Every panel we sell is listed under one of four grades. The grade appears on the product badge, on the listing and in the lot details.
New
Current-model panels, sealed, with the manufacturer's warranty. Choose New if your installer needs the paperwork for a certified install.
Overstock
Never installed. Overstock comes from cancelled projects, distributor surplus and end-of-line runs. Panels may have light handling marks from storage. We don't provide a warranty; each listing says whether a manufacturer warranty is available.
Second Life A
Used panels in near-new or lightly marked condition, recovered from decommissioned or upgraded systems. Sold without a warranty.
Second Life B
Used panels with more visible wear. The cheapest watts we sell, suited to budget off-grid builds, sheds and vans. Sold without a warranty.
How we test Second Life panels
- Visual check. Every panel is inspected: glass, frame, backsheet, junction box and connectors. Panels with cracked glass, delamination or burn marks are recycled, not sold.
- Output test. A sample from every lot is tested on a FLIR I-V curve tracer and checked against the label rating. If the sample fails, the lot isn't sold as Second Life.
- Graded and listed. Each lot is graded on condition and test results, and the listing says how it was tested.
Unless a listing gives a measured figure for each panel, Second Life panels aren't individually power-rated or individually certified, and output will be below the original label rating.
Can I use Second Life panels on a grid-tied system?
Used panels generally can't be certified for MCS installs, which can affect export payment schemes and some insurance. They're ideal for off-grid, battery-charging and outbuilding systems. If in doubt, check with your installer before you buy.
Your rights
Whatever the grade, every panel must match its listing. See our returns page for what happens if it doesn't.