If you’re a handy homeowner looking to go solar, investing in a do-it-yourself (DIY) equipment kit can be a cost-effective way to generate your own renewable energy. Whether you're looking to supplement your home's energy usage, prepare for grid outages, or go completely off-grid, the right kit can help you achieve your goals. In this guide, we’ll break down Project Solar’s best DIY solar panel kits for various needs, as well as the essential components & configurations to consider when choosing your system. 

Quick Comparison Chart

-

Feature 

Best Use Case 

Inverter Type 

Monitoring 

Customer Support 

Scalability 

Inverter Warranty 

Battery Warranty 

Warrantied Capacity 

Our Top Pick

Enphase

Production Optimization

Microinverter

Advanced (panel-level)

Excellent

High

25 Years

15 Years/6,000 Cycles

70% at Year 10, 60% at Year 15

-

SolarEdge

Off-Grid/Large Systems

String

Basic

Very Good

High

12-25 Years*

10 Years (no cycle limit)

70%

-

EP Cube

Partial Home Backup

Hybrid

Standard

Very Good

Moderate

10 Years

10 Years/6,000 Cycles

80%

*Warranty extensions offered directly through SolarEdge

Understanding DIY Solar Panel Kits

Selecting the right kit depends on factors like your energy goals, roof type, mounting options, inverter choices, battery backup needs, and overall system efficiency. Below, we explore these aspects to help you make an informed decision.

1. Inverter Types: String vs. Microinverters vs. Hybrid

Your choice of inverter will determine how efficiently your system converts solar energy into usable electricity:
  • SolarEdge: String Inverters – String inverters are cost-effective for large solar arrays & ground mounted systems. They’re the most common type of solar inverter, and are well suited for high battery capacity and off-grid applications. 
  • Enphase: Microinverters – Microinverters optimize production at the panel level, ensuring your system is as efficient as it can be. If you have shading concerns, microinverters are a good pick to avoid dips in performance. Microinverters are a premium option, and typically come with a bit of a higher price. 
  • EP Cube: Hybrid Inverters  – Hybrid inverters are able to use energy from solar, battery storage, generators, and the grid. Their versatility and smart capabilities are ideal for optimizing your home’s grid usage to maximize savings–particularly for time-of-use utility plans. This storage & grid intelligence system also makes them perfect for partial home backup. 
     

2. Battery Backup: Is It Necessary?

Adding a battery system to your DIY solar panel kit can both provide backup power during outages and optimize energy use.

 

If you plan to connect your solar system to the grid, we recommend checking your utility’s net metering policy. Net metering is a process in which the utility company purchases excess energy that is exported to the grid.

 

If your utility pays a 1:1 credit for each kilowatt-hour that you send back to the grid, a battery backup system is not necessary, unless you’re planning to keep your home running during outages. However, not all utilities offer net metering, and it’s a practice that is being phased out in many states (see: California’s NEM 3.0 decision). 

 

Even if your utility offers net metering, they may compensate you for excess energy at a lower rate than what they charge you for electricity. If this is the case, installing a battery backup can help you maximize your solar savings, especially a smart battery system.
 

Our EP Cube from Canadian Solar & the IQ 5P from Enphase are the best battery systems we offer to optimize grid usage. They can even store energy from the grid at inexpensive times, saving it for use during high-demand hours.
 

Both of these batteries can provide power during outages (if desired), but Enphase’s unparalleled 15-year warranty, outstanding customer service, and panel-level monitoring capabilities make it the ideal option for long term partial-home backup.  

 

If you’re installing an off-grid and/or large system, a SolarEdge system will be most cost-effective. Off-grid systems require large amounts of battery backup–they should be able to store power for at least two or three consecutive days.
 

SolarEdge battery systems can be built up to 30kWh of storage per inverter, with a maximum of three inverters per backup interface, bringing the total maximum battery storage capacity to 90kWh. 

3. Solar Panels - Choosing the Right Module 

We offer three different solar panel options with our kits–all Tier 1, premium, black-on-black monocrystalline. Use this chart to compare specifications: 
 

Feature 

Wattage 

Module Efficiency 

Relative Cost 

Product Warranty 

Performance Warranty 

Output After 25 Years 

Canadian Solar

450W

22.0%

High

25 Years

30 Years

89.4% 

Mission Solar

410W

21.0%

Medium

25 Years

25 Years

84.8%

United Renewable Energy

400W

20.49%

Low

25 Years

25 Years

84.8%

 

  • Wattage & Efficiency
    Solar panel wattage refers to how much energy the panel can produce in ideal conditions. This number typically ranges from about 200 watts to 500 watts, but most residential panels are in the 330-450W range.

    Higher wattage panels convert more energy per square inch, meaning that they have a higher efficiency. However, they aren’t necessarily better–what they offer with production can be offset by their high cost.

    High wattage panels are commonly used in systems with limited space, as they usually offer a smaller total surface area for the same production capacity. If you’re not concerned about space, choosing a lower wattage panel model is a great way to save money. 
  • Product & Performance Warranties
    Our panels include two separate warranties: a Product Warranty and a Performance Warranty. 

    The product warranty guarantees that the modules will be free from defects for the entire warranty period (25 years, in our case). 

    The Performance Warranty ensures that your panels degrade at a steady, expected rate. All solar panels degrade slightly over time, but a linear performance warranty protects your system in the event that your panels produce less than what they should. After 25 years, our panels are guaranteed to degrade by only 10-15% (depending on model), about 0.4-0.5% per year. 
     

4. Maximizing ROI with Proper Design

Project Solar offers a free premium design with each DIY Solar Kit. This design will give you a panel layout, shade report, and estimated system production. It can also help provide a future utility bill estimation.


Since each utility and jurisdiction is unique, we cannot necessarily guarantee that the system we design will meet the necessary permitting & requirements for installation. However, if you decide to purchase engineering & permitting services, we will coordinate directly with your utility company and jurisdiction to build system plans and obtain permits.
 

5. Permitting and Engineering Considerations

One of the most important parts of a solar installation is ensuring it is installed correctly and in accordance with all applicable local codes and regulations. This involves:
  • Engineering Process – plans detailing the exact placement of your panels, inverters, racking, batteries, etc are drawn up. Some jurisdictions require a structural review as well.
  • Permit Process – engineering plans are submitted to the jurisdiction for approval. Since codes and regulations vary, plans often have to be adjusted and resubmitted, possibly multiple times. 
  • Utility Approval Process  –  Utility companies require application for interconnection with the main power grid and the company’s net metering or net billing policy (if any). This involves making sure the previous two items–engineering and permitting–are in order. If you’re installing an off-grid system, this won’t be necessary.

Arranging for permits and engineering can be a long process. If you’re interested, Project Solar offers optional engineering and permitting adders:
  • Design & Engineering Adder - $800  
    Includes a custom design, one set of engineering plans, and a structural review if necessary. 
  • Design, Engineering, & Permitting Adder - $2,000
    Includes a custom design and engineering plans, as above. Project Solar will submit plans for permits, and resubmit any necessary adjustments. We will also apply with your utility company for interconnection & net metering. 

It is also important to remember that engineering and permitting adders are only applicable to roof-mounted systems–we cannot provide these services for ground mounts, solar pergolas, etc. 

6. Permitting and Engineering Considerations

Your roof structure and panel layout play a significant role in the solar installation process. If your panels are arranged landscape, you’ll need much more mounting equipment.
 

For this reason, we don’t include racking by default with our equipment kits. However, we can give you a quote on racking based on your engineering plans–racking generally accounts for 10-25% of a project’s total cost.
 

You are also welcome to purchase your own racking through a third party. If you’re planning to install your system on a structure other than your roof (e.g. solar pergola, ground mount , it may be easier to purchase pre-fabricated structures that are built for this specific purpose.  
 

Your mounting hardware may look different depending on your roof type. Here’s a list of some common roof types, and a little bit about how solar panels are mounted on them:
  • Asphalt Shingles  –  Standard, relatively simple to mount on. Flush mounts are drilled into sealed roof penetrations and attached to joists.
  • Metal Roofs  –  Can require more specialized mounting hardware, such as clamps for racking. Some types will use simple flush mounts.
  • Tile Roofs  –  More complex installation process due to their brittle nature. Additional components are typically required to install solar. Generally, we use a knockout tile,  which functions as a replacement tile that has a sealed penetration for mounting.
  • Flat Roofs  –  Typically require a ballasted (weighted) mounting system to prevent leaks from penetrations, or tilt-mount systems with extra sealant for better sun exposure.
     

Conclusion: Which DIY Solar Kit is Right for You?

For those seeking backup power AND time-of-use optimization → Enphase 
Enphase’s premium equipment, stellar warranties, and top-tier customer service make them our number-one pick. This is also why Enphase is our most preferred partner with customers to date, both with DIY and Full Install.


For those wanting a fully off-grid setup → SolarEdge
SolarEdge has built a strong name in the solar industry, becoming perhaps the most popular name brand for string inverter technology.


For those looking for maximum upfront savings and partial home backup → EP Cube