In Maine, you have the right to install solar panels on residential land you own in most situations, whether or not you’re living off-grid.
Unless you’re an electrician or buying a premade solar panel kit for a tiny house or RV, you probably don’t want to.
As Maine homeowners continue to find they can’t tie into the energy grid if they get solar panels, off-grid power options become more appealing. Saving on the installation costs by doing it yourself is appealing too. But so many things can go wrong that some experts recommend leaving the off-grid home kits alone and sticking to installers.
Whether you decide to add to your homestead or begin li, you should plan and research it carefully.
It is possible to buy the components to assemble solar panels from scratch. You can also get them pre-assembled to install yourself, though the warranty on either option will be limited to the panels themselves and leaves your installation uncovered.
Installing them on your own requires the skills of a roofer and an electrician, and hooking them up is likely best done by an electrician. Off-grid solar systems are also more complicated.
Small off-grid solar panel kits for cabins, RVs and outbuildings can be found at Maine chain stores including Harbor Freight, Lowe’s and Home Depot. At 400 watts and with enough battery storage, a few panels can power small electronics and appliances. DIY installation kits run into the thousands of watts.
There are some things you likely can’t run off the grid, though, such as heat pumps, water heaters or electric ovens.
Online calculators can help you figure out how much solar capacity you need for the energy use you want to supply.
Larger capacity panels for rooftops or ground mounting can be ordered from some companies, but at least one Maine expert won’t sell them to you.
Floyd Severn, who runs Starks-based Maine Solar and has spent his life living off-grid, said people don’t know how to put them together. He’s been in the business for more than 55 years, and regularly educates potential customers.
Good information is hard to find online, where most sites are run by companies trying to sell something, Severn said. He believes solar companies getting into off-grid power sales rarely live the lifestyle and may lead customers astray. Plus, conditions will be different in Maine than other places because the state gets less sunlight.
Most of all, customers don’t understand one key consideration about going off grid: their energy use needs to change.
“You can’t just take a house that typically runs on a power company and think you’re going to be off grid,” he said.
You’ll need highly efficient appliances that use power intermittently, rather than 24/7. Too many things can’t run at once, either.
If solar isn’t going to work for your home, there are other off-grid power sources to consider such as wind turbines, geothermal systems or a propane backup.
With many cloudy days in Maine, you might want to have several sources to cover your bases. That’s a good thing to consider if you live in a wooded area where shade could interfere with how well your panels work.
When you have a good system running and adjust your living habits to avoid running down the storage battery, it can keep you going for years, Severn said. He has customers he hasn’t heard from in 20 years because they’ve had no problems.
