The U.S. is a proverbial mecca for do-it-yourselfers. From our ancestral days of pioneers and homesteaders, we’ve trusted nothing more than our own hands to get a job done right. America is a land of invention and innovation (even if the manufacturing has moved elsewhere). So, when the solar power  took off in lieu of global warming and high energy costs, many Americans stared right into the eyes of a technology widely regarded as scientific and esoteric and said, “Hey, I can do that!”

Photo Credit: GreenTerraFirma

Thus was born DIY solar. Indeed, in light of the high up-front costs of solar power panels, DIY solar is a very sexy prospect. A little sweat equity can cut installation costs in half. And in the internet age, there is no shortage of on-demand how-to tips and instructions. HOWEVER, going solar by yourself does have its drawbacks, given the nature of the work and the current slate of incentives out there promoting professional installations.

Here’s the skinny on DIY solar:

DIY: The Upsides

The upside of DIY solar is the same as DIY anything – no paying for labor. It may take more time and it may take more effort, but in the end, you’ve got a solar system for considerably less than the do-little neighbor next door. Right? Maybe.

And the Internet is chock full of helpful hints, including plans and instructions for designing and installing solar power panels. YouTube is full of video tutorials. Hundreds of blogs detail Jane and John Doe’s excursion into DIY solar, complete with smiling faces and gleeful “ta-ta” waves to the electric grid. You can even find instructions to build your own solar panels from broken or disassembled panels from eBay or Craigslist. Solar power is a movement, and America doesn’t move anywhere without exercising its unique individualism on the way.

The “fat” of DIY solar lies in this interconnected community of greeners, environmentalists, handymen, rugged naturalists, carpenters, plumbers, electricians and techies. Brains and brawn are really coming together to make a powerful DIY statement for the environment. The success and magnitude of websites like Build It Solar are a testament to that fact.

Furthermore, you don’t need to build a solar power panel to be a successful DIY solar-ist. Home improvers can incorporate passive solar design into home projects without buying a single new tool. Passive solar water heaters are notoriously easy and inexpensive to build and install. Solar chimneys can cool your home and solar woodsheds can dry your lumber or firewood.

If you drive up enough dirt roads around your hometown, the odds are you’ll find somebody who’s going solar the old-fashioned way. University research and high-profile scientific breakthroughs get a lot of media attention, and for good reason. But meanwhile, thousands of DIY homeowners are being just as inventive and resourceful without millions of dollars in venture capital funding or government grants.

And…. the DIY Downsides

Photo Credit: Keetsa

There are some major downsides to doing it yourself. The biggest of these (assuming you’re not averse to blood, sweat and tears) is being denied tax incentives and rebates from the feds and your state or utility. In nearly all cases, systems must be installed by a certified, state-recognized professional installer.

Now, avid DIY’ers would tell me that savings on labor costs offset any missed financial incentives (not to mention the highly rewarding work), and perhaps it does. But incentives are very lucrative right now in several regions. In some cases, up to 75 percent of a solar system can be paid for through a combination of financial outlets. I know that in my home state of Oregon right now, you can get a $20,000 solar electric system purchased and installed for roughly $5,500, all told. Of course, you’d have to come up with about $16,000 up front with the rest recouped through tax credits over four years.

Another reason to shy away from DIY solar is the same one used by the government when they insist on a professional installation: the comfort, reliability and warranty behind a professional job. States want to know for certain that the job is done right before paying for 20-30 percent of it. Installing a solar power system requires some electrical know-how, and electrical work can be easy to botch. Hence the phrase, “Getting your wires crossed.”

Do DIY’ers Actually Save Money?

On that note, building and installing solar electric panels require a specific skill set, and in many cases, people end up paying as much to buy components and learn how to put them together as they would have spent hiring a professional installer. There are success stories in the DIY solar realm, but it’s not for everybody. This is no deck you’re building.

Still, DIY solar is possible. There is nothing that can’t be done with a little determination and forethought, though it’s highly unlikely that you’d be able to look at a picture of a solar power panel and then go out and build one. If you want to build it yourself, do it, but read, research, learn, practice, play, experiment (safely), work, think, draw and plan first. And don’t let money be your main motivation. DIY home solar can be very expensive too. Don’t be fooled by “$3 solar panel” websites. The real rewards, the real skinny on DIY, lie in the satisfaction and proactive nature of producing your own clean, free energy.

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Posted on November 6th in Solar Information by Dan.