Cheap but viable ground mount solutions?

[Nonlin]

So I bought one of these per panel I have https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Adjustable-Solar-Panel-Mount/dp/B0CLCW5WSB/ref=sr_1_5?crid=RYD621X68V0E&keywords=REnogy+RV+solar+mount&qid=1701306106&s=lawn-garden&sprefix=renogy+rv+solar+mou,lawngarden,183&sr=1-5&ufe=app_do:amzn1.fos.18630bbb-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685

And I have space in my yard to put some panels.

Question is what is the cheapest yet safest/viable solution ( don't care about looks) to get the job done?

I've considered just covering a portion of the lawn with gravel, and using some ground screws (does that exist) and just screwing them into the dirt.
Build a deck and screw them onto the deck.

Get some plywood sheets (nail them together or glue them with wood glue), all those will be laid on a mat, once all setup on the ground, just screw the panels on that. I would have treated the wood with proper paint to weather proof it prior and the weight of 300 pounds of panels should ensure it goes no where?

Or should I just get another mounting solution and those RV mounts won't cut it?

 

[hwy17]

The methods to securely attach them to the ground are either not easy or cheap.

The closest I have seen to both is a Brightmount mounted on 4x6's sunk into the dirt 3ft. That might not pass engineering but I don't think it would go anywhere. To make that easy though you would need a gas auger at least. And it won't last 20 years.

The weight of the panels will 100% not hold them down if they're tilted in the wind.

 

[Nonlin]

The methods to securely attach them to the ground are either not easy or cheap.

The closest I have seen to both is a Brightmount mounted on 4x6's sunk into the dirt 3ft. That might not pass engineering but I don't think it would go anywhere. To make that easy though you would need a gas auger at least. And it won't last 20 years.

The weight of the panels will 100% not hold them down if they're tilted in the wind.

So building a deck and screwing those RV mounts which are designed to hold the panels should work?

 

[TonyRumore]

I would just sink four 4x4 treated posts in the ground and attach that frame to them.

My setup has 8 posts, then treated 2x6's for the frame work. 32 panels are attached to the 2x6's. You can't see it in the pic, but there are also a pile of cross-bracing between all the posts and 2x6's. We had 100 mile an hour wind gusts back in June, and it survived that, no problem.

 

[Aak]

I used ecoworthy ground mounts lag bolted a 4*4 to the bottom I bolted together 5 or 6 kits together and the mounted 9 panels together.
Got the mount off eBay vary slightly in price from 110.00 to 140.00 good luck

 

[Aak]

ECO-WORTHY Adjustable Multi-Pieces Solar Panel Mounting Brackets Kit System for 1-4pcs Solar Panels​

 

[Nonlin]

ECO-WORTHY Adjustable Multi-Pieces Solar Panel Mounting Brackets Kit System for 1-4pcs Solar Panels​

This seems to be up to 100 watts only?

 

[Aak]

I mounted 365 watt panels there still hear 3 plus months later the mount is 119 inches wide I bought splices and bolted all the mounts together
Cinder blocks on top of the 4*4 to weight it down I had plenty of blocks sandbags work too will take pics and post them it's cheap and it works the mounts come with plenty of clamps .

 

[Aak]

The mount will hold up to 4 100 watt panels my panels are 40 inches wide I needed I think 6 or seven still cheaper than wood or making it with steel or unistrut and you get plenty of hardware could not buy that much unistrut for the price. On ebay the price is always goining up and down check when on sale.

 

[Nonlin]

The mount will hold up to 4 100 watt panels my panels are 40 inches wide I needed I think 6 or seven still cheaper than wood or making it with steel or unistrut and you get plenty of hardware could not buy that much unistrut for the price. On ebay the price is always goining up and down check when on sale.

What makes them so good? Is not something I can pull off with the RV mounts?

 

[Aak]

ECO-WORTHY Adjustable Solar Panel Mounting Brackets Kit System for 4PCS Panels​

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[Aak]

Made with steel and it comes with hardware for mounting also adjustable angle and galvanized and cheap

 

[Aak]

For me it was cheaper than buying all the stuff welding cutting. And so on this comes as a kit in the future I will make a wood frame mount the mounts on top and store firewood under it semi water tight a somewhat free roof for my wood and make power that's my idea.

 

[Aak]

And the renogy mount looks flimsy

 

[OffGridForGood]

If you use treated wood, put a separator between the wood and the aluminumPV frames - rubberized product or spacers to keep the alum off the treated wood.

 

[Aak]

thanks the mounts I used are steel hot dip galvanized .

 

[OffGridForGood]

thanks the mounts I used are steel hot dip galvanized .

Even Hot dipped Galv should be isolated from the aluminum, these are dissimilar metals and will react over time. Moreso if water and salt may be present. Stainless steel WEEB washers are a good option, both to separate the metals and to provide the grounding you need for a metallic rack. Hope this helps.

 

[Nonlin]

What if I took for example 4 (75 to 100) pound concrete ballasts, dug them into a hole, drilled holes into them and screwed each of the 4 mounting points of the RV Mount into each concrete ballast? Surely that isn't going anywhere baring some extreme wild situation?

 

[OffGridForGood]

What if I took for example 4 (75 to 100) pound concrete ballasts, dug them into a hole, drilled holes into them and screwed each of the 4 mounting points of the RV Mount into each concrete ballast? Surely that isn't going anywhere baring some extreme wild situation?

we still have no idea where you are building this - ie high wind location like Florida? Tornado Alley? Not sure how much help we can be without knowing some basic information. No one is going to tell you that 400 lbs of ballast is sufficient without knowing anything about where, how many sqft of PV exposure etc. Can you share some details?

 

[Nonlin]

we still have no idea where you are building this - ie high wind location like Florida? Tornado Alley? Not sure how much help we can be without knowing some basic information. No one is going to tell you that 400 lbs of ballast is sufficient without knowing anything about where, how many sqft of PV exposure etc. Can you share some details?

Houston, TX.

Each panel will be mounted on its own, so a 72 x 46 inch panel weighing 50 pounds.

I also just discovered this https://americanearthanchors.com/shop-by-product/penetrators/

Leaning towards 18 inch ground screws x 4 per panel. My guess is even in the worst soil (which mine isn't sand just regular dirt, going to call them tomorrow to get more details) it would hold.

 

[OffGridForGood]

City building dept with have the min design wind speed for the area likely over 100mph.
Depending on the elevation you put the panels, and angle (30-degrees may make sense for your latitude) you can then calculate the wind up lift or over-turning condition for the PV based on their area. If the helical piles you use are shared between adjacent PV panels, remember the loading is not one panel per four supports, but only two.
100mph winds will create forces above 50 pounds per sqft - a PV panel of 12 sqft each even if we factor the exposure for 30-degree tilt will be a lot of force. Some of the guys end up using duck-bill anchors with cables - you may want to look into these for your situation as well.

 

[Tomthumb62]

The weight of the panels will 100% not hold them down if they're tilted in the wind.

I saw large ground mount solar farms especially in the Midwest this summer. Some of them had most of the panels flat mounted. I wonder if the winds in that area have something to do with why they did this. Perhaps it was cheaper to just put up more panels than deal with the expense of a more solid ground mount system.

 

[Nonlin]

City building dept with have the min design wind speed for the area likely over 100mph.
Depending on the elevation you put the panels, and angle (30-degrees may make sense for your latitude) you can then calculate the wind up lift or over-turning condition for the PV based on their area. If the helical piles you use are shared between adjacent PV panels, remember the loading is not one panel per four supports, but only two.
100mph winds will create forces above 50 pounds per sqft - a PV panel of 12 sqft each even if we factor the exposure for 30-degree tilt will be a lot of force. Some of the guys end up using duck-bill anchors with cables - you may want to look into these for your situation as well.

Using chat gpt and I we figured 665 pounds of lift force for the panels at 30 degree tilt with 100mph wind.

 

[hwy17]

I saw large ground mount solar farms especially in the Midwest this summer. Some of them had most of the panels flat mounted. I wonder if the winds in that area have something to do with why they did this. Perhaps it was cheaper to just put up more panels than deal with the expense of a more solid ground mount system.

Also possible it was single axis trackers if you saw them at mid day. They always make me do a double take.

 

[BRIHAR32]

bag of concrete less than 4 bucks