Hi, this is Josh Roelofs with "FYI", an informational video series from Wholesale Solar.
Today, we're going to discuss some of the different options you can consider when selecting
solar panels for your system.
There are a lot of solar panels available today.
We stock two brands which we're extremely confident in, called Astronergy and SolarWorld
solar panels.
Astronergy panels are going to offer you the best value and the lowest overall price-per-watt.
They're also a highly durable and reliable product.
In fact, these are the panels we use on our own Wholesale Solar office PV system.
SolarWorld panels are also highly reliable and durable, but they offer higher efficiency
and more output power compared to Astronergy. Some of the SolarWorld panels are made in the USA.
There's a handful of industry-standard size panels available.
The first and by far the most common is called a 60-cell panel, which typically ranges from
around 250 to 300 watts and measures 66 x 40 inches.
The second option, a 72-cell panel (also known as a 24-volt panel), is most commonly seen
in a 300-watt or higher format. It measures 78 x 40 inches.
Occasionally, you'll see some smaller 72-cell panels, but they're not nearly as common.
Your third option, a 36-cell panel, is a specialty off-grid panel, also known as a 12-volt panel.
These are used for small, off-grid, remote power systems (typically consisting of only
1 or 2 panels per system).
They're not going to be cost-effective for a large power system.
There are a few different color options available. You can get either a silver or a black frame panel.
And in some cases there's a black back-sheet option on select models, offering a slightly
different physical appearance.
The two most common types of panel technologies are called monocrystalline and polycrystalline
solar panels.
Mono solar panels are considered to be slightly more efficient in high heat and low light
conditions, and they also have a slightly different physical appearance.
However, both of these panels are going to perform equally well in a wide variety of
conditions.
The difference in performance is negligible, so either panel is going to produce great.
One factor to consider when selecting solar panels is the warranty offered through the
manufacturer.
Both SolarWorld and Astronergy offer similar warranties. They're both guaranteeing 25 years
on the power output and 10 years on the workmanship of the solar panel.
One important difference is that Astronergy offers a re-insured warranty, meaning even
if the company goes under, your warranty claim is still going to be valid 10 years, 20 years
down the road.
As you can see, there are a few options to consider when selecting a solar panel for
your system.
If you need help or have any questions, feel free to contact one of Wholesale Solar's experienced
design technicians.
My name is Josh Roelofs and this is "FYI".