DIY solar consulting
Guidance on off-grid and grid-tie systems, with a free calculator.
Solar calculator
Free
Enter your ZIP code and your electric use. It sizes the panels, batteries, inverter and generator with real sun data for your address, and gives a ballpark equipment price from OMO Solar's current kits.
- No sign-up
- Off-grid, backup or grid-tied
- Email the result to yourself
Detailed plan
$100 back to you when you buy through OMO
Patrick checks the sizing himself and picks the equipment, usually within 2 business days. You get a plain-English report you can hand to your electrician.
- The exact kit to order, and a shopping list for the rest
- Install order, wire and fuse sizes
- Michigan winter planning: snow, short days, generator hours
- One update included
How the detailed plan works.
- 1
Try the calculator
Your ZIP code and electric use size the system with sun data for your address.
- 2
Start the plan, $100
Your answers carry over. Add your appliances, where the panels go, and photos of your bills.
- 3
Patrick reviews it
He checks the sizing and picks the equipment from OMO Solar, usually within 2 business days.
- 4
You get your plan
The kit to order, the shopping list, the install order and the wire and fuse sizes.
- 5
Get the $100 back
Order through OMO from your plan, with PJM Designs as the referral, and the fee comes back to your card.
Advice from someone who runs one.
Guidance on off-grid and grid-tie solar. We run a system for our own business, so the advice comes from operating one rather than from a brochure.
We'll help you size it, choose components, and decide whether it's worth doing at all. When you're ready to buy, we recommend equipment from our partner OMO Solar, who pay us a referral fee when you buy through us.
PJM Designs gives equipment recommendations only. We don't install systems, provide stamped or engineered drawings, handle permits or inspections, or take part in any part of the installation.
Serving Greenville, Sheridan, Carson City, St. Johns, Palo, Ithaca, Fulton, Hubbardston and the rest of mid-Michigan.
What people ask about DIY solar consulting.
What do I get for the detailed plan?
A report written for DIY homeowners: the exact solar kit to order from OMO Solar, a shopping list for the parts kits leave out, the install order, wire, fuse and breaker sizes for your electrician, generator hours and fuel, and what to expect in a Michigan winter. One update is included.
Do you install solar systems?
No. PJM Designs gives recommendations only. We don't install, provide stamped drawings, or handle permits; you or your electrician do the install.
How long does it take?
Allow up to 2 business days after you send your details. Business hours are Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday 9 am to 2 pm.
Do I have to buy from OMO Solar?
No. The plan lists the equipment and why it was picked, so you can buy it anywhere. Ordering through the plan's links lets OMO know Patrick referred you.
Can you help with off-grid, backup and grid-tied systems?
Yes, all three, including Consumers Energy, DTE and co-op interconnection basics for grid-tied systems.
Is the calculator really free?
Yes. The free calculator gives you a quick estimate with no account. You only pay if you want Patrick's detailed plan.
Can I stay on the grid without selling power back?
Yes. A zero-export setup keeps you connected to the grid, but the inverter never sends power back, so there is no net-billing contract. The plan sizes the system for what your house uses and lists the parts that setup needs.
Related services.
Talk to the person who does the work.
Patrick McCarty, owner and developer. Veteran-owned, in Sheridan since 2006. Consultations are free.
Email Patrick directly, and you'll both have a written record of what was asked and agreed. Based in Sheridan, Michigan, working with businesses, townships and nonprofits across mid-Michigan.