As promoters of sustainable living and solar energy, we have always had this problem. Should I go to solar power? If you look around, solar panels are everywhere today. You can even find them along with the riding lawn mower and her cave at Costco.

For families living in Africa or off-grid families living in Texas or California, solar panels mean light or darkness. But since Covid-19, we have all begun to think about contingency plans. There must be new impetus for self-reliance and sustainable development. We all discuss the issue of solar panels for our own reasons-even if we are not people who love trees. Some of us want to save the planet by using endless clean energy from the sun, some want to save a lot of money on monthly electricity bills and get an attractive 30% federal tax refund. Some people just want reliable electricity to maintain their off-grid life. 

Go to solar energy, open a farm, do everything?

For homes or small houses, solar panels sound like an amazing idea. It can increase the resale value. But can I install solar panels by myself? The simple answer is, yes, you can be in the United States, but not if you live in Australia. The bigger question you need to ask yourself is Am I willing to take risks? And-are you planning to supply power to the local grid? Will you live at home all year? How much electricity do you estimate need? We have created a DIY solar panel guide on the advantages and disadvantages to help you through the early decision-making process. After reading this article, it is worth going to a company that provides solar calculators to help you assess your electricity needs and the cost of the system with and without installation costs. 

Therefore, if you are looking for some solar advice, instead of talking about the kWh that makes you dizzy, we have compiled some of the basic advantages and disadvantages of DIY-or install solar panels yourself. We will use 2 case studies of our friends in Canada who installed solar panels in their homes and tried to maintain these solar systems on their own, what would happen if you did this alone. Before you start installing a single solar panel in your home, consider talking to a local professional to understand all legal issues and zoning laws before proceeding with construction, insertion, and connection. 

Will you live at home all year? How much electricity do you estimate need? Solar panels can be easily scaled up by adding more panels, instead of things like gas generators being limited by the average fuel tank size.

Not every homeowner has the same needs and family status. Some homeowners need enough power to power a few lights and charge the phone battery at night. Other households may have more electricity needs to run dishwashers, TVs, and refrigerators. Some houses will be inhabited throughout the year, which helps with battery recycling, while other solar panel systems will need to be maintained in a special way if the house is not in continuous use. Do you want to rent out your property through VRBO or AirBNB? If you are the only person who can run the solar system, will this work? 

Buy the kit online and let your home bask in the sun like a real Solarpunk!

Case study: My friend R. runs a small solar panel system in Ontario, Canada, to power lights, her mobile phone and laptop batteries. Her fresh spring water is delivered to her home, and she uses a composting toilet, so she does not need electricity to run the pump. When her partner died, she worried about how to maintain the DIY solar system that her partner had built and maintained over the years. For a few days, she ran around the house looking for energy consumption (can an unplugged light drain the battery?), she needed some battery education from local friends. In the end, she was really happy that she could maintain the system on her own and be self-reliant, all on her own. 

Maybe you want to provide a little motivation for the eccentric A-frame hut in the woods? This is Stedsans in Sweden.

Do-it-yourself (DIY) solar PV (photovoltaic) panel kits may save you a lot of money, because the cost of panel installation in the United States is between 2,000 and 5,000 US dollars. When you install with large solar panels, the cost is even higher. Approximately US$10,000. This number may vary greatly depending on where you live.

You may find a DIY solar kit solution at your local hardware store or online, which is perfect for people who own seasonal properties, because you can buy less complicated systems and batteries and make them run quickly. Just make sure it has a warranty. 

Installing a solar system can make you very proud, and when something goes wrong, you can learn what works and how to fix it. Your skills can be traded or donated to others in the community, and when you have children, you can also pass on this important life skill to them. 

Want a solar toilet? Some power in the old barn or tool shed? If you install the panel yourself, you can choose unusual locations more freely. Maybe on the roof of the RV? Your boat? Solarpunk transforms your chicken coop? 

Case study: My friend Finn spent $20,000 to purchase a DIY solar system to power his old off-grid cottage in a Canadian forest. Without other power sources, he wanted power sources for water pumps, lights, and small appliances. Finn decided that he could install, operate, and maintain the solar system on his own. This worked for him and his wife in their first summer at the hotel. After leaving for a winter, Finn realized that he had not cycled the battery properly before the winter, and his entire system had exploded and needed to be replaced. That is a bitter lesson. It happened twice. 

Solar panels generate electricity, so you and your property may be at risk of electrical circuit failure. Most systems need to be installed on the roof or on the ground, and they are installed at the specific height required to collect the sun. If you fall or something falls on you, it may be dangerous. In some countries, it is illegal to install your own system. 

During most of the year, each mount needs to be guided to collect the most sunlight. Unless your mount can be rotated, you'd better make sure you understand how the sundial works before choosing the location of the roof and backyard. You want to collect most of the sun's rays during most of the year. 

If you buy one of these systems on Amazon or your local Costco, the consumer brand may not be as powerful as the system purchased by the solar panel installation company, which can buy better products in bulk. If you want your system to last for ten years or more, this solution may be good. The more powerful system is expected to last up to 30 years.

If you think AC/DC current is a rock band in the 70s, you may need to seek professional help.

If your energy requirements for washing machines, refrigerators, or TVs are high or unstable, consider the increased energy demand—especially in winter—requires a more complex electrical system. Consider hiring a professional who can help you manage storage needs and cycle batteries properly when your energy needs change.

If you buy a DIY solar panel solution, you will limit your ability to connect to grid companies near you. This means that you will not benefit from tax credits, and you will not earn passive income by selling unused electricity back to the power company. If this is not your choice anyway, then you can start. 

We rented a house that relies on solar power. Its instructions are complicated and uncertain because it is a self-made system. There are some knobs behind the coffee machine on the wall, and we are not sure if their settings are correct. Professional construction may give unfamiliar end users more confidence that they are in a safe and well-functioning AirBNB or VRBO housing rental, and they will be able to enjoy the material comfort they expect, minus air conditioning-because, solar energy! At this point, your solar home may be a great filter for the kind of ecological customers you want to stay in and stay in. 

Unless you are operating a small system in a comfortable cabin in the woods (and sunbathing in an open area of ​​the forest!), you will need to submit some paperwork to the local authorities. Solar panel companies that do this every day can submit documents while sleeping. You may not be. See what this means to you and the state where you plan to install solar panels. 

If you check the residential solar installation team, it will be dispatched on the construction day. Check it online and do the math. Although solar installation companies say they only charge 10% of labor costs, in many cases, labor costs are comparable to equipment costs. Dutifully. Again, creating some local employment opportunities is not a bad thing. 

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