Solar Kit Finder — Size Your System in 60 Seconds
Answer 5 quick questions and get a solar kit recommendation sized to your home, cabin, RV, or business — with real pricing from our current catalog. Whether you want to offset your power bill with a grid-tie solar kit, keep the lights on with a hybrid solar kit with battery backup, go fully off-grid, or power an RV, this finder points you at the right kit tier in about 60 seconds. No email required.
1. What's the main goal for your solar kit?
This decides the system type — grid-tie, hybrid with batteries, fully off-grid, or mobile.
2. How much electricity do you use monthly?
Check a recent power bill. Enter either kWh or your dollar amount — we'll convert at the $0.17/kWh national average. Not sure? Leave blank and we'll assume 900 kWh (typical US home).
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3. Where would the panels go?
Ground-mounts add racking cost but simplify installation and tilt.
4. Do you want battery storage?
Batteries add backup and night-time self-consumption — and roughly double kit cost.
5. Which region are you in?
Sun hours change how many watts you need for the same kWh.
Pick an option to continue.
The PES solar kit ladder
Every tier below is a live page or collection in our catalog — no dead ends. Sizes overlap by design: pick the tier that brackets your usage, then get a quote to dial in components.
- Residential grid-tie: 4–6 kW · 5 kW system walkthrough · 8–10 kW whole-home · starter kit collection
- Hybrid + battery: 10 kW kit with battery backup · 12–15 kW backup kit · battery backup kit collection
- Off-grid: off-grid cabin kit · off-grid cabin kit collection · homesteading & off-grid gear
- RV & mobile: EcoFlow · Bluetti · solar-compatible power stations
- Commercial: 20–30 kW commercial kit · 40–150 kW light industrial kit · commercial collection
New to kits entirely? Read the Solar Panel Kits Buyer's Guide first — it covers grid-tie vs. hybrid vs. off-grid, what's actually in the box, and permitting basics. Want to pick components yourself? Try the Kit Builder.
How we size your kit
System size (kW) ≈ monthly kWh ÷ (30 days × your region's peak sun hours × 0.78 system derate). A 900 kWh/month home in the Midwest (4.2 sun hours) lands near 9.1 kW. Dollar bills convert at $0.17/kWh, the current national residential average. Price ranges come from live medians across our actual kit collections — residential starter kits run $1,800–$25,400 (median ≈ $6,150), off-grid cabin kits $3,650–$32,600 (median ≈ $11,760), and hybrid battery-backup kits typically $6,100–$48,400 (median ≈ $25,200). Quotes confirm exact component pricing, freight, and any current promos.
Solar kit FAQ
What size solar kit do I need?
Divide your monthly kWh usage by roughly 100–135 (depending on your region's sun hours) to get a starting system size in kW. A typical US home using 900 kWh/month needs an 7–10 kW kit. The finder above does this math for you.
What's the difference between grid-tie, hybrid, and off-grid solar kits?
Grid-tie kits connect to your utility and offset your bill at the lowest cost per watt. Hybrid kits add batteries so you keep power during outages and use solar at night. Off-grid kits size the array and battery bank to run a property with no utility connection at all — they cost more per watt because storage and autonomy are built in.
How much does a complete solar kit cost?
In our current catalog, residential starter kits run about $1,800–$25,400 with a median near $6,150 before installation. Adding battery storage typically lands in the $6,100–$48,400 range (median ≈ $25,200), and off-grid cabin kits run $3,650–$32,600 (median ≈ $11,760). RV and mobile setups are far cheaper — $300–$2,050 for typical portable power station configurations.
Do solar kits include everything I need to install?
Complete kits bundle panels, inverter(s), racking, and cabling; hybrid and off-grid kits add batteries and charge control. Permits, structural engineering letters, and utility interconnection paperwork are usually handled separately — our quotes flag what's required in your jurisdiction.
Can I install a solar kit myself?
Many customers self-install ground-mount and off-grid kits where local code allows. Grid-tie systems generally require a licensed electrician for the final interconnection and permit sign-off. DIY saves 20–40% versus turnkey installer pricing.
Should I buy a solar kit with a battery now or add one later?
If outages or time-of-use rates matter to you, buy hybrid now — retrofitting storage later means swapping to a hybrid inverter or adding an AC-coupled battery, which costs more. If budget rules, a battery-ready hybrid inverter on a grid-tie kit keeps the upgrade path open.