Providing backup power for your home has never been more important. Most people are totally unprepared for an extended power outage. Maybe you have been wanting to start using solar for your backup power needs but something has kept you from getting started. If any of the following reasons are why you have not started yet, then I may have a solution for you.
- You don’t want to put holes in your roof
- You are a DIYer, but you don’t want to climb on the roof
- Ground mounted solar array racks are expensive
- Your neighborhood association will not allow solar panels on your roof
- Your neighborhood association won’t allow permanent structures like a solar panel array in your backyard
- Or other reasons
One possible solution: A DIY Mobile Solar Panel Array
This mobile solar panel array holds 4 – 200 watt panels in series. You could of course choose different size panels. This mobile array can easily be pushed around the yard. It rolls very well, but turning can be a little bit of a challenge. Here are some benefits of this mobile solar panel array:
- Being on the ground make it very easy to work on.
- You can easily adjust the optimum angle the panels face the sun based on the time season or month.
- You could also move it to where the sun is when you need to charge and then push it back out of sight after your done.
- You could move it to different spots depending on the time of year or even the time of day.
- You could turn it a couple of times during the day to face the sun more.
In the winter, trees partially obscure the array in one part of my yard. So I moved this array to a different location to help.
If you want to adjust the optimal angle of your solar panels facing the sun based on the month or season, you can do a Google search for “solar panel angle calculator“. There are different calculators out there.
There are some downsides to a mobile solar panel array.
- The mobile solar array takes up valuable space in your yard. If you have a small yard or space, then maybe there is not enough room for it or it is just in the way.
- There is also a risk from high winds. I regularly have sever thunder storms and high winds in my area. Using the weight listed on each part, I calculated that the array weighs approximately 180lbs. At that weight it would not be easy for wind to blow this over. But it could happen. I drive two small t-posts into the ground next to the solar panel array and secure it with paracord whenever there are storms or high winds forecasted. In my case, my back porch, house and fence also help protect it from the wind.
I reviewed many mobile solar panel array designs from YouTubers and other web sites. I ended up selecting this design from Jasonoid. I built mine slightly different from his. I chose to use the full 8 foot posts so the base would be less susceptible to wind. However, it does make it a little harder to move around. I almost chose 10 inch wheels instead of 8 inch wheels because I was concerned the 8 inch wheels would not allow the array to role well in grass. But that has not been the case. The 8 inch wheels work fine for me. I also chose solar panels with a few more watts.
Drilling the holes through the aluminum angle and solar panels was probably the most difficult part of this build. Maybe if I had a new drill bit, it would have been a little easier. I was able to build this all by myself, but it would have been easier if I had a helper to lift the combined panels onto the base.
Here are all the parts and cost that I purchased to build the array:
- 2 4×4 pressure treated posts $19.36 (2 x $9.68)
- 2 2×4 pressure treated boards $11.36 (2 x $5.68)
- 1 pair BougeRv Adjustable Solar Panel Tilt Mount Bracket – $59.99
- 2 – 8′ 1-1/4 inch aluminum angles 1/8 inch thickness – $89.96 ($44.93 x 2)
- 4 – 8 inch wheels from harbor freight $27.96 (4 x $6.99)
- 4 – 7 inch zinc plated lag screws which hold on the wheels $7.94 (4 x 1.98)
- 8 large washers to go on each side of the wheels $3
- 16 Stainless steel bolts, lock washers and nuts – About $17
So the total cost for the base array was approximately $236.57
Then you will need to purchase your choice of solar panels to mount on the array. Here is what I used.
- 4 – BougeRV 200 watt solar panels – $780 ($195 x 4)
The total cost of my 800 watt mobile solar panel array was $1,016.57
I find this money well spent. I can use this to charge my DIY Solar Generator or my Bluetti AC200 Max portable power station. I actually plan to build a 2nd array just like this one as I expand my system. These panels often go over their rated 800 watts. I have seen as high as 900 watts in perfect conditions.
If you notice in the pictures, I actually buried conduit so I could easily mow around the solar panel array without worrying about the wires. I can still move the array around quite a bit while using that fixed location of the conduit. If I need to move it further away, I could always use an PV extension cable.
I also move the array back and forth about 5 feet every few days to keep the grass from dying underneath it. Its easy to move so I can mow under it. I thought about putting mulch or something under the array, but it didn’t make much sense to do that since I was moving it around.
Below are some links to the online purchases I made. I purchased everything else between Home Depot and Lowes.
