I built a 3kW solar pergola in my garden — six 500W bifacial solar panels providing both useful shade and another 3kW of solar generation.
And yes… it’s DIY. Sort of.
I didn’t build the wooden structure myself. I got a responsible adult to do that bit. But I installed the mounting rails, solar panels, cabling and the rest of the solar setup.
In this video I’ll show you exactly what I’ve built, why I built it and some of the things I’ve already learned from the project.
The pergola uses six 500W bifacial JA Solar panels, giving me 3kW of additional solar capacity. Rather than wiring them as one conventional solar array, I’ve run each panel separately so I can change which equipment they’re connected to.
Right now, two panels feed the Jackery system in my office while four run back towards the garage and my EcoFlow Stream system.
That makes the pergola much more than just another solar array. It’s effectively becoming a flexible outdoor solar test platform for future home battery and plug-in solar systems.
I also look at the cabling, the new tool-free Stäubli MC4-Evo ready connectors I used and why they saved me a considerable amount of time making up all the cables for the installation.
And, because no project survives first contact with the British weather, we need to talk about water.
The first serious rainstorm quickly demonstrated just how much water a 4m × 3m solar roof can collect. I’ve already added guttering and I’m experimenting with drainage clips, seals and ways of dealing with the gaps between the panels.
It’s not completely finished yet, but I’m really pleased with how the solar pergola has turned out.
It gives us shade in the garden, somewhere to sit during hot summer days and another 3kW of solar capacity that I can use for future testing.
And there is already another system coming soon…
If you enjoy real-world solar, home battery, heat pump and renewable energy projects, please consider subscribing.
Thanks for watching!
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Greetings from Scotland! I've been toying with a similar idea Jonathan. I have all my solar panels on a West facing roof because I have no South facing area to put any panels. However, I have a plan to get a carport built on the driveway, outside the garage, which IS South facing and ideal to put 6-8 solar panels on the top. I hope to get this started next Spring, Early Summer 2027. Just have to convince the wife it's viable………………… 😂
New viewer whose just subbed due to the nice content ❤ I was going to do a similar build this year with a pergola and a summerhouse both with solar on top. Unfortunately, life threw 4 curveballs this year, so it has been put back until next year now but it will get done one way or another.
Out of interest, do you have a video on the type of unistrut and fixings used for this solution?
This look great. I would love to something like this and run my shed / hot tub from a few panels. You could also get gazebo siding with push buttons to keep it enclosed during the colder wetter months.
Btw, despite it looking "phallus like" the connector with the pointy bit is the female connector on all MC4 designs.
The reason is it is the actual contact element inside that determines the sex of the connector. Inside the "sticky-outy" plastic bit is the cylindrical sleeve of the female contact element.
such a big girl
I never found out where you got those black conduit fasteners. I love them and would like to use them on my 35mm conduit on my solar pergola. Everything else is just as I want it but the fastening of the conduit is not.
I got 12 panels of 425w each (6 facing east and 6 west-ish) on top of suntuf polycarbonate clear roof so it looks great but the fastenings of the conduit is just not up to snuff.
Very nice. Minimum installment angle for self cleaning is 10 degrees, that said I do get some build up along the bottom edge, so I'll have to try those clips. You can get rubber T shaped seals to fit between the panels.
Since you have a 3d printer. I have a few things you can try. First, I wouldn't cut the uni-strut for one of the drainage solutions. You could 3d print a trough to mount between the panel and add the curve like you did on the panel clips to ensure the water moves into the trough. You probably want to start it shallow in the center and have it get deeper as it moves to the sides of the roof since there will will probably not be any slope in that direction. You can do the same thing for the sloped side but have them uniform depth and maybe have a nesting lip where you can put a bit of silicone so you can print them in 1 ft lengths (or the longest that your 3d printer can print). You can also use silicone on the lip that sits on the panel for extra water sealing and some adhesion. Be sure you use a UV resistant plastic if you mount these troughs between or on top the panels Or paint them on the sun facing side. Also make sure it can handle some higher temps (71 C) as the panel frame do get hot in the summer. You could also do wider shallow troughs on the underside and use the predrilled mounting holes to hang them under the panels. the other option would be to cut a medium sized pvc pip in to thirds along the length to make some wide flat gutters. Paint them black to match the aesthetics.
I made one next to my house 4 panels in a row, I use the same clips.
Bought rubber T like shaped solar car port sealant strips that you can push between 2 panels. The T has like a # shape under its top, where it holds itself inplace between the panels.
It was like only 17eu (on plastnet) for 6meters enough for my 3 gaps between my 4 large panels.
But you also have 2 rows, not sure how well it works on multiple rows.
I also used some sealant (caulk?) to fix small leaks at the solar clamps.
Guess I can't post links, so recomment without a link.
I’ve never previously found a you tuber that consistently follows up with replies. You’re a lovely genuine chap sir !
Garage ghost!
don't u need planning permission for that pergola ? plus I've seen u can't fit them to wooden frames, is that to system eco flow ?
What type of electric cable do you use ?
love this vid as want to build the same sort of thing. was the pergola an off the shelf or did the handy man make it? on a side question. my Dad needs a battery backup to run a fridge freezer and a combi. if he put a plug and socket on the combi what would be the best battery? ecoflow or ? would need to kick in automatically as they get power cuts at night sometimes. thanks in advance for any help.
not sure if I missed it… what size/dimensions is that pergula?
Could you not just link this to your mains circuit board to be able to power or export to the grid? Granted you will need a G99 but wouldn't that be better?
Wife approved👍
Great idea, but if you roof it, is it still a pergola? 😊
I just made a pergola to go over a hot tub. Polycarbonate roof and then panels a couple inches over that. Powers garden lights, charges tool batteries, a projector, and usb charging points via a power station in the woodworking shed that it also powers. No drips. Winter proofs the hot tub area so no rain or snow pooling on us or the lid. made a proper patio underneath with compacted hardcore base then pavers so fully weather proof. We'll lift your idea of water butt to water the flower beds. Did it all myself to save money and fit the area / use well so it took several (multiple) weekends. Saving up for a second larger oomph power station and a couple more panels so it can power the hot tub for a few months of the year at least. Got some good tips from your channel and this video for next steps – thanks
Bad First 3 Days of the Month for You £1.03 Credit
Hurry Up An Get That Pergola on Line……..
Hope U do Better this year than Sept 2025's £5.22 Credit
Sunny down south today plus got 7hrs Plunge Today
and a Happy Hour Tomorrow (Sun)
Can you stick a rain barrel or collector off your down spout that you can then use to run the soaker hose to the flowerbeds or to use for cleaning the panels in the future?
I have solar on roof already, built a pergola and im thinking of putting panels on as a roof, thing is im not 100% sure how to get into the house need to do some research, i beleive plug in is a max of 800w right?
Built mine but with more of a slope towards the sun…… Have a hot tub at one end and building a kitchen/bar at the other end….
I suggested this a few months ago, you said the CEO wouldn't approve! What happened…………………😂
…. thanks for the heads up on those Staubli MC4-Evo 's, looks like much improved design – also ♥ the pergola – it looks rock solid, and likewise would see me out.
Don’t use end caps on the unistrut, they trap dirt and leaves.
Do you get heat from the panels? Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I'd have thought that amount of black panelling would heat up underneath somewhat?
I have built a similar pergola with 10x 450w solar panels. 100% watertight 😉
15:23 The Poltergeist
Great video. Enjoyed watching it
You are inspiring ✨️
Congratulations on 40k
Keep posting 📫
Stay blessed
Stay safe
What was the total cost?
I built a very simular pergola last year in the back garden, has 6 ja solar 460w bi facial panels. On my one there is a Steeper angle and is taller. Guttering is a must and have going into a Water bung, which needs emptied often, Scotland pfft. I was fed up of the water coming through the gaps of the panels and soaking the underneath, so ended up using silcone sealent between them works fine. But if they need to be taken down at any point, it will be a Pita.
I used Stäubli MC4-Evo Ready plugs on my DIY install on my garage roof (12x Aiko Neostar 3P+ 540W).
I did not the like idea of using cheap unknown plugs due to the fire risk of using incompatible brands.
Paying a bit more for that place of mind is money well spent.
No one had them in stock, so I had to order them from City Plumbing.
I am looking to build Pergola / Carport and yours looks very well-built pleases keep us updated with the drip edge things and rainproofing.
What is the timber size and how did you attach the panels to the Unistrut?
Thanks for another excellent video
Personally I would have mounted the lower panels nearer the edge of the pergola and hanging over the draining gulley about half way across, so 3 inches for a 6 inch gutter, that works well for me and doesn't seem to collect too much detritus, grits etc on the edges.
I have a 3 by 2 panel sort of pergola for parking the bikes. Panels bolted from the underside of the panel frame to wooden structure.
During the install I put a nice thick line of acid-free silicone against one panel and pushed the next panel against that before bolting down in place. Left two small leaks which I solved afterwards. Nothing visible from the underside, and the 2-3 mm gap is sufficient for any expansion in hot weather.
Congrats on getting to 40k, Jonathan. The way YT works, the bigger your channel, the higher the number of impressions per videa, so I think 50k by Christmas is an easy ask. If I was a gambling lass, I would wager a fiver on you getting between 55 and 60 by the New Year. Loved the pergola but I was wondering if you had got an estimate to make the pergola waterproof before adding the panels please? I want to do exactly this but I definitely need a waterproof pergola to start with and at present I just have some posts in place at Nosh Manor. I would them put a plug-in-solar installation on the roof. I am 72 so I wouldn't gamble the above mentioned £5 wager on my being around to see my full ROI sadly, so a full solar system is out of the question.
This is great. I have a flat roof system and so will be watching closely. I'm also planning to do something similar with an awning I've built in my garden. For the water leaks, could you put a roofing membrane under the panels? Or put a silicone strip along the gap?
Great project! Why dont you use the rainwater to flush a downstairs loo? Its what i do, via gravity but also a submersible pump to replenish from another larger butt.
Are you powering your whole neighbourhood ? 😂😂
So do Stäubli MC4-Evo connectors fit into the normal MC4 Connectors.
I think you should try and get an old battery from a scrap Leaf for example and be off grid. LOL. I've learnt that Kia ev5 onward are getting a v to g upgrade, shame as I have an ev3. Yes a good idea for shelter if the Summers are going to be regularly hot.