Q: A 3-4KW residential grid tied PV system costs about $25-$39,000 for panels & install. That is still too much $ even w/incentives, payback being 12+ years. So I keep reading about DIY panels (100W apparently you solder cells & assemble yourself). Intended more to power specific appliances, they can be connected & grid tied if connected at box by qualified electician/pro. How much would it cost for that connection? DIY worth considering? We built our own solar water panel 25 yrs ago, still in use.
Asked by Leena
A: Any solar is good solar! If you have the technical skills, there is no reason not to give it a try. However, DIY solar thermal is much more simple than solar electric. First, the incentives are only available for grid tied systems and panels usually come with a warranty that may only be available with professional installation. DIY is always worth considering but because the specific placement of the panels has a great deal to do with their efficiency, its usually worthwhile to speak with a pro. Even if a professional system takes 15 years to pay off, there will be 15 years following of free energy.
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You can now take the full federal 30% tax credit or grant (commercial only for grant) and add any other local (including utility) incentives without any penalty. This is a big change.
DIY construction of solar panels is crazy. It is not nearly cost effective as buying professionally manufactured modules (UL listed, 25 Yr. warranty, maximum efficiency and 30 to 40 year life) Your going to get garbage that will be lucky to last 5 years (how in the heck are you going to give it a descent lamination job to keep moisture from destroying it), could easily cause a fire if improperly hooked up, will look like junk, will take forever to make even one panel, will frustrate you (cells are incredibly fragile usually off spec and or low power).
Don’t do it just buy cheap Chinese and you’ll come out way ahead.
The DIY scam on the internet is the worst fraud ever perpetuated on the general public since aluminum siding and Nigerian financial windfalls. Those guys should be shot.
It’s just for hobbyists and fun stuff to do.
Are these do it yourself solar panels and wind mills a scam or do they really work. Power4Home, GreenDIYenergy
They make it sound so easy.
Does it really save you money or is it more complicated than they make it.
Ultimately going solar saves you money in the long run.
Big companies even invest in solar for the purpose of putting electricity back into the grid and getting paid by the electric companies.
As for DIY I don’t really have experience but I know there are plenty of books out there showing you how can build your own widmills and solar panels.
as far as I can tell you loose out on antireflective coatings, still new tech anyway.
John, the site to which you linked has a DIY guide (a very good one, at that). So why do you call the DIY movement a scam, and endorse it at the same time?
And for anyone else, if you don’t get excited (I’m talking heart-racing excited) when you hear words such as solder, series circuit, DC inverter… then DIY solar panels are not for you. You are likely to waste a lot of money and possibly hurting yourself or burning your house down. Otherwise, you can really end up with a professional looking and inexpensive solar panel array, depending on how patient you are. Just click on John’s name above, and follow the “Solar Cells” link to find one of the better [free] “Build it yourself” guides I have seen.
@John Kimball
How can you say that diy is a scam? If you know how to do it you always save.