- Lower installation costs
- Space efficiency
- Easier to permit
- You must climb on the roof to install and maintain your panels
- Your system design will be limited by your roof size and orientation
Ground Mount Solar: Pros & Cons
- Easier to install and maintain
- Easier to optimize your panels for maximum production
- More costly to install
- Takes up space on your property
- Climate
- The average number of sun hours you expect each month
- Solar panel orientation and angle
- DC/AC conversion losses and natural efficiency drops
- Shade concerns
- System expansion
- Battery size and charging (for off-grid and hybrid systems)
- Solar panels
- Inverters
- Roof mount racking or ground mount racking
- Solar batteries
- Flooded lead-acid batteries
- Sealed lead-acid batteries
- Lithium batteries
- Conduit
- External junction box
- Emergency disconnect box
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.
Step 3: Determine Your Energy Needs
Before you go any further, it’s essential to determine how much energy you must produce to meet your needs. This amount can be affected by several factors:
In addition, you’ll need to consider:
Our handy solar calculator considers all these factors and shows you the expected energy output every month. It will also help you determine the best system size and where to install your panels for optimal sunlight exposure.
Step 4: Secure the Right Permits
Before you begin building your system, you must secure a solar permit from the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), the official that enforces building, electric and fire codes in your area. The AHJ approves equipment, materials and installation procedures to conform to established safety standards.
Your solar permit application will ask you to provide technical details about your new system, including a site plan, system design schematics, an electrical wiring diagram, spec sheets and certification documents for components used in your system.
Step 5: Purchase Your DIY Solar Equipment
What makes up a home solar energy system? The easiest way to install your own solar panel array is to buy a solar panel kit. The main solar components that come with every solar power system or solar panel kit are:
Solar Panels
Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect. The panels collect electrons from the sun’s light in the form of direct current (DC) electricity.
The number of solar panels you’ll need depends on how much energy you use.
Inverters convert the DC power from your panels into AC power, the format that is usable by your household appliances. They also route the flow of electricity between system components, and most provide a monitoring solution to track your system’s performance.
Racking Systems
Racking is the foundational structure that secures your solar panels in place. So whether you choose a roof mount or ground mount system, you’ll need a racking system to set up your solar array.
Racking systems come with mounting rails and flashings to secure the rails to your rooftop or ground mount.
Solar Batteries
A solar battery bank is necessary to store usable energy on-site in off-grid and battery backup systems. This storage is helpful in grid failures, extreme weather or other interruptions.
There are three types of batteries that you can use with your solar power system:
Step 6: Install Your Solar System
After you’ve planned your system, secured the permits and purchased equipment, it’s time for installation. Here’s a quick overview of the solar installation process:
Solar panel racking and mounting installation
For roof-mount kits , the first step is to mark the location of your roof rafters. These support beams will act as the foundation for your solar array. If your rafters aren’t visible from the outside, you can buy a stud finder or measure their location from the inside of your attic. Once you locate your rafters, mark them with a chalk line to visualize the layout for your racking rails. Once you measure everything, you can install the roof attachments at the marked locations. Solar roof attachments prevent leaks and provide an attachment point to mount your racking rails. There are different types of roof attachments depending on type of roof – for example, shingle, tile, metal and membrane roofs all use different attachments. Once the attachments are set, secure the racking rails by bolting them to the attachments. At this point, your roof will look something like this:
Ground mounts are a bit different from roof mounts. Because no rafters support the weight of your solar panels, you’ll need to build a standalone metal foundation to support your array. Note: We don’t include these in our ground mount kits due to high freight costs. Instead, it’s best to source the metal pipes from your local hardware store.
Before you can build your support structure, you’ll need to dig holes at least 18” deep and pour concrete footings to anchor it to the ground. Once you’ve placed the base poles in concrete, you’ll need to wait at least a week to allow the concrete to fully dry and set. Ground mounts also require your wiring to be buried underground to comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC). It’s wise to rent machinery to dig trenches and anchor holes to speed up this process. Once you’ve built the metal substructure, the rest of the process is the same as roof mounts. First, you’ll secure your racking rails to the support structure, which provides a foundation for your panels.
Inverter installation
Grounding wire connection
Roof junction box installation
Solar panel installation
Putting it all together: Connection to your home
Conduit carries the wires from the roof junction box to the emergency disconnect box. This vital safety feature enables you to quickly shut off your solar system, a requirement in many areas.
Step 7: Conduct a Final Inspection
You must schedule an inspection with your AHJ once your solar installation is complete. Your system must be deemed compliant with local ordinances and must match the specifications laid out in the plans you submitted. You must also pass an electrical inspection for code compliance.
After you’ve passed the inspection, you can apply for grid interconnection and permission to operate (PTO) (if you’re using a grid-tie or hybrid system). The utility will install a second meter or replace your current device with a net meter when they grant PTO. The net meter records the power your home generates to the grid so you can get energy credits on your power bill.
Step 8: Switch on Your System
Congratulations – you’re done! If you’ve met the local, state and utility company requirements, you can now commission your solar system. In addition, you can check if your solar system is working by running your solar monitoring app.
DIY Solar Installation FAQ
Before you embark on a DIY solar installation project, you probably have a few lingering questions you want to have answered. Here are some frequently asked questions about solar energy systems.
Will solar panels increase my home’s value?
Yes. The amount of your home value will increase depending on your location and the size of your system. For example, investing in a solar power system will raise your home’s value more than a kitchen remodel in many parts of the country.
How much money can I save by installing solar?
Not only can you save the amount of your current electric bill by installing solar, but you’re also protecting yourself from future increases in electric rates. This is because you’re buying your next 25 years of electricity at a lower rate than you currently pay.
You will start saving money immediately and save even more as electric rates increase over time.
Is maintenance required on a DIY solar power system?
One of the great things about solar power systems is that they require very little maintenance.
If you live in a very dusty area that doesn’t get a lot of rain, you may have to clean the solar panels once in a while to get better production from them. Alternately, if you live in an area where snow accumulates and doesn’t melt until spring, you might have to remove the snow from your panels to keep them producing all winter.
You'll have to replace a string inverter about 10 to 15 years after installing it. Other than that, your system will operate for years without you having to lift a finger.
Check out our complete list of DIY Solar FAQs for more helpful information.
Ready to Install Your Own Solar Panels?
Going solar is easier than ever, especially with electricity rates climbing continuously. Are you ready to make an investment that will save you money while increasing your home's value?
If this guide has you feeling overwhelmed, call GoGreenSolar for help with solar installation services . GoGreenSolar is a full-service solar provider. We help you with every step of the solar installation process, from providing parts, to engineering design, to solar permitting services.
Choose GoGreenSolar for all of your solar energy needs — if you have any questions, give us a call at (866) 710-8259 or send us a message here.
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Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile deviceSome permit applications may require one or more plan revisions and resubmissions. Please supply us with all information necessary to make these revisions. Permit must be applied for with the city within 30 days of delivery of the permit package and any resubmissions must be resubmitted within 14 days of receiving the revised plans.
Our guarantee does not apply to installations on unsafe structures, unpermitted structures, ground mounts, structural engineering, structures not constructed to local building codes and other atypical building designs. This guarantee only applies to our standard solar system kits, it does not apply to custom orders or solar systems not designed by our engineers.
