Recent content by John Simson

OK, cool! And if I get caught, I'll store it 'till I get permits! Lord, nobody gets permits for anything around here. I have a neighbor who holds a grudge, so I got a permit for my roofing work. My neighbor got a permit for a deck. $250K later she kinda regrets it! When I moved here, I...

I have the same question, but for a bigger system! I just bought ten 240 watt, 60 cell 10 year old panels for $380. They each test right on spec. First a pre-question! I've been getting the idea that solar panels degrade over time, like even just 5 years. These panels seem to defy that...

Excellent and thanks for your quick advice. These panels are sort of starter panels, enough to get my feet wet. My wife likes the idea of starting at a low price and moving up as my competence increases. With all that I am doing, I know that I won't have a grid tie system in place for years...

As I have been planning my system I found ten 240 watt panels for $38 each, instead of the new ones for $110. I'll get 'em, but the thought suddenly occurred to me, since I am a newbie, do solar panels need to be rule 24 compliant? I figure the answer is no. Solar panels that have several...

Well now, that's not bad at all. Last summer, or rather, the summer before, I felled a seventy foot tree at my cabin property. It was very close to the power lines. I got the cut right, it just wouldn't fall. So, I pushed it and it fell back toward the power lines. It stopped on the closed...

Yes. The easel is actually mason's scaffolding, if I'm not mistaken. I have two of them, maybe four. With this set up, you would change the angle by a simple adjusting of the lines. Brilliant! Oh, I like this. So, at my cabin, I could take full advantage of the sun, by placing them in just...

Good. It will be thinwall with triangles. And I will consider having each panel supported by it's own, independent structure. Thanks for the help!

That is helpful information. I wouldn't have thought of using EMT underground, for very good reasons it turns out! My system will be seasonal, but still, it'll be in a little weather, though, not much! Portability is important. Oh, and Home Depot doesn't sell IMT anywhere near me. Bah!

Excellent observations and advice. I will brace the EMT as suggested. I didn't even know about IMT. Home Depot lists it, but says it's unavailable. Is it rare or something? Western Tube in Long Beach has it, but I have a feeling they sell only to the trade. I'll ask though.

The first step of my home solar plans is to construct a base for my panels on the side of my garage. I've bought the EMT (electrical metal tubing) and plan to use structural pipe connectors from Maker Pipe to assemble the thing. It'll sit above my garage door on the south side at a 30 degree...

No, I don't need any more, my neighbors be damned! Yes, I replaced my 30 amp cabin's service with the 200 amp one. Had no idea that 30 was probably fine, just wanted something new and I enjoyed the work!

Great! Thanks. But, do you mean that this is a 125 amp service? That's tiny by today's standards. I have a 200 amp service at my little cabin in the woods! I sure don't need any more than 125 amps, but some houses around here (OK, they are at least twice as big as mine and have home theaters...

This is getting fun and I understand a little bit of what you are talking about, mandrews44. So that's pretty good !:) I have an Ultimate Power pure sine wave inverter model 0612 - 600 watt with 1800 watt surge. I will have two or three panels hooked up to this with a controller and two...

Yes. By my calculations (which were quick and need to be verified) I can put panels on my best roof for solar to produce approximately twice of what I presently need. But, this best roof is west facing, luckily very low slope and I'll have to figure in how west facing effects power production...

All right. I'm stoked! But, I've learned a lot. I'll go forward carefully. I already "stopped buying stuff!"!