Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
IF I would ever see monetary gains by going "off grid"
You can offset a lot of your grid power with just a small off grid system and in a power emergency you will have some power to keep basic appliances running until the power comes back on. So the benefit is in lower bills and security in the event of a blackout.would I be better off with the inverter near the panels?
I have recommended that for situations where your only sunshine is a long distance from the house. An insulated shed to hold AGM batteries and your electrical components next to the panels and then just run 110v to the house. Less power loss.
It sounds like you have enough roof space for a decent size system but not all roofs are good for solar installation and doing maintenance of a roof system can be a pain. I moved mine to a ground mount system. So you have options.