Videos
Follow the journey
How this place went from a couple of inverters in the basement to what's running today — the key videos from each step, in order.
2022
Getting started: 12V to 48V
Converted my first 12V system to 48V, put up two EG4 6500EX inverters in split phase, built my own panel mounts and a second array, and started monitoring with Solar Assistant — along with the grid-connection problems that came with it.
12V to 48V Solar Upgrade, Part 1: Installing EG4 6500EX Inverters
Setting Up Split Phase between my EG4 6500EX Inverters
How I Built DIY Solar Panel Mounts (SolarEver Panels)
Wiring the EG4 6500EX AC Output to My Panel, Part 1
Hooking up Grid Power to the EG4 6500EX Inverters
Solar Assistant Overview
Adding Another Solar Array to My EG4 6500EX, Part 1: Prep & Wiring
EG4 6500EX Switching From Grid Bypass to Battery Mode (Part 1)
My 48V EG4 6500EX Solar System: Full Parts List & Inverter Settings
2023
Lessons learned & the Victron upgrade
Reworked the PV conduit, fought through the EG4 6500 issues and replacements, kept the cells warm through winter, learned why panel frames need grounding and built a portable power station — then moved to a pair of Victron MultiPlus-IIs with a Cerbo GX, a Lynx bus bar and a high-voltage MPPT.
Replacing PVC With EMT Conduit for PV Wires (NEC Code), Part 1
Learn From My Mistakes...
Solar Update: Replacement EG4 6500 Inverters...With Some Changes
Need to Keep Your LifePO4 Cells Warm in the Winter?
A Shocking Discovery - Grounding Your Solar Panel Frames
DIY Portable Power Station - Completed!
6 Month Review of My DIY Solar System, Plus a Look at What's to Come...
Solar Upgrade - Installing a Pair of Victron 48V MultiPlus-II 5kVA 120V Inverters
Solar Upgrade - New Wire-way & Victron Lynx Bus Bar System
Solar Upgrade - Powering the House with the Victron 5kVA Inverters!
Solar Update - Installing the Victron Cerbo GX, the GX Touch and connecting to the VRM
Taking a look at the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 450/100 Solar Charge Controller
Custom Grid Charging: Victron MultiPlus 2 & Cerbo Relay
2024
Safety, MidNite & the coop
Added rapid shutdown and propane monitoring, soft-started the A/C, moved the house onto MidNite's TheOne and later paralleled a second one, rebuilt the duck coop with a solar roof, added a BLUETTI EP800 battery system, put panels on a metal roof and converted the golf cart to lithium.
Exploring Additional Safety Features for Peace of Mind
Installing a Rapid Shutdown (RSD) for My Victron Inverters & Solar Panels
Setting up the Mopeka Pro+ Propane Monitor and Adding to Victron
So What's the Next Big Solar Project?
Victron 10kVA Update - The Last 8 Months
Installing a Micro-Air EasyStart for Solar-Powered A/C!
Getting Power to the MidNite Solar All in One Hybrid Inverter
Powering My House with “The One” by MidNite Solar
🌞 Building a Solar Roof Over Our Duck Coop with Santan Solar 250W Panels! 🦆☀️
DIY Chicken & Duck Coop Build – Week 1: How Far Can We Get?
Adding Off-Grid Power by Installing the BLUETTI EP800 and B500 Batteries!
Easy Solar on Metal Roof: IntegraRack IR-D1 Self-Sealing Brackets
Upgrading My Outdoor Wood Boiler: Victron Custom Temperature Monitoring
Doubling the Output: Paralleling MidNite One Inverters
Upgrading a Club Car Precedent Golf Cart with a Vatrer 105Ah Lithium Battery!
2025
Growing the system
Kept the panels clear through winter, added a wireless wall display, more arrays at the coop and a DIY PV junction box, installed a mini split, took the internet off-grid with Starlink, built a DIY battery pack and grew the bank on a Lynx Class-T bus — plus a safe way to bring in generator power.
Gotta Keep Power Coming In: Clearing Snow From Ground and Roof Arrays
Easily Add a Wireless Display to Your Victron GX System with an Android Tablet!
My Coop PV Arrays with the Watts247 4-2 PV Combiner Box
MidNite All-in-One Gets a Solar Assistant Upgrade!
FINALLY Got This Done! DIY PV Junction Box for My Solar Setup
Installing the EG4 12000 BTU Mini Split – Full Setup + 1 Month Review!
Starlink vs Cable Internet – Can It Really Compete?
New Vatrer 100Ah LiFePo4 Rack Battery | Built-In Heaters, Bluetooth & Capacity Review
Expanding My System with the Victron 1000A Lynx Busbar (Built-In Class-T Fuses)
Off-Grid Internet: Testing Starlink’s DC Power Supply on My 48V Battery Bank
From Cells to Full Pack: Gobel Power DIY Battery Build & Capacity Test
Safe Generator Backup Power: Interlock & Inlet Box Install
2026
A second system & backup testing
Added an Anker SOLIX E10 as a separate system for its own circuits, wired in a Smart Inlet Box and a smart generator, and put backup power through real tests — from central A/C to the kitchen fridge. Plus a gate so the robot mower can get around the homestead.
First Look: Anker SOLIX E10 Whole-Home Backup System | True Specs Breakdown
Living With the Anker SOLIX E10 – What I’ve Learned So Far
How the Anker SOLIX Smart Inlet Box Works with the E10 System
The Anker SOLIX Smart Generator 5500 Is Different… Here’s Why
High-Draw AC on Battery Backup: The Ultimate Stress Test
Claiming 10kW with a 7.6kW Inverter? The Anker SOLIX E10 Test
How Long Can a Fridge Run Off-Grid? (Bluetti FridgePower Test)
Navimow Mowgate Install & Setup: Solve the Fence Problem!
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