Full Disclosure

[Will Prowse]

So, how much does it cost to run this forum? I’m curious.

$311 for dedicated hosting a year. That also includes the domain now that I transferred it.

The big expense was the email hosting. I pay about $100 a month for that right now. It was going to be a few thousand dollars every month.

Up north and personal pays about $100 a month for our search function to be hosted on his server.

I also pay for different add-ons and memberships for add ons. And support with the forum software. I also still pay for updates.

The initial cost for the forum software was about $1,000 and I also paid for the additional removal of their trademark. We are running xenforo.

And that's pretty much it. The rest of it is me and the other mods time. And of course the members who contribute great content to our forum.

If anyone wishes to donate to any of the mods you can do so by clicking the banner ad at the top. That goes directly to each mod's PayPal.

 

[mountkay]

So i challenge all of you do a search SS problems

i challenge you to go to the SOK Battery facebook group.

just because issues with other manufacturers arnt being posted here, doesnt mean they dont exist.

3rd post on LiTime (AmpereTime) Club facebook group now:
"Has anyone had luck getting replacement batteries under warranty? Litime was communicating well with me and issued a return label. I shipped the battery back to them but now they've gone silent. What was your return experience like?"
one of the answers: "First was ok. (Ups impaled the package in shipping) 2nd return was sloppy and communications hit or miss (received a used battery)"

 

[timselectric]

All that I can donate is my time.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

$311 for dedicated hosting a year. That also includes the domain now that I transferred it.

The big expense was the email hosting. I pay about $100 a month for that right now. It was going to be a few thousand dollars every month.

Up north and personal pays about $100 a month for our search function to be hosted on his server.

I also pay for different add-ons and memberships for add ons. And support with the forum software. I also still pay for updates.

The initial cost for the forum software was about $1,000 and I also paid for the additional removal of their trademark. We are running xenforo.

And that's pretty much it. The rest of it is me and the other mods time. And of course the members who contribute great content to our forum.

If anyone wishes to donate to any of the mods you can do so by clicking the banner ad at the top. That goes directly to each mod's PayPal.

That's not a bad deal, other than the email costs. I pay $100 a month for a dedicated server, but then that's entails a lot more.

 

[JRH]

All that I can donate is my time.

And actually thats the most valuable thing a man has or can donate…and it’s of finite supply…and no one knows how finite it is… So thank you for the times you have taken the time to help me.
J.

 

[JJJJ]

If you go to a well known on line store you can see star ratings for products. Even the best products will usually have some 1 and 2 star ratings.

Every new company goes through growing pains. In other threads SS has stated that it continues to strive towards better support.

One of the strengths of a forum like this is that we can work together to help each other out. Nothing that is made in a manufacturing plant is perfect.

Ultimately we vote with our pocketbooks. Those products that meet our needs will succeed.

Many of us make a living at our chosen professions.

YouTube is available to anyone who wants to give videos a try. Some have found success. Many more not so much.

I am grateful for Wills willingness to share product information. Most products will go into the FYI category. A few more on the wish list. And some have made into my project.

Yes I had success with SS. I am also satisfied with other suppliers that I have mentioned elsewhere.

As stated many times I am grateful for the time others donate to this forum. There is no payment for these efforts. Those who chose to give do so voluntarily. Thank you again!

 

[Bud Martin]

So i challenge all of you do a search SS problems. Page after page. Yes I guess I could just get inline like the rest but SS target buyer is the poor guy that can barely put food on the table that wants to get into Solar to save some money. So he has scraped up his last nickel to buy a cheap system. SS takes his money and then they are done. Poor sap ends up screwed. This forum is filled with stories just like this. I’ve been blessed and do not have to worry about that but I feel a duty to do what I can with the tools I have available. I’m not pushing any brands just business practices and SS is preying on those people. IMO those of you that think this is acceptable shame on you.

So the poor sap still insisting on buying the cheap system after doing the research about the good and the bad of what the sap wants to buy then blame everyone else when it does not meet expectation and bad customer service, LOL!

 

[Nobodybusiness]

@Will Prowse stop argueing, there is no need and it just feeds into their state of mind ( or crazy)

everybody by now knows you get a sum for the tests you do, and you have affliate links.
you've been quite upfront about that, and that is fine as long as your reviews are kept straight, which as far a i can tell have been the case

i didnt agree the vendor kick-out of the past, especially when i saw us vendor returning, bit that is a station that has passed..

i accepted that and stayed, nobody is keeping the complaining folks here, nor is it an airport where departures are announced

what i now see happening is sol-ark folks being afraid of competition , after they thought they had bullied any form of competion away

Hell if there’s an alternative to Sol-Ark I’m all for it.

Competition breeds innovation.

The EG4 18k is the first I have seen yet that is in the same league.

If it works the way they say then it will become a major player and Sol-ark will have to justify their prices some other way. Either support or warranty.

 

[Brett V]

As with any forum, only the folks with a beef will post much. The majority who are happy don't say a word.

Will's early videos showing DIY batteries aren't rocket science, inspired me to abandon lead and step in to the 21'st century. Ask my kids...that's no easy feat! His delivery highlights what's cool and what's not cool about each commercially produced product he's showcased. I personally have a beef with SS and Growatt right now but that's got no bearing on what Will does here or on his channel.

 

[MrM1]

Where is the 'Buy Will a S.P.A.T. " link ? @Will Prowse that's the link I'm lookin for.

 

[mvonw]

$311 for dedicated hosting a year. That also includes the domain now that I transferred it.

The big expense was the email hosting. I pay about $100 a month for that right now. It was going to be a few thousand dollars every month.

Up north and personal pays about $100 a month for our search function to be hosted on his server.

I also pay for different add-ons and memberships for add ons. And support with the forum software. I also still pay for updates.

The initial cost for the forum software was about $1,000 and I also paid for the additional removal of their trademark. We are running xenforo.

And that's pretty much it. The rest of it is me and the other mods time. And of course the members who contribute great content to our forum.

If anyone wishes to donate to any of the mods you can do so by clicking the banner ad at the top. That goes directly to each mod's PayPal.

A few thousand/mo for an SMTP server! Ouch. How was that justified?

 

[EastTexCowboy]

A few thousand/mo for an SMTP server! Ouch. How was that justified?

He was getting slammed with millions of emails being kicked back from people who had marked the forum notifications as spam.

 

[Crowz]

Running an email server sucks. Trust me its suuuuuuucks. I host quite a few of them and its the LEAST enjoyable part of my biz.

The money I make off of them probably isn't worth the headaches to be honest but its a living.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

So do you think all the time all of us spend on here for free helping with others with their problems is important? It’s a two way street. We need you as much as you need us.

LOL... Cry me a river. This is my second user account, and I still haven't caught up to that post whore.

What you don't see is the 95%+ of folks who have completely acceptable experiences. 9 out of 10 people will post to bitch. 1 out of 20 will post just to say they had a great experience.

You're seeing negative experiences grossly over-represented in the data.

EDIT: Correction. I have exceed the post whore by about 1200 posts. 17,973 total as of this post...

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Are you implying that lower income buyers do not deserve the same level of support as the rest? Surely not!!

Not deserve? No. Is it realistic for them to expect the same level of support? Not really.

The harsh reality is that dollars talk.

 

[JRH]

Not deserve? No. Is it realistic for them to expect the same level of support? Not really.

The harsh reality is that dollars talk.

Damn right… life owes no one anything.. your knowledge, skills and assets is what gets you stuff..

 

[Crowz]

LOL... Cry me a river. This is my second user account, and I still haven't caught up to that post whore.

What you don't see is the 95%+ of folks who have completely acceptable experiences. 9 out of 10 people will post to bitch. 1 out of 20 will post just to say they had a great experience.

You're seeing negative experiences grossly over-represented in the data.

EDIT: Correction. I have exceed the post whore by about 1200 posts. 17,973 total as of this post...

I for one have never been sitting in a chair watching tv and had a sudden overwhelming urge to jump up and run to the computer and find a forum to post a review for some product I liked.

I think the closest I have ever got to that is reviewing stuff on amazon. That's about it.

Now I have like 99% of the rest of the world gone looking for solutions to a problem I'm having with something I bought.

 

[JoeHam]

@jfpetesn do you live under a bridge like normal trolls or ????

 

[JRH]

@jfpetesn do you live under a bridge like normal trolls or ????

He he he .. Maybe I-10 near an Austin exit …. Jus guessin though..

 

[Bluedog225]

10 goes to San Antonio