Any downside to using large size PV Panels?

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ggunn

PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
Location
Austin, TX, USA
Occupation
Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Abe Stallcup said:
We have a client who is interested in using the larger than "standard" size panels on several projects, convinced they will save money based on this case study below. Does anyone out their have experience with installing these larger size panels? What is the downside?

http://www.heliossolarworks.com/size-does-matter/
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An interesting line in the spreadsheet is the top one; it shows the same cost per Watt for all the different modules irrespective of their power output. I am not sure that that is necessarily a valid assumption. But anyway, accepting that as a given, then there are indeed advantages to going with the highest output modules you can get because BOS costs per installed Watt decrease as Watts per module increase. It scales linearly with power output as long as you are talking about modules of the same form factor, although with the larger dimensioned modules that factor can be somewhat lessened, depending on the racking method. A downside to using the truly huge modules is the added difficulty for the installer crew in handling them; labor charges could go up, if for example, it takes three or four guys to handle a module.
 
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Zee

Senior Member
Location
CA
resi. or comm. projects? That is what makes the diff. for me IMHO.To haul those biggies around negates any advantage of lower BOS costs on a resi. job.Time suck: When 2 or more guys are needed. Danger also: heavy, cumbersome. One will be walking backward. A notable fatality aoccurred that way (fell thru skylight on flat roof)I haul all panels by hand, on all jobs. I LOVE the small ones! I will pay more for them.SPACE waster: Also big panles will leave much larger spaces unused on a resi job, whereas i can fill in lots o space with a 185 w panel on a house.REmemeber: big panels are the rage now: they are made because they are cheaper - far cheaper to palletize and require far less costly aluminum frame, j boxes and MC pigtails per sq ft. FOR THE MFCTR.On a large comm. job, with a crane (or other lifting device) and thousands of panels: why not?
 
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