How to Build a Complete Home Solar System: From Solar Arrays to Inverters
- What Are the Main Components of a Home Solar System?
- Is Your Home a Good Fit for Solar?
- How Do You Choose and Size Your Solar Panels?
- What Type of Inverter Should You Use?
- Should You Add Battery Storage to Your System?
- What’s Involved in Installing a Solar System?
- How Do You Monitor and Maintain Your Solar System?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Complete Solar Systems Lower Utility Costs and Maximize Independence
Ready to build a home solar system? Building a complete system is easier once you understand the core components involved. From panels and inverters to battery storage and mounting equipment, each component is vital in helping you generate, store, and utilize clean energy. Whether you’re aiming for energy independence or simply looking to cut electricity costs, this guide breaks down everything you need to know so you can plan your system and make smart, sustainable choices for your home.
What Are the Main Components of a Home Solar System?
Solar panels, also called photovoltaics, are the backbone of your system. Their job is to convert incoming sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity you can use.
Inverters are required to convert DC electricity into AC (alternating current), which your home and most appliances need to run.
Racking and mounting hardware attach your panels to your roof or ground-mount system.
Battery storage is optional but highly recommended. It allows you to use clean energy at night and provides backup power if the grid goes down.
Charge controllers are also optional but highly recommended with battery storage, as they optimize charging and help protect your batteries from damage.
Is Your Home a Good Fit for Solar?
Any home that gets a few hours of direct sunlight each day is a good fit for photovoltaic panels. If buildings or trees shade most of your roof, or it's getting old, you can also do a ground-mounted array. Ground-mounted systems are great in very hot climates since you can use the space underneath for shade for gardens and livestock, a concept called agrivoltaics.
You can also use portable photovoltaics, such as the EcoFlow 125W Bifacial Modular Photovoltaic Panel (125W, 250W, 500W kits), which collect light from both sides, boasting a 25% conversion efficiency. These can be moved around as needed to maximize production in tricky lighting situations.
How Do You Choose and Size Your Solar Panels?
When sizing a solar system, consider how many kWh of energy your home uses each day, which you can calculate from your monthly power bill. Divide your daily kWh by 1000 to find your daily watt-hours of usage.
Next, look up how many peak sunlight hours you get each day. Say you need 20,000Wh of power and receive five peak sunlight hours; then your panels must produce about 20,000Wh/5 hours = 4,000W per day.
This means if you use EcoFlow 400W Rigid Solar Panels, you’ll need at least 10 panels to supply your household needs.
What Type of Inverter Should You Use?
Most photovoltaic arrays utilize string inverters, which connect panels in a “string” and direct their output into a single inverter that must be correctly sized to fit your array. Fortunately, products like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W) come with built-in inverters and charge controllers, making this easy.
Sometimes, small microinverters are installed on the back of each photovoltaic panel instead. This significantly increases the complexity and cost, but it can be helpful for those with tricky lighting situations.
Should You Add Battery Storage to Your System?
Battery storage allows you to utilize clean energy at night, during periods of high demand, or in bad weather when your panels may not produce enough. They also provide backup power if the grid goes down, which grid-tied panels alone cannot.
Also, this is a primary difference between on-grid and off-grid arrays. If you plan to go off-grid, battery storage is non-negotiable; otherwise, you’ll only have power during daylight hours.
What’s Involved in Installing a Solar System?
Once you size your photovoltaic array and battery storage and determine their placement, contact your local authorities and obtain any necessary permits.
Then, purchase your products and hire a quality photovoltaic installer if you lack the skills, tools, or knowledge to safely do it yourself.
On installation day, the racking and mounting hardware will be installed first. Then, the photovoltaic panels are securely attached to their mounts. Next, the panels are wired and connected to the inverter or solar generator, depending on whether or not you have battery storage.
From there, your array is connected to your household electricity. Before it goes online, grid-tied arrays may require an inspection from your local energy supplier.
Finally, the system is turned on and tested to ensure it’s operating as expected.
How Do You Monitor and Maintain Your Solar System?
Monitoring your photovoltaic array is easy with EcoFlow products, which come with intuitive smartphone apps that display your energy production and usage in real-time.
Maintenance is equally simple. Simply clean your panels with soft water once or twice a year to ensure they operate optimally. That’s also a good time to check that your connections are secure and no animals have interfered with them.
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Cheaper To Build Your Own Solar System?
While DIY solar systems can save you some money, they can also cost more in the long run if the components are not properly matched and don’t operate efficiently or safely. Buying a complete system and installing it yourself, if you have the necessary skills, is a safer bet.
Can I Install a Home Solar System Myself?
If you have basic electrical skills and knowledge of electrical safety, you can install a home solar system yourself and save significant money. However, if you lack basic electrical skills, hire a professional for the safety of both you and your equipment.
Complete Solar Systems Lower Utility Costs and Maximize Independence
Designing a complete home solar system doesn’t have to be complicated. With a solid understanding of components like panels, inverters, and battery storage, you can build an array that meets your energy needs and grows with your household. To make it easy and ensure that all the components are properly matched, choose complete systems like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W). Whether you install it yourself or hire a pro, it’s a wise investment in energy freedom, lower bills, and a greener future.