11500 watts of Solar Panels; 2x Powmr 60amp, 1x Growatt 12kva; parallel charging SLA off grid battery array. - Updated

[allendurie]

Next step adding additional Powmr 60a and 6x 410w panels.

 

[kundip]

Really nice work.
Looks like the panels are on an old tennis court.

 

[allendurie]

Really nice work.
Looks like the panels are on an old tennis court.

Thank you. Yes the tennis court fell into disrepair. Was cheaper to install off grid solar than repair the court. Here’s more pics. Might have to file a plan with the permit department now because of its size.

 

[allendurie]

Final touches happening this weekend. 17 racks and 34 solar panels for a total of 11500 watts.

 

[allendurie]

view of 2 charge controllers plus 12kw inverter

 

[allendurie]

Anyone have a better suggestion for this. I worry about leaving the wires exposed to the sun.

 

[allendurie]

I didn’t know this was going to be such a lot of work. I don’t regret doing this but I see why people charge a$$ loads to install. It’s been 1 year no plan. Changing designs. I learned a lot but still feel like I don’t know anything. Blerg. Hear some pics over the last year. Started as a stand by window AC power. Now I’m basically trying to max my 12kw inverter to run half the house.

 

[allendurie]

Just a peak of the additional work done to the house. Transfer switch. 220v ditch. Shed fan. I’m afraid to total it up. Probably 15$k so far.

 

[Hedges]

Anyone have a better suggestion for this. I worry about leaving the wires exposed to the sun.

Conduit all the way would be proper.
Convolex tubing (wire loom) could be slipped over without disconnecting anything.

Do you get wind? The panel mounts appear bolted to the pavement - is there concrete underneath, or is court surface only a soft material?

Do you have ground wire from PV frames back to inverter? If not add that.

GFIC on AC? I see a child with hair dryer. Use GFIC everywhere wet.

 

[allendurie]

Conduit all the way would be proper.
Convolex tubing (wire loom) could be slipped over without disconnecting anything.

Do you get wind? The panel mounts appear bolted to the pavement - is there concrete underneath, or is court surface only a soft material?

Do you have ground wire from PV frames back to inverter? If not add that.

GFIC on AC? I see a child with hair dryer. Use GFIC everywhere wet.

Wow so many recommendations nice! I’ll address each one.

I like the tubing idea. I will give that a try

The only wind I expect is a Florida hurricane. The court is asphalt over different grade layers of aggregate. The racks are bolted 4-5” in the ground. We will add hurricane strapping at the end.

Everything is grounded to each other and a ground spike.

The child with the blow dryer is my 43 year old tiny Chinese wife lmaooooo. It was just a test run of a 1500 watt 24v inverter. This was the first Frankenstein before we ordered the monster inverter.

 

[lesjones]

Thank you. Yes the tennis court fell into disrepair. Was cheaper to install off grid solar than repair the court. Here’s more pics. Might have to file a plan with the permit department now because of its size.

Hi there! I, too, have an old tennis court that is on the property that we moved onto. I'm planning to install panels, though not as many as you. Did you build your own mounts or buy them? How did you anchor them? I was thinking of drilling holes in the court and using duckbill anchors.

 

[allendurie]

Here are the mounts. For the size of panels I used I could only get 2 per rack. They come with all the hard surface mounting hardware.

Adjustable Multi-Piece Solar Panel Mounting Brackets for 1-4 Pieces of Solar Panels | ECO-WORTHY

ECO-WORTHY Adjustable Multi-Piece Solar Panel Mounting Brackets has the capability to fit 1-4 pieces of different size ECO-WORTHY panels or other brands standard panels. It's ideal for larger installations, such as ground, flat roof, cabins and backyard sheds. Anywhere roof mounting is not a...

www.eco-worthy.com

 

[lesjones]

Thanks. Looks basically like unistrut. Was considering this one - https://signaturesolar.com/eg4-brig...ck-kit-4-panel-ground-mount-adjustable-angle/

 

[Hedges]

Here are the mounts. For the size of panels I used I could only get 2 per rack. They come with all the hard surface mounting hardware.

Adjustable Multi-Piece Solar Panel Mounting Brackets for 1-4 Pieces of Solar Panels | ECO-WORTHY

ECO-WORTHY Adjustable Multi-Piece Solar Panel Mounting Brackets has the capability to fit 1-4 pieces of different size ECO-WORTHY panels or other brands standard panels. It's ideal for larger installations, such as ground, flat roof, cabins and backyard sheds. Anywhere roof mounting is not a...

www.eco-worthy.com

"Expanding Screw" something like this:

Hilti 1/2 in. x 5-1/2 in. Kwik Bolt Long Thread-Carbon Steel Concrete Wedge Anchor (12-Pack) 2312917 - The Home Depot

Raising the industry standard again. Hilti's newest generation of Kwik Bolts - the Kwik Bolt 1 Carbon Steel Expansion Anchors - is raising the industry standard for wedge anchors. With performance values

www.homedepot.com

Those have a high pull-out force, something like thousands of pounds for a 1/2" diameter bolt, when set in concrete.
Used in asphalt or gravel, I'd expect little to no retention force. I would be concerned that in high wind the arrays would just blow over.

I was thinking of drilling holes in the court and using duckbill anchors.

Designed for dirt, could be more effective. Strength per anchor likely less than concrete anchors, since cable diameter is smaller.

 

[allendurie]

"Expanding Screw" something like this:

Hilti 1/2 in. x 5-1/2 in. Kwik Bolt Long Thread-Carbon Steel Concrete Wedge Anchor (12-Pack) 2312917 - The Home Depot

Raising the industry standard again. Hilti's newest generation of Kwik Bolts - the Kwik Bolt 1 Carbon Steel Expansion Anchors - is raising the industry standard for wedge anchors. With performance values

www.homedepot.com

Those have a high pull-out force, something like thousands of pounds for a 1/2" diameter bolt, when set in concrete.
Used in asphalt or gravel, I'd expect little to no retention force. I would be concerned that in high wind the arrays would just blow over.



Designed for dirt, could be more effective. Strength per anchor likely less than concrete anchors, since cable diameter is smaller.

We aren’t too concerned. The racks were altered and bolted to each other to provide strength. at 2 panels per rack my hope is 4 anchors per leg. 4 legs. 16 anchors will be enough to hold 2 panels with additional hurricane strapping.

 

[Hedges]

 

[Hedges]

May I suggest a test?
Put an anchor bolt through macadam into gravel, then pull test and measure what it takes to pull out.
You've got a lot of money riding on those things, and my guess is they provide little to no retention. I think rods driven 2' into the dirt would be better.

 

[allendurie]

May I suggest a test?
Put an anchor bolt through macadam into gravel, then pull test and measure what it takes to pull out.
You've got a lot of money riding on those things, and my guess is they provide little to no retention. I think rods driven 2' into the dirt would be better.

I will use this concept for the hurricane straps. It’s far too late to adjust this with the racks now. I’ve done a pull test and wasn’t able to move the bolts. My estimate is that they may survive Cat 1 winds as is, but I doubt anything more.

 

[faccnator]

If you don’t mind me asking what’s up with the tennis court? Did you buy the property this way? This isn’t in Florida is it? Looks familiar for some reason?

 

[allendurie]

If you don’t mind me asking what’s up with the tennis court? Did you buy the property this way? This isn’t in Florida is it? Looks familiar for some reason?

1 owner property 2 acres in broward county. Was built with the house in 1985