There are many online claims that you can get free solar panels from the government or private companies. Those claims are NOT true. They usually refer to zero down purchase programs.
However there are legitimate ways to get people give you their old solar panels for free.
One source of free solar panels is companies or individuals that are replacing their current solar panel array. If they don't want to go through the trouble of selling the panels, they might give them to you so they don't have to pay to dispose of them. Another source of free panels is from people who have broken panels that you can fix.
Of course, the catch is that their output will be less than new panels. However, if you can get most of the electricity output of new panels, at no cost, that can be a great trade-off.
So in this tutorial, I'll go over the 2 sources and how you can tap into them. I'll also give you tutorial videos on how you can tell if a panel can be fixed and how to fix them.
How Long do Solar Panels Last?
You might be wondering if it's even worth getting used solar panels. According to my research, panels lose about 0.5% of their output per year.
So after 20 years, the average solar panel should still put out about 90% of its original electricity yield.
There can be variations in performance caused by weather and build quality. But 90% is still a great output, especially if you got the panels for free.
Even if you only get 80% of the output, that's still fantastic. You would just have to add a few more panels. Since you're getting them for free anyway, all you need is a little more space.
How to Find Used Panels
The first way to get free solar panels is to look for companies or individuals that are replacing or getting rid of their existing panels.
There can be many reasons why people will give you their panels.
Here are just a few:
- Replacing the panels after the warranty runs out
- Closing a business
- They care about getting the extra 10% to 20% in output because they don't have extra space
- Upgrading to better panels
- Upgrading to a new solar system
As you go about your daily business, look out for older solar panels on buildings. They could be at a business or on a home.
This will help you target sources of used panels.
Then start talking to people and put out the word that you're looking for used solar panels. Tell your friends, neighbors and co-workers.
You never know who might know someone who is looking to get rid of some solar panels. The more you talk, the more likely you are to find good sources.
In some areas, it costs money to dispose of solar panels. So if these people can give them away to someone who can use them, it's a win-win situation.
Even if you can't get them for free, you may be able to get them for really cheap.
How to Get People to Bring You Broken Panels
Another way to get used panels for free is to advertise that you accept broken solar panels. Many people assume that a broken panel cannot be fixed.
There are cases when that's certainly true.
But if you know what to look for, you can quickly tell if a used panel has a good chance of being fixed or not.
You can use free classified ad sites like Craigslist or Freecycle to put the word out, or simply talk to people in your area.
Now you obviously don't want random people dumping unfixable solar panels in your front yard.
So let's take a look at what to ask for when advertising for broken solar panels.
How to Figure Out if a Panel Could be Fixed
It's easy to visually inspect a panel to see if it has a high probability of being fixed.
Tell people that you are only looking for panels that don't have burnt cells.
The most important part of the panel are the cells. If those are broken or damaged, then it's not worth investing any more time into the panel.
You might be able to fix them, but it's usually not worth the time. Your time is better spend getting a steady flow of free panels.
Visually inspect the panels to see if there are any brown or black spots on the back of the panel. That's a sign that one of the cells got overloaded and is burnt out.
Then check the front of the panel to see if there are any large cracks in the glass or a lot of dust trapped under the glass in certain areas. Anything that could shade the cells will reduce the output of the panel. There might also be parts on the front that are burnt out.
You can tell people that you are only looking for panels that do not have these characteristics. That will make it more likely that you'll get panels that can be fixed.
How to Test the Output of a Solar Panel
Once you get some panels, it's time to check them.
Before you take anything apart, be sure to check the output of your panels. They might not need to be fixed.
Be sure to clean the front of the panel and put them in full sunlight. If the panel is dirty or partially shaded, you won't get an accurate reading.
Then use a multimeter to check the output.
This video will show you how to do it.
How to Fix a Solar Panel
There are basically 3 parts to a solar panel:
- Solar cells
- Junction box
- Cable
If a panel looks good upon visual inspection, then the problem is usually in the junction box.
There are diodes in the box that only allow electricity to flow from the panel to the cable.
When a diode breaks, energy can flow both ways and the output of the panel goes down. Luckily, changing the diodes only costs a few dollars per panel and a few minutes.
Here's how to test and replace diodes in the junction box.
Find the highest rated diodes here.
An issue with the cable is rare, but if the diodes are working then the issue could be the cable.
Repeat the solar panel output test in the previous section, before and after the cable, to see if the cable is causing the problem.
If the cable is the cause, you'll get a normal reading before the cable, but a much lower reading or no reading at the plug end of the cable.
Simply replace the cable with a similar cable from other panels you got for free.
Final Thoughts
With a little creativity and know-how, you can get free solar panels and start building an array that will significantly reduce or even eliminate your electricity bill.
The loss of efficiency in solar panels is relatively small, so even older panels can still provide a good amount of electricity.
Many people don't know that you can easily repair solar panels, and what to look for. So you can use this information to your advantage and build a solar system for a fraction of the cost of new panels.
Finally, be aware of what you'll do with panels that cannot be fixed. You can save some of them for parts. But if you get too many unusable panels, you'll have to figure out how to dispose of them.
Be more selective about the panels you accept and you'll reduce the number of panels you'll have get rid of later.
