diy solar

diy solar

Finally, the start of my 25kw Ground Mount grid-tie system

@Hedges At some point down the road I would like to look into batteries, but right now they don't serve much purpose with 1:1 import/export with rolling "credits" that reset only once a year in either march or may (can't remember). Batteries would really only benefit me in a downed grid, which is pretty rare here. We might get one outage a year and usually they are only for a few hours.
 
Not much to report. I've just been working on small things. I finished up all the grounding up to the "AC COMBINER". I should hopefully get ground rods in this week and get the 250MCM pulled and work on labeling at the same time. I have my drawing for the phenolic out too, so hopefully that gets done. I hope to be able to call in the electrical inspection at the beginning of the week of the 26th. The 250 pull has to go well and I need to get that tied into the service meter base, so a couple little "hurdles" that hopefully go smoothly.
 
250 MCM successfully pulled. It went, but definitely was not easy. We had to get the "skylift jack" to pull on the 3rd 90 (coming out of the ground) and then the pull rope broke once the wire got about 6" out of the conduit. From there was were able to pull one wire at a time the rest of the way to get to the terminals in the 400A disconnect. Is all that matters is that it is through and we are good to go now. I hope to get almost everything finished up this weekend except maybe a few very minor things I'll have to order/buy to finish up next week.
 
"Rope" as in some weak stuff? Or something made for the purpose?

itoolco.com

Standard Wire Pulling Rope | iTOOLco

iTOOLco’s Standard Wire Pulling Rope ranges in widths from 1/4″ to 7/8″ for cable or wire pulls. Double braided for added strength.
itoolco.com itoolco.com

www.primuscable.com

Professional Grade Woven Polyester Pulling Tape & Measuring Tape

Professional Grade Woven Polyester Pulling Tape & Measuring Tape with Sequentially Footage Marking, Supplied On A Spool. Available in 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4" widths, 3000' or 5000' lengths. The minimum break strength varies depending on the width size but range from 1,250 lbs. per foot to 2,500...
www.primuscable.com www.primuscable.com
 
I don't have a tension gauge or limiter.
Of course it is important I don't over-stress the wire.

Hmm, connect my Variac in series with tugger circuit, and put a breaker across it? (variable ratio of current between load and breaker).
Would not be calibrated, but I could crank it a bit above where it trips. Protection in case wire hangs up. Just drag getting wire off reel would multiply friction around bends.

If I had a block and tackle (which I don't), could use it to multiply force of a fishing scale, for calibration.
 
with the 250MCM you could practically lift a small car with it. It definitely was not much of a concern.
 
I just did "Download for Desktop" of this Southwire calculator:

SIMpull® Cable Pull Calculator | Southwire

www.southwire.com www.southwire.com

One wire, 250 MCM, 2000 lbs. max

For my 2 awg, 531 lbs. The 25' and one 90 degree bend I pulled before was only 80 lbs needed? Was difficult by hand.
3 wires 2 awg plus 6 awg ground, 1442 lbs. max. But only about 300 lbs. needed for one section of my pull?
 
2000lbs, it would lift my G1 insight. haha. multiply that x3 and a 4 gauge ground (minimal addition, relative speaking).

@Hedges Did you get your puller?
 
2000. Has 280,000 miles now.
Hand-me-down from my sister back around 2010, who decided she wants to use the first half of a cars life (less likely to strand her than driving on a rebuild, she has found.) I provided the only actual "clunker" the dealer saw, a Bronco II with everything going wrong (for instance, only gears 3-4-5 accessible), but still drivable.
Biggest thing I've done with it is pull transmission and replace a bearing. There was a tapping with the clutch out in neutral, got quiet with clutch in.
Coming home, temperature started to rise when stopped. Cooling fan wasn't the problem, rather I think radiator cap. Not holding pressure, got a steam pocket, and only pump at higher speed circulating water plus bubbles provide cooling. Never hit the red, hope nothing got damaged (cracks can show up as a leak later.)

This is the newest vehicle in my "fleet"
 
Very nice. I hardly had to do a thing on mine either. It was great. I only sold it because I got a great deal on a G1 Insight and I actually liked driving it better so I went through with the purchase.
 
Well, there are timing belts. It is due for its 3rd replacement. My sister had the first done, and I did the second.
Not a difficult job, just something to be deliberate about.

My first (adult) 4-wheel vehicle was a Honda N600. Had fun with that, slept in it in ski area parking lot, carried wind surfer that stuck out both ends, towed an Airco (Onan) welder.

Now I have a K2500 diesel.

Do you have any pictures from your wire pulling?
Did you have someone with a tugger come in, or did you find a way to do it by winch or truck? (apparently "skylift jack" for vertical pull)

The big deal for me is going to be pulling wire way past a Tee, to feed in to the next run. I do see pictures of "Chinese finger trap" gripper on the middle of a cable. I plan to wrap my bundle of wires around the windlass and keep pulling.
 
I don't have any pics. My friend is an electrician and does a lot on the more industrial side of things, so his expertise has been extremely valuable on lots of things and especially the AC side of things. He built out the "head", which was the 3 250MCM wires taped together and then the 4 gauge ground looped over the top and taped and then the pull rope was tied to the ground loop at the top and a sequence of "tightening loops" (5-6) down the head of the wire. I think he then put a little more tape on it, but I can't recall. I probably couldn't build it myself from memory. The weak link was the rope and I even had a larger size in the garage that the utility company guy GAVE me for the pull when he let me look in the meter base.

We put the high lift jack in the 400A disconnect and tied the pull rope to it. Neither me or him had enough "man power" to move it at that point. It helped get about the last 5ft or so. He said he pulled 600 ft of 4/0 this week and it was WAY easier then our 40' pull. lol
 
Hey all, I need a little help real quick.

I am working on actually connecting the 250MCM wire and I suppose I never though which way the prod meter should be wired up. Should the "load" side connect to the inverter side of things?
 
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