Heard from the company that i am dealing with , that panel prices are going up in a couple of months????? Is this just a yearly raise the price because of inflation and costs, or ???Has anybody heard anything like this? Thanks, rsbhunter
Prices change all the time.....and companies have been known to use "they are going up" to push a sale today, not just in solar, but a whole lot of things. Here's my experience in buying Solarworld panels. 2008: 175w panels cost $800, my original 12 2009: 175w panels cost $675, added 6 more 2010: 175w panels cost $529, 2 more to finish array* 2010: 245w panels cost $638, 10 for new array TODAY, I can buy Solarworld 240w for $369, and 255w for $469 ** *Note*( not Solar World, they quit making the 175w, and I had to find a panel to closely match, Chinese knockoff with near identical specs to finish an array of 8 to match the 10 on the other array.) **Note** On HOW Solarworld rates their panels. If you note Solarworld panels, they sell a range of something like 220 to 255....they are ALL the exact same panel coming off the manufacturing line. They then "flash" the panel in a test booth, and designate it as a 220, 230, 235, 240, 245, 255watt panel based on that flash test...so if you REALLY REALLY REALLY want a 255w panel, it costs more than one that looks exactly like it, but only flashed for a 240watt. BUT note the price difference....30 cents a watt difference. SO, unless MOUNTING SPACE is an issue, buy the cheaper per watt, and simply buy an extra panel or two if total output is an issue. Here is MY suggestion, based on what I've seen over the last 4-5 years of looking and buying. DON'T BUY UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO PUT THE DADGUM THINGS UP. You note I bought my last 10 late fall 2010. Then I got busy on other projects that took priority, had a little bought of open heart surgery, and so on, and didn't get that last array up until late this past fall....had I waited, over the course of that year, I could have saved almost $250 PER PANEL. So, RSB.....unless you plan to install them as soon as you get them, take a lesson here. My guess is panels will continue to fall in price, or maybe stabilize slightly.....but that's ONLY a guess.....YMMV...your mileage may vary....
Panel prices I'm buying mine now, so that everyone that needs panels will get a LOT lower price...thats the way my luck runs....I am so happy that the panels i ordered 3 weeks ago shipped today....and i don't know that if i hadn't talked to the owner, that they would have been shipped at all! Basically told them that i was tired of having $3000.00 out, and all i had was a hand full of nothing!!! But it worked, they "hand walked " my order through the warehouse today, and they shipped today!!!! Amazing what alittle motivation can set into motion,,,,I know you are probably right, i should have waited, but my money has a habit of slipping away in $20.00's. $50.00's and so on, til i havent got enough to do squat with....But, your advice is taken....But i have noticed that the prices on the Canadian Solar panels are going up slightly, but may only be temporary...rsbhunter
