How To Build A Ground Mount Solar System
From Our Customers
Jeff Rodgerson, one of our customers, built this amazing ground mount system using 12 Aptos 370 W solar panels, and EG4 6000XP hybrid inverter, and Vatrer lead acid batteries. These panels are bifacial so they also produce additional "bifacial gain" from the backside, in addition to the 370 W they generate from the front side.
Solar Panels
Get some panels that are good quality and low cost. A good price is $0.20-$0.25 per watt and possible (half what the cost was five years ago). If possible, get solar panels that are bifacial so you maximize generation, and try to put them on a white surface 3-4 feet high to maximize bifacial gain from the back side. Also, you will likely want black ones that look nice and are less reflective.
Racking
You can get aluminum specialty hardware that is usually $3-4 per foot. We recommend unistrut, which is typically $2 per foot ($20 for a 10 foot stick) at a local electric supply store. You will also need some mid and end clamps to clamp the panels down to the racking.
Inverter/Charge Controller/Batteries
You will want to get an inverter to convert the DC electricity coming from the panels to AC electricity that your home appliances can use. There are also hybrid inverters like the EG4 6000XP that also allow you to have batteries along with your inverter. It manages the power going to your house, and what is saved to the batteries.