We installed an 8.17kw PV array on our garage in 2012 and it has worked almost without incident since then.   I retrained to be a solar installer in the extremely hot summer of 2012 and passed the entry level NABCEP certification test with the highest score of anybody in my class (yay me!) so I was able to design our system myself.  We had scraped together the money to buy the solar panels we needed in November of 2011, but I didn’t know enough at that point to design our system, so our modules sat and waited until August of 2012 to be installed.   I worked with my (now) late brother Robbie to design custom racking for our array because we wanted to create a prototype racking that was low cost, extremely sturdy, and a good fit for DIY’ers to make themselves from commonly available and affordable materials.  Most commercially available racking lifts solar panels about 4 inches above the roof to allow a little airflow, but not higher, and I think that’s mostly for aesthetic reasons.   In other words, when solar panels get hot they don’t produce as much electricity, and lifting them higher off of a hot roof would allow more airflow to cool the panels, theoretically allowing them to produce more electricity in the heat of the summer.  The racking I designed allowed 10 inches of space under the panels, allowing for a lot more airflow.   I can’t prove that this has actually increased the output of our solar array, or how much it might have improved output, so I can see where others might not find this very impressive.  I will add pictures to this post at a future date.    We installed 38 Evergreen Solar 215 watt modules paired with SolarEdge DC power optimizers, and two 5000 watt SolarEdge inverters.     We recently purchased some Solarworld 285 watt panels and will probably add 6 of them to the existing array.

It would be more accurate to say that this guy – LaMar  Alexander – is living one possible solar PV dream.  He became homeless in the late 90’s and decided that he was going to build his own off-grid 14′ x 14′ cabin using cash and recycled materials, so that he would be debt free.  The cabin is pretty basic but provides a modern lifestyle for a fraction of what most people are paying now, while allowing him to live without a mortgage or utility bills.  If you’re interested in learning more about how to live a more independent energy lifestyle on a tiny budget, this guy is the one to watch.  He did it for himself and has spent years sharing this information with others.  You can check out his website or view his videos on his youtube channel.   One of the things he figured out is that PV isn’t actually enough in most parts of the U.S. – you probably need to install some sort of wind power to get energy during the winter months.  Most people seem to build these tiny off-grid buildings in rural areas like Mr. Alexander seems to have done, but this can be done in the city, too!  I visited an off-grid house in north Saint Louis city some years ago though I can’t find any reference to it online now, but I’m sure there are an increasing number of people doing this in the city, too.  So you probably have choices you don’t even realize!  How much would YOU like to live without a mortgage?  The right solar equipment might help you do that.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton