Solar Starter Kits

If you have been thinking about going solar, this is a really great time to get started with an inexpensive DIY solar starter kit. Depending on how much electricity you need, harnessing sunlight to live completely off-grid can still cost a lot of money. Yes, you don't have to cover 100% of your energy use at the start.

One of the many benefits of solar energy kits is that they are modular. So you can begin small, and add to the system over time. So think about having enough solar panels to cover your peak energy use. Take a look at your energy bills for the past year to see what month and time of day you consume the most electricity. Then build a solar panel system to produce that amount of power. This could generate the biggest bang for your buck while you begin to take advantage of clean, renewable and highly available solar power. Starter kits are just a few hundred dollars, and they include the parts you need to start seeing how solar works for you.

As an added bonus, these solar start kits qualify for a federal energy tax credit from the IRS and any state, local or utility rebates. This means you can reduce your cost by up to 60% and save on your taxes.

Getting Started

Getting started with solar power is moderately simple and can be handled by most do-it-yourself warriors as a weekend project. Some of the components you will need for a solar starter kit include:

• Solar panels - Make sure they are UL certified and have a 25 year performance warranty.
• Inverter - This converts the the DC power produced by the panels into household AC power. You can choose a single central inverter for the system or micro-inverters for each panel.
• Grounding - know how your system will be grounded. Most kits include this as part of the basic hardware and racking.
• Racking - figure out where you will put the solar panels. They can go on your roof, your garage, shed or simply mounted on the ground.
• Battery - You can store excess power to be available 24/7, or connect to the grid and not use batteries.
• Hardware - basic nuts, bolts, cabling and wires. Our pre-engineered kits come with all the necessary components.
• Charge Controller - used for battery storage. This is not needed if using a grid-ready inverter.
• Instructions - plan your steps in advance. Pre-engineered kits come with step-by-step manuals.
• Wiring Diagram - know how you are going to connect the panels and then the system to your electric service.