Forums oldest solar panels

EcoScruples

As per title,
Who has the oldest panels?
What make, how big, any issues?
How are they performing?

Anyone had to replace any that have worn out? 

Martyn1981

I suspect a lot of folk on here will have 2010/2011/2012 panels. And there may be some older ones.

I have some 2011 Sharp 185Wp panels still working fine, no apparent degradation at all (which surprises me). I have just replaced some 2011 Sharp 235Wp panels with 440Wp. Those older panels again are (or were) working fine, no apparent degradation. And also some 2012 Jetion 250Wp panels, again working fine, no issues.

If it counts, I'm still using my Casio fx-451 calculator, from the mid 80's. It's solar powered, no battery (at least not one I can access/change). Still works fine, but takes noticeably longer to start up, ever since we switched to low energy light bulbs (late 90's).

pete-20-11

I had 3 panels from 2012 (0.84 kW declared net capacity) but replaced them last year with new panels (more panels and better panels obviously!). 

I suspect the old string inverter would have failed sooner rather than later, I was told they tend to last 10-12 years on average. 

Hetty17

18 x Sanyo 215 NKHE5, in 2 strings; Diehl AKO Platinum 4301S inverter. SE aspect, some shading mid-late afternoon.  Installed end Oct 2010.  The inverter failed mid-Dec 2013, replaced under guarantee (about 10 weeks later) with same model. No other problems. 

Little, if any, degradation over time: worst year 2017, best year 2022. 

Battery installed July 2023; smart meter finally working earlier this month: now looking at Octopus tariffs. 

carly

16  Sharp 185W panels fitted January 2011. Still working faultlessly with no appreciable drop in efficiency.  Fronius inverter replaced in 2023 when we had a 9Kwh battery fitted.