Is it worth buying second-hand solar panels?

When buying a car, a motorcycle, household utensils, sometimes it is a good idea to throw away second-hand objects. In this case we move on to the field of renewables. We will know If buying second-hand photovoltaic solar panels for a lower price is a good idea or not.

It should be mentioned that the prices of second-hand solar panels are low enough to attract potential buyers who are looking to save some money without reducing their quality and efficiency too much. As there are millions of opinions on this type of topic, we are going to analyze the pros and cons of buying second-hand panels.

Details to be considered

To start talking about second-hand photovoltaic panels, we have to know where they come from. Although its quality is somewhat lower, depending on the use and the time of use that has been given to the solar panel, we will know if it is worth it or not to acquire it. In most cases facilities that stop producing renewable energy because of a problem or because they are no longer profitable sell their solar panels to reimburse themselves for part of the initial investment and exchange them for new ones.

For many investors, thinking about buying second-hand solar panels in order to save some money without losing much efficiency may be a good idea, but a series of very important details must be taken into account when making this type of decision. . The first thing to keep in mind is that the efficiency of the second-hand solar panel will be lower than that of the new ones. This is nothing new. All second-hand objects lose efficiency with the passage of time and use. If we buy solar panels that have already been used, damaged, or repaired, they will produce less electricity, so we will be losing part of the investment we have made.

We have to bear in mind that solar panels are very sensitive and fragile, so if they are not handled correctly or are damaged, their output efficiency will drastically decrease. The problem is that it is very difficult to see with the naked eye if one or more cells of the solar panel are damaged. Some solar panels that have suffered severe damage can be seen with the naked eye, but the most used ones will have a shorter lifespan. If they have a shorter life, we will have to change it earlier, so the investment would not be as profitable.

Solar panels and warranty

Another important point to keep in mind is that second-hand solar panels are not guaranteed. That is, the manufacturer is not responsible for the time that the solar panel can last you working. In the event of a malfunction or less efficient operation than it should be, the manufacturer does not intervene.

However, when new solar panels are purchased, they usually come with a manufacturer's warranty and that is backed by the purchase invoice. That is why, in case of breakdown, the manufacturer repairs it, replaces it or gives you a refund. We should also mention that repairing a malfunctioning solar panel is so expensive that it is not worth it, it is better to replace it.

Although the panel has been purchased first-hand, in order to make use of the guarantee, the guidelines described in the installation manuals of the same must be respected so that there is no problem. If you do the opposite of what is stated in the manual, the warranty will be lost and the manufacturer will not be responsible. If we buy a second-hand solar panel, we will not be able to know how they were installed in their first use and if this leads to a much shorter duration and useful life.

Finally, an important aspect to keep in mind is that who is the manufacturer of the solar panel you are going to buy. In many cases when you consult the sale of solar panels on the internet, you find that many of them have been manipulated. The labels that indicate the manufacturer of the product are not original, so you will never know which was the real manufacturer of these nor will we know the authentic data.

In conclusion, we conclude that it is not worth buying a second-hand photovoltaic panel, since, although the prices are lower, the investment is not profitable in the end.

Source: https://www.sfe-solar.com/