I'm looking for some advice about setting up a grid tie solar system on my roof. I received a quote from Signature Solar for a total of $13,356.89, which feels reasonable to me. I have decent engineering skills, but I'm inexperienced with electrical work. I get good sunlight from the south and west sides of my roof from around 11 am to 6 pm, and I'm hoping to lower my power bill as much as possible while keeping costs down. My roof is about 10 years old.
Here are my specific questions:
* Should I hire someone to design the wiring, or can I handle it myself? If DIY is the way to go, what resources do you recommend?
* Is there anything missing from my component list that I should consider?
* Would it be better to use micro inverters?
* Given my limited experience, do you think I should buy the design and parts but still hire someone to do the installation? I'm young, have friends who can help, and my house is just a single story!
2 Answers
Whether you do it yourself or hire out depends on your comfort level with electrical work. If you're not experienced, it might be wise to bring in a pro for at least part of the install. Also, make sure you're getting enough batteries for the system; one won’t suffice for an 18kPV setup, so double-check that before you go forward! I’ve self-built a 15kW system and would recommend looking into getting wall-mounted batteries—they're usually cheaper per kWh. As for the Tigo modules you mentioned, if they're just for rapid shutdown, you might not need the data logger or access point, so think about that too!
You can definitely tackle this yourself if you follow some solid guides and watch videos. Here's a great resource I found: https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/48v-complete-system-blueprint-559371.html. Just take your time, pay attention to the details, and call in an electrician if you hit a wall. You don’t want to risk messing up the electrical work. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing that link! I really appreciate it!
I have zero experience with electrical work, so I was kind of worried! When I checked the details later, I realized I actually have two batteries on my list. And as for the Tigo optimizer, I believe it helps track the DC power from each panel, right?