I too feel the pain of starting a project possibly because someone feels they can do something for cheaper than a retail version. When pricing all of the components, this often looks to be the case. Oh how many times have I then had to buy things a second time or decide something else is needed once elbow deep into the project and many weekends later. If everything was calculated to include the amount of time invested, it would have been so much easier to just buy the thing. But something about pride or some such just won't allow that to happen. We could wax poetically about the act of accomplishment and the self learning blah blah, but it's pride.

Edit: Just wanted to add the relevant quote: "My only regret is that you can’t power the raspberry from frustration, because my levels are lately spiking so high, that I am continually wondering why isn’t reality bending around my hate."

> If everything was calculated to include the amount of time invested, it would have been so much easier to just buy the thing.

But then when that thing breaks you can't fix it with the knowledge and spare parts you have on hand.

That's okay since right to repair doesn't really exist. The owner of the product would just sue you for breech of licensing. er...

I wonder how big your spare parts drawer/box is

Most hobbiest electronics these days are multi-multi-use. A raspi and some solar panels, batteries, and charge controllers could be parts in a million different saturday projects.

I mean, I have nothing against the retail version of this, if there was any. If you have something in mind, post it here. I've tried the PiJuice first, in hopes that it will be sufficiently retail and will work for this usecase, and it didn't.

and it's also about the learning experience!