Building a Solar Pergola for the Studio Building

[@Rikkoshaye]

You're about the only person I'd trust to take a sponsorship and then give an honest review. This is one of those rare situations where it didn't make sense not to accept it!

[@waisinet]

I would trust techmoan with this as well. 🙂

[@Amphian2005]

Most to any youtuber needs theese sponsorship wether they like the products or not. KZbin ain't paying them what there due so personally I appreciate most sponsorships for making youtube a bit better of a job.

[@Wileybot2004]

I know right? I wish all tech channels were like 8 bit guy.

[@rici_21]

And ElectroBoom ?

[@livinlicious]

Just commented the same. This guy is the only one I give a shit when he accepts a sponsor.

[@brickman409]

You know, I never truly appreciated the fact that you never do all of those annoying things that most KZbinrs do. Which is amazing, because despite not having any sponsors, mid video ads, or begging us to like and subscribe, you still manage to deliver us consistent and high quality content. You really put the rest of them to shame! You may have a little sponsor as a treat.

[@owenrichards1418]

I'd never really noticed either. Thank you 8 Bit Guy!

[@JG-nx3jg]

Doesn't need to, he's making sh1t loads out of computers. [UK office quote]

[@LukeIsASmurf]

I just use adguard

[@brickman409]

@@LukeIsASmurf me too, as well as vanced on mobile, but those don't get rid of in video ads and sponsorships as well as subscribe begging. Cause you know, those are just part of the video. I mean, I usually just fast forward through those but it's nice not having to do that.

[@Beauc4652]

THIS! This is exactly the reason I liked, subscribed, and hit the bell. He's just soreal. And doesn't hide it when things go wrong.

[@hammersampson]

I see that the water run off from the solar panels is right smack where your patio cover posts are. You should add a gutter (or flashing) to redirect that water elsewhere, or you’ll find yourself with a rotting post that you’ll have to replace.

[@LeesChannel]

Very good point

[@jyvben1520]

those posts are hopefully treated.

[@JustinEmlay]

@@jyvben1520 Even treated posts go to pot with abuse. Standing water is lethal.

[@John-jc3ty]

@@JustinEmlay I was killed by standing water

[@LoveTheZer0]

I would like to add, why not gutters and downspouts for the whole building? An inexpensive, yet very effective way of moving water away from the building.

[@christianmoore7109]

I cannot express enough how much I respect you for your clear avoidance of a lot of the really annoying stuff KZbinrs do now. Nothing wrong with taking a sponsorship for a product you like!

[@NeverlandSystemZor]

I LOVE that you don't do ads, sponsorships, etc. I LOVE THAT. It's refreshing to see, a person that will ONLY do this if/when it's something they already like and use... it's very honest and I love it.

[@012345678944107]

It literally says 1:35 to 3.00 sponsorship. And since he is using the same device basically the whole video is the sponsorship.

[@Her_Imperious_Condescension]

@@012345678944107 I guess you didn't see OP's second sentence?

[@arpanmukherjee4625]

This guy is literally a Full Stack Engineer. Carpenter, Electrician, Electronics Design and Repair, Programmer, KZbinr, Tech Support (XD), Musician. 😁

[@edlichanimation]

And dont forget to mention a Nice guy 🤠

[@reviewaccount469]

Don't forget good son, husband, business owner, and public speaker. If he isn't already in Mensa, its their loss.

[@ShainAndrews]

Nope.

[@TrekDelta]

Gun owner, Texas man.

[@CMan-x7k]

@@reviewaccount469 And he's bilingual.

[@PotatoFi]

Thanks to Ecoflow for the sponsorship, and letting David speak freely about it! That gives me a ton of confidence in their products.

[@bzuidgeest]

Who says he spoke freely? You have no way of judging what kind of things he left out. Your attitude is why these sponsorships are so valuable, that they give away free batteries. Allow a small negative or two that doesn't hurt you and gain blind trust from fans. That's a great deal for ecoflow. It's possible he spoke freely, but don't put away common sense. These units are designed for outdoors not static installation, why do you think they have wheels?

[@PotatoFi]

@@bzuidgeest The fact that he pointed out several things about them that he didn't like, and even found a small manufacturing law was pretty good evidence to me that he was giving an honest review. I know that isn't bulletproof... but I feel like you have to push things pretty hard to conclude that he wasn't speaking freely. But that's just my opinion - I just someone on the internet who likes videos about old computers. :)

[@KairuHakubi]

@@PotatoFi seriously, the moment that manufacturers actually put out advertisement that admits mild faults in their product.. i think is the moment we can stop worrying about ads being misleading.

[@bzuidgeest]

@@PotatoFi mentioning a flaw is the Hallmark of a good scam. A lot of people think that if you mention something negative too you must be honest. Exactly why scammers use it all the time. I'm not saying he's a scammer. I don't believe that, but fast conclusions about the honesty of someone you haven't met, based on assumptions you cannot possibly verify rubs me the wrong way. Yes i like videos about vintage equipment to and sponsorship is a fact of life. They need to make a living. But don't award them your trust to easily.

[@PotatoFi]

@@bzuidgeest Ok. :) Wait a second... maybe YOU'RE THE SCAMMER! You couldn't fool me that easily, internet person! But I kid. Have a great day, and thanks for the conversation.

[@PilkScientist]

Old carpenter's trick, from it being the family trade: it's often good to paint or stain the lumber *before* putting everything together. Then, the paint can protect inside all the joints, and it reduces the chance of rot/water damage. Not nessecary, or a criticism, just a little thing to add for your next outdoor rennovation project. Whenever that ends up happening :)

[@damionlee7658]

I've been wondering about this for a while. I've got a couple of projects on the go where I'm pre-staining all the wood because I thought "What happens when rain gets in the joints where there's no protection". It's nice to have it confirmed that this is a real issue, and I'm not just inventing potential problems in my mind.

[@SeanBZA]

@@damionlee7658 Also use some wax on the screws before use, so they are protected as well, and afterwards use a small brush and pot to get paint over all of them as well.

[@muh1h1]

@@damionlee7658 Stain should not be considered as a waterproofing coating anyway, it basically just changes the color of the wood and might protect it from UV. For weather protection use paint or clearcoat.

[@damionlee7658]

@@muh1h1 to be fair, what I am using is a Ronseal weatherproofing wood treatment, rather than just a stain. It is just stuck in my rather old and tired brain that thin liquid wood treatments are stains, and thicker emulsions are paints. I should have been a bit clearer about what I was using.

[@paulbaker3144]

I’ve made a cheap stain that blocks UV light by mixing the colored powders they sell for concrete with a gallon of linseed oil. The pigment is what blocks the UV and this makes a gallon of stain pretty cheap. I started using this mix all over the old farm. Just be sure to stir the mix before use of course.

[@Kefka.]

8bit guy is so wholesome, lives next to his mom, works with his brother sometimes on various projects. Has family, cats and at least 1 dog. Seems to have a wide range of friends, etc.

[@millyyeasmin7904]

He doesn't have dog

[@matthewgregory2106]

Nerdy Hank Hill!

[@Bucking_Fastard]

And Morgan Freeman is his electrician.

[@penciloctopus2231]

@@millyyeasmin7904 He mentioned it in his cat tower video

[@EfrainDeLaRocha]

His wife paints his deck

[@thenewbgamer6416]

I have a strong feeling that David is capable of making a time machine out of Commodore 64s and other stuff he has laying around.

[@joseamadorsilva7395]

Yeah, but all that would happen if he traveled back in time would be seeing him buying software that he can't find today! Lol

[@jonathaningram8157]

He could build an amazing AI

[@cybermanne]

I really like that "interlock" plate. Such a clever and foolproof way of making sure the switches are in the correct configuration.

[@ionstorm66]

They have been around for a while. I've made some for our buildings that go between two breakers to prevent them both from being on, so you can have a welder + air compressor on a single 30a and not trip it all the time.

[@runningbear1982]

They actually make an automatic voltage detection switch that is much better but it is much more expensive. You can build your own with a couple diodes in a passive relay rectifier circuit. Technically it should be even safer than an interlock. That's assuming the power company doesn't wire something up wrong on their end after they repair a downed line.

[@dvidrie]

Oh be careful with the DiY automatic switcher. Years ago I created that exact system with a relay that switched from my generator to my inverter. It ended up destroying the inverter. When the generator starts or powers down it crates power spikes that can activate and deactivate the relay multiple times in a quick succession. That destroyed the inverter. So a word of caution if you want to try something like that

[@demagmusic]

I have a breaker interlock here for my generator input. they are a great option

[@Craxin01]

Simple solutions are usually the best.

[@ps4network161]

Massive respect to David to not being a naggy sponsored KZbin channel, and cleverly using that to mention one of the few times he's ever been sponsored, and it's products he already liked and used. That's the way endorsements should be done. 😊👍🏻

[@SweatyTurban34]

i feel like he should accept more tech related sponsors as long as he can be honest. he deserves the extra bread.

[@ProjectAudrey]

@@SweatyTurban34 not just honest, it should only stuff he sought out himself and would buy a second time

[@SweatyTurban34]

@@ProjectAudreythat's quite literally what I mean. an item he'd genuinely recommend or use😭 and why only items hed personally use? lol u don't get a say in what he should and shouldn't review lmao. my comment was emphasizing that EVEN if he did do sponsors for extra money, he deserves it.

[@John-jc3ty]

@@SweatyTurban34 that 4th car would be clutch amirite

[@Ballistic190]

I got to show this to my father. He's not into computers very much, but he absolutely loves home improvement stuff and really enjoys seeing how people come up with their own solutions like this.

[@stormah]

I love how when you use solar you are unbiased about your opinion on it. You don't give only pros, or only cons. You just tell us what's good and bad about solar and let us decide if we want to use it. You're such a great person, Mr 8-Bit Guy.

[@fonte935]

Missing this kind of content on KZbin so much lately that KZbin has recommended me a bunch of your old videos, and I'm watching them! Even though I already saw them when they were new. :)

[@richardwernst]

Not sure why you didn't go with the 4 panels and have them overlap the pergola. This would also give you a bit more protection of the door from blown rain from that side since the door is right at the corner.

[@superconductives88]

I know right. Also the 4 panels could have all been oriented vertically (like the first) and appears would fit according to what I saw.

[@bufordmaddogtannen]

@@superconductives88 aligning the panels would not change things much as you can fit 2 panels on the long side of one. So he would end up with the very same area covered. In simple terms: put 2 panels next to each other horizontally, and 2 panels next to each other vertically and you'd end up with 2 squares. At least that's how it looks like from the 3D render. I do like the idea of using 4 panels though and cover the whole pergola.

[@KeMeEscupaUnPollo]

Exactly my thoughts.... Can only think of OCD tbh.

[@whochecksthis]

I had the same question, hope he responds to it. Obviously, aesthetics are higher concern to him than power production.

[@memaimu]

Truly boggles the mind...

[@FIDEL_CASHFLOW_]

It's truly fascinating how you're so skilled in so many different areas. Electrical work, woodworking, construction, computers, music, carpentry.

[@Zac_in_the_game]

Always love these construction videos is a nice change of pace.

[@lamphantom2289]

I live in Brazil and the electricity bill has increased 4x in 10 years. Installed 7 solar panels of 450w. But I opted to sell 100% of my production to the energy operator and compensate what I spent more. the bills are coming only charging the availability fee. Worth it. Especially in Brazil, which has an absurdly green energy matrix. 84% of Brazil uses renewable energies. 10% of the country is wind energy and growing every day.

[@themadmallard]

curious what some of the causes are for your energy costs increasing down there when so much of your energy is not linked to fossil fuel market?

[@MaximNightFury]

@@themadmallard In South America? Most likely monopolies on electricity and other utilities.

[@kr0w1123]

I understand that sponsorships and mid rolls can be annoying, but those of us who have been with KZbin for a long time understand that's part of the deal, and you deserve to get paid for all of the hard work you do. Love the content and how honest you are about everything.

[@tomlindo2863]

I think you made a mistake not going with the 4 panel configuration. I'm not sure I understand why it wasn't acceptable. Since you identified that you need more solar power I would re-visit it as well extend the roof line and add more panels over the grass area. Lastly, I would think a little silicone between the panels to keep it water tight would be worthwhile. Otherwise a very clean install and great over all solution.

[@jacek-jan]

For this panels 3 traverse beams is more than enough. They can exceed 30cm/1foot from fulcrum to is ends. Sealing between panels must be flexible, because panels will slightly wave during strong winds. PS There are dedicated mounting systems for PV including sealing between panels.

[@mwbgaming28]

Never sacrifice functionality for aesthetics

[@Allen.Christian]

"These are Jinko panels..." My brain: "...JNCO panels... What a change in direction that company made!"

[@graxjpg]

Right lol… big baggy jeans to solar panels lol..

[@konversion]

Haha, that's a company I hadn't thought about in years. As a result, I just thought about the Kikwear jeans I still have in my closet that I haven't worn in 20 something years.

[@seven3true]

What's Airwalk been up to these days? Maybe windmills.

[@tonyq4358]

RAVE PANEL!

[@AiOinc1]

Rodime, a hard disk manufacturer in the 80s bought a gambling company in 2000.

[@AaronPaluzzi]

I love the pergola you built. I've recommended this to people who have shaded roofs but a sunny yard as a super affordable and easy way to do solar. Quick note however I noticed you don't have gutters on either the house or the studio. I know texas might not have them in code, but gutters prevent exactly the sort of damage you were seeing at the door. If there are any other points you're having water issues with consider the upgrade and instead of a downspout use a water chain. ;)

[@shh1234]

Exactly. a Simple gutter would have solved your water intrusion problem. Now the rain will wash over your panels, hopefully no long term problems there !

[@knurlgnar24]

@@shh1234 Yes, the grit from the shingles all falling onto the top edge of the panel will be a problem requiring constant cleaning, but I think it makes sense in his specific circumstance given half the goal was to add a cover over the door.

[@AaronPaluzzi]

@@shh1234 Actually that's a bonus for solar. The biggest detriment to solar power is dirt, dust, or bird droppings blocking the cells. Rain is a blessing.

[@meatpockets]

Yeah, I’m surprised not to see any gutters. Even my ~70 year old single car detached garage has them.

[@TheSulross]

have a 2nd home in a locale where the snow pack in winter can be feet high and stay around for weeks and months before gets all melted off - that snow becomes ice as it parially melts in day and refreezes at night. Just took a few years of this to mess up the gutters to where their nearly useless. So is coming time to replace the roof and am thinking of going with a metal roof so the snow pack will just slide off - and no gutters at all. But that means during rain there will be the usual issues due not having gutters. Is kind of a perplexing dilemma. Welcome any suggestions.

[@forrestp33]

You're channel is like an oasis and an example to others of how to make engaging content without bombarding your loyal viewers with ads. I hope KZbin isn't too mad at you!

[@Evgenii_Fedorovskii]

Once again I was convinced that you are one of the most worthy representatives of humanity - to use your brain so effectively, think through everything to the smallest detail before doing something. It's my opinion. I admire you!

[@ryl0n]

It’s amazing how good you are with construction and electricals, not just computer repair. I always enjoy these detailed videos! Very nice setup!

[@DumahBrazorf]

My honest opinion the door is so close to the side of the building a few inches of extrapanel covers it better from the rain and you won't have an hole over the other door. You can use some aluminium tape to cover the gap between panels so it won't rain in.

[@FlameMage2]

I would probably also just have overhang on the 4th solar panel. Definitely aluminum tape the gaps between panels, getting rain dripped under the solar panel awning would be annoying. Also wow ya I didn't think about gutters they're so automatic to me on just being there lol.

[@thatdellguy]

I was also really surprised he didn't do the overhanging panels since its 25% more power and keeps more rain off the front door. You could see in the closing that rain still gets on the bottom of the door. Its just going to be a slower leak over time now.

[@bufordmaddogtannen]

These damn bots... Already 112 comments. I would have sealed the gap between each panel with silicone and used 4 panels and lived with the overhang.

[@alanjrobertson]

Agree - I think the overhang would have looked better than the gap that was there.

[@mfaizsyahmi]

Loving this episode of The 8-Drillbit Guy.

[@powerkarma]

I have that same door water leak, I finally fixed it by running a bead of silconized concrete along the seam of the step and door sill plate. Great video!

[@jeffandreson]

3M makes a uv resistant tape you can use to seal the gaps between the panels

[@allaire123]

Or vinyl T molding, would allow easy removal of panel.

[@knerduno5942]

Or just plain ol matching aluminum tape.

[@paulbaker3144]

Aluminum tape or Eternabond RV repair tape. Aluminum flashing tape is what I used. It’s sticky as hell.

[@aintnonerd8100]

I remember the original video when the bluetti system was purchased. I purchased the same system this year with a battery expansion pack. They improved their solar panels too. I was glad I did because after hurricane Ian this year, the system really proved its worth when I had no power for nearly 2 weeks.

[@vadimkot2354]

WOW, David could do a lot of things by his own, he can do KZbin channel, edit videos, understands about various technologies and does good explanation about it, can code on 6502, x86 assembler and basic, can design the games, can manage game development projects, can do kick-starter, can repair and retro bright retro computers, can made arcade machine, understand about electricity and low-voltage networks, can make design of house then build it, can shoot, have many other skills! He is good example for other geeks!

[@bzuidgeest]

You mean you don't know how to do most of that?

[@TomHartley64]

Agreed. [...and converse in fluent German, raise a child, play the piano skilfully, select/mix/master music and sound brilliantly (making it perfectly balanced and pleasant for listeners/viewers while creating a happy, uplifting mood), draw clear explanatory graphics,... and more.] 🙂He is smart, skilful, prolific and impressive; a thinker and a doer.

[@skit4471]

There is an important trait u missed... the free and open mind to learn all those things :)

[@vadimkot2354]

@@bzuidgeest yes, sir

[@Okurkaarrgghh]

He can't cook his own dinner, though..

[@bucharestbiketraffic]

David, I am glad you got sponsored. I wish you took more sponsorships when it comes to some of your videos since I understand is difficult to always fund some of the products used. I only have a a premium account, so, not a lot of help, I wish I could donate since I really apreciate you and what you do. You rock!

[@DanTDMJace]

You could donate via his Patreon.

[@bucharestbiketraffic]

@@DanTDMJace I did not know he has a Patreon account. I will most definitely donate. Thanks for the heads up.

[@landonmckinley6250]

I like all of David’s videos, but the solar ones he’s done over the past few months have been the most unique I’ve seen in awhile. It’s something so simple yet it inspired me to look into getting units for myself as well. Solar made simple!

[@hedleypepper1838]

That's actually the best most in depth look at the Delta pro I've seen. Probably because your not actually doing a review. Makes sense you took the deal 😊

[@EEVblog]

Nice build. Yeah, you definitely need to add more panels to get a decent amount of excess.

[@johnnychang4233]

@matthiasrandomstuff2221 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWK0hKFpnsR8e9E

[@cleekersneaker]

I love this channel going solar. 8bit Guy's considerable communication skills in a new technical realm.

[@mazda9624]

Is there anying David cannot do? Seriously man, you're an absolute genius when it comes to problem solving. I can't wait to see the Part 2 to this video (and hopefully even a part 3 when you decide to add all of the small solar panels to the studio building).

[@bzuidgeest]

With a little effort you could do it to. It's not that hard. It doesn't take a genius. And do remember he didn't know how to fix a leaky door. So he build a porch....

[@freedomisslavery6840]

@@bzuidgeest Please, I'd like you see you do any of this.

[@bzuidgeest]

@@freedomisslavery6840 sure, give me the money and materials and pay me for my time and i will even tech you how. I have a adobe premiere license so we can even make a video out of it

[@Faavtro]

@@bzuidgeest For someone that "has watched his videos for years" you sure are angry about someone praising the guy. It may not take a genius to do what David does, but apparently it does take one to shut their mouth ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@bzuidgeest]

@@Faavtro insults are cheap. I don't get why people think he can do everything. There are so many specialist channels out there for many of the subjects he talks about. He is certainly not alone. And yes nothing wrong with a compliment. What i object to is the worship. Some sound more like religious fanatics then anything else. Most of those people could do the same things if they applied themselves. Where is that lack of self confidence coming from?

[@pburchins]

Hello, I enjoyed video! I have a construction management background . When you are putting in material that you are going to paint or stain consider painting the material on a bench or saw horses . You can even put 2:coats,on it m. After it dries, then install it. You may have to putty some holes and touch up from the ladder but that is much easier and better than spending a day on the ladder painting 2 coats. You don’t have worry about falling off the ladder or dropping the paint brush or worse the gal of paint. When I was around 22, I was building a shopping center I was a Asst Superintendent. The Painter Superintendent saw the stack of 100 pieces of architectural plywood or siding called T-111. We were going to start installing the canopy. He asked if I would delay a day and let his men stain the material the next day. Two men rolled the material and it was complete in 5 hours. If we put the raw material up, the painter would had to scaffold the area to paint and apply two coats. Applying two coats on the ground saved him over 100 hours of lager and he mixed the putty to match the stain that was applied. He made a lot of money. We got a better looking paint job and we became good friends for 20 years because I always watched after him.

[@_AmperVolt]

David and Ecoflow - greetings from Poland! Thank you for this episode :)

[@AndersEngerJensen]

Neat! It's really coming together now! :D

[@Larry82ch]

Your music is not too bad!

[@mrnapolean1]

Love your music! It fits 8-bit Guys theme well. Keep it up!

[@SaycoPworrell]

I think you should go with the 4 panel setup with it sticking out a bit. Definitely will protect your patio more.

[@raven4k998]

and he will have more power to boot

[@sageambrosek5206]

@@raven4k998 or juystput panel 4 on the roof

[@raven4k998]

@@sageambrosek5206 he should use 6 then 3 on the pergola 3 on the roof beside hanging over a little over the pergola gap

[@Jim-vr2lx]

I thought the same thing, use the four panels -- form follows function.

[@Nobe_Oddy]

You could extend the pergola out a little to the right side of the building and give yourself that extra widther to fit a fourth panel on, and it would fill in that gap to the left (this is all if your looking at the leaky door ) I would think this would be the simplest solution

[@thewiirocks]

Or he could just add a panel on the roof and get that bit extra he needs.

[@HelloKittyFanMan.]

I totally love the idea that you connected the insides of those two rooms by putting a doorway between them! It's kind of fun that you have an outside door on both sides too. If I remember right, I always wish that there was an inside connection between those two rooms. And now there is!

[@luisdiaz-paez2763]

Been a subscriber since the early days. Not taking sponsors is super rare and I totally admire that from you. But dude you need to eat too. Make great content and get paid for it son ! You deserve it

[@Thomygnomi]

Great work. There is something really satisfying seeing someone doing all kinds of different work on himself

[@Blutwind]

I love how that little shack almost feels like a spaceship you got the "reactor", "production/science department" and " captains room"

[@rhebucks_zh]

like among us skeld

[@MarcosArizpe]

I keep coming back to watch this videos, there is no click bait, no twist, no memes, no bs. Just a well done, informative video with good image quality and sounds, an a good script. That's all you need to make these videos timeless.

[@REALBanannaman]

I love your dedication to being open and truthful about sponsors. You have the least annoying youtube channel ever. Love it

[@kuramacon]

I honestly love these construction project episodes as much as your regular content.

[@marcusdamberger]

Same here, and I love that he took the time and put this all together so we can see in an entire single video how he started and finished his project. Instead of making 2-3 parts over weeks.

[@Terrackhimself]

Strangely it is fun to see your build videos 🙂 As far as taking a sponsor, considering the price of those battery systems, no one will blame you 🙂

[@RetroRecipes]

Fun build! And I agree with your philosophy on not doing sponsorships such as for VPN or PCB companies… like PCBWayyyy where you can get great PCBs from just $5! Because as we all know, PCB stands for Patio Cover Build. I mean Power Circuit Breaker. Doesn’t it? Like & Subscribe!

[@luvdady]

Yes I trust brand xyz vpn because the check cleared. I can watch tv and see Swedish mud wrestling without my isp knowing. Because safety is so important that I trust this company that I don't know to store my data in some foreign land with lax laws. Brand xyz ! Because they pay me money 💰

[@izzieb]

You're a sneaky one!

[@JGreen-le8xx]

I don't have 5 DOYYARS! But I do have 3 buttons, some pocket lint, and 2 paperclips. What will that get me?

[@Eastchild]

As PCB stand for Perifractic Comment Bombing ?

[@PotatoFi]

Don't ever change, Retro Recipes.

[@joshuamorin2762]

So awesome to see these in real world use. I've seen tons of reviews but no actual setup. Definitely earned a subscriber due to showing how you though it through and actually applying your ideas. Now I'm really wanting to set something up like this to power my gas furnace for winter outages in my home.

[@dwaynezilla]

Those brackets and that aluminium work is a real life saver. Looks slick, too!

[@sloanNYC]

Another great video! Appreciate the transparency. It might influence you subconsciously in your opinion (we naturally feel like we should reciprocate “free” stuff), but being so open about it makes it so everyone is informed. Super interesting how seemingly easy this was.

[@An9eL_C]

Sponsorships will never feel odd or weird on your channel as you're a true gentleman. Is part of the game and everyone understands. Grats on the Ecoflow's. As always thank you for sharing your videos...

[@honkhonk8009]

I love this guy. Watching him brightens my day a bit lmfao. Hes the few KZbinrs out there that make genuinely great content. Watching him makes you forget about the average day to day lunatic bullshit that goes on the internet

[@stevenspencer9104]

Well, my brother, that bless my socks off! Thank you so very much for sharing that. I’ve got two different buildings on my place that I’m considering doing, and every video I watch, helps me a little bit more. Please have a blessed day.

[@tylergriffin333]

8-bit guy is the coolest guy on KZbin, AND he can do a pull-up.

[@jorgepais2876]

Hey David I think you could make a bergula from the backdoor of the house to your studio filled with solar panels to get into it without getting wet on rainy days!

[@Iunio92]

Room for more panels too!

[@mrb5217]

David, you might want to make sure to keep the AC breakers off if you have to use your dual NEMA 5-15 cable. Since the two inverters don't have their phases synchronized with that cable, the AC wouldn't necessarily see 0v, but anything between 0V->240V RMS, depending on how in or out of phase the inverters would randomly be. The AC unit with 70V across it for example might do bad things to the motors if the electronics have enough voltage to power up and try to turn them on.

[@jerther_]

Depending on the source and powered devices, this might even be dangerous with one phase being fed into the other!

[@garydion]

I love this project, but I agree on the caution against using that dual NEMA cord. If the AC unit tries to turn on, it will connect the two plugs together through the motor (a very low impedance). Best case, both cords are plugged into a single phase outlet and nothing happens. Worst case, one cord is left unplugged - which now makes the exposed prongs "live" and ready to bite someone who touches them. For the same reason, if two un-synched inverters are each driving a leg, it could damage one or both. I made a similar cord, but with only one cable driving both 120V legs to prevent any of the above scenarios. Enjoy the payback of your system!

[@TheSeanUhTron]

He did mention that he couldn't run his AC's off of it, so I think he's already aware. Though IMO, a better solution would be to just use the generator or other power source to charge up the Ecoflow's. That way there's still split phase AC and it acts as a buffer.

[@drek7361]

this is why I hesitate to tinker with things around the house. I read this comment twice and still don't undestand half of it

[@TheSeanUhTron]

@@drek7361 Simply put, when one phase is at -120VAC the other needs to be at +120VAC. Then the difference between the two will be 240VAC. AC is like a two man saw; Each pushing and pulling in sync.

[@JayriAvieock90]

I think you should also consider getting a storm door. It protects the main door so less water leakage.

[@JayriAvieock90]

Pssh, that's spam(talking about the comment)

[@winklerchr]

Or here me out, he could have put gutters on the building...

[@JayriAvieock90]

@@winklerchr hear* Also rain was hitting the door. Gutters wouldn't have fixed this problem. Did you even watch the video?

[@darkglass1]

I thought the same thing. This is the exact situation a storm door is meant to address.

[@Schule04]

Mounting the door on the outside and not inside would have fixed the problem

[@TheMegaross91]

Honestly man thankyou for keeping your KZbin channel user friendly. KZbin has started to become unpleasant on some channels more recently, noticing a lot more unskippable mid roll adverts crop up and it drives a guy crazy.

[@JoshLeRose]

I’ve never thought that the sponsorships and midroll ads were particularly annoying. I just accepted that it was part of the grind and part of the KZbinr hustle.

[@guyguy467]

Very nice. It's amazing how you're able to build all these things

[@jondonnelly3]

It's amazing what you can do with you put your mind to it, everything in this build is DIY.

[@caseyjames9570]

For what its worth, you should bond the faceplate of the box that you added. As the faceplate is mounted to an unbonded box.

[@scoochyogooch]

Great Video! In regards to the solar panel allignment on the wooden supports, why not just have all 4 pannels mounted long side next to each other? You will have one panel overhang but I bet you could install some supports for that one panel and still make it look good. I love the way you handle wire/cable management very creative and clean. Can't wait for the next building video.

[@party4keeps28]

What a satisfying job. It looks great! This is the first time I saw someone give an honest review for a sponsor. Man, I love this channel.

[@funnylookingfoetus]

I love you for the simple fact that you never ask to 'like and subscribe.' I sincerely can't stand the animations, the pop/bling/bell sounds and the endless requests to do so. If I like you, I'll do so myself, thanks. Anyway... Thank you for your channel, your content. I love it.

[@sheepborg]

Regarding the battery box shelf over the electrical panel. For it to meet code there must be at least 6.5ft of height free in front of the panel (in addition to the 3ft deep x 2.5ft wide working area)

[@bzuidgeest]

I thought the shelve idea was even worse then putting them on the floor. Now if something goes wrong he can stand in a rain of flaming battery to shut off the breaker.

[@Jehovahstool]

I just happened to find your channel and I enjoyed your content especially on this matter. I think that you may want to consider extending your pergola to accommodate more panels were the pergola ends are extended and add more panels to the back side over that storage room door completely covering the patio. This should give you more than enough power for your demands with & without air or heat. I will look for your updates on the power usage and upgrades to resolve your part-time dilemma.

[@leek4994]

Very entertaining video! I'm considering a solar pergola as well so it's good to see some real world experience with them. I also like how you build something functional now and then plan to scale up in the future.

[@Paradoxeality]

It says a lot that you were sponsored by a company, and was not completely in love with their product, but instead, took it apart and found a piece of metal tumbling around. inside. Your integrity is appreciated. Even better was that the issue was handled cleanly, no tirade, no rant, just it's fixed now.

[@daserfomalhaut9809]

Whatever that chill music you played when showing the SketchUp was lovely. I need it.

[@pigalex]

26:00 you ought to reach out to ecoflow and see if they have plans (or could make) a single status panel which combines the numbers from the other two (with maybe a toggle to view an individual device)

[@Thohean]

I ran into the same problem with my off grid system. I hadn't calculated enough solar to run everything AND charge. On a full, sunny day, I could charge about 80% in 4 hours and then turn the AC on, which would give me enough power to run over night.

[@tissandre]

Great Video as always David! But be aware the dual pigtail cable you shown at the end of the video won't work as you need the two 120V supplies to be in phase (Actually, exactly 180° out of phase) to get 240V. Any dephasing will result in a lower voltage. That's actually how we get 208V from a 3 phases 120V/208V. (120° dephasing)

[@eDoc2020]

As David explained his air conditioners won't work if he uses his custom cable.

[@tissandre]

@@eDoc2020 Ho! Thanks! I just reviewed the video and, apparently, I missed that part on the video.

[@FluorescentApe]

Finally i see someone mentioning the phase shift. It could be dangerous not knowing some of these details. Adding 120 volts + 120 volts works for DC in series but not for AC because of the phase shift that his air conditioner needs.

[@jacketylon]

I really love these home improvement videos you drop on occasion. It's so interesting to see how you run your life and it inspires me to try doing similar things for my own home

[@chriswuzhere91]

As an electrician, you've done a phenomenal job

[@Mark-hb5zf]

A storm door might still be a good idea (and inexpensive).

[@mrnapolean1]

And the best thing is if you have a nice 60-70F day you can leave your door open and have the sliding window on the storm door open and not have to worry about filling your studio with flies.

[@Mark-hb5zf]

@@mrnapolean1 Flies -yep! I was going to mention a gutter too, but it looks like the pergola/solar panels makes that a moot point.

[@fixitalex]

Yea It's expensive to be honest today. Thank you David! That's really great that your channel is free of those annoying things!

[@hereis_Tiff]

You should create some sort of rain water collection system for your (studio) roof. You can use that water for all sorts of stuff, one such thing could be flushing your toilet or watering your garden during the summer.

[@-r-495]

That went through my mind too. Also: add some silicone between the panels to ensure the rain flows down over them. Maybe even use rainwater to cool the panels from the backside, in summer their efficiency drops due to high temperatures having an impact on the physics in the panels. I‘ve seen ~10% gains on hot days with water cooled panels (sprayers between roof and panels).

[@soteful9949]

I like how the video is about the sponsored product and how it ties into your channel. It's not some mindless plug. Also, damn good job.💪💪👍👍

[@BatiBat0o]

First video that I see and I subs because of your principles. Keep going at it sir

[@marcberm]

But wait! Who's the bearded guy wearing what looks to be a dinosaur t-shirt, holding what looks to be a ukulele in the 3D rendering at 3:05? 🧐🤔

[@LucasIsHereYT]

David is _the_ dad, he fits literally ever stereotype except for computer illiteracy.

[@mrtechpat]

What do you mean

[@brapamaldi]

@@mrtechpat i think this person is under the delusion that most dads are computer illiterate. which is weird considering that most of us dads were using (and even programming) computers before our kids were even a twinkle in our eyes

[@nekoroms]

@@brapamaldi Yeah my dad used to even videogame....had a crysis session like once a week :)

[@zoltangezamate6600]

That's maybe the answer why I like him so much.

[@pseudonym3690]

I get the 10 kWh/day for the electric cars, but I'd really love to see a breakdown of how you use 90kWh/day for just a regular house. The houses I've lived in required anything between 5.000 and 15.000 kWh/year, so I'm wondering how you could use 33.000 kWh/year.

[@Daniel-ne2tg]

This is my question too. Good for The plannet ....

[@adslf874yti3q7u4hf83]

You've gotta remember that electricity in the USA is very cheap and (for the most part) clean. Hydro and nuclear power for huge numbers of the population. With that in mind that means most Americans I've met do not concern themselves with energy efficient appliances or home buildouts. Those window A/C units, for example. Add in a lot of power hungry technology, always-on switches, etc. It all adds up. I lived in America for three years and coming from a place where we value electricity and water almost as much as air it was a real eye opener. I have a 12kw solar system on my roof here, and two 5kw inverters that run my entire house even during winter during daylight hours. I found it amusing to see such a tiny system and the interlocks being installed rather than doing it what I would consider "properly".

[@pseudonym3690]

@@adslf874yti3q7u4hf83 I agree with everything, but with your claim that energy production in the US is "for the most part" clean. Only 13% of energy comes from renewable sources and only 8% from nuclear plants (which btw are everything but clean). The rest comes from burning coal (11%), petroleum (36%) and gas (32%). So even while gas can be considered cleaner than coal and petroleum, those two almost make up 50% of the energy mix. Yes, energy is cheap there and Americans are usually not really concerned about energy conservation which is what I assume as well, but I'd rather see a breakdown to judge this for myself. After all, the ACs don't explain that. The AC he showed used only 250W. That's 6 kWh/day, with 90kWh you could power 14 of those around the clock with another 6kWh to spare for other devices. This seems unlikely and thus excessive. And yes, it also seems very strange the way those batteries are used compared to how this is being hooked up in Europe, but I guess regulations in the US are kinda lax in that regard :)

[@Daniel-ne2tg]

@@pseudonym3690 very good Point!!!

Average use of energy in Europe per person is like 1500kWh annually, I use like 3500kWh. What I guess is the reason for the high consumption is that US homes are not well isolated and also, A/Cs are more common in the US. But you‘d have to run 3 or 4 A/Cs for 10 hours of the day to get to 100kWh.

[@lazmotron]

You are a great example of the fact that you can learn to do anything by watching youtube videos! Keep up the good work.

[@jhutto1984]

I can appreciate the fact that the one time he actually does a sponsorship it's for a practical and related reason to his video. Good on you, dude! :3

[@JonTheGeek]

We found the secret path David it's totally fine if you take sponsorships, ESPECIALLY if they blend into the content like with this one. I'd take a peak at Evan and Katelyn and how they manage sponsorships if you're interested.

[@nickcliff]

Electric company always screwing people over coz there greedy

[@E46_Lenker]

Nah sponsorships are the most annoying thing on KZbin

[@kostya8764]

@@E46_Lenker In this case they aren't

[@Drysset]

@@kostya8764 I totalt agree

[@JonTheGeek]

@@E46_Lenker They can be poorly integrated and annoying. Or they can be well done like this

[@Sloxx701]

Just as an FYI and in case it was unclear from the video: in the US you cannot connect two 120V hot wires from the power grid/utility service drop together if they are different phases. IOW - The two 120V lines coming from the utility pole or transformer outside and into your house are 180 degrees out of phase with each other. Jumping them together would be a direct short. Don't do that... for the love of god lol Also keep in mind that an A/C unit can draw over double the average power that you are measuring when it first starts, it takes lot of torque for the compressor to start against the head pressure in the condenser.

[@uszkaybalazs]

Just as an addition: afaik some households get 2 phases of a 3-phase system. This means that they're 120° out of phase with each other. Still, never connect out of phase wires! It will still be like connecting 206V directly to ground!

[@Sloxx701]

@@uszkaybalazs This is also true yes! Three phase can be quite common near residential areas.

[@stefanhaustein]

The Texas alternative to throwing stuff at paintings :)

[@EarlOfMaladyCrescent]

Your channel is brilliant! The video that introduced me to it was part 1 of this studio building being built. That makes this video particularly special to watch! I love how you come up with a well thought out home improvement plan & just make it happen. Hopefully you'll be saving plenty of money of your electricity now! 🙂

[@georgiosxirouchakis439]

Nice job! The biggest relief was that the door problem was solved!!

[@richbaumannsingersongwriter]

I enjoyed your easy understandable explanation. well done!

[@casperbuys]

100KWh per day?! That's insane! I use a maximum of 7 per day (to be fair, I don't have an EV).

[@adslf874yti3q7u4hf83]

Do you also live alone in a small apartment? I can't imagine any freestanding house with a family that uses 7kwh per day.

[@casperbuys]

Nope, family of 4 in a mid sized home

[@TheChipmunk2008]

be very careful with that adaptor lead you made David, the A/C will backfeed the 120 onto the other plug if only one is plugged in (assuming one phase goes to each plug), also if they were plugged into 2 different inverter systems, the voltage across phases would be all wibbly wobbly and undefined, the A/C may not like that much! (but i'm sure you've thought of this)

[@barry28907]

That's what I was thinking, too. The EcoFlow combiner unit would have to synchronize the two inverters to keep the correct phase difference between the two hot lines, right? Also, will it intelligently cut off the 240v output when one of the batteries gets to its minimum state of charge? Otherwise, you'd lose one phase, with unpredictable results.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

@@barry28907 yes that is worrisome... anything with 2 plugs on it needs to be beaten to death, IMO, it's a hack

[@TheChipmunk2008]

A better solution would be a custom connector ... thus preventing some idiot (not suggesting our host is one by any means!) from darwinating by accident

[@RayonWhittaker]

Nice,happy to see another solar Pergola build. We did a similar build for a model home here in Jamaica and it's started to rain just as we finished too. @9:09 what we did to stop the water from dripping between the panels was to use T-rubber seals with caulking or silicone and then apply aluminum tape underneath to hide the rubber and have it blend in with the aluminum framing of the Solar panels.

[@Tabletop_Epics]

The design and follow-through that you commit to your projects are very admirable. Also, incredibly satisfying. I'm trying to repair half of my house after a county sewage mishap, and I wish I had my stuff together at least half as well as you do.

[@rexmasters1541]

I am impressed!! Usually electronic experts cannot build anything out of wood. I am a retired US Marine and the NAVY sparkys were hit or miss. But I am really impressed with the amount to for thought you used to build your studio. Awesome job!!!!