How To Install Ground-Mounted Solar Panels
- Step 1: Select The Best Spot For Ground-Mounted Solar Panels.
- Step 2: Design And Build Your Ground Structure.
- Step 3: Mount Your Solar Panels On The Ground Structure.
- Step 4: Connect Your Solar Panels To Your Inverter.
- Step 5: Maintain Your Ground-Mounted Solar Panels.
Contents
How to mount a solar panel?
- Lay out the installation materials you need. Make sure that all the materials necessary for installation are nearby.
- Determine where the stanchions go. Decide where the stanchions go.
- Fasten the screws to the roof.
- Tightly put the screws in the holes and secure them.
- Gauge the distance from the rails.
- Install the middle rail.
Should I install my own solar panels?
Solar installations are getting easier all the time and there’s plenty of do-it-yourself information out there. But are you ready to go the DIY route? – 
Photo © Heshphoto, inc., excerpted from Install Your Own Solar Panels, If you’re interested in solar power, surely you already know that solar electricity is good for the environment, national security, and the air we breathe, not to mention your electricity bill.
And that it’s one of the best ways to reduce your household’s contribution to global warming. You’ve also probably heard that going solar can actually be cheaper than paying for utility power, and you might wonder whether this claim is true. Well, in most cases, it is true. It just takes time for the incremental savings to overtake the initial investment (after that, the solar power is free).
If you install the solar system yourself, you can hit this tipping point a lot sooner — in some cases, in half the time. That brings us to the next big question: Can you really install your own solar panels? Again, the answer is yes. If you can drive lag bolts and assemble prefabricated parts, and if you’re willing to spend a day or two on your roof (or not, if you’re mounting your panels on the ground), you can install your own solar system.
You don’t have to know how to hook up the solar panels to your household electricity or the utility grid. You’ll hire an electrician for the house hookup, and the utility company will take care of the rest, usually for free. For a completely off-grid system, the utility company isn’t involved at all. Perhaps disappointingly, this job isn’t even a good excuse to buy new power tools, since the only one you need is a good drill.
So, if this is such a doable project, why do most people use professional installers? For starters, a lot of people have good reasons to hire out virtually everything, from oil changes to grocery shopping. (That’s probably not you, but even if it is, our book can help you plan for a solar installation and find a good local installer.) Solar professionals handle more than the installation.
They design the system, they apply for rebates and credits, they order all the necessary parts, and they obtain the permits and pass all the inspections. But the fact is, you can do all of these things yourself, provided you have a helpful adviser and you are willing to follow the rules of the local building authority (that’s where you’ll get those permits).
Solar installations are getting easier all the time, and you might be surprised at how much do-it-yourself (DIY) help is available. Two good examples are PVWatts and the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE), PVWatts is an online calculator that helps you size a solar-electric system based on the location and position of your house and the angle of your roof.
- Solar pros use the same simple tool, but it’s free for everyone.
- DSIRE offers an up-to-date, comprehensive listing of renewable energy rebates, tax breaks, and other financial incentives available in any area of the United States.
- And it’s also free and easy to use.
- Those two resources alone help answer the two most common questions homeowners have about solar electricity: How big of a system do I need? and How much will it cost? Other resources include solar equipment suppliers that cater to DIYers and offer purchasing and technical support, as well as online communities like Build It Solar,
And there’s no law that says DIYers can’t hire a solar professional for help with specific aspects of their project, such as creating design specifications, choosing equipment, or preparing permit documents. We should also say up front that installing your own solar panels is not a process well-served by cutting corners.
We don’t want you to install your system without a permit or without hiring an electrician to make the final hookups. (Even professional solar installers use electricians for this stuff.) The permit process can be a pain, yes, but it’s there to ensure that your system is safe, not just for you but also for emergency responders who might need to work around your mini power plant.
When you work with the local building department you also learn about critical design factors, such as wind and snow loads, that are specific to your area. 
Photo © Heshphoto, inc., excerpted from Install Your Own Solar Panels,
Can solar panel installation be a DIY project?
Yes, solar panel installation can be DIY. There are two sorts of solar panel: PV (electric) and thermal. Both are DIYable, but in practice, at least in the UK, thermal installations are quite often DIY, PV installations very rarely are. This is due to economics, rather than difficulty (PV is actually quite a lot simpler).
Do you need fasteners for mounting solar panels?
Mounting solar panels on your roof or in your property is a great way to bring the electricity bill down. However, you don’t want these expensive pieces of equipment falling down. In addition to supplying the marine fasteners you need, Marsh Fasteners expands on the best ways to mount a solar panel.
