DIY Solar RV Carport/Cover Building - configuration Bifacial?

[eXodus]

Used large solar panels are reaching a point, that they are almost cheap as metal roofing.

So I'm thinking about combining those two pictures into once concept.

I wanted to build a Carport for my RV (20x26 ft) for a while, I figure - could I just use large panels to cover the structure? Metal is expensiven and panels are cheap, while produce all the power I would ever need.
Call me crazy, but I'm working backwards from the space I want to cover - to figure out the amount of panels I need minimum lol.

Large panels are usually around 40 inch x 80 inches (3,3 ft x 6.6ft)


Excel tells me I would need 3 rows of 8 panels each. 24x Used Sunpower 435 - are selling for like $220 each shipped (full palette 27X), sometimes my local distributer has them in stock and I can pickup for $150. That's then roughly 10,440 watts for 8 rows or 11,745w for the whole thing.

Any ideas if Bifacials would be any better? The carport will be like 13-14ft tall to fit my RV underneath.
But I'm in Florida so our ground is usually green - not expecting much reflection.

 

[JoeHam]

Good idea.

I would go with the panel size you need as first priority.

Then look for the lowest cost per watt in that form factor.

That won’t likely be a bifacial unless you find a screaming deal somewhere.

 

[eXodus]

Then look for the lowest cost per watt in that form factor.

good idea, I'm primary looking for size and total watt isn't really a key metric. Anything above 5kw is sufficient, and I'm likely going to have double of that.

I just like the look of Bi-Facial

 

[Lt.Dan]

I would go lowest cost per watt, regardless of the physical dimension of the panel, as it seems the Cover you are building should be able to be stretched/shrunk a little bit to fit whatever panels you get. Ignore the bi-facials, you'll just pay more for power you arent going to use, since you said it yourself, its already going to be twice as much power as you need.

 

[Prefersdirt]

Thinking of the same thing. Would be in heavy shade for me. Will evaluate cost at that point.

 

[Bluedog225]

It’s a sound idea. More power than needed might go towards charging your future EV.

Drip between panels no big deal in this application. Here and Florida it’s mostly for the sun.

Having said that, UV resistant tape on seams as you build might hold up pretty darn well if surface prepped and quality tape.

edit-bifacial don’t matter. Whatever is cheaper.

 

[eXodus]

More power than needed might go towards charging your future EV.

I didn't think about that, I currently have a BMW i3 EV for my daily driver, which I charge at work lol. But maybe not always in the future.

But yeah, for the life of the structure I will have at least another EV./ Hybrid.

Drip between panels no big deal in this application.

Yeah I was thinking about clear UV resistant tape, wait for a really cold day when apply (lowest range of the range to apply the tape) that should put the panel at it's minimum expansion. So that the tape doesn't get ripped of when the panels contract.

 

[Dutchman]

Used large solar panels are reaching a point, that they are almost cheap as metal roofing.
View attachment 101309View attachment 101312
So I'm thinking about combining those two pictures into once concept.

I wanted to build a Carport for my RV (20x26 ft) for a while, I figure - could I just use large panels to cover the structure? Metal is expensiven and panels are cheap, while produce all the power I would ever need.
Call me crazy, but I'm working backwards from the space I want to cover - to figure out the amount of panels I need minimum lol.

Large panels are usually around 40 inch x 80 inches (3,3 ft x 6.6ft)
View attachment 101310

Excel tells me I would need 3 rows of 8 panels each. 24x Used Sunpower 435 - are selling for like $220 each shipped (full palette 27X), sometimes my local distributer has them in stock and I can pickup for $150. That's then roughly 10,440 watts for 8 rows or 11,745w for the whole thing.

Any ideas if Bifacials would be any better? The carport will be like 13-14ft tall to fit my RV underneath.
But I'm in Florida so our ground is usually green - not expecting much reflection.

I’m curious to do a similar project, but how do you make such a project leak proof?
In the south of France I saw agricultural buildings which had solar panels for a roof, but I wasn’t able to get close enough to see how they made them leak proof.

 

[eXodus]

I've done research into UV-Resistant Clear Tape.

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/cbgnawus1871/

People are claiming to get 5-10 years out of the tape before you have to reapply it.

I wouldn't say it's "leak proof" but water resistant - most water would be shed and only a few drops around the mounts of the panels would get through. Since I'm going to store my RV and Trailer underneath - which are currently sitting in the rain - that's a massive improvement for me.

Others are using like industrial window glue (those where skyscraper windows are mounted with) , but that's hard to apply and rather permanent.

 

[Bluedog225]

Geocel 2320 is pretty permanent. Stinks the place up but solid. On a clean surface, I’d give it better than 50% chance of working.

 

[eXodus]

Geocel 2320 is pretty permanent. Stinks the place up but solid. On a clean surface, I’d give it better than 50% chance of working.

Just wonder about the process to apply it.

Mount the panels - use masking tape to protect the panels from the caulk, - use another run of masking tape underneath so that it doesn't run down between the panels? Seems like a lot of work, and the distance between the panels is like 1/4 - 1/2 inch 8-14mm

With about 150ft of gaps to seal - that would be a lot of tubes of caulk. - With a 50% chance of working. Not convinced yet
Further those sealants have the same 5 year-10 year life expectancy, and I can only imagine the painful work to get the old caulk out between the panels to reseal.

But people are doing it.

How To Seal Between Solar Panels (Do This!) - 2022

The installation process of solar panels cannot be complete without sealing between them. Unfortunately, most people forget this vital detail, and after

solvoltaics.com

 

[teal95]

That article appears to be sealing the frame to the panel, not sealing between adjacent panels.

 

[eXodus]

South would be on the long side.

I've tried a different layout to gain some more width and allow me to install regular clamps.



I could do that with 9x 6x6 Wooden Posts.

2x10 or 2x12 headers.

Any solar racks which span 10 ft? Seems like Unistrut back to back has decent load ratings.

https://www.unistrut.us/product-details/p1001.

 

[RevMS]

This is what I've been accumulating components to build. I got the idea from the blog on the Signature Solar website. I was thinking of getting enough panels to cover an area that would be approximately the size of a 3 or 4 car carport ... of course it would be a solar ground array and most definitely NOT a carport, but built tall enough that the area under the ground array could be used for storage of hay or farm equipment as to not waste space. I missed the boat on pallets of used 250ish watt panels that Signature Solar was selling a few months ago, but I'm keeping my eyes out for similar deals.

 

[newbostonconst]

Here is our Pergola but same design could be used as a carport. It is 24 panels. Where are you from because snow load could be a big part of your design. We are in lower Michigan. It is mostly made out of 2x10's and headers 2x12's with 6x6 posts. I do think it is around 24x20 feet....

With the diagonal supports the free span is around 17 feet which is a 2 car garage opening. The loading/design is much like a 2 car garage design.

 

[WarmPepsi]

Here is our Pergola but same design could be used as a carport. It is 24 panels. Where are you from because snow load could be a big part of your design. We are in lower Michigan. It is mostly made out of 2x10's and headers 2x12's with 6x6 posts. I do think it is around 24x20 feet....

With the diagonal supports the free span is around 17 feet which is a 2 car garage opening. The loading/design is much like a 2 car garage design.

Hey man, looks good. Any updates on how it's been working out for you? Any more photos? Thanks!

 

[newbostonconst]

Hey man, looks good. Any updates on how it's been working out for you? Any more photos? Thanks!

All still the same...working fine...just adding more solar elsewhere on the property. I pick up a pallet of 27 panels from the Pink Energy auction and going to install a solar fence soon.

 

[WarmPepsi]

All still the same...working fine...just adding more solar elsewhere on the property. I pick up a pallet of 27 panels from the Pink Energy auction and going to install a solar fence soon.

Looking to do a good size ground mount, but dont see any reason why I shouldn't elevate it and give my camper a place in the shade... Would prefer metal, but your idea looks good as well!