13.2 kw DIY broke ground

[koppted]

If you don't mind me asking what brand LB Conduit is that in your first post and what size?

 

[Maitake]

I see daylight under the closest form, sloppy concrete bleed expected.
My foundation is pier & grade beam, so dirt erodes and lets in water and rodents.
Is that dirt actually compacted per proper engineering of earth?

Yes they are not ready for pouring.
I will fill the gaps or stop trying to level the forms.
#35k excavator compacted the fill with the bucket. As good as its going to get.
TLAR engineering here mostly.

 

[Maitake]

If you don't mind me asking what brand LB Conduit is that in your first post and what size?

Home depot I think. It's aluminum and called a "service entry".
1.5". I used reducing bushings to get the 1" rigid out of the other end.

 

[SolarHead]

Can you take a digging bar or flat shovel and trench out the forms? I wouldn't bother digging out the middle. I would just dig a 2" wide little trench with a tool just enough to level the form boxes on one end. If not digging out the middle, it would result in less concrete poured or mass, but not by much. If you want to do more digging, dig out the middle too if you want to keep the volume/mass of concrete. I think you'd be happier with level forms so you can screed the tops with a board across the tops of the forms. I fear that unlevel forms is going to probably just cause more heartburn in the future, maybe multiple times.

 

[Maitake]

Can you take a digging bar or flat shovel and trench out the forms? I wouldn't bother digging out the middle. I would just dig a 2" wide little trench with a tool just enough to level the form boxes on one end. If not digging out the middle, it would result in less concrete poured or mass, but not by much. If you want to do more digging, dig out the middle too if you want to keep the volume/mass of concrete. I think you'd be happier with level forms so you can screed the tops with a board across the tops of the forms. I fear that unlevel forms is going to probably just cause more heartburn in the future, maybe multiple times.

Yes I probably will take another crack at leveling, was a bit tired when I knocked off last night.
Forms are oversized already from spec by about 30% so some reduction is not a problem at all. Don't want to go too thin though.
Ground is incredibly hard. Will break out the pick axe.

 

[SolarHead]

Yes I probably will take another crack at leveling, was a bit tired when I knocked off last night.

Put them dogs on it! They'll knock it out in no time. Just pay em with bacon. Be careful though. They might unionize on ya.

 

[Maitake]

Forms are leveled.
Post pads are all the same height.
First post plumbed,
Although I have to move the braces so the ready mix truck has best access.

 

[BigGun]

When ever I set post --- I always hang my post where the concrete goes underneath the bottom of the post-- Over time if you don't do this ,they'll sink right through the concrete -- Since you're using steel post, you can also run a rod through the base of your post

 

[Maitake]

When ever I set post --- I always hang my post where the concrete goes underneath the bottom of the post-- Over time if you don't do this ,they'll sink right through the concrete -- Since you're using steel post, you can also run a rod through the base of your post

Design has 2 #4 rebar through the post base. ?

 

[BigGun]

 

[Maitake]

Braiding up the pulling head.

 

[Maitake]

Wire rack

 

[Maitake]

Started pulling by hand, got about 150' and had to come up with something with more pull.
Added ladder and a pulley, and had to pull with the Kubota. Was pulling pretty hard at the end, really glad the pulling head held together.
400' pull is end to end in the conduit. I'd like to pull another 25' to complete the run inside the house to the inverters, but not sure how.

8x#10awg plus #8awg gnd

 

[SolarHead]

Forgive me if you've already stated, I remember seeing your batteries, but what inverter(s) are you planning to install and use?

 

[Maitake]

Forgive me if you've already stated, I remember seeing your batteries, but what inverter(s) are you planning to install and use?

3x sunny boy 3.8kw
2 x sunny island 6kw

 

[Bluedog225]

that line needs to be covered with a tarp. Even with the wire mesh. Glad it worked out.

 

[Maitake]

that line needs to be covered with a tarp. Even with the wire mesh. Glad it worked out.

Didn't think of the Line snapping.

 

[Maitake]

Harbor freight caster with the tire removed made a suitable pulley. Gotta get creative sometimes.
Wire pull is complete!

 

[Maitake]

concrete complete!

 

[SolarHead]

Did your concrete come with the "2 Part Concrete Guarantee" ? Mine did.

(Its guaranteed to get hard, and crack)