where to buy panels and controller

[98Evo]

We are leaving Canada for Quartzsite/Palm Springs area soon. Is there still a good dealer and installer still in Q or would Cali be better?
thanks.

[98Evo]

thanks for the help gents. I have a pretty good idea of what I need now.

[Lenny_K]

The only thing that if you get an install done at Discount Solar in Quartzsite insist that your charge controller be set at 14.8 volts for absorption if you are using flooded cell batteries. So make sure that your charge controller has the capabilities of changing set points to enable 14.8 volts.
Discount Solar always insist that you use 14.4 volts which will never get your batteries properly charged.

[Itinerant1]

Yuma is a little further, as mentioned already Starlight Solar does installations. I also found Larry easy to work with explained what we wanted and how we use the 5th wheel and had a quality system installed. Been 18 months so far of continuous use. Can't complain and has exceeded expectations.

[corvettekent]

You may want to check with AM solar in Springfield, OR

[morley]

If you have any inclination before going south to go to the west and buy in Canada it is very hard to beat Nova Independent Resources in Kelowna , BC for the most cost efficient and probably the best supply and installation of solar panels, controllers etc.

[Tom_M1]

Sun Electronics has a Phoenix location. They have panels selling for about 50 cents a watt:
http://sunelec.com/home/

Here's some good info from Jack Mayer:
http://www.jackdanmayer.com/rv_electrical_and_solar.htm

[Lwiddis]

“Is there still a good dealer and installer still in Q or would Cali be better?”

What have you decided regarding your solar system? Solar watts, type/capacity of controller and batteries? What did your energy audit show was needed plus a good reserve?

[azrving]

Discount solar has a nice showroom with a pretty good selection. I installed a second bank of three 160 watt panels from Solar Blvd and a second Bogart controller last winter. I was in Discount 3 or 4 times buying gadgets and talking misc solar stuff and they seemed like they are knowledgeable. I didnt inspect any of their installs but every time I go by there they are always working on rigs.

One of the key things is wire sizing as mentioned above. Any dealer can shoot prices and the more expensive one may be best if it's because he is sizing the wire large enough or even a little too large. As far as the Quartzsite area there may be others in the tent area or scattered out in the vendors but I dont know. I know that Discount isn't a flea market type place. They also employ a guy who can repair inverters so my measuring stick says that you may have a variety of employee capabilities but one of your main guys is smart enough to do complex electronic repairs.

So I have not seen their installs but if I wanted it done in Q I would go to Discount. If you are down by Yuma there is Starlight solar/Larry. I also bought parts from him when rewiring a friends undersized half azz system. He has a good selection and is knowledgeable. I haven't seen his installs but when I already knew what size wire I wanted I asked him and he suggested the same which was on the lager side. That's good.

The friend I helped had bought additional panels from Larry years before and Larry did recommend replacing all the wire yet my friends goofy know nothing camp buddies had kept telling him that you dont need big wire blah blah. Get some quotes and come back here.

Edit: Last year I paid $365 for three 160 watt Cynergy panels from Solar Blvd and that included $35 shipping from Norco Cali to the Outpost shipping center in the Q. I you have stuff shipped there be sure you are signed up for US mail or the postal system wot leave it at the Outpost. The panels were shipped UPS.

Another buddy who always has ants in his pants bought ONE 160 watt panel at Discount for about $260!!!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The "license" would be a business license, or a special license where it would be easy to sort from unlicensed dealers?

[harold1946]

If you purchase from a licensed Arizona dealer there is no sales tax on solar equipment.

[2oldman]

allen8106 wrote:
Do your research so you know what is required then force the installer to install it the way you want it.

x2. This is the way it should be done, but I don't think it is too often.

[time2roll]

You will not be too far from Norco CA.

https://www.solarblvd.com/products/

Best to order in advance for pick-up to make sure it is held in stock.

No installation services afaik. Probably have to buy equipment from the installer or their heart will not be in it. Anyway it is good to compare prices.

[Chum_lee]

Discount Solar in Q (no affiliation) has a pretty good inventory and knowledgeable staff but a lot of what happens on your particular rig depends on what you want done and the complexity of the job as well as who is available to do the work. Since you are in Canada, you are used to higher taxes. Q has some of the highest sales taxes in the country as well as California.

Do some research before you buy. Know what you want and what to expect before you buy. Often solar is a "sales oriented" purchase (rather than performance oriented) if you know what I mean.

Chum lee

[allen8106]

Might be some good "dealers" but doubt there are any good installers at Quartzsite. Most will undersize the wire which causes the uninformed to come back for more panels because they're not getting full potential out of the panels they have.

This is true of most installers anywhere. Do your research so you know what is required then force the installer to install it the way you want it.