anyone use oil pipe/drill stem for ground mount ?

[Texican]

need to build a ground mount for 24 60 cell panels. Here in Texas I can get used pipe 2 3/8 OD pretty cheap.
would like to use ironridge top cap for 2 inch pipe which calls for 2.37 OD
has anyone used oil pipe for a ground mount and how did you do it.
PT wood is pretty crazy also right now

 

[timselectric]

need to build a ground mount for 24 60 cell panels. Here in Texas I can get used pipe 2 3/8 OD pretty cheap.
would like to use ironridge top cap for 2 inch pipe which calls for 2.37 OD
has anyone used oil pipe for a ground mount and how did you do it.
PT wood is pretty crazy also right now

If it's threaded, you might be able to find an adapter at your local hardware store. Or weld/have someone weld one up.

 

[Zwy]

need to build a ground mount for 24 60 cell panels. Here in Texas I can get used pipe 2 3/8 OD pretty cheap.
would like to use ironridge top cap for 2 inch pipe which calls for 2.37 OD
has anyone used oil pipe for a ground mount and how did you do it.
PT wood is pretty crazy also right now

I looked at 5 and 7 inch oil pipe for MT Solar Mount poles, however the OD is quite a bit different than the 6 inch SCH80 the mount required. 6 inch SCH will just about fit inside the 7 inch oil pipe, about 0.040" difference. It was tempting to use a short piece of 6 inch SCH80 at the tope and weld it onto the 7 inch well pipe. However wall thickness on the 7 inch was considerably less than SCH80.

It would work, however if you saddles or other mounts to fit, you will find oil pipe is in a world of it's own. One other thing is it is not considered structural. You can find the specs online, so might be advantageous to see what might fit it.

There is a reason it is cheap. Around here, they use it for cattle fencing and making gates, works well for that.

 

[timselectric]

Fill it with concrete and cover it with truck bed liner.
It will be strong and last a long time.

 

[WindWizard]

need to build a ground mount for 24 60 cell panels. Here in Texas I can get used pipe 2 3/8 OD pretty cheap.
would like to use ironridge top cap for 2 inch pipe which calls for 2.37 OD
has anyone used oil pipe for a ground mount and how did you do it.
PT wood is pretty crazy also right now

Not sure how the oil pipe compares to the galvanized pipes but I used 2" galvanized for my ground mount.

 

[MurphyGuy]

Iron Ridge sells setups for 2 inch pipe.. which has a 2-3/8 OD. I think oil pipe is Sch80, but it won't matter, just thicker walls resulting in smaller inside diameter that the solar won't care about.

I used stainless steel pipe from a defunct car wash.. its the stuff that guides your car tires into the tracks.. Works great!

 

[Canxane]

Iron ridge 3 inch brackets on schedule 80 steel pipe using using xr1000 rails. Fit perfect and worked like a charm.

 

[Ironman]

need to build a ground mount for 24 60 cell panels. Here in Texas I can get used pipe 2 3/8 OD pretty cheap.
would like to use ironridge top cap for 2 inch pipe which calls for 2.37 OD
has anyone used oil pipe for a ground mount and how did you do it.
PT wood is pretty crazy also right now

Yes, building one now.
I drove 2-7/8" pipe down 6 ft into the ground as my base, and 2-3/8" slides right into it for the frames. Weld to base pipes as required.
Be aware that this is not mild steel, and if using a cold saw it will rip out carbide after a few inches cut as it work hardens as it is cut. Torch or abrasive is best.

 

[MountainMatt]

Iron ridge 3 inch brackets on schedule 80 steel pipe using using xr1000 rails. Fit perfect and worked like a charm.

Me too.

 

[Durk_2007]

Yes used 3 posts of 2 3/8 stem for 10 panels, withstood 100 mi an hour winds in December.

 

[parksnorris]

I looked at 5 and 7 inch oil pipe for MT Solar Mount poles, however the OD is quite a bit different than the 6 inch SCH80 the mount required. 6 inch SCH will just about fit inside the 7 inch oil pipe, about 0.040" difference. It was tempting to use a short piece of 6 inch SCH80 at the tope and weld it onto the 7 inch well pipe. However wall thickness on the 7 inch was considerably less than SCH80.

It would work, however if you saddles or other mounts to fit, you will find oil pipe is in a world of it's own. One other thing is it is not considered structural. You can find the specs online, so might be advantageous to see what might fit it.

There is a reason it is cheap. Around here, they use it for cattle fencing and making gates, works well for that.
Iron Ridge sells setups for 2 inch pipe.. Which has a 2-3/8 OD. I think oil pipe is Sch80, but it won't matter, just thicker walls resulting in smaller inside diameter that the solar won't care about. If you have any concerns about fitting, you could always reach out to Ditch Witch customer service for advice on the pipe compatibility.

I used stainless steel pipe from a defunct car wash.. its the stuff that guides your car tires into the tracks.. Works great!

Yes, you can use 2 3/8" OD oil pipe for a ground mount. It’s close enough to the 2.37" OD that Ironridge calls for, and many people have successfully used it. Just ensure the pipe is properly treated to prevent corrosion. You can cut and fit it to the necessary lengths and use concrete or ground screws for anchoring. Make sure everything is leveled and secure before mounting your panels.

 

[BarracudaBob]

If you don't want to weld it you can build some pretty cool things with these fittings

 

[doc3g]

I looked at the IronRidge caps and considered getting some of the 2/38th oilfield pipe (plentiful on marketplace for $1.40 per ft in 32' sections) for a ground mount. However, unless specifically using IronRidge caps + rails in order to pass a permitted install, I don't think the price is justified. Even if you don't own a welder, for the price of 3 of those caps you can pick up a unit at HF and you would end up spending significantly less on the overall project.

 

[OffGridInTheCity]

need to build a ground mount for 24 60 cell panels. Here in Texas I can get used pipe 2 3/8 OD pretty cheap.
would like to use ironridge top cap for 2 inch pipe which calls for 2.37 OD
has anyone used oil pipe for a ground mount and how did you do it.
PT wood is pretty crazy also right now

I did mine with 2” galvanized pipe, 10ft sections vertical and span of about 8ft horizontal between verticals using iron ridge top caps to tie horizontal to vertical. Then universal strut + 2” ubolts for panel mounting cross menbers. The verticals are in concrete for ballast. This let me use regular 2” threaded couplers to tie 10ft horizontals together to form 50ft length and extend height on high side verticals as needed. Easy enough for 1 person to assemble. Iron ridge also has 3” top caps for 3inch piping and one can do longer spans horizontal but 2” pipe was a better price/availability for me