I Broke Down and Bought a Panel
I decided to buy a 200w panel from ebay for $606 (including shipping). I want something to compare my panels to, in particular to ensure that my panels have standard sizes, mounting holes, etc., to integrate with standard installations. I could get those off a spec sheet, but I also wanted a professional panel that I could use to compare power output with the output from my panels.
The panel I ordered is a 60 cell panel, which is a common size. I am going to graduate to 60-72 cell panels after I finish this prototype. I also believe that moving to a larger panel is ultimately going to reduce the cost per watt of the panels I make.
My intent for blogging my experience is to allow other DIYers to learn from my mistakes and hopefully avoid some of the costs from those mistakes. I’d rather not spend this much money on a panel, but I think it will ensure that my panels are better and that anyone reading this blog will not have to cover the same ground.
