Are DIY Solar Panels Worth it?

[SunEagle]

I finally did find some 6 x 6 solar cells with the 0.5v and 8.1amp ratings on eBay. One place that was selling was Polish and mentioned the cells were Grade A and made in Germany.

I caution you that you can't always believe what an eBay seller is telling you. Most companies do not make Grade A cells to be sold individually. Those are usually the ones that didn't pass inspection and are then sold for a much lower value which is why they are very cheap to buy in quantity.

Also you mentioned that the cells were metal. Unless you have found a different source every one of the 6 x 6 cells I found being sold on eBay are either a Mono or Poly crystalline solar cell that is on some type of back-plate (may be metal or something else). The cells are still semiconductor material and will crack, fade and degrade over a period of time depending on how well they are mounted and protected from the elements.

I admire your decision to build your own solar panels but I think you need to understand some of the pitfalls of doing this. The panels (no matter how well you construct them) may still be made from below grade components. Also due to local and national codes (there to protect people from harming themselves or others) will not allow you to sell or install anything that can affect others. The UL listing is just one form of information to tell you that the manufacturer has gone to some length (and cost) to make sure their product is safe and reliable.

[tsupyo]

Tsupyo
No offence but having been around here a while many of us have seen many many half baked ideas come across in the diy PV panel arena. So yes we are a bit skeptical. The interest in the cells you say you have that are metal are certainly intriguing as this is not the norm and sounds a lot like some technology that was tried and failed.

I understand, and thats why I am continuing in this discussion. I am trying to get past the cynicism and criticism to approach actual discussion. I am a very persistent indivisual and I can tolerate abuse to get at what I want, so no offence taken and in many ways I can appreciate the necessity of trying to weed out the trash. If you would like I can PM to you a link of the cells I'm referring to. You can decide who to further forward them to, but out of respect for someone who is a tad guarded I'd appreciate it if you not make it public. If these cells are not good enough to withstand the elements then the people selling them do not need the extra sales.

[Naptown]

sure pm me the specs and a picture of the front and back of the cells

[tsupyo]

I finally did find some 6 x 6 solar cells with the 0.5v and 8.1amp ratings on eBay. One place that was selling was Polish and mentioned the cells were Grade A and made in Germany.

I caution you that you can't always believe what an eBay seller is telling you. Most companies do not make Grade A cells to be sold individually. Those are usually the ones that didn't pass inspection and are then sold for a much lower value which is why they are very cheap to buy in quantity.

Also you mentioned that the cells were metal. Unless you have found a different source every one of the 6 x 6 cells I found being sold on eBay are either a Mono or Poly crystalline solar cell that is on some type of back-plate (may be metal or something else). The cells are still semiconductor material and will crack, fade and degrade over a period of time depending on how well they are mounted and protected from the elements.

I admire your decision to build your own solar panels but I think you need to understand some of the pitfalls of doing this. The panels (no matter how well you construct them) may still be made from below grade components. Also due to local and national codes (there to protect people from harming themselves or others) will not allow you to sell or install anything that can affect others. The UL listing is just one form of information to tell you that the manufacturer has gone to some length (and cost) to make sure their product is safe and reliable.

Sounds like you found the place I bought them from...good...enough of the accusations...So far as I know, no one has or is building panels with these solar cells, so how can you outright say - they wont/dont work? Again, this is a discussion and seeing as how these cells have not been made to endure the elements beyond what they actually produce, I think its a tad quick to make a decision and despite your opinion, I'm not going to stop what I'm doing, so again...please contribute positively or in some way that is not an outright judgement.

[SunEagle]

Sounds like you found the place I bought them from...good...enough of the accusations...So far as I know, no one has or is building panels with these solar cells, so how can you outright say - they wont/dont work? Again, this is a discussion and seeing as how these cells have not been made to endure the elements beyond what they actually produce, I think its a tad quick to make a decision and despite your opinion, I'm not going to stop what I'm doing, so again...please contribute positively or in some way that is not an outright judgement.

I see that you are a person with convictions and need to see things for yourself to be proven right or wrong. That's ok by me. I wish you luck with your project and pray that you don't get hurt or go broke in doing so.

[green]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Building panels for uses of 100 Watts or less makes perfect sence for someone like me. Anything over 100 watts, like using in a large array is just silly. To many points of failure and no UL listing or a waranty make it just insane to even fathom. Now remember this is coming from me, I have built many panels and am making some right now. All of my panels serve small purposes for me like outdoor lights, small fans in my solar thermal heaters, and soon running small pumps in solar hot water systems and rain capturing system as well.

My point is for small uses, building your own is great fun and cost effective. For anything large scale it just makes more sence economicaly and logisticly to buy factory built.

[tsupyo]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Building panels for uses of 100 Watts or less makes perfect sence for someone like me. Anything over 100 watts, like using in a large array is just silly. To many points of failure and no UL listing or a waranty make it just insane to even fathom. Now remember this is coming from me, I have built many panels and am making some right now. All of my panels serve small purposes for me like outdoor lights, small fans in my solar thermal heaters, and soon running small pumps in solar hot water systems and rain capturing system as well.

My point is for small uses, building your own is great fun and cost effective. For anything large scale it just makes more sence economicaly and logisticly to buy factory built.

I respect your opinion, but my aspirations are a tad loftier and I am after a large array. Frankly, any DIY build (generally speaking) is not a warrantied thing, but yet millions of us DIY are still changing our own oil and building our own sheds...amongst other things. I will not ever accept that comemrcially built is better than DIY. There may be times when its more feasible given circumstances that make it better, but in the end if you are not a large corporation DIY is and always will be the way. So, there's my opinion. Now that opinions have been covered, lets get back to facts. I'm tired of contending with this magical panel thats somewhere around $1/W (or less) has a 25+ year warranty and practically radiates electricity especially when its a solar eclipsed day with a hurricane and tornado blowing in from all directions. Facts people, lets start putting some cards on the table. Where are these panels? I've looked and I'm not finding them...

[FloridaSun]

I respect your opinion, but my aspirations are a tad loftier and I am after a large array. Frankly, any DIY build (generally speaking) is not a warrantied thing, but yet millions of us DIY are still changing our own oil and building our own sheds...amongst other things. I will not ever accept that comemrcially built is better than DIY. There may be times when its more feasible given circumstances that make it better, but in the end if you are not a large corporation DIY is and always will be the way. So, there's my opinion. Now that opinions have been covered, lets get back to facts. I'm tired of contending with this magical panel thats somewhere around $1/W (or less) has a 25+ year warranty and practically radiates electricity especially when its a solar eclipsed day with a hurricane and tornado blowing in from all directions. Facts people, lets start putting some cards on the table. Where are these panels? I've looked and I'm not finding them...

Interesting that you think building from scratch and installing a large array solar system the same as changing your oil or building a shed. Seems you don't even have the ability to go to the home page on this forum, go to the right side of page and click 'home solar panels'. Not a lot of magic involved, just common sense. For a DIY guy you seem to need very detailed instructions. Common sense would also dictate you get a basic grasp of the size system you want before even thinking about building or purchasing the parts involved.
Intelligent questions here get intelligent answers. If you want facts then GIVE some facts. What th ell you trying to do anyway? What is your system goal?

[Naptown]

I respect your opinion, but my aspirations are a tad loftier and I am after a large array. Frankly, any DIY build (generally speaking) is not a warrantied thing, but yet millions of us DIY are still changing our own oil and building our own sheds...amongst other things. I will not ever accept that comemrcially built is better than DIY. There may be times when its more feasible given circumstances that make it better, but in the end if you are not a large corporation DIY is and always will be the way. So, there's my opinion. Now that opinions have been covered, lets get back to facts. I'm tired of contending with this magical panel thats somewhere around $1/W (or less) has a 25+ year warranty and practically radiates electricity especially when its a solar eclipsed day with a hurricane and tornado blowing in from all directions. Facts people, lets start putting some cards on the table. Where are these panels? I've looked and I'm not finding them...

Try this
google search solar panels under$1 a watt.
at least 10 hits came up on the first page from reputable suppliers and manufacturers.

It isn't hard but does require about 35 seconds of work on your part.

[russ]

Try this
google search solar panels under$1 a watt.
at least 10 hits came up on the first page from reputable suppliers and manufacturers.

It isn't hard but does require about 35 seconds of work on your part.

Rich, you are 100% correct but I think he finds it easier to bloviate.

I have a half dozen links for such things - just takes a little time watching and searching.

[FloridaSun]

Rich, you are 100% correct but I think he finds it easier to bloviate.

Bloviate? had to look that one up. You're being uncharacteristically generous, Russ... gob****e seems more fitting
thanks for the vocabulary update

[tsupyo]

Interesting that you think building from scratch and installing a large array solar system the same as changing your oil or building a shed. Seems you don't even have the ability to go to the home page on this forum, go to the right side of page and click 'home solar panels'. Not a lot of magic involved, just common sense. For a DIY guy you seem to need very detailed instructions. Common sense would also dictate you get a basic grasp of the size system you want before even thinking about building or purchasing the parts involved.
Intelligent questions here get intelligent answers. If you want facts then GIVE some facts. What th ell you trying to do anyway? What is your system goal?

Actually whats more interesting is that from what I wrote you got out of that I equate solar systems to changing oil and building a shed, which is not what I said...nor what I was even remotely implying... Further, if you missed my meaning then thats on you to figure out. To continue, you are assuming I didnt go and research from this forum site as well as many others to find this magical solar panel...which I did...and gee...possibly may have been why I said I'm tired of contending with this mythical contraption everyone is so bent on saying exists...which does not...not for that price at any rate. You site common sense? Really? I would ask you to use more of it before replying... My questions are intelligent, but seeing as how I'm receiving some pretty stupid responses, my patience is beginning to grow sparser by the word... I have given facts and so far I have yet to see any facts substantiated on the side of commercially built solar panels. To address what I am doing, I have already stated that a few times now...my goal? Well gee maybe its so my oil gets changed quicker or my shed is made sturdier? Or perhaps its so I can realize free power in a cost effective manner? I'm not sure why I have to state this, when its fairly obvious...

Try this
google search solar panels under$1 a watt.
at least 10 hits came up on the first page from reputable suppliers and manufacturers.

It isn't hard but does require about 35 seconds of work on your part.

Hmmm...first few hits are advertisements of which do not lead me anywhere close to a magical ~$1/W solar panel, however a few links down the page does net some valid resellers of solar panels, none of which comes close to $1/W. They were closer to double that... So, any other sarcastic crap you feel the need to publish on this thread or can we get to the brass tacks of yet another point I'm proving...where's your facts on where this solar panel is at because so far...I'm not seeing it...

Rich, you are 100% correct but I think he finds it easier to bloviate.

I have a half dozen links for such things - just takes a little time watching and searching.

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.

[inetdog]

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.

It happens!

It is an acknowledged and not yet well enough appreciated fact that Google search at least will try to tailor the search results to your individual interests, based on what links you have actually clicked from other searches, what sites you have visited that link their clicks to Google AdWords, etc.
This affects not only which paid ads you see but which unpaid search results are at the top. Google "search filter bubbles" for (hopefully) some more on the subject. Or you can go straight to this link in case it does not appear in your search.

If you want comparable results, both you and russ will have to open a new search window in private browsing mode, and even then searching from a different IP, and therefore geographic location, will still skew the results.

[SunEagle]

Actually whats more interesting is that from what I wrote you got out of that I equate solar systems to changing oil and building a shed, which is not what I said...nor what I was even remotely implying... Further, if you missed my meaning then thats on you to figure out. To continue, you are assuming I didnt go and research from this forum site as well as many others to find this magical solar panel...which I did...and gee...possibly may have been why I said I'm tired of contending with this mythical contraption everyone is so bent on saying exists...which does not...not for that price at any rate. You site common sense? Really? I would ask you to use more of it before replying... My questions are intelligent, but seeing as how I'm receiving some pretty stupid responses, my patience is beginning to grow sparser by the word... I have given facts and so far I have yet to see any facts substantiated on the side of commercially built solar panels. To address what I am doing, I have already stated that a few times now...my goal? Well gee maybe its so my oil gets changed quicker or my shed is made sturdier? Or perhaps its so I can realize free power in a cost effective manner? I'm not sure why I have to state this, when its fairly obvious...



Hmmm...first few hits are advertisements of which do not lead me anywhere close to a magical ~$1/W solar panel, however a few links down the page does net some valid resellers of solar panels, none of which comes close to $1/W. They were closer to double that... So, any other sarcastic crap you feel the need to publish on this thread or can we get to the brass tacks of yet another point I'm proving...where's your facts on where this solar panel is at because so far...I'm not seeing it...



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.

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.

[Naptown]

actually whats more interesting is that from what i wrote you got out of that i equate solar systems to changing oil and building a shed, which is not what i said...nor what i was even remotely implying... Further, if you missed my meaning then thats on you to figure out. To continue, you are assuming i didnt go and research from this forum site as well as many others to find this magical solar panel...which i did...and gee...possibly may have been why i said i'm tired of contending with this mythical contraption everyone is so bent on saying exists...which does not...not for that price at any rate. You site common sense? Really? I would ask you to use more of it before replying... My questions are intelligent, but seeing as how i'm receiving some pretty stupid responses, my patience is beginning to grow sparser by the word... I have given facts and so far i have yet to see any facts substantiated on the side of commercially built solar panels. To address what i am doing, i have already stated that a few times now...my goal? Well gee maybe its so my oil gets changed quicker or my shed is made sturdier? Or perhaps its so i can realize free power in a cost effective manner? I'm not sure why i have to state this, when its fairly obvious...



Hmmm...first few hits are advertisements of which do not lead me anywhere close to a magical ~$1/w solar panel, however a few links down the page does net some valid resellers of solar panels, none of which comes close to $1/w. They were closer to double that... So, any other sarcastic crap you feel the need to publish on this thread or can we get to the brass tacks of yet another point i'm proving...where's your facts on where this solar panel is at because so far...i'm not seeing it...



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.

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.