DIY Solar Panel Kits: The Complete Solar Panel Kit Guide
With solar panels covering more and more rooftops in Ireland, understanding what a solar panel kit is is essential for your research into more renewable energy for your home. Solar panel kits set you up with everything from day one, and you can get a variety of different kits for your needs. Read our complete solar panel kits guide to find out more!
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What Are DIY Solar Panel Kits in Ireland?
Solar panel kits are a great way to do an alternative DIY solar panel installation without needing to go through a solar panel company. The idea is that you can buy solar panel kits with all the tools and components you need for installing your own solar panel system at home so you can benefit from solar energy!
How Do Solar Panel Kits Work?
Solar panel kits are a complete bundle of everything you need to set up solar energy for your home. You can get them in a range of sizes, depending on how many solar panels your property might need, and with customisable configurations to make sure they fit where they should. They are also offered at a lower price than a full-on installation.
What Types of Solar Panel Kits Are There?
You can usually get two types of solar panel kits: those that work with the national grid, and others that are off-grid. Here are the main differences:
- Grid Connection
Solar panel kits with a grid connection can be hooked up to Eirgrid so you can actually export your surplus solar energy and get paid for it. This is usually part of a microgeneration scheme that is offered by many different solar panel companies. - Off-Grid
Off-grid solar panels are less of a hassle but they don’t give you the ability to benefit from the microgeneration programmes on offer. However, they will help you reduce your energy bills by using the sunlight to generate part of your electricity demand without needing to rely completely on your energy supplier.
What’s Included with a Solar Panel Kit?
A solar panel kit contains all the main solar panels components you’ll need for a successful solar power system at home. Although you’ll have the same basic competents, lots of features can vary depending on how many panels you need and what extra you might want to include.
What Are the Main DIY Solar Panel Kit Components?
The main solar panel kit components you’ll get in a solar panel kit include the following:
- Solar Panels
You’ll receive your solar panels with the specifications you’ve requested for your property. Depending on what you go for, you can either receive monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar cells, and you’ll receive the panel in its glass casing. - Mounting Hardware
You’ll also receive the necessary hardware for helping you mount the solar panels on your roof to make sure they’re secured. You’ll get pointers on how best to adjust your solar panels for the sunlights. - Inverter
You’ll also receive the inverter which converts the direct current (DC) electricity from the sun into alternating current (AC) that your home runs. That part is really important for making sure you use the electricity at home. - Battery
If you want to get a solar power battery so you can store the electricity to use for later, you can do so with your solar panel kits as well. Solar batteries usually come at a much heftier cost to your overall solar panel kit so you should assess whether it really would be worth it! - Cables
You’ll of course get all the cables and wiring to make sure your solar panel is all connected up to be able to distribute the power in the panel as well as to your property. - Instructions
Most importantly, you’ll receive the instructions manual to know exactly how to mount, connect up, and activate your solar panels once you’ve received them and they’re starting to work.
Read More About Solar Panel Components!
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What Are the Advantages of a DIY Solar Panel Kit?
Getting a solar panel kit has many great advantages to it since you don’t have to rely on a separate solar panel company to do it all for you. However, there are some drawbacks so you also need to consider these before you buy a kit.
Pros
- Convenience
- Cost-effective
- Energy independence
- Low maintenance
Cons
- High Initial Cost
- Doing It Yourself
- Weather Durability
- Unofficial Installation
What Are the Pros of a Solar Panel Kit?
Solar panel kits have a lot of advantages that can help you transition to green and renewable energy really easily without having to worry about getting in touch with engineers and solar panel companies. Here are some of the main advantages of solar panel kits:
- Convenience
Just being able to buy your own solar panel kit is much more convenient than needing to wait around for a solar panel company. It can be a lot simpler to do it yourself so you don’t need to worry about assessments or other complications. You can just buy the kit and put it up yourself! - Cost-Effective
Buying solar panel kits, though still expensive, are usually a lot cheaper than having to buy solar panels from a solar panel company. If you buy them and install them yourself, you don’t have to worry about any installation fees. - Energy Independence
With a solar panel kit, you can also take advantage of the energy independence you’ll get with it. You’ll no longer need to rely entirely on the grid and you can benefit from lower energy bills at the same time. You can also have your solar panel battery work as a backup generator if you have a power outage! - Low Maintenance
Solar panels in general are long lasting investments that have a lifespan of up to 40 years or more. Solar panels from kits are no different and you can expect long lasting quality with any solar panel kit you get in Ireland.
What Are the Drawbacks of a Solar Panel Kit?
Though they are certainly worth it, solar panel kits do have some disadvantages that you should always be aware of before buying. You want to make sure that they really are the best option for you. Here are some of the drawbacks to the solar panel kits that might come up:
- High Initial Cost
Despite being a lot cheaper, solar panel kits tend to be very expensive when you pay for them upfront. This can be off putting if you don’t have the money in the bank to spend on getting solar panels installed. - Doing It Yourself
The DIY aspect of mounting and setting up a solar panel can make people uneasy. Although it comes with instructions, it’s not always as straightforward as it could be. It also can be a dangerous task if you’re working on the roof and you might be more comfortable with a professional doing it for you. You might also have to worry about doing your own solar panel repairs too. - Weather Durability
Almost all solar panels are susceptible to weather conditions, so buying solar panel kits might not be best equipped for dealing with adverse conditions and might get damaged more easily. However, you can usually expect the same robustness from solar panel kits as solar panels from other places. - Unofficial Installation
If you do the installation yourself from a solar panel kit, the installation won’t be an official one by an SEAI registered company. However, this is also the case with installations carried out by companies who are not registered either but it’s best to be aware of the consequences of doing it yourself.
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How Much Does a Solar Panel Kit Cost in Ireland?
The cost of a solar panel kit can vary greatly. Since every home is different and what you need might be entirely different to your neighbour, how much you pay for a solar panel kit will be more or less bespoke. You should be aware though with solar panel kits, although you save on the installation costs, you’ll still pay in having to set it up yourself.
How Much Do Solar Panel Components Costs?
Let’s have a look at some of the costs of different components you’ll get in a standard three panel solar panel kit:
| Component | Quantity | Price per Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels | 3 | €171.69 |
| Inverter | 1 | €288.13 |
| Rail | 3 | €19.59 |
| Rail Connector | 2 | €4.22 |
| End Clamp | 4 | €2.33 |
| Middle Clamp | 4 | €1.78 |
| End Cap | 4 | €0.54 |
| Roof Hook | 10 | €9.10 |
| Flashing Kit | 10 | €5.15 |
| Isolator | 1 | €14.40 |
| Solar Connector | 2 | €1.60 |
| Cables | 2 | €20.70 |
All prices are excluding VAT
Source: Solartricity
Last Updated: 08/08/2023
Can I Get a Grant for a Solar Panel Kit?
Homeowners in Ireland who want to have a solar panel installation can benefit from a grant from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) who will fund up to €2,400 for your solar panels. However, you need to make sure that your installation and panel are provided by a registered company otherwise you won’t be able to benefit from the grant.
Read More in Our Solar Panel Grant Guide!
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