Solar panels are easily boltable to all kinds of mounts. The main mounts are: 1) rails 2) ABS plastic mounts 3) direct screw

1. Rails/roof racks: the best and most versatile option. A set of rails are installed that the panels can be bolted to. This also creates an air gap underneath the panels that mediates their operating temperature and maximises energy conversion efficiency.
   For vehicles, securing with a roof rack also reduces the number of holes in the roof. Different roof racks exist, with different fasteners to bolt the panel to.
   For houses and sheds, different racking systems exist, with many vendors selling their own specialised sets. Alternatively, unistrut rails, spring nuts and solar clamps are a cost-effective option. Special roof hooks can be used to fit over tiles and to prevent potential water ingress.
   
   
2. ABS plastic mounts: a very easy option where panels are bolted (or glued) to the plastic mounts. The mounts then glued to the surface below. As with rails, this minimizes holes being drilled through a roof. Strong glue is needed, such as tiger seal or 3M VHB Tape
   
   
3. Direct screw: screw z-brackets directly into the roof with self-tappable screws. This can be a robust solution but can lead to roof leaks. If using this option, you must use a good sealant.

Roof Rack	ABS Mounts	Z Brackets

• Solar panel: generates electricity. Plug them in with MC4 connectors to connect them to other components.
• Charge controller: regulates the amount of electricity that flows from the solar panels to the batteries. It is necessary to protect the batteries from overcharging, which can lead to damage and reduce their lifespan. There are two types: 1) MPPT and 2) PWM. MPPT is far superior. Always connect your charge controller to the battery before connecting it to solar panels.
• Battery: stores your electricity. There are two main types: 1) Lead-acid and 2) LiFePo4 (Lithium). Lead-acid batteries are much cheaper but only have a 3-5 year life expectancy and can only utilise ~50% their capacity. They come in a few different types; deep cycle/leisure ones are the most suitable for solar applications. Lithium (LiFePo4) batteries are more expensive but should last 10-20 years.
• Inverter: converts your stored DC electricity to AC for device consumption.
• Wires: connects components together. The thicker the wire, the more current it can safely pass. You will also attach MC4 connectors to the end of the wires that connect to your solar panels.
• Fuses and switches: protects you and your system.

Key solar components shown in an example wiring diagram. Source: vunked.co.uk

1. Check Max Input Voltage
   This checks the max voltage out of your solar panels is less than the MPPT input voltage.
   How: check the open circuit voltage (Voc) displayed on your panel’s specifications. If
   the Voc is lower than the MPPT’s max input voltage, you’re good to go.
   
   
2. Check MPPT Amp Rating
   This checks the max output current from the MPPT is enough to charge your battery.
   Amax = Ptotal / Vmin
   Ptotal is the total power of your solar panels. Vmin is the minimum charging voltage of your battery. For a 12V car battery, this is roughly 10.5V2.
   
   E.g. a 200W panel wired to a 12V car battery. Amax = 200 / 10.5 = 19A. Therefore any
   MPPT rated as 20A or higher will work

You can calculate the size of inverter you need in two key steps.

1. What is the voltage supplied to the inverter?
   If you have a single 12V battery, you will need an inverter that accepts 12V input and converts it to the mains voltage (230/240V, either is fine).
   
   
2. How much power does the inverter need to supply?
   This depends on how much power (watts) will be drawn at any one time.
   
   E.g., phone charger (5W) + laptop charger (45W) + small isotherm fridge (45W) = total (95W).
   Therefore a 100W inverter is just about enough. A 200W inverter is more versatile and will allow you to use more devices at the same time.

NB: some devices, particularly those that generate heat, are very high power (e.g. kettles and microwaves can be 1kW+). Any device that tries to pull more power than your inverter can supply won't function (however, they shouldn't cause damage to your system).

Wire thickness determines how much current can be safely carried from one component to the next. A thicker wire can carry more current.

1. Calculate max current + safety margin
   For each wire calculate the maximum current and multiply a 1.25 safety factor. The
   key wires to check are a) from your solar panels to the MPPT, and b) from your MPPT to your battery. These are generally the wires transporting the highest current.
   
   The max current passing between a solar panel and MMPT is the short circuit current (Isc), found in the panel specifications.
   The max current passing from MPPT to battery, we already calculated when working out
   the MPPT Amp Rating (see tip #3 above)
   
   Once you've worked out the max current, multiply by a 1.25 safety factor.
   
   E.g., a 200W panel with Isc = 5.21A. 5.21 x 1.25 = 6.51A
   
   
2. Use a wire current reference table to determine appropriate wire thickness.
   Use the maximum current plus safety margin found in step 1 and match the first value that is larger than your maximum current. Any wire thickness larger than that is safe.
   A good reference table can be found here: American Wire Gauge Conductor Sizes
   
   For our 200W panel, the max current plus safety margin = 6.51A. From the table, a 2.62 mm² wire or thicker is safe.

Remember, currents and voltages change when you have multiple panels connected in series or parallel.

American Wire Gauge Reference Table with thickness for 6.51 Amp example highlighted

What’s commonly known as a “12V panel” is typically a solar panel with an open-circuit voltage of ~22V, generating maximum power at 18V. Traditionally so-called 24V panels would have double that and they'd generate 36V-44V. As you can see, 12V panels aren't really 12V and 24V panels aren't really 24V.

In order to charge your batteries, all you need is that your panel can generate a high enough voltage to charge it. For a 12V battery, you need ~14v from the panel to charge. For a 24v battery you may need ~28v.

This means, a “12v” panel can charge a 12v battery, but also if you took two of them wired in series, you double the voltage so they can charge a 24v battery. A 24v panel can charge both a 12v and 24v battery.

In an off-grid setup, a battery stores the energy your panels create and also supplies enough excess to get you through the nights and cloudy/rainy days.

A general rule of thumb is that you should be able to store 3 days worth of power usage. To work this out, you need to calculate how much power you intend to generate. If you haven't done this already, see our FAQs section "How Many Panels Do I Need", to work it out.

Remember, a lithium battery can be fully discharged with little degradation, meaning it can use its full capacity. A lead-acid battery should never be discharged more than 50%. This means that you will need double a lead-acid battery's stated capacity to get the same power storage capability as a lithium one.

There's a huge amount of information out there, however we like two standout sources for getting started:
1) https://diysolarforum.com/
2) https://www.reddit.com/r/SolarDIY/