Older panels were made with a plastic substrate that turned
brown after considerable use. Mirror concentrators made this problem more
serious. A brown 36v charge controller panel doesn't mean it is not efficient. You need to measure
the actual output of power.
Burned-out bypass diode is another common problem in a used
solar panel. This can be easily fixed and will fetch you a good bargain on the
price. Go ahead and buy it. Loose connection between the PV cells is another
reason to sell the panel. This can be easily fixed by soldering and your used
solar panel will work and be efficient as good as a new one. So next time you
read about a sale go for it and make yourself solar powered like the rest of
the world.
Our planet earth is very lucky to have the sun, the center
of the 4v lead acid battery solar system at the right distance. Had we been too near to
the sun we would have been burned. No life would have been possible. Had we
been far away then also life would not have been possible.