Doggydogworld
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2022
- Messages
- 360
Anchored to concrete footings.....
solar pergola on pavement, only weighted down
- Thread starter CableGuy
- Start date
ok, first pass on new "sand" strategy is rotated 90 degrees in the parking lot, so the footprint is not the same but it allows us to park the entire box trailer underneath.
This version has 10 yards of sand in 4 boxes, putting 6,750lbs in each corner for 27,000lbs total ballast. The 16 panel array shown is 11.5x23ft, however I am leaning towards rotating the panels 90 degrees and going with a 3x6=18 panel array instead to get us to 7000 watts.
the 4th image shows how the vertical and diagonal roof supports protrude through the plywood under the sand and are lag bolted to the PT under the plywood so when under tension they cannot pull away.
What's jumping out at you?
This version has 10 yards of sand in 4 boxes, putting 6,750lbs in each corner for 27,000lbs total ballast. The 16 panel array shown is 11.5x23ft, however I am leaning towards rotating the panels 90 degrees and going with a 3x6=18 panel array instead to get us to 7000 watts.
the 4th image shows how the vertical and diagonal roof supports protrude through the plywood under the sand and are lag bolted to the PT under the plywood so when under tension they cannot pull away.
What's jumping out at you?
Dadoftheturkeykids
New Member
What program do you use to design these? Is it for computer?
sketchup, then using a plugin called twilight for the renders.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
I think it looks awesome and you should start building. It looks flat enough that wind shouldn't be to much of an issue.
You would change your ballast a bit, but I bet some veggies would grow really good in your bins if you tweaked your fill on top...
Again, not an engineer.
You would change your ballast a bit, but I bet some veggies would grow really good in your bins if you tweaked your fill on top...
Again, not an engineer.
Thanks. This a march project, so plan is to nail down a design on the sooner side, purchase the panels and PT wood so it can dry out for a few weeks, and build the 4 boxes with verticals attached first.
I was thinking some plants at first too, but that's only if we go with the smaller top with 16 panels.
The boxes will be positioned and tacked together sqaure with some temporary lumber on the ground while we fill the boxes with sand. Then the "deck" gets bolted on, the unistrut on that, and finally the panels.
KITROBASKIN
Solar Enthusiast
Revised cost estimate?
bad news. unfortunately it's going to cost too much, and way too much when I remember to factor in my time.
I think only the 20ft shipping container route is going to make sense. the array will be smaller, but I could at least have the roof array running in 1-2 days. The ability to have it moved on a flatbed without taking anything apart later is pretty significant when you factor the time involved building/dismantling/reassembling the pergola.
With the 10 panel minimum from SS, i might as well get 3 more and create a 2nd array on the side for the PM sun West.
Dadoftheturkeykids
New Member
Lol, that mobile deployment video you found must've got you thinking. I'm enjoying your brainstorming updates
KITROBASKIN
Solar Enthusiast
Thinking we have all benefited from your work here.
Since we have not seen images of the site, it's hard to say if you could get by using gravel ballast ground mount tubs. They do provide angle for winter production.
You spoke of a trailer? Might you consider mounting solar panels on it? Could the panels provide some shade to the trailer? Once again not sure of your situation.
Since we have not seen images of the site, it's hard to say if you could get by using gravel ballast ground mount tubs. They do provide angle for winter production.
You spoke of a trailer? Might you consider mounting solar panels on it? Could the panels provide some shade to the trailer? Once again not sure of your situation.
the trailer is an option, but the roof isn't designed to support weight. roof is 7x14 i might be able to bracket from the edges but a used shipping container is my new path.
Yea, sorry I'm all over the place with the ideas. used shipping container(s) is still primary path. i am getting my inverter/batteries setup this weekend (this project was battery backup solution before solar) and then will pull the trigger on container 1 shortly after. I already sourced a few locally with delivery.
so.... This morning i ran into my friend who has the HVAC account for the industrial complex we are in, consisting of hundreds of industrial units ranging from contractor bays to 20k sqft units. they already have solar on my building and we don't have roof rights anyways, so that explains the pergola.
back to the point, today he casually informed me that there are roughly 50 pallets of new solar panels that were stacked/stored improperly outdoors while awaiting install and have "bad connectors". The installers said they are ruined. I am quite sure these panels have no determined future, and have asked if i can check them out sometime next week.
my first thought is he must be referring to the MC4 connectors being corroded, in which case the panels should be fine if hardwired or refurbed with new connectors. right? somebody tell me i can be excited right now....
wiseacre
Solar Addict
There's a very good chance that the panels are fine and only the MC4 connectors will need to be replaced.
I got a couple of never used, awful looking panels that were 'stored' on the ground for about 6 years.
The MC4s had to be replaced and the panels washed - good as new
fromport
Solar Addict
Just saw this.
Way too expensive, not DIY but I like the concept and I don't think they anchored it down to the ground, they use a ballasted steel foundation.
Will the weight of the inverter/batteries prevent it from flying? They claim it is rated up to 130 mph.
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Way too expensive, not DIY but I like the concept and I don't think they anchored it down to the ground, they use a ballasted steel foundation.
Will the weight of the inverter/batteries prevent it from flying? They claim it is rated up to 130 mph.
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Quite frankly, I wish they had never chosen the MC4- it really isn't a good connector at all...
Most of the install issues I have worked on over the years where they were having issues could be led back to faulty MC4 connections (in fact they outnumbered the failed inverters by a large margin, at least in my experience...)
Panels themselves (excluding physical damage from cyclones etc) well at least with decent tier one manufacturers, tend to be so few failures, that I would struggle to think of any at all in over two decades of installing them- there were some back in the 1990's that had issues with high voltage tracking internally between the cells and the frames, but I haven't seen a case of that in decades...
Any MC4 over half a decade old should be inspected on a regular basis (once a year) for insulation deterioration (specifically the sealing ring inside- they harden from the heat and if exposed to the weather as most are, will fail and allow water inside, oxidising the copper connections and potentially leading to arcing on the contacts inside- which can lead to inverter failure on some models...
wiseacre
Solar Addict
I've found it takes about a year for mismatched MC4s to break down, some may last longer but it's a hit and miss thing with "compatibility".
When it comes to panel to panel things are OK but as soon as I run a string to a charge controller or combiner box I'll replace the MC4s so I have a matched set.
newbostonconst
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2019
- Messages
- 1,005
Where do you live because you are forgetting about snow load requirements. Likely 10-25 pounds per square foot....
20 foot X 18 foot is 360 sqft and at 10 lbs snow load is 3,600#'s
at 25 lbs snow load is 9,000 lbs. I don't think what you got will hold 9,000 lbs but it might hold 3,000...
You will need an engineer (PE) sign off on this.
20 foot X 18 foot is 360 sqft and at 10 lbs snow load is 3,600#'s
at 25 lbs snow load is 9,000 lbs. I don't think what you got will hold 9,000 lbs but it might hold 3,000...
You will need an engineer (PE) sign off on this.
i moved on from the pergola for cost/ labor solving wind load. snow would have been easier to solve but never got there.