Ok. I appreciate that we have a wide range of experiences on this forum. Some are looking at it for the first time, others are planning their system and some are seasoned veterans.
Also, there are many different systems out there. The purpose of this thread is NOT to promote any vendor or product. Rather it is to share lessons learned during the solar project or projects you have been involved with. For me, some were initial mistakes which were kindly corrected by forum members before things went live. Then there were things I learned along the way which proved invaluable as I moved forward.
So I will get started. Rookie mistake I know, but being new to this... Using the proper sized lugs. It is so easy to place an order for your wire size. But each connection, whether it is a terminal on a battery, bus bar or inverter requires a certain diameter lug. I shared what I thought was an ingenious way of connecting a DIY battery to the bus bar. It was quickly (fortunate for me) pointed out that the lug diameter was too large and would not permit a proper connection. I was able to choose a better route after careful thought.
Second almost mistake. Buying something too soon. Sometimes it is tempting to buy components before the system is carefully thought out. This has the potential of restricting your options as you move forward. Nothing gets the creative juices flowing better than a schematic of your system. It can be a simple hand sketch. Sharing it with the group can be an invaluable experience. It is much easier to move things around and change components "before" purchase and is less expensive in the long run which reduces stress on the household budget; invaluable I know.
Taking time to source out the supplier. It is so tempting to go to a favorite web site and buy everything you need. For some this is just fine. However there are numerous suppliers out there who have excellent reputations for both sales and service. Taking time to find these things out before purchase can save massive headaches later.
Take your time. For many this is an investment. Take time to research the forum. It is amazing how many "older" articles there are out there which have discussed exactly what you are considering. It took me about 2 years of reading and basic tinkering before I "really" began to grasp the full concept of what I was doing, and I am still learning! Yes there are many videos out there that show an easy approach. Keep in mind though that they were created by individuals who have a lot of experience already. The more experience and knowledge you have under your belt, the better you will be able to handle the "issues" which typically arise with any project.
Build relationships on the forum. There are some amazing minds on this forum. Some whose experience would take pages and pages on a resume to describe their accomplishments. Others are rather new. We are all in this together. I have greatly benefited from the mentoring of those whose experience far exceeds my own.
So I open the floor to others. There are a vast array of projects out there. Looking forward to what others have to share regarding their solar experiences over the years. Remember this is not promoting any vendors or products. Those are discussed elsewhere. Rather, it is what you have learned along the way which has enabled you to build better systems over time.
Also, there are many different systems out there. The purpose of this thread is NOT to promote any vendor or product. Rather it is to share lessons learned during the solar project or projects you have been involved with. For me, some were initial mistakes which were kindly corrected by forum members before things went live. Then there were things I learned along the way which proved invaluable as I moved forward.
So I will get started. Rookie mistake I know, but being new to this... Using the proper sized lugs. It is so easy to place an order for your wire size. But each connection, whether it is a terminal on a battery, bus bar or inverter requires a certain diameter lug. I shared what I thought was an ingenious way of connecting a DIY battery to the bus bar. It was quickly (fortunate for me) pointed out that the lug diameter was too large and would not permit a proper connection. I was able to choose a better route after careful thought.
Second almost mistake. Buying something too soon. Sometimes it is tempting to buy components before the system is carefully thought out. This has the potential of restricting your options as you move forward. Nothing gets the creative juices flowing better than a schematic of your system. It can be a simple hand sketch. Sharing it with the group can be an invaluable experience. It is much easier to move things around and change components "before" purchase and is less expensive in the long run which reduces stress on the household budget; invaluable I know.
Taking time to source out the supplier. It is so tempting to go to a favorite web site and buy everything you need. For some this is just fine. However there are numerous suppliers out there who have excellent reputations for both sales and service. Taking time to find these things out before purchase can save massive headaches later.
Take your time. For many this is an investment. Take time to research the forum. It is amazing how many "older" articles there are out there which have discussed exactly what you are considering. It took me about 2 years of reading and basic tinkering before I "really" began to grasp the full concept of what I was doing, and I am still learning! Yes there are many videos out there that show an easy approach. Keep in mind though that they were created by individuals who have a lot of experience already. The more experience and knowledge you have under your belt, the better you will be able to handle the "issues" which typically arise with any project.
Build relationships on the forum. There are some amazing minds on this forum. Some whose experience would take pages and pages on a resume to describe their accomplishments. Others are rather new. We are all in this together. I have greatly benefited from the mentoring of those whose experience far exceeds my own.
So I open the floor to others. There are a vast array of projects out there. Looking forward to what others have to share regarding their solar experiences over the years. Remember this is not promoting any vendors or products. Those are discussed elsewhere. Rather, it is what you have learned along the way which has enabled you to build better systems over time.
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