2024 YouTube Video Ideas

Will Prowse said:

What would you like to see? This thread will be seen by myself and a few other YouTubers, so let us know what you guys want

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Source components and retrofit an old car to electric.

Report on the capacities of your prismatic cell batteries after all these years of use, that is, if you're still using them. Report on whether they're still hitting their rated capacities. Perhaps also with your server rack batts, I'm sure they've been getting a good workout.

Do some capacity tests on those new 500Ah+ batteries you've mentioned.

If they're available, maybe do some tests on sodium ion batteries?

Are your EV's capable of running house circuits? Isn't that called V2H? If so, do some capacity tests with those.

Banjoman said:

Check out the new Chiko Groundflex (https://signaturesolar.com/chiko-groundflex-u2v-solar-panel-ground-mount-kit-ground-screws/) or check out APA Solar Racking. APA will quote a system that meets all of your wind and snow loads per your building codes.

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The APA system is a great looking system, but they're not going to beat that Chiko U2V on price. It seems like Sinclair and APA are somewhat near each other in price, from what I've been able to find.

But I too would like to see a review of some of these lesser known ground mount systems.

Another idea.. converting majority of home or RV to 48v DC devices (leds lights, air conditioning/minisplits, etc). inverters are cool and all, but how nice would it be to not have an additional conversion loss from battery voltage to devices? I feel like this could be an entire series for an RV, potentially even doing a DC/DC converter or buck converter for the 12v devices that you just can't find 48v replacements for. You'd get conversion losses in the converter, but how does that compare to running an inverter overnight and it's conversion losses and idle draw?

AntronX said:

Yes! Shoot at fully charged 280Ah cell. Checked youtube, has not been done yet.

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So many good ideas and this one has me pacing.




Do not give in to temptation. Do not give in to temptation. Do not give in to temptation

Half-cut panels - do they actually offer any benefits, or do they just confuse MPPT and result in losing far more production than conventional?
Test with multiple brands of string inverters, and with/without optimizers (I think 2x current boost is more than most optimizers can do.)

Optimizers, especially for multiple orientations. Graph production over the day for that, vs. separate string per orientation.

Efficiency, and MPPT operating temperature (may kick on fan cooling), vs. string voltage. The difference between 99% and 98% efficiency is doubling the dissipated power, which affects electronics life.

If someone already suggested it, I missed it...

Tours of forum member's systems!!!!!

NOT IT!

I thought for sure, someone would have made this suggestion by now...

Screw YouTube! Go Onlyfans!!!

I remember seeing lightning arrestors for solar.

Do a video on those - when should they be used….

Then pull a Ben Franklin- fly a kite in a thunderstorm with it attached to the lightning arrestors and see if it works…. Ok maybe not - we like having you around ?

Small lifepo4 3ah-30ah teardown/reviews they don’t get much reviews /videos but ham radio guys would love it.
Dakota lithium bioenno ect

Charge controllers with built in low temp cutoff/protection there’s a couple of options now.

Which 40-60amp charge controllers do you recommend now that epever is discontinuing there BN series & victron slashed there prices. This could be a new video or series on the 40-60amp 12/24v controllers as I feel the market has changed & there’s new products out.

Build the cheapest system possible to run a full size refrigerator. & give a recommendation on what brands/ kinds of full size fridges would be best to run solar on ie a linear/inverter fridge or a chest freezer/fridge with no defrost & thermostat.
(If your in the market anyway for a fridge)

Let's see, YT video ideas...
Not too many in the general public are like us on the forum, they don't know all the details, they may not want to invest a few years learning either.
Most people that ask me about my system only get as far as 'and how much would a system like this cost' - that usually ends the discussion.
What do people want to see and learn about?

Well, I think a lot of average people are interested to have a small back up system for just the fridge, a few lights and be able to charge an I-phone if there is a power outage - storm. They see the fancy Ecoflow/Jackery/Bluetti stuff but that stuff is pretty expensive.
Then they see the milk-crate build but that is kinda small capacity.
What is between these extremes?

Say a budget of about $1,000 USD. (Say about half of the cost of typical solar generators?) what can they learn to build, in a 45 minute video, that would work, and can fit in the back of their mini-van or SUV for camping, but will get them through a winter storm or couple days of bad weather kinda event? Provide the links to the parts and off they go.
{Best of all, at the end of the vid, suggest they join DIY Solar for more in-depth experience into the exciting and rewarding world of DIY Solar!}

sunshine_eggo said:

I thought for sure, someone would have made this suggestion by now...

Screw YouTube! Go Onlyfans!!!

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Solar panel peak-a-boo

I have been wondering about a power output comparison between high wattage panels and low wattage panels. The conditions would be cloudy days only. Which would give more power?
In order to have the same wattage for 250 watt panels, (then say 450 watt panels) you have to have more panels which means more surface area .

We all know that in the sunlight the 450 watt panels make more power hence fewer panels.

Will that extra surface area of the 250 watt panels grab more power on a cloudy day?
Less power? Or the same power? And why?
Where I live, it isnt about power in the sun, its all about power with clouds.
Just curious.
Exclude bifacial.

Perhaps for the DIY crowd a video reviewing the basic usage of a multimeter, crimper, resistance tester, etc and indications when each would be used.

AC wiring from solar (i.e. just a some different configurations to help noobs get started)

I don't really need this now so much, but I struggled when starting out watching the YouTube vids...the solar panels/inverters/batteries where well covered but not so much the AC wiring. I know it falls more in the field of electricians work, but if you mention some of the things to consider, terms like voltage drop, ampacity, conductor count in conduit, generator lock outs, sub panels and load balancing, adding up loads to inverter capacity, etc., might help enough and reduce some of the strain on the electricians (@timselectric ) on the forum.

Eber said:

I have been wondering about a power output comparison between high wattage panels and low wattage panels. The conditions would be cloudy days only. Which would give more power?
In order to have the same wattage for 250 watt panels, (then say 450 watt panels) you have to have more panels which means more surface area .

We all know that in the sunlight the 450 watt panels make more power hence fewer panels.

Will that extra surface area of the 250 watt panels grab more power on a cloudy day?
Where I live, it isnt about power in the sun, its all about power with clouds.
Just curious.
Exclude bifacial.

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No.

JJJJ said:

Perhaps for the DIY crowd a video reviewing the basic usage of a multimeter, crimper, resistance tester, etc and indications when each would be used.

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Expand on this by showing bad crimps and show how hot the get and how to identify a poorly crimped connection.
Also a poor threaded connection.

Really teach some troubleshooting skills.