Installing your own solar panels

[Penny Walters]

Hi guys,

I have been looking at having solar panels fitted at home, but I was wondering if it is possible to install them yourself as opposed to paying someone else to do it?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[Ralph Day]

Hi Penny

I've done both. Worry about dropping a panel yourself or someone else dropping it is still worry. My first panels were about $5.50 per watt, now they are nearing $1.50 per watt...but a broken panel is still broken.

Remember that any wiring (even off-grid) for greater than 12volts has to be Electrical Safety Authority (in Ontario anyway) inspected. This keeps your house insurance company from bolting if there's a fire.

Are you thinking of net metering? Off-gridding? Hobby/protable/camping?


Ral;ph

[Penny Walters]

Hi Ralph, thanks for taking the time to reply.

I guess you are right, the installer could easily damage them so I may aswell try it myself.

Thanks for the heads up about the electrical safety authority, I am from the UK so I will have to look into that.

Thinking about net metering by the way.

Cheers :)

[Rob Beckers]

Hi Penny,

I've written up one of our rooftop PV installs here (http://www.greenpowertalk.org/showthread.php?t=11638). That could help. It's not rocket science, but as with many things the devil is in the details. The main thing is that you assess you DIY skills honestly.

We've had a number of customers that bought supplies and did their own install, and they would then hire an electrician for the connection between inverter and meter/panel (though it is quite a bit easier to hook up to a panel with a double-breaker for net-metering than it is to replace a meter base for the feed-in-tariff we have here).

-RoB-

[Penny Walters]

Hi Penny,

I've written up one of our rooftop PV installs here. That could help. It's not rocket science, but as with many things the devil is in the details. The main thing is that you assess you DIY skills honestly.

We've had a number of customers that bought supplies and did their own install, and they would then hire an electrician for the connection between inverter and meter/panel (though it is quite a bit easier to hook up to a panel with a double-breaker for net-metering than it is to replace a meter base for the feed-in-tariff we have here).

-RoB-

Thanks Rob, I have just taken a look at that other thread and it's really helpful. I feel a bit more confident to try it myself now.

Once again thanks for the advice, when I get round to doing it I will let you know how i get on :D

[Ben Colla]

Hi Ralph, thanks for taking the time to reply.

I guess you are right, the installer could easily damage them so I may aswell try it myself.

Thanks for the heads up about the electrical safety authority, I am from the UK so I will have to look into that.

Thinking about net metering by the way.

Cheers :)


I think you took the wrong message away from Ralph.
Installer drops a panel = installer has to pay
You drop a panel = you have to pay

Or worse, you hook them up backward and fry the whole lot. And over volt the inverter at teh same time, just for good luck. That would bite (note : I have no idea if it's possible, but it probably is)

Also, your home owners insurance may void a claim if they discover that you installed the panels and the roof now leaks (as an example) or void the claim for burnt down house because you did the work and have an electrician sign off on it.

And of course, different countries have different rules. In Australia you have to be an electrician to work on electrics. You can't do the job and have someone else sign off on it.

Make sure all is OK before you start otherwise you may end up with problems.

[Ralph Day]

Penny,
If I recall, the Feed in tariff program in GB is quite flexible. You can be off-grid and the power you consume you get paid for (as if you were on the grid). There's no more than you use that you get paid for. I think I'd get a few electric water heaters, electric stove/oven and such to help out. Might better check out the FIT as well as the net metering possibilities.

Ral;ph

[Penny Walters]

Oh I see, thanks Ben! You can tell I am a novice lol, I can already see that it will probably be easier to have them fitted by a pro and as you say this leaves me less liable to damage or insurance issues.

Thanks for the advice Ralph, this is something that I am going to have to research extensively.

Thanks again for all the help guys :cool: