Quote from: Seawolf on April 28, 2012, 04:23:23 PM
He can get me practically any cell according to our conversation.  He spoke of Suniva and Sonyo HIT, have you heard of these?

Then get Shell or BP, Shell is the best, BP is a close second.
What sets these panels apart from the rest is quality, never once had a Shell panel fail or even degrade.
ARCO started them Siemens bought them out, and Shell bought out Siemens, I have 30 year old ARCO panels that are still producing like the day they were made.
Shell continued with the quality and still uses the better frames, mine blew off the roof and fell 30' to the ground and nothing happened to them, a BP panel would have busted all to pieces.
There are a lot of panel companies that sprang up overnight and will be gone next year when the Gov subsidies run out and you'd be stuck if the panel fails.
Pay the extra buck and buy Shell, you won't regret it.

To answer your question, no, never heard of them and they probably are having trouble as we speak.
Do a search of their financials and see if they are filing for bankruptcy.

Business Summary



Based in metro-Atlanta, privately-held Suniva Inc. manufactures and distributes high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and high powered solar modules, which consist of Suniva's core cell technology and exports internationally to Europe and Asia.  From its founding in 2006, Suniva technologies aim to reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) generated by solar photovoltaics (PV) over time to truly commercialize solar-generated power.  As of 2011, with over 18.2% efficiency in full scale production, Suniva is producing the world's lowest cost, highest cell conversion efficiency commercially available.  Founded by Georgia Tech professor Ajeet Rohatgi, Suniva is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

http://www.privco.com/private-company/suniva-inc

Like all these alternative energy companies, they are only staying afloat thanks to you and I, the tax payer.

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientissues_spec.php?id=D000057290&year=2010&spec=ENG

Thanks a ton for your information.  It helped me out quite a bit and was a pleasure talking to you.

Seawolf....not trying to butt in. I noticed you said you were from Va. Judging from your name I would wager a bet you might be on the coast. Solar panels will work there BUT if you are in western Va....forget it. I know some friends in that part of the world that regret the panels...any panels. In fact I use to live in the mtns of Va. Too much overcast in the fall and winter to have much of an effect vs the maintenance then there is the extreme cold at times. Hell, even the heat pumps freeze up.

Quote from: hokiewoodchuck on April 29, 2012, 07:48:16 PM
Seawolf....not trying to butt in. I noticed you said you were from Va. Judging from your name I would wager a bet you might be on the coast. Solar panels will work there BUT if you are in western Va....forget it. I know some friends in that part of the world that regret the panels...any panels. In fact I use to live in the mtns of Va. Too much overcast in the fall and winter to have much of an effect vs the maintenance then there is the extreme cold at times. Hell, even the heat pumps freeze up.

You will find Seawolf, was in the submarines in the United States Navy.

Thank you Seawolf for your service to the USA.

However, there something strange about you submariners.....y'all don't like sunlight much. 

Quote from: hokiewoodchuck on April 30, 2012, 04:59:09 AM
Thank you Seawolf for your service to the USA.

However, there something strange about you submariners.....y'all don't like sunlight much. 

I do know they all rig for horizon and check for light seepage.

Quote from: Seawolf on April 29, 2012, 05:55:41 PM
Thanks a ton for your information.  It helped me out quite a bit and was a pleasure talking to you.

More than welcome, I wish I had a w9orking model I could show you.
You might go to a local solar store in your area and ask to see a working system, they will be more than happy to help you.
Just holler if you have any other questions.

Quote from: hokiewoodchuck on April 29, 2012, 07:48:16 PM
Seawolf....not trying to butt in. I noticed you said you were from Va. Judging from your name I would wager a bet you might be on the coast. Solar panels will work there BUT if you are in western Va....forget it. I know some friends in that part of the world that regret the panels...any panels. In fact I use to live in the mtns of Va. Too much overcast in the fall and winter to have much of an effect vs the maintenance then there is the extreme cold at times. Hell, even the heat pumps freeze up.

Fog is an issue if it's really heavy, but the colder the better, solar panels produce as much as 30% more rated energy in freezing air, it's the heat and high humidity that cuts their output.

Quote from: Solar on April 30, 2012, 08:48:08 AM
Fog is an issue if it's really heavy, but the colder the better, solar panels produce as much as 30% more rated energy in freezing air, it's the heat and high humidity that cuts their output.

I need to put this in a time frame because it wasn't yesterday....it was late 80's and early 90's. I am assume technology development eliminated some of the problems but then again it might have been the cheaper side of panels.

Those folks disconnected their panesl from their houses.

Quote from: hokiewoodchuck on April 30, 2012, 08:56:38 AM
I need to put this in a time frame because it wasn't yesterday....it was late 80's and early 90's. I am assume technology development eliminated some of the problems but then again it might have been the cheaper side of panels.

Those folks disconnected their panesl from their houses.

I could see fog being an issue regarding cheap panels, but cold has always s bee a positive effect on solar cells.
OHMS Law plays a part, resistance creates heat, heat creates loss.
In other words, the more heat, the more loss, because heat is creating resistance.

I wonder if the panels they had up were the kind that held water so the sun could heat the water for the water heater.
These are two completely different concepts.
Then it would completely make sense if they never worked properly.
Not very many people had photovoltaics back in the 80s, most of it was from the Carter era, where he pushed solar water heating on roofs, a complete waste of time back then.

Quote from: Solar on April 30, 2012, 09:19:11 AM
I could see fog being an issue regarding cheap panels, but cold has always s bee a positive effect on solar cells.
OHMS Law plays a part, resistance creates heat, heat creates loss.
In other words, the more heat, the more loss, because heat is creating resistance.

I wonder if the panels they had up were the kind that held water so the sun could heat the water for the water heater.
These are two completely different concepts.
Then it would completely make sense if they never worked properly.
Not very many people had photovoltaics back in the 80s, most of it was from the Carter era, where he pushed solar water heating on roofs, a complete waste of time back then.

You nailed it. It was heating water on rooftops........

Quote from: hokiewoodchuck on April 30, 2012, 09:38:10 AM
You nailed it. It was heating water on rooftops........

Yeah, when you said 80s I figured that had to be it, photovoltaics didn't take off till the 90s, even though it's been around since the 17th century.