[RE-wrenches] PV Module Favorite (was Whats with Kyocera)

Wed May 19 14:25:35 PDT 2010

Joel,

Schuco - Good German quality, wide range of modules, good energy output
tolerance, good availability, good pricing. Company appears to be solid,
which is important to me. I'm presently designing several systems around the
Schuco MPE 180 MS05 "Black Line" modules, -0%/+5% tolerance, 36Vmp which I
like, and this module can be handled by one installer (31.8" 62.2" 33 lbs),
5 yr full product warranty and 25 year power warranty. We also use the
Schuco MPE 225's. 

Systems needing greater power density get the Sanyo 215N's same physical
size as above and are rated at 35 more Watts. Sanyo's cost me a $1.00 per
Watt more. Sanyo's have a 20 year warranty which is behind the times for a
top quality module.

Dave

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Joel
Davidson
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 11:09 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] PV Module Favorite (was Whats with Kyocera)

Wrenches,

I'd like to turn this discussion 180 degrees. I'm not manufacturing PV
modules (at the moment), but I'd like to know what is your favorite PV
module brand and model? What features and benefits are important? What do
you like about the manufacturer itself (not its warehouse distributors)? Are
price, power, and availability over 90 percent of the equation? What else
really matters? Thanks in advance for your comments.

Joel Davidson

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Bill Loesch <mailto:solar1online at charter.net>  

To: RE-wrenches <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>  

Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 4:10 AM

Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Whats with Kyocera

Ray,

In addition to _your_ Rouges Big Three of 

Kyrocera

BP

Photowatt 

let me add _my_ recently discovered Rouges Big Three of 

Q-Cells
Sharp
Abound Solar

which are being sold direct from the manufacturer to the end user.

Seems like many manufacturers have lapses of conscience, some continuously
others intermittently.

Thank you,

Bill Loesch
Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar

I would hope that other _distributors_ like AEE and manufacturers, like
Evergreen, continue to pass on their leads as long as the established
distribution channels remain in place.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: R Ray Walters <mailto:ray at solarray.com>  

To: RE-wrenches <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>  

Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2010 6:47 PM

Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Whats with Kyocera

Interesting, because we quit working with all three Manufacturers mentioned
for the following reasons: 

Kyocera had that 1999 bad batch that is still giving them a bad name in the
back woods here. So glad I never sold those.

BP bought Solarex, and starting making crappy polycrystalline stuff, (and
had their own bad batches) we got tired of making excuses for under
performance.

FInally, Photowatt in Albuquerque was selling to end users very small
quantities at our wholesale price. We didn't need the competition from a
supplier. Again they had some bad batches too.

These three companies have a long track record of bad service, bad products,
and poor performance.

With so many top quality modules available: Sunpower, SolarWorld, Sanyo.....
Why would any of you mess around selling 

for a company that doesn't take care of you?

Just my opinion: you're only going to install so many systems this lifetime,
so don't put your name and reputation out on 2nd rate stuff.

R. Walters

ray at solarray.com

Solar Engineer

On May 18, 2010, at 2:56 PM, Joel Davidson wrote:

In 2002, Kyocera cut off American distributors shortly after hosting their
distributor visit to Japan. Kyocera started shipping everything they could
to Germany where they were getting over $1/W more than in the US. BP Solar
also cut off American distributors. Remember BP distributor Mark Weidhaas in
Temecula? Photowatt also cut off American distributors. Remember Bernard
Stuart in Albuquerque? I'm sure wrenches can think of other foreign
manufacturers that left us high and dry.

PV manufacturing is nowhere near maxed out. PV industry manufacturing
capacity utilization is now around 60%.

See slide 2
http://www.luthcommunications.com/uploads/Paula_Mints_presentation.pdf

  _____  

From: Keith Cronin <electrichi01 at yahoo.com>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Tue, May 18, 2010 10:59:04 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Whats with Kyocera

I've heard alot of manu's are struggling or will be struggling to meet
demand this year- SunPower, Canadian and now it seems Kyocera.

Who is next?

Seems like 2006 all over again.

  _____  

From: Steven Lawrence <SLawrence at smartenergygroup.net>
To: "re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Tue, May 18, 2010 7:51:51 AM
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Whats with Kyocera

It's the same thing here.  They aren't taking any large orders from us.  

Steven Lawrence
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer(tm)

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 18:22:27 -0700
From: i2p <i2p at aol.com>
To: "List for complaining about anything RE."
    <re-bitching at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Cc: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Whats with Kyocera?
Message-ID: <A1E17F2D.C667.4A0B.80D8.4725C33305E2 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Without any word, they have stopped taking orders.! Not only could they not
fulfill an immediate need, they refused to even take a pretty nice order for
future delivery.????

Who is still getting Kyocera? Whats the deal.? Are they dumping the small
accounts??

If you are still doing business with Kyocera, what size orders are you
placing.? Not looking for biz intelligence here, just respond as small ,
medium or large.

Thanks for comments and information. Just trying to figure out where to go
from here. Like I'm looking for a supplier who treats smaller shops with
some respect. My comments do not reflect on my salesperson at Kyocera who is
very upset by being forced to refuse orders.

Don Loweburg
Offline Solar

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