Are DIY Solar Panels Worth it?

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  • Sunking
    Solar Fanatic
    • Feb 2010
    • 23301

    Originally posted by Naptown
    how about good bye?
    Yep and do not let the door hit you in the butt leaving.
    MSEE, PE

    Comment

    • Naptown
      Solar Fanatic
      • Feb 2011
      • 6880

      Here is a hint
      Go the the home page of this forum
      on the right side there is a tab that says Promotions and under it is another tab that says discount solar panels
      click on that.
      NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

      [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

      [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

      [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

      Comment

      • Naptown
        Solar Fanatic
        • Feb 2011
        • 6880

        Originally posted by Sunking
        Yep and do not let the door hit you in the butt leaving.
        He is providing entertainment value.
        NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

        [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

        [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

        [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

        Comment

        • FloridaSun
          Solar Fanatic
          • Dec 2012
          • 634

          Originally posted by Naptown
          Here is a hint
          Go the the home page of this forum
          on the right side there is a tab that says Promotions and under it is another tab that says discount solar panels
          click on that.
          I tried telling him to go there with no luck. I give up on him. IF ever he did find a panel I expect next he would want us to buy them for him.

          Comment

          • Sunking
            Solar Fanatic
            • Feb 2010
            • 23301

            Originally posted by Naptown
            He is providing entertainment value.
            Yeah I know. Problem is he does not even know how foolish he is and we are laughing at him. Engineer my butt.
            MSEE, PE

            Comment

            • FloridaSun
              Solar Fanatic
              • Dec 2012
              • 634

              Originally posted by Sunking
              Yeah I know. Problem is he does not even know how foolish he is and we are laughing at him. Engineer my butt.
              He never did say what kind of engineer he was. I'm thinking he is engineer on the lil train at a zoo.

              Comment

              • Sunking
                Solar Fanatic
                • Feb 2010
                • 23301

                Originally posted by FloridaSun
                He never did say what kind of engineer he was. I'm thinking he is engineer on the lil train at a zoo.
                I knew some engineers in high school like Mary. She pulled trains in the back seat of a Chevy and laid a lot of pipe line.
                MSEE, PE

                Comment

                • tsupyo
                  Junior Member
                  • Mar 2013
                  • 25

                  Originally posted by SunEagle
                  For peat sakes tsupyo. I don't believe you know how to search for things using goggle. I just found over a dozen different size solar panels from 235 to 285 watts made by Sonali, Suntech & Jetion that are all less than $1 per watt.

                  If you want to purchase a ready made panel for low cost then get off your high horse and do so. If you want to build your own then go do it. If you found "metal" solar panels then please provide the specifications of what type of metal it is. If you can't provide that information then maybe it doesn't exist.
                  Soooo...have you actually called any of those places to make a purchase? I have, quite a few times. Here's what I've found, Civicsolar - seemingly cheaply priced...until you get to shipping at which point tack on about 30-50% of what the panels cost, blowing the $0.82/W price quoted on their site, next is Sonali...same story there...I'm awaiting two official quotes but they guesstimated the quotes to be similarly priced with shipping as civicsolar. I am researching, by way of actually calling and finding out what the prices are...and I'm still waiting to find these magical $1/W solar panels...

                  Originally posted by Naptown
                  how about good bye?

                  Responses such as that will get you banned.
                  The thing I find both annoying and at the same time amusing is the fact that you are willing to spend hundred of hours and perhaps thousands of dollars on a DIY project, yet don't seem to be willing to spend the time to do your own research such as finding panels which are widely available for less than $1.00 per watt. Asking others to do your work for you is not in the spirit or realm of DIY.
                  Hmmm...I am doing the research and now I'm following the circus show you and a couple others are putting on...and low and behold...I have yet to see any magical $1/W solar panels... I'm still waiting on seeing one...

                  I'm not even going to try quoting the other blather...I'm glad I'm amusing you...becasue so far...what you all are saying is whats laughable. Please...where am I wrong and where am I not continuing to prove my point?

                  Comment

                  • inetdog
                    Super Moderator
                    • May 2012
                    • 9909

                    Originally posted by Sunking
                    I knew some engineers in high school like Mary. She pulled trains in the back seat of a Chevy and laid a lot of pipe line.
                    Ah yes, "making Mary" and "laying Cable" (whoever she was.)
                    SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

                    Comment

                    • SunEagle
                      Super Moderator
                      • Oct 2012
                      • 15123

                      [QUOTE=tsupyo;68665]Soooo...have you actually called any of those places to make a purchase? I have, quite a few times. Here's what I've found, Civicsolar - seemingly cheaply priced...until you get to shipping at which point tack on about 30-50% of what the panels cost, blowing the $0.82/W price quoted on their site, next is Sonali...same story there...I'm awaiting two official quotes but they guesstimated the quotes to be similarly priced with shipping as civicsolar. I am researching, by way of actually calling and finding out what the prices are...and I'm still waiting to find these magical $1/W solar panels...


                      You just found the panels for $1/w or less. That is what you will pay to buy them. Shipping and installation along with inverters, cabling, racks, chargers, etc will increase your material costs. You can add your own DIY labor for free.

                      No one that I know here on this site ever said the Installed Cost was $1/w. Even you won't be able to get the job done for that low price unless someone gives it to you.

                      I think I have used up enough of my time trying to help you find the holy grail. Go enjoy your DIY project and don't get burned by the soldering iron.

                      Comment

                      • green
                        Solar Fanatic
                        • Aug 2012
                        • 421

                        I've searched for this ellusive magical panel as well. I have found many. The problem is shipping. Most suppliers charge the same amount to ship one panel as they do 20 panels. Many don't give you the best price on the panel unless you buy a whole pallet of them also. You just need to shop around. I'll be buying my grid tied sytem next year, this year we had more important things to do. My DIY stuff will always play a role in my life, but sometimes it's time to use the pros.

                        Comment

                        • Naptown
                          Solar Fanatic
                          • Feb 2011
                          • 6880

                          These guys are in san antonio so shipping should be not too bad
                          180W Mage module for $.74 a watt.
                          Maybe you could even pick them up and save the shipping.
                          Last edited by Naptown; 03-09-2013, 12:06 AM.
                          NABCEP certified Technical Sales Professional

                          [URL="http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?5334-Solar-Off-Grid-Battery-Design"]http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showth...Battery-Design[/URL]

                          [URL]http://www.calculator.net/voltage-drop-calculator.html[/URL] (Voltage drop Calculator among others)

                          [URL="http://www.gaisma.com"]www.gaisma.com[/URL]

                          Comment

                          • russ
                            Solar Fanatic
                            • Jul 2009
                            • 10360

                            Originally posted by tsupyo
                            Please help me out then russ...because apparently you not only have a magical $1/W commercially made solar panel, but your computer magically nets results mine does not when doing the same exact thing.
                            The links were gathered over time and our sponsor sells solar goods - we do not advertise for others at the sponsors expense.

                            Prices vary for many reasons - one is the level of support which can range from zero to lots and is expensive for the seller to maintain.
                            [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

                            Comment

                            • HannahSmith
                              Junior Member
                              • Mar 2013
                              • 3

                              I would like to get more documentation about how to install solar panels and how much I should save to install this kind of system for my house. I could find this documentation from here:

                              I hope it will be of some use to you, but I would like some more information about this.

                              Mod note
                              Next time that link appears you are gone this is your last warning.
                              Last edited by Naptown; 03-20-2013, 01:21 PM. Reason: removed useless link

                              Comment

                              • Sunking
                                Solar Fanatic
                                • Feb 2010
                                • 23301

                                Originally posted by HannahSmith
                                I would like to get more documentation about how to install solar panels and how much I should save to install this kind of system for my house. I could find this documentation from here:

                                I hope it will be of some use to you, but I would like some more information about this.
                                Pure SPAM.
                                Last edited by Naptown; 03-20-2013, 01:22 PM. Reason: no sense in removing the original link and leaving the quoted one
                                MSEE, PE

                                Comment

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