The utility company doesn’t want you to know how simple this is.

A 200-watt portable solar system costs $300–$600, takes a weekend to assemble, requires no permits, and teaches you every fundamental concept you’ll use if you ever build a full home system.

This is your first step off the monopoly’s meter.

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What You’ll Build

A portable, off-grid 200W solar system with:

• 200W of panel capacity (1–2 panels)
• 20–40Ah of 12V battery storage
• A 30A PWM or MPPT charge controller
• A 300–500W inverter (for AC loads)
• Wiring, fuses, and connectors

What it powers:

• LED lighting (multiple rooms for 6–8 hours)
• Phone/tablet/laptop charging
• Small fans
• 12V appliances
• Radio, small TV
• Emergency power during outages

What it won’t power: Air conditioning, refrigerators, power tools, or anything with a large motor or heating element. Those need the 3.2kW+ systems in Guide 3.

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Parts List

Component	Recommended	Cost Range
Solar panel(s)	1× 200W or 2× 100W mono	$80–$150
Battery	100Ah AGM or LiFePO4	$80–$300
Charge controller	30A MPPT	$40–$80
Inverter	300W pure sine	$40–$100
Panel mounting	Tilt mounts or portable stands	$20–$50
Wire	10 AWG solar wire, various	$20–$40
Fuse/breaker	30A inline fuse + housing	$10–$20
Connectors	MC4 pairs, ring terminals	$10–$20
Total		$300–$760

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Key Components Explained

The Solar Panel

For a 200W system, you have two options:

• 1× 200W panel — Simpler wiring, easier to transport as one unit
• 2× 100W panels — More flexible positioning, wired in parallel for 12V

Monocrystalline panels are more efficient per square foot and more durable. Polycrystalline is cheaper but less efficient. For portable use, mono is worth the premium.

Check the panel’s Voc (open circuit voltage). A typical 12V panel has a Voc around 21–22V. Your charge controller must be rated for this input.

The Battery

Two technologies:

AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat):

• Sealed, maintenance-free, no off-gassing
• Less expensive: ~$80–$120 for 100Ah
• Heavier: ~60 lbs for 100Ah
• Don’t discharge below 50% for longevity

LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate):

• Discharge to 80–100% usable capacity
• Much lighter: ~25 lbs for 100Ah
• Longer lifespan: 2,000–5,000 cycles vs. 300–500 for AGM
• More expensive: $200–$350 for 100Ah

For a starter system, AGM is fine. If you get serious about solar, LiFePO4 is the upgrade path.

The Charge Controller

The charge controller sits between the panels and battery, preventing overcharge and managing charging stages.

PWM (Pulse Width Modulation): Cheaper ($15–$30). Works, but wastes energy when your panel voltage is higher than battery voltage. Fine for a starter system.

MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking): More expensive ($40–$80). Extracts more energy from the panels by optimizing voltage. Pays for itself in production over time.

For a 200W system, a 30A MPPT is the right spec:

• Panel short-circuit current: ~10A for a 200W panel
• 30A provides headroom for future expansion

The Inverter

Converts 12V DC battery power to 120V AC for standard appliances.

Pure sine wave vs. modified sine wave: Get pure sine wave. Modified sine can damage sensitive electronics, won’t work with some motors, and makes fans audible. The cost difference is minimal.

300W is adequate for this system. Don’t oversize the inverter — larger inverters draw more standby power.

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Wiring the System

[Solar Panel] → [Charge Controller] → [Battery]
                                           ↓
                                      [Inverter] → [AC Loads]
                                           ↓
                                      [12V Loads]

Wire sizing:

• Panel to controller: 10 AWG (handles up to ~30A at 12V)
• Controller to battery: 10 AWG
• Battery to inverter: 8 AWG minimum (inverters draw high current)

Fusing rules:

• Fuse each wire run as close to the positive terminal as possible
• Panel to controller: 20A inline fuse
• Battery to inverter: 40A inline fuse or circuit breaker
• Battery to 12V loads: appropriate fuse for the load

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10-Step Build Process

1. Gather all components and tools — multimeter, wire strippers, crimping tool, solar cable, fuses
2. Inspect all components for shipping damage
3. Mount the charge controller where it will be accessible — keep it out of direct sun
4. Connect the battery to the charge controller first — always in this order to initialize the controller
5. Connect the solar panel to the charge controller — with the panel covered or disconnected initially
6. Connect your 12V load outputs from the charge controller’s load terminals
7. Mount the inverter close to the battery; connect with appropriately sized wire and fuse
8. Verify polarity at every connection before exposing panels to sun
9. Uncover the panels and verify the charge controller shows charging current
10. Test all loads under the system

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What’s Next

You’ve taken your first step off the monopoly’s meter.

From here:

• Understand your real electricity cost — Why Rate Calculators Matter →
• Scale up — 3.2kW Permitted Standalone System →
• Go deeper — The Monopoly Problem →

The utility company is still charging your neighbor $150/month. You know how this works now. Keep going.

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DATA SOURCED FROM: National Electrical Code (NEC) — Article 690 (Solar Photovoltaic Systems); NREL — Small system sizing guidance; Manufacturer specifications for listed components.