20 ft Shipping Container Solar Array Mount

[SunDave]

Hi Midwest best. This is how I mounted mine. Crude drawing, but you can get the idea. The item mounted to the container does not contain the panels or rails in this picture. Just the mount that the Iron ridge rails attached to horizontally.

The thinner plates mounted to the container are 1/4 to 3/8 aluminum, and the rest is all aluminum square tube with the nice plastic insert ends to cap them off. We made the mounting plates wide enough to catch two ribs since the ribs on the roof and sides don't line up. I mounted 3 of these, about 7ft apart each, then the iron ridge rails, then the panels.

 

[OffGridForGood]

The roof of a seacan is flimsy low profile stuff.
The roof transitions to a heavier plate near each end that is better stiffness, but really only the ends/corners of the seacan is rigid.
Standing on the centre of the roof you will feel it sag under your weight.
I have a lot of experience with shipping containers - in Arctic Mine sites these are basically abuntant portable boxes and they often have hundreds or even thousands of them.
We built everything from electrical rooms, corridors offices portable washrooms out of them.
Stacking a couple 40' or 53' far enough apart for some trusses to span and you have a decent garage in short order.

 

[SunDave]

I took some pictures for those interested in a small array on a container. This is 2kW. Outputting 1930 watts right now.

 

[seneysolar]

I took some pictures for those interested in a small array on a container. This is 2kW. Outputting 1930 watts right now.

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That looks very nice!

Seems like the Brightmount could be done the same way for those without fabrication skils.

 

[MidwestBest]

even a couple duck-bill anchors at each corner to hold the container down if required.
Any time I have a container, it seems to quickly fill itself with "stuff" to the point it is never moving...maybe that is just me.

i have the same problem but also considered filling the floor in with concrete.. then it really wont ever move

 

[MidwestBest]

I use Seacan's for various things at various sites and so have experience with them and have shed my fair share of "Blood" sweat & tears.
YET not ONE SINGLE MENTION - These are made from CORTEN STEEL and they are a royal PITA to weld onto... Sorry that little MIG or OXY kit won't do it ! Welding CORTEN Steel info

My Main array is off the side of a seacan. The Rack is built with 2x6 Pressure Treated wood and is attached to the container with Heavy Galvanized Hinges (Actually Marine Dock Hinges) as I planned to make them adjustable (the weight is more than I planned on). Redoing it in Spring 2024 as a roof & more will be added to that SeaCan along with a 2nd array.

have you tried preheating it before mig welding? i have a miller 250x and if that wont work ill break out the old arc welder and i can weld anything with it if it comes to that. the mig is just easier and faster.

 

[MidwestBest]

I took some pictures for those interested in a small array on a container. This is 2kW. Outputting 1930 watts right now.

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is this just using its own weight to hang on the edge of the corner?? or is it also anchored down. i kinda like those brackets. did you make those or buy them?

 

[CableGuy]

Can we talk prices of used 20ft containers? I'm having trouble finding them less than $3000 used for WWT. I was really hoping to get one under or near 2k.

I am playing with some 20ft container ideas after walking away from a ballasted pergola path on another thread.

I know output would increase by angling like the examples above, but I am thinking cheap panels can makeup for the loss by just overhanging a little and increasing the area of the panels, plus the flat install seems much easier. dare i say quantity > optimum angle?

I was considering a non-overhang 3200w array on top, and adding twin 2000w arrays to the sides to catch east/west but the net output is only 400w more than the Talesun option on the left.

 

[OffGridForGood]

i have the same problem but also considered filling the floor in with concrete.. then it really wont ever move

But it will take up space in the can, and will not be (easily) removable.
I would suggest pouring a slab on grade, then attach the seacan to the slab at the corner blocks. Easily unbolted one day.
Just a suggestion.

 

[MidwestBest]

Can we talk prices of used 20ft containers? I'm having trouble finding them less than $3000 used for WWT. I was really hoping to get one under or near 2k.

I am playing with some 20ft container ideas after walking away from a ballasted pergola path on another thread.

I know output would increase by angling like the examples above, but I am thinking cheap panels can makeup for the loss by just overhanging a little and increasing the area of the panels, plus the flat install seems much easier. dare i say quantity > optimum angle?

I was considering a non-overhang 3200w array on top, and adding twin 2000w arrays to the sides to catch east/west but the net output is only 400w more than the Talesun option on the left.
View attachment 196407

located in missouri and my 20ft was 3200 delivered and that only cause i know the guy well. 3k seems pretty normal for where im at and 4k for a 40f wishing i had a 40ft container now but that extra 1k wasnt in my budget at the time. might be trading my spray foamed 20ft for a 52ft non insulated container though. idk we will see if they go for it. wish me luck. then id have plenty of room for all my panels.

 

[Hedges]

I know output would increase by angling like the examples above, but I am thinking cheap panels can makeup for the loss by just overhanging a little and increasing the area of the panels, plus the flat install seems much easier. dare i say quantity > optimum angle?

Only in summer.

You can tilt each panel and have space between them to avoid shadows. More power per panel in the winter. Wasted area in the summer. Given the price of containers, fully populating roof with flat would be better. For ground mount, multiple mounts spread apart.

How about one or more containers with long side facing south, panels tilted out on the side and tilted up on the top? Half for winter, half for summer.

Two containers, one SE orientation, one SW.

I was considering a non-overhang 3200w array on top, and adding twin 2000w arrays to the sides to catch east/west but the net output is only 400w more than the Talesun option on the left.

The sides due East and due West? Increases mornings and evenings a bit in the summer. Only good if you need A/C all day.
Probably you want winter production. 3 containers for SE, S, SW or SSE, S, SSW?

 

[CableGuy]

the paveed area facing south is roughly 37ft wide and 28ft deep. I am giving up a parking spot for the container, yes with the sides facing east/west. if we could obtain 2x 20ft containers at a good price I would be tempted to connect them with a 10ft span and triple the array, and park a car in between them under the span. given the price of the containers, not likely to happen (at least in phase 1)

I considered rotating it 90 like you said facing south, but it's a waste of parking.

the shop is concrete with 3 exterior walls 24ft tall, the largest facing almost due south. indoor temps tops 90F with significant humidity and rarely fall below 80F for 3-4 months in summer. the concrete seems to absorb solar heat and doesn't cool off much at night, so yes any excess power will be fed to AC or heat pumps.

I played with the PV watts calculator, the angle seemed to help about 18% at most depending on season. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but that's why I was thinking just go flat and get the array at least 20% bigger than possible with angle mounting options.

 

[CableGuy]

located in missouri and my 20ft was 3200 delivered and that only cause i know the guy well. 3k seems pretty normal for where im at and 4k for a 40f wishing i had a 40ft container now but that extra 1k wasnt in my budget at the time. might be trading my spray foamed 20ft for a 52ft non insulated container though. idk we will see if they go for it. wish me luck. then id have plenty of room for all my panels.

I am also seeing $3200 delivered in NH/MA/RI myself. I wish I could fit a 40ft, the extra $1000 for the 40 would pay for itself.

I am looking at $1/watt for the panels and the 20ft container, so it pains me to think I could do 60cents/watt for the 40ft.

 

[SunDave]

is this just using its own weight to hang on the edge of the corner?? or is it also anchored down. i kinda like those brackets. did you make those or buy them?

Hi Midwest,
We made the brackets out of aluminum. They are anchored down with through bolts. On the plate stock that you can see that goes around the corner, some is on top, and some on the side. Wide enough to catch ribs on the top and side since the ribs on the container don't line up around the corner. Each part has 2-3 through bolts with washers.

 

[CableGuy]

I took some pictures for those interested in a small array on a container. This is 2kW. Outputting 1930 watts right now.

View attachment 196201

for a second my math was terrible and I thought they were 500 watt panels. what panels are those? are they bifacial talesuns? your container is white, so i am wondering if there is a bifacial play possible,

 

[SunDave]

for a second my math was terrible and I thought they were 500 watt panels. what panels are those? are they bifacial talesuns? your container is white, so i am wondering if there is a bifacial play possible,

I probably should have went bi-facial, but I did not. Those are REC pure 400aa panels. 400 watts even. They have been awesome. Yesterday when it was around 15F here, I got near or over the 2000 watt rating for 2 hours straight. High of about 2150. No complaints.

They are off the container a ways, and there is not much blocking the back. It would likely be a decent gain. Especially with some spacing.

 

[Checkthisout]

I use Seacan's for various things at various sites and so have experience with them and have shed my fair share of "Blood" sweat & tears.
YET not ONE SINGLE MENTION - These are made from CORTEN STEEL and they are a royal PITA to weld onto... Sorry that little MIG or OXY kit won't do it ! Welding CORTEN Steel info

My Main array is off the side of a seacan. The Rack is built with 2x6 Pressure Treated wood and is attached to the container with Heavy Galvanized Hinges (Actually Marine Dock Hinges) as I planned to make them adjustable (the weight is more than I planned on). Redoing it in Spring 2024 as a roof & more will be added to that SeaCan along with a 2nd array.

Welds the same as all other steel and welds to regular steel just fine.

Probably 300 feet of weld bead on this.

The bad part is the epoxy paint. Use flux core so you don't have to clean much.

Penetrations are fine. Just use auto body seam sealer on both sides.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Low alloy - and protect the work with paint. it will be fine sitting in your yard.

 

[Branch Ranch]

I took some pictures for those interested in a small array on a container. This is 2kW. Outputting 1930 watts right now.

View attachment 196200View attachment 196201

I love this idea! I have been kicking around ideas of ground mounting about 10-12 panels for my cabin. I have a sunny spot for a 20' container, just need to figure out the brackets similar to what you have here. Thanks!

 

[SunDave]

I love this idea! I have been kicking around ideas of ground mounting about 10-12 panels for my cabin. I have a sunny spot for a 20' container, just need to figure out the brackets similar to what you have here. Thanks!

Hi Branch Ranch. The part you can't see on the picture is the top. It is similar to the side. We just made it wide enough to catch 2 ribs on top, and one on the side. If you made it a bit wider, two on the side, and one top might be better for rain. Then just some good sealant on the bolts with wide washers.

If you are not into welding, you could find a small welding outfit near you. We also put a small bend into the bottom of the plate that goes along the side. Just to make sure it stayed straight with the container since the corner was a bit proud. Not sure if you know what I mean, but you may be able to see it on the picture.

Good luck with your project!