Why not make your own Solar Panels?

[MoonBoard]

I'm curious why people spend alot of money on solar panels. they are simple to make. I understand the battery set-up is expensive. Any thoughts why I'm not seeing more people go the DIY route with Panels?
Here's a tutorial on how to make efficient panels.
part 1: https://youtu.be/_2UxOY_wpFo
part 2: https://youtu.be/EEOBYulZ_fI
part 3: https://youtu.be/6mdBnIt0xIQ

 

[Timelord-SKO]

I'm curious why people spend alot of money on solar panels. they are simple to make. I understand the battery set-up is expensive. Any thoughts why I'm not seeing more people go the DIY route with Panels?
Here's a tutorial on how to make efficient panels.
part 1: https://youtu.be/_2UxOY_wpFo
part 2: https://youtu.be/EEOBYulZ_fI
part 3: https://youtu.be/6mdBnIt0xIQ

A finished panel includes significant structure, testing, warranty, water ingress protection, and quality control. The higher quality ones have things like matched cell quality, dead spot management, and likely more technical fun. I personally would not touch this DIY project for something more than idle hobby where reliability, quality, and quick replacement time did not matter. Even then, it would likely need to be some weird set of requirements forcing a custom design given the availability of cheap 'who cares' modules.

Basically it stinks of dubious cost savings, massive labor and risk increase.

Lithium battery banks have more room for debate, particularly as it is a very volatile, fast paced market.

Building your own *system* out of off the shelf 'macro' components/modules such as panels, inverter(s), controllers, and such near always makes sense these days if one has a bit of skill and inclination.

Ramble over! :biggrin:

 

[Bert06840]

DIY solar panels.. Five times the price for a fraction of the reliability. What’s not to like?

 

[musigenesis]

You could make them curved to fit the roof, I suppose.

 

[o1marc]

I remember back in 1975 a Chevy Caprice sold for just over $5k. If you bought each part individually and assembled it, it would cost over $100k. This DIY panel system seems about the same. Why spend "a lot" of money, when you could spend "a lot more" by DIY, not to mention the labor, time and tools needed. The website seems to be non existant. Tempored glass, 1.4 x 20" x 24" runs over $100, that already exceeds the cost of a complete panel .