PREPAREDNESS TIP: MORE RESOURCES FOR DIY SOLAR by Andrew Skousen
Energy independence is a core part of self-sufficient living and, thanks to innovations in this area, it is constantly becoming cheaper and easier to produce power from the sun. This is still one of the most expensive parts of preparedness, so make sure it doesn’t absorb all your budget—keep it balanced with your efforts to build shelter, and provide food and water in hard times.
With so many high-capacity solar generators joining the market, it is tempting to invest in that direction, and I recommend that if you plan to move and take the solar system with you. But if you build or assemble a dedicated wall-mounted off-grid power system in your home, you can get more power capacity and depth of power storage for only a little more cost. Here are some of the valuable resources in this area.
Will Prowse, a YouTube personality, has built a strong following with his down-to–earth explanations of how to build solar energy systems, and his hard-hitting reviews of the many solar products out there. Although his core following has been from the RV, camper and van-life community, he has also built full-scale systems for whole-house setups. His website
mobile-solarpower.com has turned into an excellent resource for building DIY off-grid systems, listing every part and where to buy it. His lists focus on cheap products with maximum functionality which inevitably leads to “Made in China” labels, but he is also quick to point out more expensive and reliable products from the free world like the
inverters from Sol-Ark, Xantrex and Unitron, especially for installations that require code compliance (UL listing) for connecting to the grid.
It is surprising how easy it is to put together a powerful off-grid system yourself. His
All-in-one Solar Power System page lists some of the cheapest inverter systems that are simple to wire up yourself to a battery bank and solar array. The easiest setups are to dedicated off-grid projects, but there are several options that incorporate grid power inputs.
For batteries he recommends the
EG4 LiFePo (lithium iron phosphate) batteries sold by Signature Solar. At only $0.34 per watt-hour they are very economical for a battery that is rated for an incredible 7000 cycles or 10 years.
For
solar panels he recommends Signature Solar with panels as cheap as $0.50 / watt. The vast majority of solar panels are Chinese (yes, including the “Canadian Solar” brand) and even the few that are made elsewhere still
most likely use Chinese materials in their assembly process.
Consider used solar panels for as little as $60-$70 apiece. Solar panels are so common everywhere in the US, there are always some used ones for sale. Some are removed from houses during a change in owner, others are sold off by solar farms that have to change them out once they fall below their minimum efficiency requirements. Look for local listings to save on shipping or order some from southwestern states like Arizona, and California. Santansolar.com in Gilbert, AZ tests the panels first so you know what to expect. In general, expect around 80% of their original capacity at one-fifth of the original price—well worth it if you have enough roof space to install a few extra panels. Shipping is expensive unless you order by the pallet (around 30 panels).
If you have any questions about any aspect of solar system design search the forums at
DIYSolarPowerForum.com. It is amazing how much information is floating out there, if you are willing to scroll through a few discussion topics. In summary, don’t be afraid of tackling a solar project yourself. As long as you are willing to learn you can follow the ample information available about current products that makes it surprisingly easy to capture solar power for all our daily needs. [END]
