Buying DIY solar parts. ~ 2 comments
This is probably no secret, but Quartzsite is an expensive place to spend some time. It appears to me that in all the time I've been coming here, which could be measured in decades, I have determined that there are only three things that are inexpensive in Quartzsite,
1... The flea markets, if you're a shopper who knows how to negotiate a bargain.
2... propane. There's a lot of competition selling propane in Quartzsite, so the competition keeps the price down.
3... And the boondocking, which of course is free, and almost limitless.
Pretty much everything else costs way too much.
Being an ex-businessman myself, I can relate to short seasons, expensive merchandise, and the Snowbird mentality. But that doesn't stop me from complaining when I have to pay extra for things I need. In this particular case, I'll focus on the challenges of buying mobile solar panels I can set up wherever I'm boondocking.
It wouldn't surprise me if the solar panel companies in Quartzsite make 95% of their income during January, when Q is at its busiest. It was not too surprising that they had to charge a lot of money for what they sell, and do so just to survive. Knowing that, I believe Q would be near the bottom of my list to get involved in a DIY solar project, where I would have to buy various gadgets to put solar on my camper. I've known this for a long time, which is why when I was building the solar system for the Arctic Fox, I bought the major parts from a large wholesaler in Flagstaff, Arizona, and the bits and pieces from Amazon.
So if you're thinking of going to Quartzsite just because it's the home to all the solar panel experts, I would suggest you bring all the parts and pieces for your solar puzzle with you, and only use the Quartzsite experts for their advice.
Theboondork
This class "A" owner is obviously someone who likes to get up on the roof and adjust his solar panels. At least he's got a toad, so he doesn't have to put them up and down every time he goes to the store.
Sunrise in Quartzsite, Arizona.
Sunset at the Dome Rock boondocking area.