Installing a DIY Solar Panel System by yourself seems to be the most affordable option for you today because mankind has already started to switch towards a greener future, where the renewable energy sources will slowly replace the dirty fossil fuels as the main sources of power on the planet.
DIY Solar Panels For Home Use
Choosing to go solar, will provide many environmental and financial advantages for you, which will both protect your wallet and the nature around you.
At the same time, the value of your property will be seriously increased on the local real estate market.
A solar PV (photovoltaic) system is not cheap because in order to produce some free energy that can at least lower your energy bills, you need a pretty large number of solar panels.
Eia.gov says that the average annual electricity consumption for a U.S. residential utility customer is around 900 kWh per month (Louisiana has the highest annual electricity consumption per household of almost 15,000 kWh per month, while Hawaii has the lowest annual electricity consumption per household of around 6,000 kWh per month).
What is your monthly energy consumption?
Let’s take the average value of only 900 kWh electricity paid per month (0.9 MWh).
To generate at least half of the energy consumed monthly (450 kWh per month) we need a 3.5 kW solar PV system, which has a price of around $16,000.
For this price you get a 3.54 kW grid‑assisted solar PV system with Outback Radian inverter and 12x SolarWorld Monocrystaline solar panels made in the U.S. (295 W per panel), that will generate around 483 kWh of clean electricity every month.
Solar Incentives Available to Homeowners and Businesses in the U.S.
There is still a solar tax credit provided by the federal government, also known as the investment tax credit (ITC), which was extended by 2022 and beyond.
ITC allows homeowners and companies to deduct a portion of their solar costs from their taxes, and both homeowners and companies qualify for a federal tax credit that equals 30 percent of the cost of the solar PV system installed minus cash rebates (if any).
Has been decided that ITC for solar to remain at 30% for 2018 and 2019, but will decrease at 26% in 2020, 22% in 2021 and 10% in 2022 and beyond.
You can still benefit from incentives and other tax credits when installing solar
In addition, some U.S. states provide additional tax credits if you decide to install a solar PV system at home or to power your business.
Similar to the federal ITC, by receiving a state solar tax credit, you can deduct a significant portion of the investment with your solar PV system from your state tax bill. These amounts could vary from one state to another.
With or without federal incentives, the price of solar went down in the last four years.
Today, a solar PV system is cheaper by 16% to 20% compared to the price paid for a similar solar PV system back in 2014.
With or without incentives, the price of solar is still high for many homeowners.
With a DIY Solar Panel Kit you can start learning how solar power can help you to generate your own free and clean energy at an affordable price.
DIY Solar Panel Kits on the Market Today
A DIY Solar Panel Kit is most suited for off-grid projects that require a small amount of power.
This DIY Solar Kit is a 100 Watt 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit that comes with a 100W Solar Panel + 30A PWM Negative ground Charge Controller + MC4 Connectors + Tray Cable + Mounting Z Brackets for RV and Boat.
You can use this starter solar PV system to power the battery of your RV or boat in only a couple of hours in a sunny day due to the fact that it uses a monocrystalline solar panel.
If you want to generate more clean electricity you can try another DIY Solar Panel Kit that uses a 200 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit with Wanderer 30A PWM Charge Controller.
This is obviously an off-grid system that you can use to generate clean power that will feed your battery.
The charger can manage the energy produced by four panels like this one.
Larger DIY Solar Panel Kit
For a larger DIY Solar Panel Kit you can use a 400 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Starter Kit with Wanderer 30A PWM Charge Controller.
This is a larger solar PV system that can work with a 120 volt inverter or a 220 volt inverter and can generate enough electricity to power some small appliances inside your house such as a TV, a laptop, a few light bulbs (preferably LED), a coffee maker, etc.
If you want to power even more appliances for an off-grid house you need a larger DIY Solar Panel Kit that comes with a 800 Watt 12 Volt Solar Premium Kit that includes eight new 100W Solar Panels, the Commander 60A MPPT Charge Controller, eight sets mounting Z-Brackets, branch connectors, one 20ft 10AWG MC4 Adaptor Kit, one 8ft 4AWG Tray Cable, and fusing components for protection of your controller and battery.
This PV system will require an inverter and can be used to power an RV, a boat, a camper and several off-grid applications.
Pros of DIY Solar Panels
The main advantages provided by a DIY solar panel kit are represented by its affordable price and its practicality.
1. You learn how to build your own solar PV system
If you order a DIY Solar Panel Kit you will have have at your fingertips all the tools required to build your own solar PV system that will generate free and clean electricity during the day.
If you learn what solar energy is, and how you can setup a solar PV system to generate clean power you can say that you have learned a new survival technique.
Besides an RV or boat, a DIY Solar Kit can power your camper and even a tiny house.
Of course that such a system suits best for off-grid projects, but if you are connected to the grid, you can also use the system to power a few appliances inside the house.
2. A DIY Solar Panel Kit is very practical
By installing the panels on you RV, boat or camper, you can say that you have a source of permanent power everywhere you go.
During the day, the solar panels will charge one battery or a battery system with clean electricity provided by the Sun.
You can use that free power everywhere you go with your camper, RV or boat.
You can also use the kit to power even a tiny backyard house that has a small energy consumption (a few light bulbs (LED) and a few small appliances).
You can say that you are energy independent everywhere you go if you have the proper DIY Solar Panel Kit installed on your RV, boat or camper.
3. Solar power at an affordable price
If you check the market, you will realize that the price paid for 1 KW of solar power installed is cheaper in the case of a DIY Solar Panel Kit.
For a DIY Solar Panel Kit that provides 400 W of solar power installed (such a solar PV system will generate 400 W or 0.4 KW of electricity per hour in a sunny day), you will pay around $1.6 per 1 W of solar power installed.
The solar kit comes with four Renogy 100W 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panels, a 30A PWM Wanderer Charge Controller, a 20ft 10AWG MC4 Adaptor Kit, an 8ft 10AWG Tray Cable, three pairs of branch connectors, and four sets of Z-brackets.
The PV kit does not provide an inverter or batteries.
However, this inverter is a high power inverter that provides 2000W of continuous DC to AC power output, and 4000W surge capacity, and will raise the price paid for 1 W of solar power installed, from $1.6 to $1.98.
Now let’s check what is the price paid for 1 KW of solar power installed at home (on your rooftop or in the yard).
A 3.54 kW Grid‑Tied Solar System that consists of a number of 12 SolarWorld 295 watt Panels and a SolarEdge SE3800H HD-Wave Inverter has a price around $16,000, which means that you pay for 1 W of solar power installed $4.51.
This is more than double the price paid for 1 W of solar power provided by a DIY Solar Panel Kit ($1.98 per 1 W of solar power installed).
If you want to start with solar at an affordable price, you can always start with a DIY Solar Panel Kit.
You will learn a lot about solar by installing a solar kit at home, on your RV, boat or camper.
Cons of DIY Solar Panels
Like any other electrical system, a DIY Solar Panel Kit has its own disadvantages.
1. Installing solar seems to be complicated for some people
If you are not aware what electricity is, you should ask someone else to install your DIY solar panel kit.
A professional worker will always do a good job, which can cost you a certain amount of money, but it will certainly save you from any future issues with the system.
For a larger PV system you should always ask for installers that are licensed and qualified to install solar.
Conclusion
A DIY Solar Panel Kit is the perfect way to start with solar.
If you understand how to install and use a small solar kit, you will be able in time, to increase the generation capacity of your PV system, which will help you to power more appliances or to pay lower energy bills.
However, you will save even more money by building your own solar PV system.
Start with the increased cost of supporting a network capable of managing and integrating distributed generation sources.
Eia.gov says that the average annual electricity consumption for a U.S. residential utility customer is around 900 kWh per month (Louisiana has the highest annual electricity consumption per household of almost 15,000 kWh per month, while Hawaii has the lowest annual electricity consumption per household of around 6,000 kWh per month).
Let’s take the average value of only 900 kWh of electricity paid per month (0.9 MWh).
Pardon? Highest 15,000kWh/month, lowest 6,000kWk/month. What mathematically ignoramus thinks the average is 900kWh?
900 kWh per month is the average electricity consumption for a residential utility customer in the country (all states).