DIY ground mount

[upnorthandpersonal]

- Did you add some level of grounding now that the basic frame is made from wood?

Yes, the panels themselves are connected to earthing. They have an extra hole in the aluminium frame specifically for that purpose. All panels are linked together with a copper cable (with tinned lugs) loop and then connected to the electrical earth.

- What was your plan for the remaining panels: expanding the row or a separate installation?

They will be in separate locations. Two set-ups in different places of 8 panels each, one specifically optimized for winter.

- For your next phase of the project, were you planning to leave any wind gap between the panels?

I might make some small adjustments but I don't think a 'wind gap' is useful or needed.

 

[Steve_S]

Wind Gap only helps to keep ice in place over the panels like an anchor. It actually acts like claws between the panel frames. I recently saw a T shaped aluminium moulding designed as a filler to cover the gaps between panels for icing prevention, allowing the panels to easily shed snow & ice buildup. Obviously another Northerner got fed up battling with that problem and came up with a nifty solution.

 

[MattiFin]

Magnificent to see your project's 1st phase has come to fruition despite hurdles set by the Corona pandemic! Just to reiterate on some aspects as also starting to plan my own project with the same 500W panels for summer 2021:
- Did you add some level of grounding now that the basic frame is made from wood?
- What was your plan for the remaining panels: expanding the row or a separate installation?
- For your next phase of the project, were you planning to leave any wind gap between the panels?

OT: regarding those 500w panels:
Have you checked panel prices on gwl-power?

ELERIX Solar Panel Mono, Perc, Half Cut 450Wp 144 Cells (ESM-450H), Pallet 30 Pcs) | GWL Group

Pallet of 30 units of PERC Half Cut mono photovoltaic panel with rated power 450Wp. High efficiency 20,70%. Silver frame.

shop.gwl.eu

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

OT: regarding those 500w panels:
Have you checked panel prices on gwl-power?

ELERIX Solar Panel Mono, Perc, Half Cut 450Wp 144 Cells (ESM-450H), Pallet 30 Pcs) | GWL Group

Pallet of 30 units of PERC Half Cut mono photovoltaic panel with rated power 450Wp. High efficiency 20,70%. Silver frame.

shop.gwl.eu

Yes - they have some really good deals. Keep in mind that the prices are usually listed without VAT, so you have to add 24%. They also go out of stock real quick.

 

[MattiFin]

Yes - they have some really good deals. Keep in mind that the prices are usually listed without VAT, so you have to add 24%. They also go out of stock real quick.

Yeah, prices are without VAT but at least you dont pay for other customs fees.
I went trough gazillion of websites lately and gwl was cheapest source for solar cells in europe, possibly even cheaper than alibaba. Their solar cells have some Chech green energy support/funding so that might explain part of the cheap price.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

but at least you dont pay for other customs fees.

There are no custom fees (tariffs) on solar panels coming in from China in the EU.

Bu yes, if I remember correctly the GWL ones are subsidized.

 

[LaplandSolar]

So like upnorthandpersonal stated EU removed custom tariffs for solar panels in 2018/2019 so you only need to pay VAT for importing them from China. Let's hope the recent hike in shipping prices will be temporary. The quote I got from the solar panel vendor was 6 week shipping time (personally would say safe bet 10 weeks if you want them early in the summer).

The GWL ones look interesting but they are even larger in height dimension than the 500W panels was planning to get

 

[Bob Steel]

I was not aware of any issues with aluminium on pressure treated wood? The stuff I buy is pine , radiata pine I think and it warps and twists a lot unless its restrained . Arn't solar panels plastic not glass? I've never checked . never had one break but they are set in a flexible silicon glue . 704 style I think.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

I was not aware of any issues with aluminium on pressure treated wood

The compound used to make pressure treated wood contains copper (hence the green color as well). Copper + aluminium + water = corrosion.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Arn't solar panels plastic not glass?

Usually it's a coated tempered glass.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

I've built another one:



Before you mention shading - this array is oriented to the south-east, and this picture was take late afternoon. This particular set of panels is intended for late autumn to early spring, and it's got a clear view of the sky where the sun is 'highest' at that time (although it's still close to the horizon, hence the angle as well). I also have to clear a couple of spruce trees still (the ones on the right side of the picture), but they're not healthy and have carpenter ants in their trunk... Also some more gravel to do, and I think I'll put 6 panels on this mount.

 

[ghostwriter66]

I've built another one:

View attachment 61111

Before you mention shading - this array is oriented to the south-east, and this picture was take late afternoon. This particular set of panels is intended for late autumn to early spring, and it's got a clear view of the sky where the sun is 'highest' at that time (although it's still close to the horizon, hence the angle as well). I also have to clear a couple of spruce trees still (the ones on the right side of the picture), but they're not healthy and have carpenter ants in their trunk... Also some more gravel to do, and I think I'll put 6 panels on this mount.

If YOU think you have an issue with shading .... you aint seen nothing with all the issues we have -- ie - THERES NOT A SHADE TREE FOR 160 KMs !!! LOL ... Everything gets HOT -- you can't roll up your vehicle windows to keep the dust out becuase everything inside the truck will melt OR the windows just blow out ... you get 2 mpg avg since from 0600 to 1900 you just leave the trucks running for the A/C ... everything out here wants to kill you - plants - bugs - and 6 ft long rattlesnakes ... we call roads like this "tank trials" ... from where I work/live to the nearest paved road is 37 miles ... these roads are scraped about once every month to take the ruts out ... i think the avg speed is about 100 MPH - LOL ... but you NEVER here anyone just say - "hey I'm running to Walmart - need anything" ..

 

[ghostwriter66]

Totally different note but I se that you have a MUST MPPT ... how do you like it?? I give allot of money to MPP Solar for their all in one ... but may switch it up a little -- I have seen MUST on various forums .. but youre the only one that I know that i would take advise / recommendations from that uses it...

 

[wattmatters]

I've built another one:

Nice!

Not tempted to put another 2 panels on top? Could of extra support beams....

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Nice!

Not tempted to put another 2 panels on top? Could of extra support beams....

Yes - I mentioned that in the text under the image. I'm going to put 6 on there.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Totally different note but I se that you have a MUST MPPT ... how do you like it?? I give allot of money to MPP Solar for their all in one ... but may switch it up a little -- I have seen MUST on various forums .. but youre the only one that I know that i would take advise / recommendations from that uses it...

Personally I have had no issues with MUST at all. Their engineers answer questions, I can get spare parts (I ordered an extra control and power board from them for the inverter - cost of shipping was more than the parts, total about 150$ of which $80 or so was FedEx shipping).

There was also a guy on YT who is located in Arizona who built his system based on mine, and he had no issues either. He removed all his social media accounts in the mean time, so can't link.

The solar charge controllers have been running for over a year now without issues. I've switch on/off many times, including battery first/solar first etc. No problems...

I know MUST also has some all-in-one units, but I have not tested those. They're not Victron level stuff, but that's expected at this price point. What I do know is that the inverter I have is rated at 6kW and has no issues with that load. The charge controller is rated at 100A, and handles that just fine.

 

[fblevins1]

Thanks for the pictures. I am about to build a small 3 panel mount. I have been just laying the panels on the ground and moving them around to follow the sun but I bought a third panel and am going for a semi permanent system. I was pondering either plywood or a 2 X 4 frame. I think a frame mount similar to yours is what I need. I do need to figure our a mount I can easily move around to track the sun but whatever I wind up with, a frame will work better I think.

 

[Hedges]

I am about to build a small 3 panel mount. ... I do need to figure our a mount I can easily move around to track the sun but whatever I wind up with, a frame will work better I think.

For a small array, at least a one-axis seasonal tilt should be easy. Something like an easel with legs brace that can be pinned for different tilt.
Moving twice per day seems too much bother for most applications. Better to parallel two arrays of different orientation.

 

[fblevins1]

For a small array, at least a one-axis seasonal tilt should be easy. Something like an easel with legs brace that can be pinned for different tilt.
Moving twice per day seems too much bother for most applications. Better to parallel two arrays of different orientation.

That is the direction I am heading at the moment. A frame constructed from 2 X 4's and then figure out some kind of tilt brackets on the ends so I can lift either side up to face the sun in the morning and in the afternoon with midday simply laying flat. I want to retain the mobility so I won't be putting anything into the ground. And it would appear that I will have 4 panels going because I mentioned to my son that I had bought a third panel to which he replied "so did I" Not sure what he ordered so I will wait and see what it is when it arrives. He bought me a flexible panel which I find inconvenient because I have to put an extra frame piece in to support the unit from the bottom. Well, since I will have 4 panels I might run with your last comment and maybe make it kind of a tilt A frame.

 

[Ozark Tinkering]

I like your wood solar mount! How is the 1st one holding up so far? I've been considering a wood mount since for an off-grid system and I don't see a lot of wind in my area and not enough snow to worry about. It won't be subject to any inspections.