Done this a ton of times, most of what the OP relates is spot on.
Glass doesn't degrade much, synthetics do particularly under heat and UV
I started building panels in the 80s, easy crap folks.
Putting it to work is a bit different
Ideally you run either Nickle Iron or Industrial NiCads. While you can rebuild both the Cadiums subject you to the EPA. We used to get cell arrays for free
recall the chem to rebuild was EDTA.
Look for older Trace inverters
they are true Sine wave, cleaner juice than you get off the grid.
Don't think you will run a modern home purely Solar. Fantasy...
It's doable with custom refridgeration. 12vdc Danfloss compressors in super insulated chest cabinets. No blower motors, just lighting and limited AV
Yeah, no AC, no furnace. Can't even run a normal well pump..
You won't run things with phantom loads, most all TVs, stereo components, microwaves, you name it draw juice all the damn time. If it has a clock it sucks power. Typical home has dozens of these that all add up...
Resistance heating same...
Hair dryers are mucho bad
may not bug you but what of the females in your family unit ?
Wall Warts are the devil itself, you know the little transformers that plug into things ?
Always sucking Watts, have to change over to a VDC feed
It's doable but there is a rather hard price to do it guys...
