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“You won’t believe what you will find for pennies on the dollar.”
Photo Credit: Reddit
After buying 100 used solar panels on Facebook Marketplace, one DIY builder struggled to find affordable mounting equipment, threatening to make the project far more expensive than they’d hoped.
The buyer sought advice from Reddit’s r/SolarDIY community, writing that they had purchased each 325-watt panel for $25 apiece.
The original poster added that the 8-year-old panels were still delivering 285 watts, before adding, “How the hell can I build a lot of affordable ground mount racking?”
The buyer essentially paid $2,500 for 28,500 watts of capacity, or about 8.8 cents per watt, significantly below the $3.36/watt national average, per EnergySage, making the Facebook Marketplace find a steal.
Commenters hopped into the thread to share advice on saving money on mounting these heavily discounted panels. One of the top comments recommended, “Find a fence supplier and buy light-duty pipe plus connectors. The panels were so cheap, don’t be afraid to drill holes in the frames or use self-tapping screws if that’s the easiest way.”
The same user added, “You could [also] lay out cinder blocks on the ground and place the panels on top. Tie them to the blocks with galvanized wire. You’ll get some galvanic corrosion eventually but again, how long do you want them to last?”
Another suggested, “Find a few local steel scrap yards and scope them out over the course of a week or two. You won’t believe what you will find for pennies on the dollar.”
A third commenter wrote, “I’m in the same boat as you. [But] I said screw it, and just built my own racking,” before sharing a blog post outlining their mounting project.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
Residential solar can lower electricity bills, and $0-upfront solar leases may save hundreds of dollars per month for some households. For readers weighing a professionally installed option against a DIY purchase like this one, EasyHome offers a free explorer tool to estimate possible savings and find vetted local installers.
And for households exploring what comes after the panels and mounts, EasyHome also offers battery-storage options. Pairing solar with suitable battery storage can help households manage electricity costs and provide backup power during outages, additional functions to consider when planning how a solar installation will serve a home.
As this thread showed, cheap panels are only part of a DIY solar budget.
• One DIYer used scrap wood and carabiners to mount solar panels on a fence.
• Another DIYer built a $317 solar cart, then sought cheaper materials without sacrificing strength.
• Panels worked well against a shop wall, prompting a DIYer to reconsider roof mounting.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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