all the rest of my stuff there as well. a Victron 100/50 charge controller, a Battle Born 100 Amp Hour Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, a 300 watt pure-sine-wave inverter, all the wires and all the connectors. They have software there that will draw a wiring diagram for your particular system, calculate what gauge of wire you need, and make sure to include all of the necessary connectors and breakers. It was great.

James was very helpful and answered all of my many, many questions. However, he did have a kind of shit-eating-grin on his face most of the time. He told me he gets all the same questions all the time because there is so much misinformation out on the internet, especially YouTube. He explained that, the rule of connecting panels in parallel to best deal with partial shading no longer applies because all panels now come with a full compliment of bypass diodes and all the charge controllers know how to deal with that quickly. So, I just hooked them up in series and therefore my wires didn't need to be as thick because I was pushing higher voltage at lower amps.

So, I now have 610 watts of solar on my roof and I am usually fully charged by about 9:30 in the morning every day. Heck, I have actually never dropped below 13 volts. So you could say that I am ALWAYS fully charged.

 

[highdesertranger]

good deal and that's good to know about the partial shading that's the first I heard of that.

IMO it's best to get several opinions from you tube because there is a lot of misinformation there. so I couldn't agree more with James.

highdesertranger

 

[wagoneer]

I got 2 x 240 grid tie panels for 300 on Craigslist, the guy had over estimated the need.One was enough to power my needs. I find between 250 and 300 is plenty as long as your batteries are good.

 

[29chico]

All 5 of my LG grid tie panels came from CED Greentech distributors.  Great company. If you buy from stock should be no shipping cost.

The first 3 315w panels came from the Chico Ca store.  The 2 365w panels came from the W Columbia SC store.  The Provan company got them for me when they built my rig.

CED is nationwide electrical distributor but only those also named Greentech deal in solar.  You might be near one.

 

[Seminole Wind]

just checked them out, this from their portland location does not sound promising for getting a couple panels for my self

CED Greentech is a one-stop solar pv and electrical wholesale distributor for installers

but i will send them an email. doubt the prices will be cometitive even if they will deal with me as end user.
finger crossed

 

[highdesertranger]

if they are a reasonable drive away I would go there in person. even though they are a wholesaler they might sell you a few panels. that's what I did when I bought mine I went straight to a wholesaler. highdesertranger

 

[Starkwah]

Hello, I'm just getting started as a vandwelling and am on my way to RTR.
I want to charge a laptop or run a fan or blow-dryer, so what is the most inexpensive sorce to get started. I am on a fixed income, so I can't afford much just starting out. I've had to buy other equipment.
I've found a DieHard 1150 Platinum, 400 watts on Let Go. Will this work for my needs?

 

[Seminole Wind]

starkwah

a blow dryer is going to take an extreme amount of power realitive to vandweller systems.

if you absolutely have to have a blow dryer, probably the cheapest option is going to be a cheap "import" inverter generator around 2000 watts. they can be had in the $4-500 range. or a cheep 2000 watt inverter wired direct to your car battery and only run the dryer when the car is running. neither of these is a prime option, but could get the job done

the laptop and fan can be set up to run from batteries. how you recharge those batteries has a mind boggling array of options

with just starting out and on your way to RTR i would suggest waiting to see what you learn at the RTR, hit up all the electrical and solar seminars and ask around to see what others are doing.

you might grab a simple car charger for your laptop or a cheap inverter that plugs into your cigarette lights that can be had for under $50 if you need your laptop at the rtr.

after the RTR ( or maybe even during) you will be in a much better position to figure out what you need/want

 

[highdesertranger]

good reply from Seminole, good advice. remember anything that produces heat is very inefficient to run on electricity. you don't notice at home because electricity is so cheap, it's no longer cheap when you are the power company. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

For those buying laptops be sure they come with a 12 volt charger or can be charged by an aftermarket 12 volt charger. Many will only charge with the makers 110 volt charger.