From Rags to Riches - Solar Style

How do you go from under a hundred bucks in cash to a fully-functional solar system? This client figured it out - you barter good quality stuff! He had just escaped a tragic situation, and the only real power he had was 4 batteries, a generator, a hand-me-down inverter, and a charger.

After offering him a free audit, I realized he had way more battery storage than he really needed! 4x 280Ah batteries? Nope, he only really needed one for his minimal electrical loads like starlink and a laptop. I tested his batteries and found that their internal resistance was 5 milliohms - these batteries were still like new!

After making a deal, we bartered two batteries for a new inverter, MPPT, wiring, fuses, and everything but the solar panels themselves. After another quick trade, he had 500W of solar and the will to make it all happen for under $1000 in total value. We quickly became friends after that ordeal, and while it’s not the prettiest solar setup in the world, he’s a lot more free than most could ever imagine to be!