Comments on: Are DIY solar panels worth the effort to save money? http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/ Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:25:16 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Ryan Wheale http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-245 Ryan Wheale Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:58:35 +0000 http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-245 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, 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.

]]> By: sameb http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-244 sameb Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:35:58 +0000 http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-244 as far as I can tell you loose out on antireflective coatings, still new tech anyway. as far as I can tell you loose out on antireflective coatings, still new tech anyway.

]]> By: sameb http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-243 sameb Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:11:09 +0000 http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-243 @John Kimball How can you say that diy is a scam? If you know how to do it you always save. @John Kimball

How can you say that diy is a scam? If you know how to do it you always save.

]]> By: Claudia http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-242 Claudia Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:24:25 +0000 http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-242 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. 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.

]]> By: Larry Stemo http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-241 Larry Stemo Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:34:29 +0000 http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-241 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. 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.

]]> By: John Kimball http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-247 John Kimball Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:02:30 +0000 http://blog.coolerplanet.com/2009/06/09/are-diy-solar-panels-worth-the-effort-to-save-money/#comment-247 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. 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.

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