For anyone interested in building your own solar panels, I found a link that maybe helpful to you.
http://www.mdpub.com/SolarPanel/
http://www.mdpub.com/SolarPanel/
Build Your Own Solar Panels
- Thread starter bigadam
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His cost breakdown includes a lot of "free" items that would cost most people some good money (paint, wire, and especially plexiglass). Seems like you'd spend as much in the materials as you would just buying the panels....or at least close to it.
Let alone factoring in the amount of time and work needed to do so. It's cool, but not sure it's really practical.
I just saw a solar panel about the same size and wattage on e-bay for $149. His price to build was $105 (not counting the plexiglass, which would easily make up the difference in cost).
It's interesting and cool that you could do this, but I'd recommend against it if you were doing it for anything other than a hobby project.
Let alone factoring in the amount of time and work needed to do so. It's cool, but not sure it's really practical.
I just saw a solar panel about the same size and wattage on e-bay for $149. His price to build was $105 (not counting the plexiglass, which would easily make up the difference in cost).
It's interesting and cool that you could do this, but I'd recommend against it if you were doing it for anything other than a hobby project.
This is very true. I do have the advantage of getting a lot of that free material as well since my father works in the construction field. But I totally understand where this can get pricey and better off buying the panels already made.
If you can get free materials, then sure, you could save doing this. Just a LOT of work though, and you have to factor in time. Can't make any more of that resource.
Still, it is cool that one could make it themselves. I'm a big do it yourself-er, but I always have to consider time and cost and weigh that accordingly.
Right now, for example, I want to repair a water line, and run an additional one. The materials to do it cost me $50. I couldn't even get a plumber out here to LOOK at it for that price, so of course, doing it myself is a no-brainer.
(should also give me a chance to show the kids a thing or two about doing things for yourself too).
Still, it is cool that one could make it themselves. I'm a big do it yourself-er, but I always have to consider time and cost and weigh that accordingly.
Right now, for example, I want to repair a water line, and run an additional one. The materials to do it cost me $50. I couldn't even get a plumber out here to LOOK at it for that price, so of course, doing it myself is a no-brainer.
(should also give me a chance to show the kids a thing or two about doing things for yourself too).
That's right anything like that is a no brainer. My little brother is an HVAC student and is learning all about plumbing. Anything you can do yourself and save hundreds if not thousands is definitely the way to go.
We had a leak in a pipe under the foundation. We paid to have the leak detected (as it involves special equipment), but then fixed it ourselves, concrete and all. Can't even imagine what that would have cost to have done.
I could only imagine. Its incredible how much they charge for something most people can do themselves for a fraction of the price.
