Valuing Solar Panels

[ducked]

Probably going to be surface shipping some mechanic tools to the UK from Taiwan, (since they will have no second-hand market here, there being no DIY) but I don't really have enough for what seems to be a full load, so am thinking of additional cargo

I also have some solar panels. I doubt these are worth shipping but am not sure how to evaluate that. What would be a rough cost-per-watt to buy these days, for comparison?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Websites such as Solar Panels will give you prices. There isn't a simple relationship between wattage and price; it depends on many other factors such as type of panel, form factor etc.

Cheaper panels can be obtained via sites such as eBay.

 

[Sea Change]

The price and performance of solar has changed massively in recent years. I'd be very surprised if it's worth shipping older panels half way round the world. Possibly if they're a specialist type like semi flexible.

Large format rigid panels are now down to under £70 for 500w.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The price and performance of solar has changed massively in recent years. I'd be very surprised if it's worth shipping older panels half way round the world. Possibly if they're a specialist type like semi flexible.

Large format rigid panels are now down to under £70 for 500w.

Whilst true, that's a bit misleading, IMO. Smaller panels are still expensive, presumably because of economies of scale. For instance, your £70 will only get you 20W semi flexible panel or a 40W rigid one, of reputable make.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Probably going to be surface shipping some mechanic tools to the UK from Taiwan, (since they will have no second-hand market here, there being no DIY) but I don't really have enough for what seems to be a full load, so am thinking of additional cargo

I also have some solar panels. I doubt these are worth shipping but am not sure how to evaluate that. What would be a rough cost-per-watt to buy these days, for comparison?

What make, size, type of panels ? Will sending them add to the transport cost ?

 

[Sea Change]

£70 will only get you 20W semi flexible panel or a 40W rigid one, of reputable make.

I'm surprised to hear that. Ten years ago I bought a 50w rigid panel for £50, I'd have assumed they'd have come down at least a bit since then.
Maybe mine was cheap rubbish . However it worked perfectly for several years until I sold the boat, and survived being blown overboard and spending a night on the seabed. They're surprisingly hardy things.
All three flexi panels I have owned have, however, been utterly awful.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'm surprised to hear that. Ten years ago I bought a 50w rigid panel for £50, I'd have assumed they'd have come down at least a bit since then.
Maybe mine was cheap rubbish . However it worked perfectly for several years until I sold the boat, and survived being blown overboard and spending a night on the seabed. They're surprisingly hardy things.
All three flexi panels I have owned have, however, been utterly awful.

Unfortunately, good panels keep creeping up in price. I've found with the semi flexible ones, they definitely have to be the better quality ones.

 

[William_H]

Modern solar panels are more efficient than older style. That means more watts for the surface area. Most obvious in the domestic house PV panel sizes. Production scale means cheaper and more efficient. Old doemstic PV panels are cheap as chips here as new ones are far better. Not sure about smaller boat sized panels. But available area on a small boat is always difficult to find so more efficient is better. Actual purchase price is less significant for a boat where controller and mounting system may exceed the cost of the panel.
My guess is leave the panels behind and buy new what you want on return to UK. ol'will

 

[[70521]]

Given the title of the thread I was expecting @ducked to post that we should look out for the Antiques Roadshow where some 20 year old solar panels are valued.

 

[ducked]

Dunno make, or provenance. They were 45 X55 cms X2 cms 11 of them. Decided to just chuck them, which probably makes most sense, against the grain though it goes.

Most shippers seem to want to quote a price once told what you want to ship, a bit chicken-egg since I wont necessarily know what I want to ship until I know what its going to cost．

One site seems to say 167 quid for 2CBM at 250kgs per CBM, which seems very reasonable if it turns out to be true, though I dont have 2CBM to send.

I have a couple of motorcycles, with reg docs but dont think I still have bills of sale, probably an issue with HMCI...