diy solar

diy solar

ez ground mounting system

partytyme

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Joined
Aug 23, 2021
Messages
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i came up with a cheap way to ground mount my 42 panels this worked for me! i ended up with a 62 degree angle and pre drilled all the poles used 4x4x8 in the front and 4x4x12 in the rear took three days with my wife and one other friend helping , you mount the middle bottom panel first and work both ways only bolting the uni strut on the bottom with 20 inches hanging over the 1 inch pipe using uni strut nuts hollow side toward the pipe until you get the 2nd row mounted then bolt threw the top pipe my panels have mounting holes every 34 inches and you need 31.5 inches from last mount hole to the next panel starting hole used a 3/4"piece to space the panels when we stacked them worked great drilled and bolted the uni strut to the top pipe after the 2nd row was in place allowing me to slide the channels up to keep them level. i leveled the pipes as we set them the 4x4 all in the ground at least 42" just cut off the bottoms to keep it level pre drill the pipe holes with a 1.5" wood bit in a drill press to keep them straight my angles were off but it did not matter the panels cleared by inches anyway . next wiring three strings of 14 = 440vdc should work 210 feet from the house 14 gauge three pairs i hope
parts used

panels to uni strut
1/4 20 fender clips on panel bottom
1/4" fender washers
1/4 20 bolts 1"long Phillips head

uni strut to pipe 2" 5/16 bolts
uni strut track nuts 5/16
i placed 8 steel t post with hose clamps at 55 foot and used a transit to get my strings with kara beaners straight that gave me room for a tractor with a auger to drill the holes and i could pull the strings as needed tank care mike b
 
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Looks Good. I would suggest you CAP the ends of the pipes, otherwise you may likely encounter new residents taking an option on them. Seems like some Hornet's / Wasps up here have developed an affinity to pipes I have kicking around, odd part, I'm in the middle of a forest, why the steel pipe so attractive to them is beyond me. Thank goodness for those Wasp Killer Spray Bombs that shoot 20' !
 
Looks Good. I would suggest you CAP the ends of the pipes, otherwise you may likely encounter new residents taking an option on them. Seems like some Hornet's / Wasps up here have developed an affinity to pipes I have kicking around, odd part, I'm in the middle of a forest, why the steel pipe so attractive to them is beyond me. Thank goodness for those Wasp Killer Spray Bombs that shoot 20' !
will be capping the ends have to cut them off today ,i saved the plastic thread protectors to reuse them they are capped in the last photo but to long still
 
Very nice!! Could you post some pic's from underneath showing the actual connection from the uni strut to the panels?
 
only 240 i got three pallets of new old stock 66 total for less than 30 cents a watt sold 22 off , i have two spares
next wiring three strings of 14 = 440vdc should work 210 feet from the house 14 gauge three pairs i hope

I did some math and it looks like you are going to be running ~ 7A, Have you calculated the voltage drop? (It should not be too bad)



Question: Is there a reason you didn't use treated lumber?
 
At what step did you concrete in the timbers? There is a method where you would support your horz piping, let the timbers dangle in the holes, and pour concrete around them.
 
Keep any eye out where the metal touches that treated lumber. The chemicals tend to enhance the corrosion on some metals.
 
The towers and the wires is that 80 meter beam - phased array? Looks like an inductive pickup for the transmission lines
 
The towers and the wires is that 80 meter beam - phased array? Looks like an inductive pickup for the transmission lines
i have 7 towers up the tallest is 180 foot,most 45 ,look me up on qrz .com n8obu i love my loops on 80 and 160 meters no noises from the solar so far
 
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I did some math and it looks like you are going to be running ~ 7A, Have you calculated the voltage drop? (It should not be too bad)



Question: Is there a reason you didn't use treated lumber?
is treated wood
 

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Looks good and simple, simple is always best!

Our panels are on the car-port roof but I DIY'd the mounting hardware too as the real thing is waaay over-priced here in Thailand (panels are cheap though).

If we were to do the same here the posts would have to be steel, the local fauna makes short work of even treated softwoods and hardwood is $$$.
 
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