In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of situations where solar panels installed on power plants and homes are being replaced or removed. Such solar panels that have served their purpose will be lost if disposed of as is.
Instead of disposing of them, first consult with a buyer.
Some of you reading this article may be thinking, "I want to sell them at a higher price" or "I want to know how to avoid making mistakes in the purchase.
Therefore, in this article, we will introduce some important points when selling solar panels, with actual examples.
Table of Contents
・How to avoid mistakes in the purchase of solar panels
１．What not to fail in the purchase of solar panels
(⑴Points to avoid mistakes in the purchase when removing the panels yourself
Basically, we recommend that you ask a professional contractor to remove solar panels.
However, some of you reading this article may be able to remove the panels by yourself, so we will explain in detail the points to keep in mind when removing the panels.
(1) Never get on the glass surface of a solar panel.
The surface of the solar panel is glass.
Therefore, if you ride directly on the glass surface, it may break.
Also, please note that solar panels with broken glass surfaces will not be eligible for purchase. Therefore, when riding on the panels, be sure to ride on the frame.
(2) Remove solar panels carefully.
Since the solar panels are fixed with metal fixtures and bolts, etc., remove them with power tools or other tools. Small scratches caused by removal will not affect the purchase price, but damage to the frame or large scratches on the front or back of the solar panel may lower the purchase price.
(3) Be careful when disconnecting solar panel cables.
Solar panels are connected to each other by a connector called MC4, and MC4 connectors cannot be easily removed. Therefore, when removing it, use a spanner wrench specially designed for the MC4 connector. Do not remove the connector without using a spanner wrench, as the connector may be damaged.
Also, never attempt to remove the connector by cutting the cable or pulling it by force.
▪️ POINT
Cracks on the glass surface of solar panels and cable cuts are not eligible for the purchase price
Large scratches on the front and back surfaces of solar panels, frame damage, and distortion will lower the unit purchase price.
Examples of purchase failures
I did not know how to remove the MC4 connector, so I cut the cable and removed the panel. The MC4 connector was pulled by force and the connector was removed The MC4 connector was not removed properly and the connector was damaged.
(2)Handling of solar panels during storage
We recommend storing the removed solar panels indoors as much as possible.
If it is difficult to store them indoors, please do the following
For outdoor storage
Protect MC4 connector with insulation tape, etc.
Protect solar panels with blue sheets, etc.
①Protect MC4 connector with insulation tape.
Protection is necessary because if the inside of the connector gets wet, it may cause rust, etc., which may affect power generation.
(2) Protect the entire panel with blue sheets, etc.
In addition to preventing rain and wind from entering the solar panels, protection is necessary to prevent scratches and dirt.
As we will explain later, dirt on solar panels may also affect the purchase price, so please check if you are concerned.
▪️ Points to keep in mind when storing outdoors
Protect MC4 connector with insulation tape, etc. Protect solar panels with blue sheets, etc.
2 Methods and tricks to get buyers to purchase solar panels at a high price
Here are some methods and tricks to get buyers to purchase solar panels at a higher price.
⑴New solar panels do not come unpacked in cardboard packaging
Recently, the purchase of not only used panels but also new panels is increasing.
The secret to increasing the unit purchase price
When selling new panels, the secret to increasing the unit purchase price is to leave the cardboard packaging unpacked.
Once the cardboard packaging is unpacked, even if the solar panels are brand new, the unit purchase price will be lower than when they were packed.
▪️ Key Points
When selling new panels, do not unpack them.
(2) Remove dirt from the solar panels.
Since the solar panels have been used for a long time, a little dirt will not affect the purchase price.
However, if the entire panel is dirty, as shown in the photo, the purchase price will be reduced.
However, if the solar panels are dirty, the purchase price will be reduced.
Also, purified water can be used to wipe up without water stains.
Caution : Never use a large amount of water to clean the solar panel of dirt.
It may lead to power generation failure or other problems.
(3) Solar panels should be stored with the front (glass side) facing up.
The backside of solar panels is shaped to allow water to accumulate.
The backside of the solar panel contains cables, junction boxes, and other parts that are important for power generation, so the condition where rainwater accumulates must be avoided.
If water accumulates on the backside of the solar panel, it will be treated as submerged, and the purchase unit price will be reduced for submerged items.
Therefore, solar panels should be stored with the solar panel surface (glass side) facing up.
⑷ Sell as quickly as possible .
While purchasing solar panels, the first thing to focus on is the age and years of use.
Even from the customer's perspective, don't we first focus on the age and the number of years used?
The same is true from the buyer's point of view.
Once you have made up your mind to sell your solar panels, the key to getting the best price is to sell them as soon as possible.
Actual case
Sold a year and a half after the purchase appraisal was conducted
The purchase price was reduced by several million yen from the original purchase price.
Why did the purchase price drop so much?
The reason is that the demand for solar panels for purchase has decreased.
At the time of the purchase assessment, the solar panels were in high demand and very popular among the reused panels, but within a year and a half, the demand has drastically decreased due to the fact that other manufacturers' solar panels of better quality have started to appear on the market.
Therefore, it is very important to sell the panels as soon as possible to avoid missing the period when high purchase prices are being offered.
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