Compare prices of solar panel kits for sale online
Updated: December 21, 2020Search kits
Below we’ve loaded the most popular complete home solar system kits showing the best price available online from more than 50 websites. Use the search filters below to customise the list of kits.
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System: GRID-TIE 6.1KW SOLAR POWER SYSTEM WITH SMA INVERTER Panel: 20 x REC-305-TP2M Inverter: 1 x SB6.0-US-41 Price: $7,366 Cost per watt: $1.21 |
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System: 6.6 kW Solar Kit Panasonic 330, Enphase IQ7X Panel: 20 x VBHN330SA17 Inverter: 20 x IQ7PLUS-72-2-US Price: $15,300 Cost per watt: $2.32 |
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System: 6kW solar kit Mission 375 XL, SMA inverter Panel: 16 x MSE375SQ9S Inverter: 1 x SB6.0-US Price: $7,950 Cost per watt: $1.33 |
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System: 6.2kW solar kit Trina 310, SMA inverter Panel: 20 x TSM-310DD05H.05(II) Inverter: 1 x SB6.0-US Price: $8,250 Cost per watt: $1.33 |
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System: 6.3kW solar kit LG 370, SMA inverter Panel: 17 x LG370Q1C-V5 Inverter: 1 x SB6.0-US Price: $12,400 Cost per watt: $1.97 |
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System: 6.4kW solar kit Canadian 320, SolarEdge HD inverter Panel: 20 x CS1H-320MS Inverter: 1 x SE6000H-US Price: $11,200 Cost per watt: $1.75 |
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System: 6kW solar kit Q.Cells 400 XL, SolarEdge HD optimizers Panel: 15 x Q.PEAK DUO L-G5.2 400 Inverter: 16 x SE6000H-US Price: $9,700 Cost per watt: $1.62 |
| System | Panel | Inverter | Price | Cost /watt | |
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20 x REC-305-TP2M |
1 x SB6.0-US-41 |
$7,366 |
$1.21 |
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20 x VBHN330SA17 |
20 x IQ7PLUS-72-2-US |
$15,300 |
$2.32 |
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16 x MSE375SQ9S |
1 x SB6.0-US |
$7,950 |
$1.33 |
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20 x TSM-310DD05H.05(II) |
1 x SB6.0-US |
$8,250 |
$1.33 |
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17 x LG370Q1C-V5 |
1 x SB6.0-US |
$12,400 |
$1.97 |
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20 x CS1H-320MS |
1 x SE6000H-US |
$11,200 |
$1.75 |
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16 x SE6000H-US |
$9,700 |
$1.62 |
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Compare prices on hybrid DIY home kits
Hybrid DIY kits are complete home solar system kits that include battery storage. Hybrid kits provide backup power when the utility grid is down.
What are the different types of solar energy kits?
The most commonly searched for type of solar energy kits are:
Solar panel kits for home
These are solar panel kits designed to power a house. The most common type of kits for homes are a simple grid-tied kit. The reason is that these are the most common is that in most states there are net metering laws that give you close to retail value for excess solar energy that you export to the utility grid system during the middle of the day when your solar system. This means that most people don’t need a battery bank to store this excess power the panels produce during the middle of the day when your house is consuming little electricity. A grid-tied kit is usually only the solar panels and the inverter. It may or may not also include the mounting hardware required to connect your solar panels to your roof or other sundry electrical equipment such as cables, glands, circuit breakers, conduit etc.
The second type of solar panel kits for homes are off-grid solar power kits. There are both AC coupled and DC coupled off grid system kits. If the off grid kit is an AC coupled it will include the same equipment as a grid tied kit (solar panels and a standard DC to AC grid inverter) but also a battery inverter and the batteries. If it is a DC coupled system then the grid connect inverter will not be necessary the battery inverter will take in the power directly from the solar panels and store it as DC power in the batteries. In this case the battery inverter acts as a charge controller and a DC to Ac inverter.
Compare prices on mobile solar panel kits
Mobile solar panel kits are used for applications such as RV’s, camping, boats and small battery charging functions. These kits typically include 100-300 watts of solar panels and a battery charger to allow charging of a 12 volt battery.
Compare prices on off-grid solar panel kits
Off-grid kits are complete home solar system kits for homes that are not connected to a residential electricity grid. As such these kits need to accomodate the entire power needs of the home. They typically need to be larger and have more battery storage capacity than a hybrid kit because they don’t have the grid to fall back on when there are poor solar conditions or spikes in load.
What is a solar panel kit?
A solar panel kit is the term used to describe a bundle of solar equipment that together can form an operating solar power system. At the very least a kit will always include the solar panels themselves and an inverter (if it is a solar kit for a home) or, solar panels and a charge controller if it is a solar kit for camping, RV’s, boats or other portable uses.
However, beyond these basics, different kits can include different things and so comparing them can be tricky. Reading this article before you click through to each kits website will help you understand what you are buying and pros and cons of each solar kits website.
How to compare solar panel kits online
Obviously, each of the different types of solar kits described above will include different equipment. However, regardless of whether the kit is a Renogy solar starter kit for camping or a high efficiency top end kit for a large home there are other differences between kits websites that are worth being aware to compare them. Notably:
- Does the kit seller offer design advice?
- Does the kit price include free shipping?
- Does the kit include mounting equipment and sundry electrical?
- If it is a grid tied kit, does the kit vendor offer a permitting package solution to help you prepare the necessary documents to get approval from the city and your utility?
How much can DIY solar panel kits save me?
A DIY solar installation is when you buy a solar panel kit and then organize the installation, permitting and inspections by the city and your utility yourself. It is more difficult than simply buying a solar panel system from a full service solar company who does everything.
However, it can be up to $1 per watt cheaper than the cost of getting a solar company to organize the installation of solar panels for your home. So for a typical size of residential system, around 6kW (6000 watts), this can be a saving of $6,000 before the 26% solar tax credit and $4,400 after claiming the credit. It can be more or less depending on the amount you are quoted by a solar company and whether you physically install the solar panels yourself or engage an electrician to install them for you.
However, be warned, even an owner of one of the biggest solar panel kits retailers (whose kits are listed above) was recently heard to say that 90% of people should not do a DIY solar installation on their home. At the risk of sounding dramatic, there are some genuine dangers associated with self installation. You run the risk of hurting yourself if you are not safe on a roof, causing an electrical fire if your wiring work is not up to code, or making costly mistakes in the permitting process with the utility and the city. However, perhaps the most serious long term concern is that you also face owning a system for 25 years where no-one will help you with a warranty claim. Solar manufacturers are simply not set up to deal with individual warranty claims from consumers.
A further issue for DIY solar projects is that solar qualified electricians often charge DIY customers an extravagant amount for installation, eroding the savings that were the original reason that the customer chose the DIY path. SolarReviews only recommends DIY installations to people who are skilled roof workers or who have a friend who is a solar qualified electrician.