diy solar

diy solar

Some simple, money saving advice, from someone who is finishing up their DIY system.

I would imagine the site pushes a ton of traffic to Wills YouTube page.

There are barely any links to Will's YT page on here. There is a video once in a while a user posts, but the majority of topics and posts don't. Usually it's the other way around: people who come from having seen a video of Will and discover the forum.
 
The traffic is primarily from the other direction. People find this forum because of Will's YouTube channel. That's how I found this forum .... by watching Will's channel.
Sure it's possible that it's sometimes the other way around .... but get a grip .... The primary intent of this forum is to provide learning and sharing opportunities .... with some occasional chit chat like this.
 
Hey everyone, lots to discuss here. Let me know if you have any specific questions because this is more of a conversation about the intent of my channel and this forum.

The forum doesn't make any money, but yes, people do watch my videos through this forum. So you could make an argument that this forum promotes me.

The number one reason I started this forum is because the other solar forums are pretty horrible, and filled with ads. The mods were power hungry and would delete anything that challenged them. These other forums also deleted me when I complained about lack of functionality and other issues. You are also not allowed to post photos and commonly would delete links to products. The forum software they used was hard to navigate and so were the messages.

I cannot post affiliate links, and neither can others. The one link on this forum you could argue promotes me or my channel is the "diy solar blueprints" at the top. But I don't track that link to see. I guess I could, to see if it does make much. Most people on this forum, come and stay for the information.

Also my signature has links to my videos. I guess you could argue that I'm promoting myself in that way. But I want people to post about themselves in their signatures. So I think it's fine.

I avoid posting my videos on this forum unless it is a warning of a bad product. Check out my posts and you will see that.

I don't know what else to say. Let me know if you guys do not like anything that I do in regards to running this forum, and I can try to fix it. This forum is for everyone. And I try to run it as democratically as possible. I try my best to avoid censoring members and having people get along. But if you think I'm doing a bad job, let me know.
 
Oh and about income. Yes that was a very old video. People always seem to bring up my income, so I'll just tell you. I don't mind. Last month I pulled $210K (in one month) from my books, affiliate comission and YouTube ad revenue. I'm at around 1.5 million for the year so far. Even if I make 20 million a year, I won't change anything about this forum. This forum exists and will continue to exist because I can pay for it forever. I couldnt have done that when I was disabled and homeless. And I will never charge or put ads on this site. That's why it looks nice and plain, without silly pop ups or other distractions.

This forum costs me, out of pocket, $50 a month? I pay it annually. It is super cheap. I bought the forum software for $1000 and bought some add ons as well. I will pay for this forum until I die. It is truly free for anyone to post here, and it will never have corporate affiliation. This forum is just me and up north and personal, some mods, and that's it. There's no hidden agenda here, just a basic forum to help each other out. I use it all the time to learn, and to help people avoid bad products that people complain about. I love hearing what everyone has to say, and this forum is a net benefit for society. In my opinion.

If I run out of money (my assets are in trusts, and I invest everything, so I doubt it), then maybe a donation button only for operating costs could be implemented. And I would show with a separate PayPal account every single penny, and where it goes. And take the donate button off the site when the annual bill is paid for. This site will never make money. That is not the intent. It is for people to discuss my favorite hobby ever, and that's it. I'll defend it till the day I die. I never see forums without ads, and I want to make the first one. And many forums are so biased! I hate it. I disagree with posts all the time here on the forum, and that's great!
 
It amazes me how much people care about my income. I will bash on any product regardless of their commission or sponsorship offers. I am one of the few YouTubers on zero contracts. That allows me to say whatever I want.

My job is pretty easy and fun too. I lived off grid for 10 years and determining a recommendation is straightforward. I just ask myself, "would I purchase it?". Usually that answer is no. I love criticizing things, it's just part of my nature. I have always been brutally honest since I was born. My family knows me for that ? I don't care whose feelings I hurt, or if I lose money in the short term. I will always tell you the dead honest truth. I challenge anyone to show me a single moment in any of my videos where I ever lied or over exaggerate. Please, link it here.
 
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Oh right! I avoid grid tie videos because I don't want people messing with those voltages or being code compliant. They need to hire a professional. Now connecting a diy low voltage battery to an all in one system? Yes, beginners can safely do that. Batteries are what I consider to be the most dangerous part of these systems. And obviously high voltage ac. People wire up ceiling fans and lights all the time. That is just as dangerous as a ac output on an inverter. In my opinion. But yeah, hire a professional if you have to.
 
I found my way here because of Will's videos so I guess I got it backwards...
 
There are so many 'perpetual machine' how-to youtubes and just junk social media stuff - its just a pleasure to find a forum like this that has actual info with good intent and produces great results. In my case, I achieved a fully functional off-grid system because of all the 'free' effort by so many.

@Will may say 'my job is pretty easy and fun too' and indeed it may be fun - but that doesn't mean it's not actual work to make youtubes with helpful info. I can't thank @Will and all the others that have contributed enough. Hat's off to you all :)
 
@Will may say 'my job is pretty easy and fun too' and indeed it may be fun - but that doesn't mean it's not actual work to make youtubes with helpful info. I can't thank @Will and all the others that have contributed enough. Hat's off to you all :)
I couldn't agree more.

Time is the most valuable asset that anybody has, everything else can be replaced. Will clearly spends a ton of time on his YouTube videos, and it bugs me a bit when people say that he shouldn't be compensated for that time. If anybody doesn't like the way he's paid, I'm sure they could cut him a personal check for his time instead; that's what the other 99% of professionals do.

It would cost me well over $100 an hour to have somebody come over to my house and show me the same things that will shows in his videos. I've probably watched between 10 and 15 hours of his content, which would mean that he's given me upwards of $1,500 of free-for-me advice, that I'm very appreciative of. Without his tutorials, my system wouldn't be half of what it is today.
 
I couldn't agree more.

Time is the most valuable asset that anybody has, everything else can be replaced. Will clearly spends a ton of time on his YouTube videos, and it bugs me a bit when people say that he shouldn't be compensated for that time. If anybody doesn't like the way he's paid, I'm sure they could cut him a personal check for his time instead; that's what the other 99% of professionals do.

It would cost me well over $100 an hour to have somebody come over to my house and show me the same things that will shows in his videos. I've probably watched between 10 and 15 hours of his content, which would mean that he's given me upwards of $1,500 of free-for-me advice, that I'm very appreciative of. Without his tutorials, my system wouldn't be half of what it is today.
I appreciate it :) it does take a ridiculous amount of time to make the videos. I will film the same sentence over and over and drive myself absolutely insane trying to get my wording just right. Luckily this is my passion, but it can wear a person down.

It amazes me how much some of the viewers care about my income. I'm still wearing the same dirty old shirts and work on videos all day, just as I did living in my van. They think that having more money will taint my opinions, but they must not know me. I love finding problems and taking things apart. Even when I was a young child, I was always blunt and very honest. It's just my nature. I can't imagine being any other way.

And because my income has done well, I can pay for this forum and not run ads! It's so nice. I can't stand the other solar forums available. I also made my book as cheap as possible, which makes it practically free. I give solar panels/batteries to people I know all the time. But I still get flooded with people trying to assume or judge me based on how well the channel did. I just don't get it.
 
I just don't get it.
I hope it doesn't get you down too much; I think there's a lot of people out there that have become kind of jaded and suspicious after so many other youtube channels or personalities became what are more-or-less advertisements trying to masquerade as legitimate reviews or presentation.

I really appreciate the direction that you have gone with this forum. I, too, became frustrated with a lot of other special interest forums due to crappy moderators and the unchecked floods of spam and shill posts that tend to ruin the wholesome community feel that this site retains. What I appreciate most about your review videos is the way that you take things apart and show the gritty details so that the viewer can draw his own opinion after evaluating what he sees, rather than simply showing off the features of the device. To me it brings more of a feeling of a critical analysis.
 
The internet search engines have become thoroughly corrupted. You type in “x” and they show you things they think they can sell you.

In all sincerity, this place is the “real” internet. The fabled information super highway. That is, people talking to people and sharing information.

Thanks!
 
I really don't care what someone earns. I come from from the old school that appreciates what someone's hard work and perseverance can earn them.
I went to ytube and watched about all the vids on solar when I first got interested in doing something with it. I keep coming back to Wills video's.
If not for these vid's I would still be wiring my system with 12 gauge battery wires and no protection's what soever.
I am a really new to solar and find it is a fun hobby and find out every day something that I didn't know about ie more dollar's.
Still not sure if it is good for me but will decide in the future.
As for the cheaper equipment I need to see these reviews because I am 100% disabled and live on a limited income and just can't afford top tier equipment.
Greg
 
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