Nov

DIY Solar Panels Guides

By Dave

When building your own DIY solar and wind powered systems it is vitally important to find a good source of quality information that can help ensure your project is a success.

Home generated electricity is now a very popular topic. There are a great many manuals to choose from which vary a lot in the quality of information they deliver. There are also many so-called ‘review’ sites which claim to offer unbiased ‘honest’ reviews and yet seldom point out the shortcomings of these products.

Before you buy, a few simple questions will help to make sure you get the best quality manual that is right for you.

1) Does the vendor offer a money back guarantee?

Possibly the most important question, as this means you can purchase the product risk-free. If it is not to your liking then you can obtain a refund. If the author of the product is confident they are selling quality information then they will gladly offer you a money back guarantee within a reasonable time period (30 or 60 days or longer).

2) Does the sales page make realistic claims?

While it is entirely possible to build your own DIY solar panel or wind turbine for just a few hundred dollars or less, some products appear to promise far too much. Yes, it is possible to reduce your energy bills. Yes, it is even possible to sell electricity back to the utility company (using a grid-tie inverter). However if the product claims to instantly free you from the grid and spin your meter backwards for just a few hundred dollars investment it may be wise to look elsewhere.

3) Does the manual use a proven design?

You want to be sure before you begin a project that the design you use is proven to work and has been tested in the field. Although the testimonials provided by the publisher of a quality product are most likely genuine, they seldom provide contact details. Also testimonials are all too easily fabricated by unscrupulous marketers.

If a product includes video tutorials this can add a lot of credibility for two reasons. Firstly you know that the author has actually taken the time to build and test the system themselves. Also the video will often show the finished product actually working. Additionally some people may find a video guide easier to follow than written instructions. Ideally a product would include both.

4) Is the information in the manual complete?

A good quality manual will contain several kinds of information. The main focus of the manual should be to provide very clear, step-by-step instructions on how to build the project of your choice. It should discuss how and where to source components for your project, different options and alternatives for components and construction, and any necessary background information required to get the job done. Only then can it be considered a complete how-to guide.

5) Does the purchase price include support?

When a vendor is willing to stand by their product and offer support this is another indication of good quality. The supplier of a quality instruction manual will be happy to give you their contact details and answer any questions you might have after you buy their product. It’s even better if they offer a guaranteed response time, 24 hours or less can be considered a good response if they are serious about supporting their product.

Surprisingly I have had a hard time finding a DIY solar or wind turbine design guide that provides all of these things. In fact so far I have only found one.

Read my Review of Green DIY Energy or visit the official Green DIY Energy homepage.