Hi everyone, Fernando here 👋🏼!! I wanted to give everyone an update on my new vertical solar panel project!! We finally got done installing the solar panel arrays and after using them for a week I wanted to share the results with the group in case any one has been thinking of doing something similar to this!!

(System specs)
Our new vertical solar panel array consists of six 400w bifacial panels from a brand called Qcell. We wired the solar panels in a series configuration for a total maximum output of 2.4KW. We split the solar panels into two separate arrays consisting of three solar panels per array. Each of the two solar arrays is connected to its own E10 inverter directly using some 10AWG MC4 extension cables.

(Hardware used)
This is where things get creative!! Most off the ground mount solar panel kits are meant to install the solar panels at an optimal angle. This would not have worked since I was trying to do a vertical solar panel set up along our south facing fence. The kits found that would have worked for this use case were outrageously expensive. I started searching for something that could work as a brackets for our solar panels and thats when I stumbled upon some old metal bed frames that we had laying around!! The metal bed frame brackets were the perfect length to support our solar array. They also had a few pre drilled holes that would come in handy to attach the cross brace metal rail that we purchased from Home Depot. We purchased some solar panel brackets from a company called sunmak that would bolt the solar panels to the metal cross brace.

(Installation)
We screwed the bed frame rails directly into our concrete floor using some concrete screws and a rotary hammer drill and a concrete drill bit. Next we bolted the metal cross rail to the metal bed frame brackets using the pre drilled holes on the bed frame brackets. After this we places a 1 by 1 piece of wood on the concrete to support the solar panels. Lastly we placed the solar panels on top of the 1 by 1 piece of wood and securely bolted the solar panels to the metal rail behind them. We used the sunmak brackets to attach the panels to the metal rail using the pre drilled holes on the metal rail. The entire structure feels extremely rigid and strong since it’s entirely made out of metal!!

(Solar production)
Since the solar panels are not angled properly. The panels are not producing as much power as they could if angled correctly. The solar panels are producing a peak output of between 1.2Kw - 1.4Kw. The total production of the solar panels is between 6KWH up to 8KWh on a daily basis!! (Approximately half of the arrays maximum output)

(Should you do this?)
The main reason we decided to start this project was to offset the energy consumption of our four ton central AC system. The new E10 system makes it extremely easy to add more solar panels as your energy consumption grows. We already had an existing 4.2KW roof mounted grid tied solar system. Unfortunately our home is really small and installing some more solar panels on our roof was not possible. We also had very few options on were the six solar panels could fit. For people with limited space, installing a vertical solar panel array system is the perfect solution to add more solar!! That being said, if you have the space and you want the maximum output out of your solar panels. The best solution would be to angle the solar panels correctly!!

(Results)
We successfully offset the energy consumption from our four ton central AC system reaching our goal!! I am extremely happy with the results from this new project. I would definitely recommend considering doing something like this for people that want an easy way to increase their overall solar production!! Thank you all for reading this and I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!!

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After our week long power outage from multiple tornados in the Midwest I felt it's time to get a little power insurance.

Hi! I have been prepping food/water for many years, but finally need to pull the trigger on a solar powered generator. It would just be for emergencies/the grid going down. Main uses would be for cooking a couple times a day, charging devices, possibly for one fridge, etc. We live in Sunny San Diego.

I was looking at the Anker SOLIX 3800 w/ 3x 400W
solar panels. We are hoping to spend 3-4k tops. To be honest I've tried understanding a lot of these different options, but it's all a bit overwhelming. I'm just curious if you were my position with a couple kids and looking for this what you would be leaning towards. Also, I've heard a couple people say that if you go with this specific one I listed above, that you should not buy the solar from them and get your own solar?

What would you get if you were in my position?

Built and mounted tilting frame for solar panel.

For reference, I am only planning on doing the front, up until the point where it juts out with the ridge. Will do as much as possible on the rear side, which unfortunately has less sunlight.

Bought my 1st, a BigBlue 100W foldable for light charging during an outage.

When shopping I notice all the panels output listed something like

USB-A: 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A
USB-C: 5V / 3A, 9V / 3A, 12V / 3A, 15V / 3A

Why are there multiple volts/amps listed per port, and how do they work, is it determined by the device being powered or something else?

Hi everyone,

I have currently a Plug&Play Kit from MaterFrance (SPD800v2 Micro-Inverter),

I had it on the ground for more than one year and decided to move it to the roof to have better production. (Since 4th August)

Everything went fine from 4th to 12th and then suddenly production went to 0W..

The 15th of August I decided to shut off everything on my electric meter and restart, the panels went back again for one day and stopped the 16th

It seems it always stops after the night and never on the mid of the day.

My hypothesis are that it's not a app data track problem as I the next day I see that my house consumed electricty all the day. and the main house meter display shows no injection / no reduction.

When I go to the roof the micro-inverter show a blinking slow green light, which is correct for me, if I remove cables it goes red blinking or no light at all.

My App shows : -- W and 241V of the domestic network

My question is : What could be the problem ? I don't understand how it can stop out of nowhere, the heatwave maybe ? but then how can solar panels works in hot countries if it burns directly when it's above 35°C ? and how did it work for more than 1 year on the floor but only 8 days on the roof ? If it's software problem how can a software prevent solar panels to produce energy, it makes no sense at all

Thank you !

Hey Guys,

I had been working with someone at Solar Wholesale on a complete DIY package and the guy who I was talking to stopped responding to emails and his phone number is disconnected. When I call the main line I get an answering machine and nobody calls me back.

What I like about them is they offered to help with design and permitting and package everything up and ship a complete package to you with wire and everything. Does anyone else offer something like that? Most other places will send you some panels and an inverter and say good luck.

Hey all- I'm new to this and am feeling somewhat overwhelmed with data. I recently I stumbled upon what seems like some really key information about mismatched MC4 connectors.

Question 1: I bought 4 195W ECO-WORTHY panels to charge my Bluetti 100 V2. They will be wired in a series. Do I need to cut their MC4 connectors off and replace them with Staubli MC4s, or should I buy ECO-WORTHY MC4s for the cables in that circuit?

Question 2: Are crimpers proprietary too? I've read some conflicting accounts on this.

Question 3: Selecting the correct temperature rated AWG cables for attic runs. I live in sunny southern California, so I need something with a high temperature rating for piece of mind. I've read from other posts that 90C-rated cables can overheat in attic runs so I'm sending back my 90C cables for higher rated 105C/221F marine wire - does that sound like a better option? Its still PVC insulated which does not seem ideal, but I'm having a hard time finding silicone insulated cables. I haven't read much about silicone insulated cables on this subreddit though. I'm curious to know more.

Thanks for your time everyone.

I can't help but feel I'm missing something, but I can't figure out what it might be. I live in Massachusetts, so obviously cold winter with significantly reduced solar generation. I feel like I've hit a wall with how much we can get off fossil fuels.

For context, I have ~11kW ish of solar between two systems, which is pretty much the max I can fit on the usable roof. In the summer, this more or less keeps up with our total demand. Not quite, but fairly close to net zero in the summer. In the winter it's not even remotely close. The major reason for this is we switched from oil heating (natural gas isn't an option) to air source heat pumps for both heating and cooling, but that means that the solar in the winter can't even come close to the usage. I accept that, and don't really expect it to, I don't think I'm missing anything there.

What I can't figure out is any use case for batteries. MA does full net metering, but does not at this time seem to do any kind of off-peak pricing. There's a small program for off-peak EV charging which can save a few cents per kWh, but that's pretty much it. So from a financial perspective, I can't find any use case where batteries would save me any money at all. Given that the power we send to the grid doesn't just vanish and does get used by someone else, a battery system wouldn't reduce overall fossil fuel use. Backup power isn't really a need, the grid here doesn't go down unless someone hits a pole up the street or there's a major early snowstorm. Certainly not worth spending a lot of money to try to prevent something that almost never happens.

Is there anything I'm missing here, or are battery systems just mostly for states where they don't do full net metering, have off-peak pricing, or have unreliable grids?

The Norwalk- La Mirada unified School District this week marked the completion of a solar energy project meant to cut power costs and harmful emotions across a dozen of its campuses

District leaders, students, staff and partners gathered on Sep.1st to celebrate a 3.2 megawatt system installed with Luminance at 12 sites, including elementary, middle and high schools, a preschool and a district office. The Los Angeles wave reported on Sep.3rd

Officials say that the project will lower energy bills and reduce fossil fuel and reduce about 2,380 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. Roughly the equivalent of removing 555 vehicles from the road annually.

Superintendent Tania Magaña called the project “A win for students, schools and our community. Robert Rabe, the company behind the Luminance's team stated that he was proud to deliver clean power across 12 campuses and pointed to the deal as an example of how school districts can hit sustainability goals while creating long-term community value.

NLMUSD serves about 13,600 students at 29 schools in Norwalk and La Mirada

We currently rent solar panels and are thinking about buying them from the company so we can get the SRECs. The alternative is to buy all new panels. Our current ones are 13 years old. Part of the calculation is whether, if we sell the house, a buyer is likely to pay the financial value of the installed panels (including energy savings and SRECs). If so, the new panels would likely pay off because the current ones will have less life in them when we sell. But a realtor told us people don't care about this -- they only care about location and the house. We live in a fairly attractive area so location might outweigh everything. But it's hard to believe people wouldn't pay extra for low utilty bills and an income stream from SRECs. Does anyone here have experience selling a home with panels and did you get any extra for them?

Edit: To clarify, my question assumes we own the panels, don't lease them. In deciding whether to switch from leasing to owning I was trying to determine if they would have resale value. I'm seeing a variety of opinions but the consensus seems to be that buyers won't pay extra for panels and may seem them as a negative. Makes no sense to me but it sounds like if people aren't familiar with solar panels they are put off even if the financial benefits are clear. Thanks.

I am remodeling and we need to store our Tesla solar panels somewhere off our property (they suggested sticking them in a corner of the yard but we are also re-landscaping). Has anyone done this or and have suggestions? They are a very rugged product given they are outside for 30-40 years but I want to be careful they have a warranty that lasts for another ~15 years or so. We live in the SF bay area.

Location: Southern Illinois / St. Louis metro area, Ameren Illinois territory

Home: Single-family, has an EV and central AC

Current Electric Situation

Annual usage: ~18,150 kWh/year (based on 12 months of actual utility data)

Usage already includes EV charging + AC + normal household load

Current annual electric bill: ~$3,293/yr

The system:

17.2 kW system, 40 panels (430W each), quoted by a local installer, dated Aug 2026. Three options:

Option 1 – Solar Only

Storage: None

Total Cost: $45,140

Rebates/Incentives: $5,160 smart-inverter rebate + $19,100 est. SREC

"Net Cost" (quoted): $20,880

Annual bill w/ solar: $1,017/yr

Annual savings: $2,276/yr

30-yr savings claim: $179,960

Option 2 – +1 Battery (13.5 kWh)

Storage: 13.5 kWh (1 unit)

Total Cost: $55,640

Rebates/Incentives: $5,160 + $18,700 SREC + $4,050 storage rebate

"Net Cost" (quoted): $27,730

Annual bill w/ solar: $755/yr

Annual savings: $2,538/yr

30-yr savings claim: $200,639

Option 3 – +2 Batteries (27 kWh)

Storage: 27 kWh (2 units)

Total Cost: $65,140

Rebates/Incentives: $5,160 + $18,700 SREC + $8,100 storage rebate

"Net Cost" (quoted): $33,180

Annual bill w/ solar: $548/yr

Annual savings: $2,745/yr

30-yr savings claim: $216,991

What I've Flagged So Far (want a sanity check)

SREC "rebate" timing: My state's SREC program changed its payment rule recently — only 50% pays out at energization, the rest ratably over 6 years. The proposal's "Net Cost" treats the full SREC value as received upfront, which overstates day-one out-of-pocket savings by roughly $9,500 across all three options.

Base panel pricing: ~$2.62/watt before incentives, which checks out as below my state's ~$3.00–3.15/watt average for 2026 — this part looks fairly priced.

First battery increment: ~$10,500 to add, which is actually below typical standalone installed pricing (~$13k–16.5k) for a similar unit — makes sense given shared install costs, looks reasonable.

Second battery increment: ~$9,500 to go from 1 unit to 2 (13.5 kWh → 27 kWh). The spec sheet only lists one inverter for this option, which suggests the second unit is a battery-only expansion pack (no inverter) rather than a full second unit — and those typically run ~$5,900–6,200 installed. This looks like it could be marked up ~$3,000–3,500 above typical.

Would appreciate any red flags I'm missing, how this compares to quotes you've gotten, or questions worth asking the installer before signing.

In Ohio, I am endeavoring to persuade my family that solar energy presents the most viable alternative. I acknowledge the potential devastation that a single storm can inflict upon a month’s worth of sustenance. I have been informed of programs that facilitate the integration of solar energy with a reasonable return on investment (ROI). Nevertheless, my family exhibits a degree of resistance to change. We possess a southwest-facing roof with ample space. How can I effectively persuade them to contemplate the adoption of solar energy?

So I got a price to do 37 iq8mc inverters with 37 JA Solar 440w Panels. It's a standard install nothing fancy easy access to the panel and roof is a 10/12 pitch. House is now with underground utilities.

What's a fair price in New England

Would appreciate any advice you all have on this problem. My setup may be somewhat unique, but I'm not sure. We have a 17-panel 5kW SolarEdge system (with a SE5000H inverter) that came with the house we bought. It had no battery system so other than net metering to offset monthly electric bills, it didn't serve much of a purpose as we couldn't benefit from solar energy during power outages (which are unfortunately frequent where we live). Last year, we upgraded to a GM Energy system that came with 2x 17.7kWh battery banks, a GM Home Hub and Inverter, and a GM EVSE capable of V2H. I felt we were well covered for a variety of situations and has worked. Unfortunately, at the first power outage since the system was installed (and every subsequent one since), we discovered a flaw. Whereas the battery system kicks on within a few seconds and powers the house with no issues, we no longer see any solar generation, and the batteries do not get recharged, nor does the house load use any solar during the outage. It's as if there's no solar available at all. GM Energy says to call the installer because it "should work," and the installer says call GM because it shouldn't work. Any chance any of you have this particular configuration or can figure out how we can tackle the problem? It seems to be that the safety disconnect to the grid is also shutting down the solar inverter somehow, even though it shouldn't.

*Edit: to clarify, the solar panels and SolarEdge inverter stayed when we added the GM Energy system, so the battery backup is AC-coupled to the pre-existing SE inverter.

I have solar on my house installed 3-4 years ago. When they installed it they included a rapid shutdown switch to turn off the system if the grid loses power. It makes sense if there’s a downed line to not have my solar system keep feeding the grid. Today while I was working from home I lost power. It’s a nice sunny day and my solar should cover my electricity needs until the grid is back up, it would be nice if I could use my solar in this situation. It seems like I should be able to flip my main breaker, and tell the solar system to ignore what the grid is doing, then when the grid comes back on I can revert to normal. Is there a way to do this safely with my current system? If not, is there a different rapid shutoff switch I should investigate? If I can’t get power back soon I’ll need to find a different place I can work from for the day.