Who is Will Prowse and Are His DIY Solar Power YouTube Videos Helpful?
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If you are interested in building a portable or residential solar power system, there is a good chance you have come across Will Prowse and his DIY Solar Power YouTube channel.
With over 52 million views on his informative solar videos and an ever-growing following that currently sits at over 550,000 YouTube subscribers, it is fair to say that Will Prowse is one of the internet’s go-to resources for information on building DIY solar power systems.
While his massive YouTube following certainly speaks to his popularity, it is worth learning a little bit more about Will Prowse and his channel to discover whether or not his videos can actually help you build your own solar power system.
So, Who is Will Prowse?
Will Prowse currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Before this, he lived in an RV and spent a significant amount of time living off-grid. While his earliest YouTube videos primarily discussed living in a van or RV on a budget, he quickly shifted his attention to mobile solar power systems.
He wrote his Amazon best-selling book, Mobile Solar Power Made Easy around this time, which is an excellent resource if you are looking for step-by-step instructions on building and installing a vehicle-mounted solar power system.
Over the last few years, the focus of Will Prowse’s YouTube channel has transitioned from RV-centric solar power systems to affordable DIY solar power more generally. He explains everything from the solar electricity basics to more complex topics, like building your own solar power bank from basic components.
Are Will Prowse’s YouTube Videos Useful?
We are certainly big fans of Will Prowse’s YouTube channel and believe he can be a valuable resource for anyone interested in building or expanding a DIY solar power system; however, his videos are not without their faults. For starters, his videos can be fairly technical, which can make them somewhat challenging for beginners.
While many of his videos have simple titles that would lead you to believe that they are beginner-friendly, they are often aimed more towards viewers that already have a background in solar power. This is not to discredit the information offered in his videos, but it is something to consider if you are new to solar power.
We firmly believe that installing a DIY solar power system can be uncomplicated and enjoyable, so the last thing we would want is for anyone to become discouraged because they think it would be difficult and frustrating.
The sheer number and variety of videos can also be somewhat intimidating for viewers, especially if you are unsure where to start. Since Will Prowse is so experienced, his tutorials and product reviews touch on just about every topic, so finding videos that explain the basics can sometimes feel more difficult than it needs to be.
With all of that said, Will Prowse is undeniably one of the most reliable sources of DIY solar power information out there. His passion for renewable power and building affordable solar power systems is there for anyone to see, and he really knows what he is talking about. If you know what to look for, his video tutorials can be incredibly useful.
Take, for example, this Beginner-Friendly Solar Power System Build. This video tutorial quickly breaks down the components you need to build your own system and demonstrates how they are wired together. Videos like this are incredibly useful for beginners; however, they are no longer the main focus of his YouTube channel. As mentioned, he now tends to focus on more complicated and niche topics, like product reviews of individual components and fine-tuning larger-scale systems.
Pros & Cons of Will Prowse’s YouTube Videos
To make things easy, we quickly broke down some of the pros and cons of Will Prowse’s DIY Solar Power channel:
Pros
- Reliable and incredibly knowledgeable source of information on DIY solar power systems.
- Offers a free DIY solar power forum, which can also be a really useful resource and a great place to have your solar-related questions answered by other solar enthusiasts. Create an account and join the discussion here: www.diysolarforum.com.
- His videos are filled with personality and enthusiasm, which is not always the case with solar tutorials. Unfortunately, many of the solar tutorials you will find on YouTube are incredibly dry and unexciting. On the other hand, Will Prowse’s passion for solar power really comes through in his videos.
- His videos are free! Asking for advice from solar professionals and licensed electricians usually comes with a fee, but watching these detailed and informative videos will not cost you a dime.
- Will Prowse consistently publishes new content. Some of the other solar channels on YouTube can go a full year without any new uploads, but Will Prowse constantly updates his DIY Solar System channel with new videos on the latest products and topics.
Cons
- His videos can be fairly technical, as they often focus on niche topics that would be confusing for beginners.
- The sheer volume of videos can make it difficult to find the exact information you are looking for; however, he does have a beginner-friendly playlist, which you can find here: Basics of Solar Power Playlist.
Our Overall Impression of Will Prowse and his DIY Solar Power Videos
As mentioned, we are big Will Prowse fans, so it is no surprise that we believe his DIY Solar Power YouTube channel is a valuable resource for anyone interested in building their solar power system.
While it might not be the best resource for beginners and those just looking for an introduction to solar power, his video tutorials and reviews can become incredibly useful as your experience and knowledge grow.
Where Should You Start?
If you are new to solar power, building a complete DIY solar power system from scratch might be a little bit overwhelming. Rather than buying each component individually and attempting to do everything yourself, we recommend starting with a beginner-friendly solar kit.
Complete solar kits take the frustration out of getting into solar power, as they come with everything you need to get started in one convenient and affordable package. For one low price, you get all of the components you need to build your own solar system, including solar panels, a power inverter, a charge controller, one or more deep cycle solar batteries, and all of the cables, brackets, and connectors required to wire everything together.
Recommended DIY Solar Kits
While there are plenty of options out there, we always recommend choosing a solar kit that comes with high-quality components that will last and perform as advertised. The following kits are beginner-friendly and find the perfect balance between quality and affordability:
This complete solar kit combines three 200W monocrystalline solar panels with a 2,000W pure sine power inverter, an MPPT solar charge controller, and two 100Ah AGM deep cycle solar batteries. It also comes with all of the cables and connectors you need to get the system up and running.
Since the components are packaged together, the total price is significantly cheaper than it would be if you purchased each piece of equipment separately. Overall, it offers outstanding value and the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have everything you need.
For those that value mobility, this portable solar power kit is an excellent choice. It is one of the most popular solar power kits on the market because it combines the outstanding Bluetti AC200P solar generator with two 200W 12V monocrystalline solar panels and a 30’ MC4 PV extension cable.
This means you get all the advantages of a DIY solar power system in a highly portable package. Since the AC200P features a built-in 2,000W power inverter and a massive 2,000Wh LiFep04 solar battery, you get everything you need to store and access solar power in one unit. It also features all of the output ports you could ever need, so it is ideal for anyone living out of a van, RV, or remote cabin. It is also a great choice for anyone that is looking for a reliable source of power in the event of emergencies and extended power outages.
Final Words
We highly encourage you to visit the DIY Solar Power with WIll Prowse YouTube Channel; however, you should not allow yourself to get discouraged if the videos seem overly technical and confusing.
DIY solar power does not have to be complicated. Rather than try to build your first system from nothing, start with a high-quality solar kit and start reaping the many rewards of generating your own renewable energy right away!
