Buying Refurbished Solar Panels For Your Home
Posted by under Solar EnergyFor many people, buying solar panels new makes little sense if they can be bought refurbished for less money. Some families would love to operate their household appliances on solar energy can’t handle the large investment. Equipping your home with solar panels can run into thousands of dollars not including all the equipment and adapters you need to efficiently produce solar energy.
Refurbished solar panels are sold by various online and offline resellers. You can choose to buy refurbished components, surplus items, broken or partially working solar panels for those who want to build their own solar panels.
There are even online bidding sites that offer a place for hobbyists and home owners to sell their refurbished solar panels. Also, other resources such as newspapers often display ads for refurbished solar energy products.
There are a few things that you should keep in mind when shopping for refurbished solar panels. Older panels more than likely will be the cheaper than newer models. Therefore, you’ll get the most wattage per dollar by buying the older refurbished solar panels.
Solar panels listed as broken may only need simple repairs, such as soldering. Cracked glass or condensation under the glass of solar panels, however, means that the panel will not work and it’s probably not worth your time to repair it. Solar panels over 20 years old are still serviceable, so you may want to take a chance buying them if they appear to be in good condition.
Purchasing refurbished solar panels comes with a major drawback. There are big tax incentives to going solar these days. Various government agencies offer thousands of dollars in tax credits and discounts. However, almost universally you’re required that systems be purchased new in order to claim these benefits.
If you purchase refurbished solar panels you’ll miss out on the incentives. Be sure to calculate the difference between the savings of buying refurbished versus new panels before making your decision.
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