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Solar Equipment, who has the oldest?

hugemoth
Explorer
Explorer
When my charge controller failed a few weeks ago I looked to see how old it was... 1993 Bobbier Sun Selector with a mercury switch lasted 23 years of 24/7/365 use.

Then I looked up the paperwork on my Tri-Metric Battery Monitor (the original meter) which is still working fine 24/7/365 since spring of 1994. Bought it from Ralph Hiesey himself.

Inverters are another story, I have a pile of toasted ones in my storage shed. Oldest one still in service is a Xantrex 1000 that is nearly 20 years old.

PV modules all still working. Oldest is 30 years.
7 REPLIES 7

milo
Explorer II
Explorer II
We still have & use a little 22 watt Kyocera panel made in Japan we bought back in 1983.
Janet & Milo ...47 fantastic yrs 2gether :B
Mona Yorkie & Buddy our beloved Beagle (both in spirit)
2013 F-150 Kodiak Brown XLT 4X4 HD Ecoboost
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Living under the best Government money can buy ... Bob Brinker ๐Ÿ˜‰

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
3 51 watt Kyocera panels 1991 $290 ea wholesale. Trace 4024 inverter 1992. Trace C60 solar controller purchased with panels and finally an old square wave Tripplite 300 watt $200 inverter from 1982. It still works as does a 1979 motor generator. Trace stuff is awesome.

hugemoth
Explorer
Explorer
My 30 year old PV modules are ARCO brand monocrystal bought used surplus. Also have a few really really old modules with round monocrystal cells on a fiberglass backing and transparent silicone over the cells rather than glass. Still work but not in use.

pianotuna
Nomad III
Nomad III
My previous RV had panels on it from 1987. Sadly the new owner this spring had it towed to the wrecking yard. 30 watts for $1700 way back when.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

tonyandkaren
Explorer
Explorer
You have us beat too. Two of our panels are 21 years old but we moved them to our current RV so everything else is only six years old.
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4x4 Custom Class C on F450 chassis

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
Got me beat
My oldest panels are 20 yrs old, date to 1995 Siemens and hooked to the fridge vent exhaust fans to help in hot weather
I have some unisolar panels that are 15yrsold
And some brand new panels bought last year
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

ryanw821
Explorer
Explorer
:B I like hearing stories like this, though I would imagine as costs have plummeted on PV panels and controllers I doubt we will see the kind of build quality that lasts that long any more, though one can hold out hope :C