Professional, legal solar, on your terms
Every watt you install
is a watt saving money.
Labor, overhead, and markup make up most of a professional solar quote, not the equipment. Design your own system, get code compliant calculations, and stay in control of the cost.
No two roofs, loads, or budgets are the same. A plan built for your site is what makes a system last longer than a done-for-you kit.
Build, learn, design in the simulator
See the process: design, permit, build, save
Play the Solar Simulator full screen on itch.io
The course
Start free. Go as far as you want.
The intro covers permitting, operation, and maintenance, no cost. Ready to design your own system? The paid design course adds the math, the design tool, and a community of other builders reviewing real installs.
Explore the courseCalculators
Size it yourself, free, right now
Portable power station, battery bank, or PV array, sized before you spend a dollar. No course required, no paywall.
Open the calculatorsSample systems
See examples: electrical diagrams, bill of materials
Real system designs with the diagrams and parts lists that go with them, so you can see what a finished plan looks like.
Browse sample systemsLive system data
Monitor the off-grid build powering Sunbloc, live
Battery state of charge, solar production, and consumption, streamed from an active system in real time.
View the dashboardMeet the founder
Built by an engineer.
Driven by community.
My name is Matthew Wheeler. I'm a citizen of the Navajo Nation, a solar practitioner with 8 years of industry experience, an alumni of Thayer School of Engineering and the founder of Sunbloc.
Growing up on the Navajo Nation, our home didn't have access to the grid. We relied on a loud noisy generator at night. That experience never left me. After nearly a decade designing solar systems professionally, I built Sunbloc to make engineering-grade solar education accessible to anyone willing to learn, starting with the communities that need it most.
Every calculator, every course module, every live data dashboard is built on my experience in the field. This community is built from an engineer with experience living and building off-grid.
Read our articles/* Weekly livestreams */
Sunbloc livestreams off the grid once a week: ask questions about off-grid living and solar while watching the system's power demand and data live on the website. Every Monday, 7:30–8:30 pm Mountain time.
Ready to design your system?
Choose your path
New to solar? Start free. Ready to design your own system? Add the course and tool. Want a pro to check your work, or just need advice? There's a track for that too.
Solar Course
(Free)
Design App + Course + Community Access
- Solar sizing design app (3 reports included)
- Full off-grid design course
- Private community access
Design App + Course + Community + Design Review
- Solar sizing design app (3 reports included)
- Full off-grid design course
- Private community access
- 1 hour live design review
Sunbloc Design App · 3 report credits $29
Projects, loads, components and designs (sizing, wiring and grounding checks) are free with your Sunbloc account. $29 buys 3 report credits and unlocks printable reports and the weather lookup for good. Credits never expire; buy more any time.
Single Solar Consultation
- Personalized solar system advice
- Expert off-grid insights
- Quick setup guidance
Ready to design
your system?
Beta pricing: $129 locks in lifetime access to all future Sunbloc design tools and educational content.