Are DIY Solar Panels Worth it?

[Alan]

sounds cool, do you have any photos you can share???

[badley]

Sorry my bad. Russ, Mike, and myself are really trying to help and prevent folks from wasting a lot of time and money. I have consistently said building a DIY is fine for something like a science fair project, but for any real useful purpose it is fruitless adventure.

well i built 12 150watt panels DIY style using NO sylgard type encapsulant and cheap glass in a double-pane setup and they charge a bank of 8 215ah golf cart batts into two 2500watt pure sine inverters .. it pretty much runs my whole house sans ac and dryer .. theyve been on the roof for several months now and so far zero failures, so the whole 'fruitless' thing is a matter of doing something that will work .. i agree dont waste time and money but there IS a way. For one, there needs to be a basic knowledge of electrical to be successful, yay you can solder but you need to be good, you need to understand voltage drops and wire sizes, how heat effects things .. basics .. thats first .. then one needs a design that considers the factors involved in a solar panel, heat, exposure to elements, how do i seal it so heat can radiate out and moisture can be blocked, that wont break down and will 'hold' ... plexiglass, wood, plastic are all things that dont work for a serious panel home build .. neither is a 200$ piece of glass cost effective .. neither is insulating the back of a panel and basically sealing the heat in conducive to performance ..

[Sunking]

Sunking,

I'm the one that stated "It seems that a few members are only concerned about telling you that it's not worth the effort to build a panel".

Russ was defending your position on the DIY approach.

JJ

Sorry my bad. Russ, Mike, and myself are really trying to help and prevent folks from wasting a lot of time and money. I have consistently said building a DIY is fine for something like a science fair project, but for any real useful purpose it is fruitless adventure.

[jjohnson]

Sunking,

I'm the one that stated "It seems that a few members are only concerned about telling you that it's not worth the effort to build a panel".

Russ was defending your position on the DIY approach.

JJ

[Sunking]

Russ - I agree entirely. These panels are expensive to make, even if done on the cheap.

However, now that I've done it once, I doubt that I'd do it again, when I can buy them cheaper, and probably get better reliability.

Well then that is a lot of double talk. On one hand you say:

It seems that a few members are only concerned about telling you that it's not worth the effort to build a panel

Then on the other hand you say:

I agree entirely. These panels are expensive to make, even if done on the cheap.

However, now that I've done it once, I doubt that I'd do it again, when I can buy them cheaper

[jjohnson]

Disagree about misreading some of the negitive posts. I do agree that commercial panels are the easy way to go and provide the peace of mind for some (rebate helps). I've not reviewed any of the sites that sell instructions on building panels. My experience is from summer work while in college with a solar company over a four year period. I was taught by one of the installers on how to build panels and wire them properly.

I've built four panels that have been up in running in Vermont for the last 18 months. Found that the commercial panels would not put up with the weather in the Northeast Kingdom. Heavy snow loads and high winds are common. Commercial panels seem very weak in construction.

I'd rather build my panels (old school) instead of buying them from China.

[rhjames]

Russ - I agree entirely. These panels are expensive to make, even if done on the cheap. I've seen some instructions on "green" sites that will work, but I doubt the panels would last a couple of years in the weather. When I designed mine, I researched it, and decided that for the amount I was spending, it wasn't worth cutting corners.

However, now that I've done it once, I doubt that I'd do it again, when I can buy them cheaper, and probably get better reliability.

I'd give a warning - solar panel assembly is not a great place to learn electrical wiring and soldering. I've seen some video instructions on the net, and been horrified at the lack of skill. For those who haven't done it before, get some copper wire, good soldering iron, resin cored solder, and get some practice at it. It's not hard, but there's some technique and recognition of when it's working properly, which takes practice to learn. You don't want to be damaging cells, or getting poor joints.

[russ]

Hi JJ - You misread and overlooked what is really being said -

1) Not many have the skills or tools to make first quality DIY
2) DIY can not be used for grid connect legally
3) DIY does not qualify for rebates/incentives etc

For the person that has the skills it is perfectly fine to do so. Just don't expect a DIY panel to have the life of a store bought name panel.

DIY is a fine science project.

DIY electrical work is not all that easy to do well and to do up to code - the DIYer will not even know what code for a particular task is.

Too many come along that have read a blurb on some green site and are now experts - that is so much BS.

The first solar installation that makes sense most places is solar hot water. That is far easier for a DIY installation and can be done well. It will save most more money than a small PV system.

Russ

[jjohnson]

Information is out there if you take the time to research. It's helpful to have forums to discuss ideas and make suggestions.

It seems that a few members are only concerned about telling you that it's not worth the effort to build a panel. Before any member starts claiming that that they know better because they're an engineer, so are many of us that sucessfully built functional solar panels.

[Sunking]

I believe that most members will take the time to research and ensure that the proper wire and connections are used.

Good luck is all I can say. Most DIY do not even know what questions to ask, and when they do have no understanding of the answer.

[jjohnson]

Redneck = DIY?

I believe that most members will take the time to research and ensure that the proper wire and connections are used. I'm wondering how many DIY members have started a fire with their solar panels?

Reading over the comments it seems that a number of members are against the whole DIY approach. Some even enjoying mocking other members who are simply trying to learn.

I've built several panels that I use to charge a number of batteries that run some general lighting, my security system and a pellet stove up in Vermont. My panels cost more than purchasing them off Ebay, but I used solid framing, low iron glass, Dow 184 and tedlar backing.

It's easy to buy and have someone else install, but let's try to be positive and support the members that are trying to learn the process.

Thanks,
JJ

[Mike90250]

I think you mean "parallel". Hopefully anyone dealing with these current levels would be experienced at correct wiring. Running undersized cables with doubtful connections in a hot roof space is high risk for fire.

You've not see some of the questions asked here Rednecks on 'shine are safer to be around !

[rhjames]

If you string a few together in series you end up with sometimes 20-50A running through questionable solder joints inside something that's already sometimes 200 degrees F inside due to the sunlight... it's a recipe for disaster.

I think you mean "parallel". Hopefully anyone dealing with these current levels would be experienced at correct wiring. Running undersized cables with doubtful connections in a hot roof space is high risk for fire.

[russ]

In particular if the soldered connection is DIY - factory done stuff is subject to quality control at least. Like joining aluminum wire to copper - done right it is OK while done wrong it is an invitation to disaster.

The main panel in my home is 380 volt 3 phase - I really don't tend to worry about voltage - I do take considerable care though. Anyone who has worked in industrial plants has probably been exposed to a safety culture where there are things you do and things you don't do.

I have fired people that didn't think safety rules applied to them. Even if one (or one hundred) gets away with the infraction the next guy may not.

Russ

[SolarTekkie]

If you string a few together in series you end up with sometimes 20-50A running through questionable solder joints inside something that's already sometimes 200 degrees F inside due to the sunlight... it's a recipe for disaster.