Assembling a Solar Panel Kit

By The Mother Earth News Editors
Published on May 1, 1985
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PHOTO: MOTHER EARTH NEWS STAFF
When assembled and mounted, a solar panel kit might look something like this.

In order for solar technology to be accepted, it must be affordable. Unfortunately, while many manufacturers go to great lengths to develop well-designed, functional products, they often fall short of achieving even tolerable cost-effectiveness.

Part of the problem is that a sizable portion of production cost lies in assembly. Many solar enthusiasts are circumventing that built-in thorn by fabricating their own system components, most notably the collector panels.

Understandably enough, though, not all of us have the skills — or the time and inclination — required to design and construct a state-of-the-art solar collector from scratch. However, kit assembly is within the realm of even a novice do-it-yourselfer. By presenting our experiences with a typical piece-together solar panel kit, we’ll give you the chance to decide whether this alternative is your cup of tea.

Bought and Built

Strictly speaking, our test collector didn’t come delivered as a kit. Instead, it was pieced together from mail-ordered and locally available manufactured parts. Solar Components Corporation proved to be an excellent source of solar energy products, accessible to anyone with a postage stamp; though it’s possible to order certain parts directly from the manufacturer, the convenience of shopping by mail from one store can’t be overlooked.

By the same token, it’s pointless to send away for common items that are available in your local area. A glance at the materials list at the end of this article will allow you to determine which parts are best purchased in your own neighborhood.

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