I had
> expected someone with years of experience in the industry to quote facts
> and figures, and demonstrate that solar has evolved to become more than
> a fascinating techie toy, efficient enough to be worth the money. The
> lack of such response indicates to me that it is not.

Depends on how you value power Larry....
for you it is not worth it...
for me it is...
I often camp in remote places for a week or two... no hook ups... totaly
self contained... the sound of an engine like swearing in a cathedral...
the solar panel alows me to not start the engine for two weeks and still
have enough power to run my lap top, etc.... as much as I want...
may people find spending $400 (and MUCH more) worth it just to make the van
look good... certainly it is worth that for those of us who want silence and
power in remote situations....

Bill

> As I said in my last post, "If it works for you, that's all that
> counts." So, I was accepting your appraisal of your system-for your
> needs and desires. It's just that I find nothing compelling about the
> current state of solar to make it worth investing in, IMHO. When the
> efficiency goes up, and the prices come down, I'll be standing in line
> for a nice panel for my van.
> Larry
>