Building a Budget Solar Setup for 165 Euros

Steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Removing pool mats and planning the budget build

   Watch this part (0:00)

   I am adding a new solar setup, but this time I am not going for the highest quality, highest cost, or highest efficiency. I want to make the solar setup as budget-friendly as possible by using secondhand solar panels from Marktplaats, a wooden frame, and testing the yield. New sets are expensive and have a long payback time, so I want to think differently, spend little, and see how fast I can earn it back.

   Previously, I had solar mats on the back veranda roof to heat the swimming pool, but these have now been removed.

2. 2

   Step 2: Building the wooden roof frame

   Watch this part (1:28)

   I built a wooden frame on top of the roof, which rests on the beams under the corrugated sheets. Unfortunately, my camera fell out during the timelapse, but the frame is now in place to mount the solar panels on. I used six beams for this frame, and the total cost was 50 euros.

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   wooden beams	6	used to build the roof frame

3. 3

   Step 3: Buying secondhand solar panels

   Watch this part (1:53)

   In the next step, I mounted used solar panels that I bought on Marktplaats for 10 euros each. I bought six panels for 60 euros in total, bringing my running total up to 110 euros.

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   secondhand solar panels	6	bought on Marktplaats for 10 euros each

4. 4

   Step 4: Connecting the inverter and cables

   Watch this part (2:13)

   I connected the solar inverter to a grid by using a separate 16A group running from the meter cabinet to the veranda. This group already had one inverter for the other panels on my back veranda, which peaks at about 2.5 kW. I added my six new panels and limited them so they together cannot exceed the 16 net amp limit.

   I picked up a solar inverter for 3 euros and solar cables for 25 euros, which brings my grand total to 165 euros.

   What I used

   Item	Amount	Notes
   solar inverter	1	bought for 3 euros
   solar cables	not specified	bought for 25 euros

5. 5

   Step 5: Reviewing performance and daily yield data

   Watch this part (3:02)

   While I was busy building DIY battery packs and working on my Victron installation, the new set has been running in the background and I collected screenshots of its output. My solar panels lie extremely flat, are rotated 90 degrees, and are positioned in an unfavorable angle rather than an ideal pitch. Despite this poor angle, they get sun all day when the sun is out and there are clouds.

   With nearly 1.5 kW of solar panels installed, they generate an average of about 1420 watts.

6. 6

   Step 6: Analyzing specific yield days

   Watch this part (3:52)

   On a random half-cloudy day, the panels generated 6.1 kWh which yielded 92 cents when energy prices were favorable. On a much sunnier day with less clouds, I generated 6.6 kWh, but because energy prices were lower that day, it only yielded 58 cents. On another day with 4.6 kWh generated, energy prices were high and yielded 98 cents, while an extremely cloudy day yielded 3.8 kWh and brought in 92 cents.

   On a fairly sunny day with minor dips from thin clouds, I generated 6.7 kWh which came down to 70 cents. Overall, the daily energy yield sits between 70 cents and 1 euro per day.

   • Day 1: 6.1 kWh, 92 cents

   • Day 2: 6.6 kWh, 58 cents

   • Day 3: 4.6 kWh, 98 cents

   • Day 4: 3.8 kWh, 92 cents

   • Day 5: 6.7 kWh, 70 cents

7. 7

   Step 7: Calculating the payback time

   Watch this part (6:21)

   These measurements were taken in late April and early May with many cloudy days and not in the middle of summer, so they represent realistic everyday conditions. If the panels make 70 cents every day, it takes 235 days to pay them back. If they make 1 euro a day like they do on many days, it takes 165 sunny days to earn them back.

   This means the payback time of this set is approximately one year.

8. 8

   Step 8: Call to action and support

   If you like these kinds of projects, please leave a like on the video. If you prefer, you can swipe on the links in the description and hit the hype button.

9. 9

   Step 9: Takeaways

   • Secondhand solar panels and a wooden frame can create a budget 1.5 kW solar setup for only 165 euros.

   • Unfavorable flat panel placement still yields between 3.8 kWh and 6.7 kWh per day in spring conditions.

   • The total investment can be earned back in about one year of operation.

   • Combining cheap solar panels with a home battery helps avoid low grid prices and maximizes earnings.