LiTime 100Ah 12V LiFePO4 Battery
- 12V
- 100Ah
- LiFePO4
The value benchmark in DIY lithium — a 100Ah LiFePO4 battery with a built-in BMS, deep usable capacity, and thousands of cycles for the price of premium AGM.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →DIY solar & off-grid · August 2026Power your own
Power your own
place.
Rival Energy is the plain-English guide to DIY solar and off-grid power. We test the panels, controllers, inverters, and batteries — then show you how to wire it together safely, without the sales pitch.
- 10components rated
- 9categories
- DIYwired ourselves
Renogy 100W 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel
- 100W
- 12V
- Mono
The default first panel for a reason — a durable, efficient 100W monocrystalline panel that's the building block of countless van and cabin systems.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →
03Top PickRenogy Rover 20A MPPT Charge Controller
- 20A
- MPPT
- 12/24V
A proven, affordable MPPT controller that squeezes more amps out of your panels than a cheap PWM unit — the smart brain for a small-to-mid DIY build.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →Solar PanelsRigid, flexible, and portable panelsCharge ControllersMPPT and PWM solar controllersInvertersPure sine wave and inverter/chargersBatteriesLiFePO4 and deep-cycle storagePower StationsAll-in-one solar generators12V & DC PowerDC-DC chargers, fans, pumps, and gearWiring & ConnectorsCable, MC4, fuses, busbars, breakersMonitors & MetersShunts, battery monitors, and metersSolar KitsStarter bundles and complete systems
Compact Lever Wire Connectors (Low-Voltage)
- 2-pin
- 20-24 AWG
- Solderless
Toolless push connectors for small-gauge DC and lighting runs — a fast, reusable way to tap 12V circuits without stripping and crimping.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →ECO-WORTHY Portable Solar Battery Charger & Maintainer
- Solar
- 12V
- Maintainer
A plug-and-play solar trickle charger that keeps a 12V battery topped up — ideal for cars, boats, RVs, and mowers that sit between uses.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →EcoFlow River 2 Portable Power Station
- 256Wh
- 300W
- LiFePO4
A compact LiFePO4 power station that recharges fast and runs small loads — a no-wiring on-ramp to portable power for camping and backup.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →LiTime 100Ah 12V LiFePO4 Battery
- 12V
- 100Ah
- LiFePO4
The value benchmark in DIY lithium — a 100Ah LiFePO4 battery with a built-in BMS, deep usable capacity, and thousands of cycles for the price of premium AGM.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →10 AWG Solar Extension Cable with MC4 Connectors
- 10 AWG
- MC4
- Pair
Pre-made 10 AWG solar cable with weatherproof MC4 ends — the tidy, correct way to run panels to your controller without crimping your own.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →Renogy 1000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter
- 1000W
- 12V
- Pure sine
Clean AC power for sensitive electronics — a 1000W pure sine inverter that safely runs laptops, tools, and small appliances off a 12V bank.
See pricevia Amazon
Check price →DIY Solar
The complete DIY home solar system guide
A start-to-finish walkthrough of building your own solar system — planning, sizing, choosing components, wiring safely, and expanding it later. Everything in one place.
WiringHow to wire a solar system safely (fuses, gauge, and grounding)
The wiring and safety basics every DIY solar build needs — correct wire gauge, where to put fuses and breakers, busbars, and the mistakes that start fires.
Solar PanelsHow to choose solar panels for a DIY build
Monocrystalline vs polycrystalline, rigid vs flexible, and how to read a panel's specs — plus how to wire panels in series vs parallel for your system.
How we work
We wire the systems we write about.
No sponsored scores, no spec-sheet regurgitation. We recommend components on real output, safety, and value — and we tell you the gotchas the product pages leave out.
Read our disclosure →Sized, not guessed
We show the math — array watts, controller amps, battery Ah — so your parts actually work together.
Safety first
Fusing, wire gauge, and protection are where beginners get hurt. We never skip them.