Installation Instructions for Solar Panels

Solar panels on your house can reduce your energy bills and make your home environmentally friendly. You need to take steps if you are installing these panels yourself. The southern side of your house is best for receiving the most light. You must securely mount these panels to your roof and not just to the roof paneling itself. Also, the tilt of the panels is important. These exact installation instructions may vary depending on the exact type of panels you have.

Ladder
Drill and bit
Wrench
Screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the rafter boards in your roof using a stud finder and jot down how much space is in between each rafter.
- 2
  Measure the width of your solar panels and compare this to the distance between the rafters. This will help determine how many rafters need mounting holes drilled into them.
- 3
  Drill mounting holes into the roof for the solar panel mounts using a drill and pilot bit, making sure each hole goes into a rafter.
- 4
  Install the panel mounts onto the roof using your wrench and the mounts' lag bolts in the holes. Install these mounts so the panels will have at least three inches of clearance from the roof and be tilted for capturing the most sunlight.
- 5
  Bolt the rails for the solar panels onto the mounts using your wrench.
- 6
  Slide and connect the solar panels to the rails.
- 7
  Open the junction box on each panel to locate the terminal screws -- positive and negative. Loosen the screws with a screwdriver, connect a wire to the positive screws of adjacent panels and then do so for the negative screws.
- 8
  Repeat the previous step for all of the solar panels.

What Types of Ducting Should I Use in the Attic?

House Insulation Guide

Energy Efficient Homes