How do you unload solar panels by yourself?

[ArtieKendall]

This question just made me wake up at 3 AM. I'll call Signature Solar about it after they open today, but I would like to see if anyone here has some ideas.

I'll receive a shipment this week that includes ten solar panels that are 76" x 41" and weigh 52 pounds each, plus batteries, inverter, etc. If it all comes on one pallet, it will probably weigh a thousand pounds. Even if the panels are on their own pallet, they'll weigh around 600 pounds. Way too heavy for me to move, so I'll have to unpack them at the end of my driveway (the SS FAQ says the freight company will not take them beyond the end of my driveway), one at a time.

For some reason, I always pictured the panels lying flat, and even though I'm 70 years old with a bad back, I figured I could slide them off the stack one at a time and carry them into my garage.

But I just remembered that in the SS page about checking for damage, the panels look as if they are packed on edge. If that's true, then it looks like they would want to tip over as soon as I cut the bands around them.

I'm new to the area, so I don't know anyone who could help me. The few neighbors I know are all like 80 years old (I live in a small town full of retired senior citizens).

So, can anyone tell me whether I could offer the driver a hundred bucks to help me, or are there rules against that, or are they on a tight schedule and would want more like 500? Or is there an easy way to get them off the pallet without breaking them?

Or another thought, I don't know anything about Craig's List and stuff like that, but could I post an ad somewhere like that asking for a couple guys to help me? But the problem with that is I probably won't know for sure when or even if the truck will arrive on a given day until it shows up (I have a tracking number, but I've had even very small shipments from Amazon say "Arriving Today" all day and then get a "rescheduled" notice very late in the day), so I'd have to have them standing around all day.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[littleharbor2]

Ask for a lift gate truck delivery and rent a pallet jack for the day.

 

[Danke]

I parked my vehicle next to the pallet. And when I undo the straps, I just have them lean against the vehicle ( put some cardboard or blanket between them first).

 

[ArtieKendall]

Ask for a lift gate truck delivery and rent a pallet jack for the day.

Thanks, I didn't even know that was a thing. But although my Home Depot says it has one, it is only 48" long, and the panels are over six feet, so I don't think it would work.

 

[ArtieKendall]

I parked my vehicle next to the pallet. And when I undo the straps, I just have them lean against the vehicle ( put some cardboard or blanket between them first).

That sounds like a great idea. I wish I could believe I would have thought of that. Thank you.

 

[Mattb4]

Thanks, I didn't even know that was a thing. But although my Home Depot says it has one, it is only 48" long, and the panels are over six feet, so I don't think it would work.

If they are on a pallet the length of the panels does not matter. You lift the pallet with the pallet jack. However 600 pounds worth might be too much for you to pull. Also you do need a hard surface to roll the pallet jack about on. You really need to get some muscle to help you with a delivery of items as you outline.

Also most freight delivery companies will call ahead to ensure that someone is there to receive the freight. Or you can contact them to request a call so that you can get your help available.

You bring up a question in my mine though . Exactly how is a 70 year old man with a bad back going to mount such large panels?

 

[ArtieKendall]

If they are on a pallet the length of the panels does not matter. You lift the pallet with the pallet jack. However 600 pounds worth might be too much for you to pull. Also you do need a hard surface to roll the pallet jack about on. You really need to get some muscle to help you with a delivery of items as you outline.

Also most freight delivery companies will call ahead to ensure that someone is there to receive the freight. Or you can contact them to request a call so that you can get your help available.

You bring up a question in my mine though . Exactly how is a 70 year old man with a bad back going to mount such large panels?

I'll be using the SS ground mounts. You only have to lift the panels a foot or two. And if that doesn't work, I'll just lean them against the house, or even lay them flat on the ground if there's any wind (I remember a Will Prowse video where he just laid his panels flat and got pretty good wattage). My main goal is to have power for essential circuits during outages, and the batteries and inverter will take care of that (charging the batteries from the grid). The solar panels are a bonus -- I won't really need them unless there is an outage that lasts a couple of days, and from my research of the area, that has never happened here.

 

[littleharbor2]

Thanks, I didn't even know that was a thing. But although my Home Depot says it has one, it is only 48" long, and the panels are over six feet, so I don't think it would work.

They could be 10 feet tall. Doesn't matter the pallet is approached from the side. The lift gate truck actually should have their own pallet jack but whether you can use it is a question. Liability issues .

 

[pollenface]

I'd use a ramp and slide it ... pretty much how I go about getting heavy things on and off utes and trailers

 

[ArtieKendall]

They could be 10 feet tall. Doesn't matter the pallet is approached from the side. The lift gate truck actually should have their own pallet jack but whether you can use it is a question. Liability issues .

I see that now, but another guy pointed out that even if the jack could lift the pallet, I probably couldn't push 600-1000 pounds (my driveway slopes up to the garage). So it looks like I'll have to take them off the pallet one at a time from the curb, and my main issues will be lifting them out of the box, and keeping them from tipping over. I'll wait and see when they get here, but it seems very likely I'm going to have to hire some guys, unless the driver is willing to earn some extra cash by helping me. Thanks for the responses.

 

[Solar Guppy]

Well there is always hand trucks, which is what I have used to move one at a time. The bigger issue is if you are unable to move the panels, do you have a plan for panel installation?

 

[ArtieKendall]

Well there is always hand trucks, which is what I have used to move one at a time. The bigger issue is if you are unable to move the panels, do you have a plan for panel installation?

I think maybe I didn't describe the situation clearly. I'm not worried about moving a single panel. I have a hand truck, and I can lift a 50-pound panel well enough to maneuver it around and get it on the hand truck.

What I'm worried about is having ten panels standing on edge together, and I cut the bands around them so I can remove one, then what happens to the other nine? They will want to tip over once the bands are cut.

The best idea I've received so far, other than hiring people to help me, is to move my car next to them so they can lean against it. That might be tricky to do if there's more than a few inches between the crate they are in and the edge of the pallet it's on, though.

 

[Solar Guppy]

What I'm worried about is having ten panels standing on edge together, and I cut the bands around them so I can remove one, then what happens to the other nine? They will want to tip over once the bands are cut.

All panels I have received were stacked one a top of another over the years. If it's banded on edge, you can use rope or bungee cords to peel one at a time, but a second set of hands to hold remaining in place would be helpful.

I've built 7 different arrays in the last 20 years ( 3 different properties ), 100% on my own. It's very physically, but just make use of simple things like bungee cords, hand truck and ladder(s) for the installation.

As you mentioned, you have time to work it out once its dropped in the driveway, just giving you positive feedback that it's not really the hard to move them around, just take the time for breaks!

Harbor freight has them low cost, I have probably about 30 of them, they always come in handy doing project or storing cords in the garage.

 

[littleharbor2]

I think maybe I didn't describe the situation clearly. I'm not worried about moving a single panel. I have a hand truck, and I can lift a 50-pound panel well enough to maneuver it around and get it on the hand truck.

What I'm worried about is having ten panels standing on edge together, and I cut the bands around them so I can remove one, then what happens to the other nine? They will want to tip over once the bands are cut.

The best idea I've received so far, other than hiring people to help me, is to move my car next to them so they can lean against it. That might be tricky to do if there's more than a few inches between the crate they are in and the edge of the pallet it's on, though.

Think it would be easiest to head in , or back into position. BTW, the panels will want to lean toward the direction of the glass, being that they are heavier on that face than the backside. Just going from experience here. It is better to ship them on edge in that they only have to support their own weight but as you have figured they won't be stable once you cut the support straps. The ones I have dealt with on edge always had a cardboard bin around them though.

 

[iamrich]

I would look in your local paper/craigslist/facebook market place, etc. for a mover. While I was on vacation, my mom (same age as you) got a mover to bring a lazy boy chair from the garage into her living room and some other stuff for $100 and they travelled about 60 miles one way to do it. There are always starving students with strong backs out there

 

[Solar Guppy]

I would look in your local paper/craigslist/facebook market place, etc. for a mover.

Many you find for hire may do exactly what you write, but get that one that claims he was injured and you will soon understand its is a very risky situation to have uninsured labor and your the homeowner is the payday .

 

[Mattb4]

I think maybe I didn't describe the situation clearly. I'm not worried about moving a single panel. I have a hand truck, and I can lift a 50-pound panel well enough to maneuver it around and get it on the hand truck.

What I'm worried about is having ten panels standing on edge together, and I cut the bands around them so I can remove one, then what happens to the other nine? They will want to tip over once the bands are cut.

The best idea I've received so far, other than hiring people to help me, is to move my car next to them so they can lean against it. That might be tricky to do if there's more than a few inches between the crate they are in and the edge of the pallet it's on, though.

If you have some lumber and a drill driver it probably would not be hard to whip up a brace to hold the panels up. Certainly less worry than accidentally smacking them with your car.

 

[Bluedog225]

Is there day labor in the area, I’d use them. They are awkward weight.

I bought 60 used panels. Moved them each 4 times to get them home, then out to my place. Ugh.

 

[Hedges]

I have a pickup truck, so I took delivery at freight terminal (saves last mile by lift-gate truck, around $100, and I don't have to wait for delivery.)
My order from SanTan had panels laying flat, with edge cardboard and cushions under each corner.
I broke it down on the pickup and hand lifted each one off. That was 110 panels, which 2/3 filled a bedroom.
When I've bought inverters, about 140# each, I parked backed up to a slope and used ramps and dolly (strap each one on so it doesn't tip and spill!)

If panels came vertical, I'd use a strap to restrain them leaning against truck cab.

Since your pallets will be dropped at the end of the driveway (maybe you can get them dropped at garage end not street end, depending on truck and maneuverability). Maybe they can use forklift to run up driveway, depending on pavement.

Anyway, you could use a few 2x4 and power screwdriver to attach a back rail to end of pallet, and strap panels to that as you remove one at a time.

If you have some lumber and a drill driver it probably would not be hard to whip up a brace to hold the panels up. Certainly less worry than accidentally smacking them with your car.

Yeah, that's what I meant!

 

[ArtieKendall]

If you have some lumber and a drill driver it probably would not be hard to whip up a brace to hold the panels up. Certainly less worry than accidentally smacking them with your car.

That's a really good idea. Thank you.