Any good online stores in Canada for solar panels/equipment?

[Red Squirrel]

I want to setup solar panels on my roof eventually, going to start with a small system on my shed.  Problem is I can't seem to find too many places to buy panels.  The few I found charge 100's just for shipping even one panel.  Is this really the going rate to ship something like that or is there maybe a site I missed?  I'm in northern Ontario. Looking at 280w modules or something in that range.  (cheaper per watt than 100w modules)

Canadian Tire and other hardware stores charge WAY too much, though it may be my only option if I can't find a place with cheaper shipping.

[boffin]

I've talked to these guys, and they seemed to know what they were doing: http://www.renewables.net/   I'd fire them a detailed email, or call them. Their website isn't really a price it piece by piece kind of thing, and they're likely to suggest things you hadn't considered.  5yrs ago we were looking at buying a 1500 sq ft off grid house, and priced an 8 panel, 120/240 inverter with them at a trade show (Panels, PbAcid battery system, charge controller, inverter) and it was around 9k IIRC.  I'm sure that the price hasnt changed much, but the performance has increased.

[NorthGuy]

I've got very good prices on good SolarWorld mono panels at http://evolvegreen.ca/

This was 6 years ago. I bought 24 panels. The price was better than Chinese offerings and there was free shipping. They delivered incorrect panels, but they sent a truck to pick them up and delivered new panels very quickly and without any extra charges. I didn't have any problems with the panels since.

[Red Squirrel]

It seems lot of these places are scared of showing prices and allowing you to shop on their site.    Guess when I feel ready I can contact them but I don't like to commit before I know whether or not I'm actually ready. (ex: knowing prices/shipping etc)

My dad sells RVs and they do sell solar panels so I asked him to check with the guys that sell that stuff to see if they can get big ones (200w+) and for how much, and other equipment for house mounting etc, as they might procure the RV ones from a supplier that can get the bigger stuff.

Everywhere I look online the shipping is what is the real killer though - if they even list prices.  It seems to be about $200 per panel to ship. That seems crazy to me.   

[Red Squirrel]

Well I just figured out why I'm having such a hard time.  Looks like there are tariffs on solar modules AND solar cells.  Since solar cells come from China then that drives the price of manufacturers here.    Though it does not help that most manufacturers are not making it easy to even buy their stuff as most of their sites don't even show prices or have an option to order.  I guess they only sell to big companies that do big solar projects and not to individuals.

I'm probably going to have to give up on this idea for now and if I do want to get into renewables I can do wind or something thermal based like sterling engine or something.   

Even the RV place wants about $600 for a 100w panel and that's the "good" price.  Regular price is around $1,000.  I was hoping to get 4 100w or 2 200w+ whatever I can get.   But yeah think I will have to put this project to bed, and just run hydro from the house to the shed.

When I do decide to buy an off grid property I'll probably have to do wind instead of solar, but maybe things will improve by then too.

[NiHaoMike]

Have you checked Amazon?

[Red Squirrel]

They do pop up now and then.  I don't like ordering from there as I don't know what I'm getting and it might be fakes (ex: not right specs) but that seems to be about the only place I can get them for a decent price with low  or free shipping, so may go that route after all.   Though I wonder if I'll get hit with the tariffs once it crosses the border...  Or do tariffs only count for companies ordering supplies, and not individuals?

Who would have known it would be this hard to go green though.  No wonder we're not seeing a wide adoption of solar, it's too hard to even get the panels.

[Red Squirrel]

I think I will bite the bullet and go the Amazon route, this seems like the best deal so far and it looks legit: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00FM2WKAO?th=1  I'll get 4 panels total.

I will measure out the roof first to make sure they'll fit properly but I think they will.   Still need to figure out what to do for racking.  I'll probably end up using L brackets with lag bolts going through the trusses to hold some 2x2's and then screw the panels into that.  I'll tar the heck out of the lag bolts and hopefully that will be a good seal.  Open to suggestions though. 30 degree asphalt shingle roof.

[cdev]

This is a US company. I have dealt with them in the past and they are good people. https://realgoods.com/

[Davesaudio]

www.canadiansolar.com
Presume they can tell you who their retailers are if they don't sell direct

[Red Squirrel]

I ended up going the Amazon route.  https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00FM2WKAO/

Seemed to be the best bang for the buck, though the downside is that I can't exactly rely on them always having the product as lot of stuff on there tends to be fly by night.     But now I only wanted a couple 100w modules so worked out ok. 

Now to figure out best way to mount them without leaks.  Torn between Unistrut, or fully custom wood frame.  Either way, I kinda have to improvise the way it actually mounts to the roof as I can't seem to find a product for that which is actually available for sale. 

Think if I do the house I'll just try to find a solar installer to do just that part then they can worry about where to buy the stuff.  I guess solar is still really niche.  Don't even think we even have solar installers here.  Solar is not really viable here, I'm just playing with it because I'm a nerd.

[Red Squirrel]

I was desperate for trying to find a way to mount and kept searching deeper for PV mounts and found some.  Came across a site that offers free shipping and actually has a decent inventory.  Keeping this one for future reference.

https://www.modernoutpost.com/

They will even ship batteries for free.  Good to know for when I want to upgrade.