About Us
Family run, founded 2019.
Built by solar nerds, for solar nerds.
Off Grid Solar Store is a curated shop for the gear we actually use, test, and trust. If it is on this site, I've bought it and used it.
15+ years in solar ⁃ Founded in 2019 ⁃ Shipping from Michigan.
What we stock, and why
OGS is built around three things our customers actually do: build their own batteries, take on real DIY solar projects, and convert vehicles to electric. Every product on the site is one we either use ourselves, recommend on the channel, or have vetted with the same standard we would apply to our own workshop.
DIY Battery Building
Cells, BMS units, busbars, balancers, and the small parts that make a pack actually work. The stuff that is hard to source one piece at a time.
DIY Solar Projects
Panels, charge controllers, inverters, and balance of system gear matched to real off grid builds, not utility scale specs you cannot use.
EV Conversions
Components, modules, and tooling for swapping internal combustion for electric. A growing category and one of our favorites.
Watch us build it on YouTube
SolarJoeJoe is where we document every project, teardown, install, and lesson learned. If you want to see a product in action before you buy, the channel is the proof.
Meet Joe
Hi, I am Joe O'Connor. I have spent 15+ years in solar as an engineer, consultant, and full time tinkerer. I wrote Off Grid Solar, a pocket guide for anyone building their own photovoltaic system, which made it to #1 solar book on Amazon and is now in its second edition with a Spanish translation. Before OGS I was helping people design systems through OCON Energy Consulting. The store grew out of a simple problem: my readers and viewers kept asking where to buy the parts I recommended, and the answer was almost never one good place.
So we built one.
OGS is a family run business based in Southeast Michigan. We ship from here, we answer emails from here, and we test gear in our backyard before it hits the catalog.
Why we believe in solar
Today solar energy is the least expensive source of energy thanks to technological improvements by our fellow mankind. Energy independence is not a hobby anymore. It is a hedge against rising costs, fragile grids, and a centralized model that does not serve everyone equally. Every battery we help someone build and every panel we help someone install is one more household that owns its own power. That is the work, and it is not slowing down.
"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. I wish I had more years left!" — Thomas Edison, 1931
The book that started all of this
If you are new to off grid solar, the fastest way to get oriented is the book. Off Grid Solar is a quick reference handbook covering photovoltaics with both lead acid and lithium ion batteries, written for beginners who want to actually build something rather than just read about it. You can find it at offgridsolarbook.com.
Get in touch
Questions about a product, a build, or whether something will work for your specific setup? Email joe@ogsolarstore.com. We read every message.