Privacy Policy
Last updated: 15 September 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how DIY Solar ("DIY Solar", "we", "us" or "our"), operating the website at diysolar.io, collects, uses, shares and protects personal information when you visit our site, create an account, or take part in the community.
We are the data controller for the personal information described in this policy. If you have any questions, see Contact us.
1. Information we collect
We collect the following categories of information:
- Account and profile information. When you register we collect your email address and a password. Passwords are stored only as a one-way cryptographic hash and are never readable by us. You may optionally provide a first name, last name and location.
- Content you submit. This includes forum threads and replies, project showcases, saved guides and calculator presets, together with any text, images or links you choose to include. Content you post in public areas of the site is visible to other visitors.
- Communications. If you contact us by email or through the site, we keep the message and our reply so we can help you.
- Technical and usage data. Like most websites, our servers automatically log data such as your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you request, and the time of your request. This is used for security, troubleshooting and understanding how the site is used.
- Cookies and similar technologies. See Cookies below.
We do not ask for and do not intend to collect any special category (sensitive) personal data. Please do not post such data in public areas of the site.
2. How we use your information
- To create and manage your account and provide the features you request (guides, calculators, forum, projects, saved items and the product catalog).
- To publish and display the content you choose to submit to public areas of the site.
- To send you essential service messages, such as account confirmation and password reset emails.
- To keep the site secure, prevent spam and abuse, and enforce our community guidelines.
- To operate, maintain and improve the site, including diagnosing faults and measuring performance.
- To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.
3. Legal bases for processing
Where the EU or UK GDPR applies, we rely on the following legal bases:
- Performance of a contract — to provide your account and the services you sign up for.
- Consent — for optional profile details, non-essential cookies where required, and features such as signing in with Google. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Legitimate interests — to secure the site, prevent abuse and spam, and improve our services, balanced against your rights.
- Legal obligation — where we must keep or disclose information to comply with the law.
4. Cookies and similar technologies
We use a small number of cookies that are necessary for the site to work. We do not use advertising
or third-party tracking cookies of our own. When you first visit the site, a popup asks you to choose
Accept all or Essential only; your choice is stored in the
diysolar_consent cookie and can be changed at any time via the
Cookie settings link in the footer. See our
Cookie Policy for full details.
| Cookie | Purpose | Type |
|---|---|---|
.AspNetCore.Identity.Application |
Keeps you signed in to your account. | Essential |
.AspNetCore.Antiforgery.* |
Protects forms against cross-site request forgery. | Essential |
| Google reCAPTCHA cookies | Set by Google when our spam protection is active, to tell humans and bots apart. | Third party / security |
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. If you disable the essential cookies above, you will not be able to sign in or use account features.
5. Third-party services and links
Some parts of the site rely on or link to services operated by other companies:
- Google reCAPTCHA — used to protect registration and sign-in from automated abuse. When active, your use of reCAPTCHA is subject to Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
- Google sign-in — if you choose to sign in with Google, Google shares basic account details (such as your email address) with us so we can create and authenticate your account.
- Content delivery networks — we load some front-end libraries (for example the Bootstrap Icons stylesheet) from public CDNs, which may see your IP address when your browser fetches them.
- External product listings and merchants — the product catalog links to third-party shops and manufacturers. When you follow a "Buy" or product link you leave our site, and the destination site's own privacy policy and cookies apply. We do not receive your payment details.
- Image and datasheet sources — product images and documents may be hosted by, or credited to, third-party websites; their policies apply to that content.
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with service providers who help us run the site (as processors acting on our instructions), or where we are required to do so by law, or to protect the rights, property or safety of our users and the public.
6. International transfers
Some of our service providers may process information in countries other than your own. Where required, we take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.
7. How long we keep information
- Account and profile information is kept while your account is active and for a short period afterwards while we complete deletion.
- Public content (such as forum posts and projects) may remain visible after an account is closed, unless you ask us to remove it and we are able to do so.
- Server logs are kept for a limited period for security and troubleshooting, then deleted or anonymised.
8. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Request deletion of your personal information.
- Restrict or object to certain processing.
- Receive your information in a portable format.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in section 12. We will respond within the time required by applicable law. You also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority.
If you are a California resident, you have rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including the right to know, delete and correct personal information and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell or share personal information as defined by that law.
9. How we protect your information
We use measures such as encrypted (HTTPS) connections, hashed passwords and access controls to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. Keep your password private and contact us if you believe your account has been compromised.
10. Children's privacy
This site is intended for adults and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children, and we will delete such information if we become aware of it.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be made clear on the site.
12. Contact us
For any questions about this policy or your personal information, email us at [email protected] or use the contact page.