Excellent... well done, thank you! Some similarities to the DC Solar trailer racks. (See my boat/DC Solar rack trailer.)
Post your Ground Mount Setup
- Thread starter drps10
- Start date
Balrog006
Solar Enthusiast
If those held a double row of bigger panels I’d bite, but they have a small max size and are only a single row. I want a couple small(4-6) double row mounts for SE and SW angles arrays for early AM and later PM boost. I have about 7kw net to fill the DC max on my 15K
Nobodybusiness
Collecting the leftovers of the Great Sky Reactor.
Around here more often than you would think.
I built my deck out of pressure treated wood in 1996.
When I sold the house in 2004 it was still good.
I drove buy the place a few years ago and saw a new deck.
Stopped buy and asked and they said 2x12s we used for joist had started rotting.
So lasted about 15 years.
Maybe it’s the wood or the weather but decks don’t last to long around here.
The dock we made out of Trex and it’s still there.
Only reason we didn’t use Trex for the deck was cost but if you plan to stay anywhere for a while that cost might be worth it.
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shadowmaker
Solar Addict
Only half year experience so far, so long way to go for final verdict. Mid-summer (25C) max yield for ~11kWp string is usually 8,5-9kW (without any cloud lensing effect) and 70kWh daily. Spring sun with snow on the ground got my Deyes to clip (12kW limit then, now with software upgrade should hopefully be 13,6kW) for 2-2,5 hours with 95kWh daily yield.
There was a two day snowstorm when my whole setup (44,1kWp) yielded 190kWh while my friend's 100kWp roof mounted got only 4kWh.
According to PVWatts I might be loosing 3-4MWh (~10%) annually because of my nearly vertical tilt (~80 degree). But for winter my array is close to ideal.
solarHandyman
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2020
- Messages
- 55
That's amazing!!!
Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
Old school off gridder here. 20+ years off grid and I started with a mix matched system of panels on my porch roof but after having to skinny out my window to brush the snow off (we get heavy snow) I moved to a ground mount system.
For 10 years I only had a 400 watt ground mount system and it is situated about 30 feet in front of my cabin and pointed true south with angle and tilt for best winter sun in my area. This is a fixed mount system so I don't change it for seasons.
That was connected to three 125Ah Vmax tank AGMs stored in the cabin, a Blue Sky 12 volt MPPT controller and an Energizer 500 watt mod sine inverter. That ran my laptop, 12 volt fridge, led lights, water pump and recharged gadgets and tools. I used the genny for running big tools and my microwave and washer.
Last year I added an ebike, bigger computer, more cooking appliances and I wanted to stop using the gas genny so I expanded my system to a second 400 watt system and I replaced my old AGMs with a 400Ah Enjoybot LFP, Renogy 40 amp MMPT controller, Weize 1200 watt pure sine inverter.
I also set up a 200 watt recharging station on a trailer so I can move that to get the best sun any time of year and I added some portable panels and power stations for camping or low sun days when I may need a backup instead of running the genny.
All together I have 1.4Kw of solar, 800Ah of LFP, several power stations and portable panels and now I can keep everything running and charge my ebike, run a second fridge, electric lawn mower, electric snowblower and I haven't needed the genny at all through last winter.
My mounts are just my old horse hitching posts with cinder blocks and panels are attached using high tensile electric fence wire and they have never moved an inch in very high winds. I have done zero maintenance in 10 years on the old system other than keeping the snow off and washing them off occasionally.
I just designed an adjustable pole mount system I want to try with some bifacial panels next year and that is the diagrams if someone wants to build one.
I am 60 now and not safe to get on a roof so ground mount is absolutely the best choice for me and with the correct angle and tilt you get more output from a smaller system than a poorly situated roof mount!
For 10 years I only had a 400 watt ground mount system and it is situated about 30 feet in front of my cabin and pointed true south with angle and tilt for best winter sun in my area. This is a fixed mount system so I don't change it for seasons.
That was connected to three 125Ah Vmax tank AGMs stored in the cabin, a Blue Sky 12 volt MPPT controller and an Energizer 500 watt mod sine inverter. That ran my laptop, 12 volt fridge, led lights, water pump and recharged gadgets and tools. I used the genny for running big tools and my microwave and washer.
Last year I added an ebike, bigger computer, more cooking appliances and I wanted to stop using the gas genny so I expanded my system to a second 400 watt system and I replaced my old AGMs with a 400Ah Enjoybot LFP, Renogy 40 amp MMPT controller, Weize 1200 watt pure sine inverter.
I also set up a 200 watt recharging station on a trailer so I can move that to get the best sun any time of year and I added some portable panels and power stations for camping or low sun days when I may need a backup instead of running the genny.
All together I have 1.4Kw of solar, 800Ah of LFP, several power stations and portable panels and now I can keep everything running and charge my ebike, run a second fridge, electric lawn mower, electric snowblower and I haven't needed the genny at all through last winter.
My mounts are just my old horse hitching posts with cinder blocks and panels are attached using high tensile electric fence wire and they have never moved an inch in very high winds. I have done zero maintenance in 10 years on the old system other than keeping the snow off and washing them off occasionally.
I just designed an adjustable pole mount system I want to try with some bifacial panels next year and that is the diagrams if someone wants to build one.
I am 60 now and not safe to get on a roof so ground mount is absolutely the best choice for me and with the correct angle and tilt you get more output from a smaller system than a poorly situated roof mount!
Haddly Negla
Learning more every day
Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
I bet you get some nice reflected sunshine with that setup!
Not a clear day yet since I put them up. Just powered up this weekend. It's on property we plan to build eventually, and will be looking to do a proper bi-facial array to take advantage of the location.
altenergy20
New Member
I like this.
More info here:
DIY ground mount
Keeping in line with the whole low-cost solar system, building my own braided bus bars, etc. I thought I would see what it takes to build a low-cost ground mount for those 500W 96 cell panels (1310mm x 1956mm). My goals were to make the whole thing simple to build, with minimal tools and simple...diysolarforum.com
Good defense against haill and snow.
I'm thinking of giving up efficiency and do both sides facing east and west.
altenergy20
New Member
I like it. I thought of vertical mount for my project as well.
Link the poles together for added strength.
Link them under the panels and two steel cables higher at the level of the panels.
Bad Randy
New Member
Bad Randy
New Member
Attachments
Solarcabin Channel
Solar Addict
That's what I said when the wealthy people started moving in around us old country folk and then complaining about our homes, solar power, dogs and kids.
It used to be such a nice place to live!
Damn, that looks like an amazing sweet set up! Would love to see it sometime if you'd be open to it- I'm also in Mesa, AZ
Bad Randy
New Member
Rednecktek
Solar Wizard
12x 208w used panels, Growatt 24v 3Kw AIO, 304Ah built battery with heating and active cooling.
Separate array and setup for the 12v bus using 2x 208w panels, 30a SCC, and 4x WallyWorld DC29 110Ah FLA batteries.
