<ads> wrote in message
> On Thu, 2 Aug 2018 20:36:39 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
>
>>> On Wed, 01 Aug 2018 11:19:13 -0700, Richard Nelson
>>>
>>>>On Wed, 1 Aug 2018 13:50:56 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
>>>>
>>>>>This is a pretty good deal, with free home delivery:
>>>>>https://www.homedepot.com/p/Grape-Solar-100-Watt-Polycrystalline-Solar-Panel-for-RV-s-Boats-and-12-Volt-Systems-GS-Star-100W/204211365
>>>>>
>>>
>>> A warning about Home Depot. A couple of months ago our only
>>> toilet
>>> became clogged. I used all the tools I had on hand but could not
>>> break loose the clog. So I ordered a pneumatic plunger and
>>> authorized
>>> overnight delivery. It did not arrive. Meanwhile we were using
>>> the
>>> toilet in the RV. I called customer service and was told that
>>> "the
>>> system" canceled my order. She offered to re-order the plunger
>>> and
>>> ship it overnight at no cost. It arrived 32 days later.
>>> Meanwhile
>>> I
>>> had paid a couple hundred bux to have a plumber come and clear the
>>> clog. I am handicapped and can no longer do such things as
>>> picking
>>> up
>>> a toilet.
>>>
>>> I called HD back. They confirmed what happened, offered no excuse
>>> and
>>> even though I escalated the problem a couple of layers, would not
>>> offer any compensation for the cost of the plumber.
>>>
>>> I advise never to order on-line from HD. And I'll never shop
>>> there
>>> again. Luckily the Lowe's store is across the street.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>
>>Sorry to hear you had so much trouble with HD. I've had a custom
>>thermocouple probe order from Omega vanish from their system, and
>>tracked Amazon orders as they bounced around the country like a
>>pinball. A double-billing from MSC took many years to resolve.
>>Finally
>>the State notified me that I had money on their Unclaimed Property
>>but there are lots of smaller
>>list, which was the MSC settlement.
>>
>>My only experience ordering from HD has been two 100W panels last
>>winter and two more that arrived today, on schedule and undamaged. I
>>try to buy locally, paying a clerk instead of using the automated
>>checkout, but it's getting harder.
>>-jsw
>>
>
> I've stopped buying solar panels online, instread getting pulls and
> leftovers from local installers. I'm aware that this varies by
> location, but there are lots of sources in the southeast US. I
> drove
> about 35 miles each way for the last panels I bought (last month)
> but
> they were 300 watt Renesola and Jinko panels for $25 each (just
> under
> $.42/watt). Gas for my little pickup was much less than any
> commercial shipper would have charged.
>
> If there's a Craig's List group near you (check that at
> craigslist.org
> ), go to the For For Sale section and search for "soalr panel".
> You'll
> get listinmgs for solar batteries and other things, but you can use
> the Ctrl-F search of your browser to highlight the word "panel".
>
> No promises on what you'll find or whether there will be panels
> available the day you look - I've been watching for a good deal for
> several months. Be sure you know what the panels you find are
> worth -
> some people are asking Amazon new prices for used panels. Be aware
> that the recent tariff changes have taken the prices of some panels
> up
> by 20 to 50%.
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>
Solar isn't as popular or practical here in New England and the
dealers I called didn't want DIY competition or potential liability
problems.
At a ham radio flea market I bought several backpack loads of small
used panels which the seller said had been salvaged from parking meter
kiosks. The day was sunny enough to test them for open circuit voltage
and short circuit current.to weed out the worst ones, but the best
still varied enough to make combining then into a balanced
series+parallel array tricky. A DC Wattmeter and large rotary rheostat
like this is can find each panel's maximum power point.
https://www.amazon.com/SODIAL-Ceramic-Variable-Resistor-Rheostat/dp/B00ZT9UDTK
Tubular variable resistors quickly become too hot to adjust. My
rheostat is an old Ohmite from the same flea market, but they are
scarce, and I don't know how good the imports are, or if they handle
brief overloads as well as the Ohmite.
Overall the salvaged panels and new connectors cost me $ per Watt,
the same as the HD Grape panels. I hung them from a handrail so the
odd size didn't increase the installed cost.
-jsw
XML site map
>
>>> On Wed, 01 Aug 2018 11:19:13 -0700, Richard Nelson
>>>
>>>>On Wed, 1 Aug 2018 13:50:56 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
>>>>
>>>>>This is a pretty good deal, with free home delivery:
>>>>>https://www.homedepot.com/p/Grape-Solar-100-Watt-Polycrystalline-Solar-Panel-for-RV-s-Boats-and-12-Volt-Systems-GS-Star-100W/204211365
>>>>>
>>>
>>> A warning about Home Depot. A couple of months ago our only
>>> toilet
>>> became clogged. I used all the tools I had on hand but could not
>>> break loose the clog. So I ordered a pneumatic plunger and
>>> authorized
>>> overnight delivery. It did not arrive. Meanwhile we were using
>>> the
>>> toilet in the RV. I called customer service and was told that
>>> "the
>>> system" canceled my order. She offered to re-order the plunger
>>> and
>>> ship it overnight at no cost. It arrived 32 days later.
>>> Meanwhile
>>> I
>>> had paid a couple hundred bux to have a plumber come and clear the
>>> clog. I am handicapped and can no longer do such things as
>>> picking
>>> up
>>> a toilet.
>>>
>>> I called HD back. They confirmed what happened, offered no excuse
>>> and
>>> even though I escalated the problem a couple of layers, would not
>>> offer any compensation for the cost of the plumber.
>>>
>>> I advise never to order on-line from HD. And I'll never shop
>>> there
>>> again. Luckily the Lowe's store is across the street.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>
>>Sorry to hear you had so much trouble with HD. I've had a custom
>>thermocouple probe order from Omega vanish from their system, and
>>tracked Amazon orders as they bounced around the country like a
>>pinball. A double-billing from MSC took many years to resolve.
>>Finally
>>the State notified me that I had money on their Unclaimed Property
>>but there are lots of smaller
>>list, which was the MSC settlement.
>>
>>My only experience ordering from HD has been two 100W panels last
>>winter and two more that arrived today, on schedule and undamaged. I
>>try to buy locally, paying a clerk instead of using the automated
>>checkout, but it's getting harder.
>>-jsw
>>
>
> I've stopped buying solar panels online, instread getting pulls and
> leftovers from local installers. I'm aware that this varies by
> location, but there are lots of sources in the southeast US. I
> drove
> about 35 miles each way for the last panels I bought (last month)
> but
> they were 300 watt Renesola and Jinko panels for $25 each (just
> under
> $.42/watt). Gas for my little pickup was much less than any
> commercial shipper would have charged.
>
> If there's a Craig's List group near you (check that at
> craigslist.org
> ), go to the For For Sale section and search for "soalr panel".
> You'll
> get listinmgs for solar batteries and other things, but you can use
> the Ctrl-F search of your browser to highlight the word "panel".
>
> No promises on what you'll find or whether there will be panels
> available the day you look - I've been watching for a good deal for
> several months. Be sure you know what the panels you find are
> worth -
> some people are asking Amazon new prices for used panels. Be aware
> that the recent tariff changes have taken the prices of some panels
> up
> by 20 to 50%.
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>