DIY season adjustable ground mount build

[niktak11]

I made a little progress. I added 3 more 280Ah seplos kits so I have a full stack now. I have communication working with the sol-ark so I don't have to deal with the crappy SoC estimation anymore. I also got the first post in for the final array but the ground is too wet again so it may be awhile before I can finish that.

 

[Skypower]

Hi there @niktak11! If you are interested in getting wind loads on your panels during a storm, you can use my new free online simulation tool: solarcfd.com
I developed this online tool and released it a few weeks ago. I am currently looking for feedback. So I'd be happy, if you could leave a comment - either here or on the webpage in the feedback form.

Btw: great work, you are doing there!
Best
akimakes

Good info just saved it
Thanks

 

[Nobodybusiness]

I finally finished all the conduit and wire pulls

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Wireless access point
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I'll start working on the second 8kW array in the next week or two.

Doesn’t HVDC require EMT conduit?

 

[niktak11]

Doesn’t HVDC require EMT conduit?

Once it gets inside the house

 

[Skypower]

Once it gets inside the house

I’m not so cool about these plastic DIN beaker boxes. Seeing one on a video with overheated surge arrestors looking more like a napalm maker doesn’t give me much assurance. It’s on my list to make metal.

 

[niktak11]

I’m not so cool about these plastic DIN beaker boxes. Seeing one on a video with overheated surge arrestors looking more like a napalm maker doesn’t give me much assurance. It’s on my list to make metal.

Were they IMOs? I've never heard of anyone having trouble with those.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Once it gets inside the house

So not under the house only passing through walls then.

Wasn’t sure but I knew I had heard that somewhere.

 

[J.H.]

Got the rails and the first 4 panels up. 445W Longi bifacials.

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Your lucky to have such interested and helpful sheep on this project…look at that head sheep looking back to tell the others to chop chop.. let’s go… I can’t even get my wife and kids to get that interested… damnnnn..

 

[Subdood]

The weather was not great but I have no patience. The wire pull went relatively smoothly. The steel fish tape I used wouldn't go around the last 90 so I had to fish it out with some solid copper wire.

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Wow that's a lot of wires, seems like a lot for one array, or is this for future arrays, and you're just running them all now?

How many wires, the gauges and size of the conduit? I bet that was a fun pull..

 

[niktak11]

Wow that's a lot of wires, seems like a lot for one array, or is this for future arrays, and you're just running them all now?

How many wires, the gauges and size of the conduit? I bet that was a fun pull..

Two 8 AWG and eight 10 AWG for that pull through 1" PVC. Then at the first junction box at the house it met up with the conduit from the two arrays behind the house for a total of 14 wires in the last pull through 1 1/4" PVC. The pull through the 1" was more difficult. By the end I was using at least 200lbs of force and starting to worry that the fish tape might break.

 

[Subdood]

Two 8 AWG and eight 10 AWG for that pull through 1" PVC. Then at the first junction box at the house it met up with the conduit from the two arrays behind the house for a total of 14 wires in the last pull through 1 1/4" PVC. The pull through the 1" was more difficult. By the end I was using at least 200lbs of force and starting to worry that the fish tape might break.

Yikes, lots of wires to pull. What did you use to pull all that? I'm guessing you have to slather a lot of grease on all that.

I don't feel so bad about having to pull three 10 awg thru half inch conduit.

 

[niktak11]

Yikes, lots of wires to pull. What did you use to pull all that? I'm guessing you have to slather a lot of grease on all that.

I don't feel so bad about having to pull three 10 awg thru half inch conduit.

Klein Tools 56334 Fish Tape, Steel Wire Puller with Double Loop Tip, Optimized Housing and Handle, For Heavy Duty Wire Pulls https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081TVYMJ4?ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_dp_WCB9HAHZQ1T7VA7GV75Y

Premium Synthetic Polymer Wire and Cable Pulling Lubricant, 1-Quart Squeeze Bottle Klein Tools 51015 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MKH3BW?ref_=cm_sw_r_apann_dp_YX8HAK7CTPRP7F0B5B1Q

 

[TOU47]

This sure turned out awesome...really nice job! ?

I finally got my portable array done as well...a variation of my previous reply. I plan on modifying it but doing something very similar for my ground arrays next year. For now, this will get me started.

My +3.2kw portable array system... Solar Trailer

If not desiring to mount Solar panels on a roof, (which I don't prefer for many reasons...especially with bifacials) racking can be one of the most expensive parts of the system. Most really don't allow much flexibility or adaptability let alone mobility...definitely not cheaply in time, labor...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Subdood]

Two 8 AWG and eight 10 AWG for that pull through 1" PVC. Then at the first junction box at the house it met up with the conduit from the two arrays behind the house for a total of 14 wires in the last pull through 1 1/4" PVC. The pull through the 1" was more difficult. By the end I was using at least 200lbs of force and starting to worry that the fish tape might break.

I really like the looks of all this. Not trying to be nosey, but why so many wires for one array? I count 18 panels, so I guess you're doing 3 strings of 6 panels? Or maybe 2 strings of 9? But I wonder if the total Voc is keeping you to six panels per. Even with 3 strings tho, I just wonder why 10 wires. Guess I'm missing something. At any rate, looks great.

 

[niktak11]

I really like the looks of all this. Not trying to be nosey, but why so many wires for one array? I count 18 panels, so I guess you're doing 3 strings of 6 panels? Or maybe 2 strings of 9? But I wonder if the total Voc is keeping you to six panels per. Even with 3 strings tho, I just wonder why 10 wires. Guess I'm missing something. At any rate, looks great.

I'm building a second array out there now and I wanted enough wires to do at least 1 more array. Each of the two arrays will be 2 strings of 9.

 

[Subdood]

I'm building a second array out there now and I wanted enough wires to do at least 1 more array. Each of the two arrays will be 2 strings of 9.

Gotcha, makes sense. So, two strings and a ground wire per array, I guess.

Are you building the same kind of array as this one?

 

[niktak11]

Got the second array up and connected. I'm testing this one at 0 degrees for now. The sun came out briefly today and I hit the charging limit for the first time (which strangely seems to be ~7A higher than the continuous discharge limit). I also hit 17.85kW incoming solar at one point.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Looking over this very nicely done build again as I price out lumber and unistrut vs pallet racking on market place...

@niktak11 do you have any regrets using the racking beams?

The more I look at your build the more I think this would be the easiest most economical solution.

Crude drawing I put together last week when I was planning on wood posts and strut. I think swapping the posts for pallet beams makes a lot of sense.

 

[niktak11]

Looking over this very nicely done build again as I price out lumber and unistrut vs pallet racking on market place...

@niktak11 do you have any regrets using the racking beams?

The more I look at your build the more I think this would be the easiest most economical solution.

Crude drawing I put together last week when I was planning on wood posts and strut. I think swapping the posts for pallet beams makes a lot of sense.

If I started over from scratch I'd try to find a good price on square/rectangular tube for the vertical posts, but c channel can definitely be made to work.

 

[42OhmsPA]

If I started over from scratch I'd try to find a good price on square/rectangular tube for the vertical posts, but c channel can definitely be made to work.

Thank you. That makes perfect sense to me, again very nice and inspiring build.

 

[niktak11]

I finally tilted the newest array from 0 degrees to the winter angle of 55 degrees. The first array is still at 40 degrees for now. On overcast days like today the 0 degree array would outperform the 40 degree one by about 10% but this new angle will be much better when there's direct sunlight.

 

[niktak11]

I moved my sol-ark install to the adjacent wall (partly to have room to add a second 15k and partly to correct a code violation). I also had to add a new exterior disconnect and replace the existing service conductors to satisfy the POCO and inspector for my net metering application.

 

[NoFocus]

One array is filled

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That looks very professional! Nice work! I hope to do something like this on my first system.

 

[niktak11]

The total PV counter on my sol-ark just passed 50MWh last week. I've probably put more like 70-80MWh through the inverter since I use it for ToU shifting in the winter. Hopefully it can get to a few hundred MWh before biting the dust.

 

[North Forker]

Horizonal beams and ironridge L feet added today

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I love the idea of repurposing the steel! We see a lot of that here also and it gives me hope for my array materials. Thanks