So how much did you spend on the batteries? Then you throw in " cheap" bussbars?
Has anyone learned anything about cheaping out lately ?
Well, let's see. I spent $130/kwh for my cheap cells (which haven't arrived, so technically I've spent $∞/kwh, but let's assume they arrive and are usable). I'll spend about $10/kwh for the diyBMS, breakers, safety, and about $60/kwh for the enclosure if I decide to go for professionally manufactured and finished enclosures of my own design. I could cheap out on that part, but there are advantages to good enclosures. So my battery will cost about $200/kwh complete, assuming this go as planned. I accept an amount of risk by going the cheap, diy route.
Signature Solar is advertising a battery that has all of the above for $313/kwh.
I'm afraid I still haven't learned anything new relative to when I placed my order. I've accepted a risk for a savings of over 30% off. The financial risk is very minimal (almost 0) - the greatest risk is wasting time and effort, and possibly having to change plans along the way. Since I'm ok with my DIY effort and counting my time towards this project as $0/kwh, it's reasonable.
If I were paying myself even minimum wage, though? Buying a ready-made battery off the shelf is vastly cheaper.
I could suggest that the experience and learning as well as the intimate control I have over the entire process is worth something, but the reality is that if the other route were cheaper, I'd choose it without hesitation, so I can't honestly suggest that those rewards are on the balance.
So my decision really is bound up as a financial savings, not a time/effort/learning savings.