How do you unload solar panels by yourself?

[Hedges]

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.

Park your car next to pallet, maybe insert a mattress as cushion. Lean panels against it.

 

[Shimmy]

If they are vertical you could also pull from the center and keep a webbing strap around the whole group, tightening after each one to keep it an A-frame. @Hedges solution of just screwing a 2x4 into the pallet would also work well.

 

[ArtieKendall]

If they are vertical you could also pull from the center and keep a webbing strap around the whole group, tightening after each one to keep it an A-frame. @Hedges solution of just screwing a 2x4 into the pallet would also work well.

This sounds really good. I just ordered some 16' ratcheting straps from HD, and they say they'll be here tomorrow. Thank you.

 

[Hedges]

If they are vertical you could also pull from the center and keep a webbing strap around the whole group, tightening after each one to keep it an A-frame.

I think friction and being pressed together is the only thing keeping it upright.
Consider a deck of cards standing on edge. held tightly with rubber band vs. loosely with a string.
If the panels start to tip over, at some point you won't be able to stop them.

I would want a structure to support them.

I've never dealt with that on a pallet. When I moved them to a room, I leaned them slightly against the wall, and wedged a box to fill the gap until it was filled with panels.

 

[JWLV]

Give the truck driver $20 or $40 bucks and ask him to bring the pallet into your garage. And then offer him a cold drink, beer or Coca-cola.

Put yourself in the truck driver's shoes. If you're working your butt off deliverying heavy stuff every day, and when someone offers you a cold drink and a few bucks to do just a little bit more than required, you'd probably take it.

I've done this for solar panel deliveries, big applicance deliveries, furniture, several pallets of bricks, etc. They appreciate it and I appreciate them.

I also bring an ice cold Coca-cola out to my trash guy on hot days if I can catch him. They go by so fast.

 

[Supervstech]

I have NEVER had a delivery driver unwilling to load the panels into the garage before.
I second having cold drinks and snacks ready in the garage for the driver.

 

[JWLV]

One more thing about the above: If the truck driver gets hurt, damages something on your property, he's still on the freight company's clock. So the freight company's insurance is responsible for any claims. The money you gave the truck driver is a tip. It's not to hire him for any specific task.

 

[HarryN]

This is why I use solar panels that are 26 x 58 inches even though they are more expensive.

I can lift them and when the wind is blowing they are not quite such big kites.

 

[ArtieKendall]

This is why I use solar panels that are 26 x 58 inches even though they are more expensive.

I can lift them and when the wind is blowing they are not quite such big kites.

I originally ordered smaller panels, but after they charged me, they said it would be two weeks before they came in, then another two weeks, then another, so I gave up and got the bigger ones. If you're wondering why I didn't just go somewhere else, it's because I got free shipping on the panels since I bought my batteries and inverter at the same time.

 

[zanydroid]

I am unpacking a edge stacked pallet by myself right now. I have a massive cart with locking wheels (actually a 200 lb wheeled scaffolding) blocking one side. The other side is held up by a pair of 48” long clamps. I use a pair for redundancy/extra positioning options. If I leave it alone for a few days I add a tie down strap to secure it a tiny bit more.

These are 50 lb 405W panels

I’m pretty sure I can get to the end of the pallet by myself.

 

[zanydroid]

If I didn’t have the heavy ass cart already I would have instead anchored some dimensional lumber to pallet on one side.

FWIW Jinko solar has a whole PDF describing ways to unstack an edge stacked pallet. However you have to translate from to 2 person minimum technique to solo. Presumably nobody doing solar panels for pay does it solo/is allowed to do so for OSHA and insurance reasons

 

[ArtieKendall]

I have NEVER had a delivery driver unwilling to load the panels into the garage before.
I second having cold drinks and snacks ready in the garage for the driver.

I just found some youtube videos made by a professional delivery driver who hauls really bulky stuff like sheetrock and landscape timbers. He's posted a lot of videos of guys who expect him to get stuff 20 feet wide through their 8-foot gate, after they only paid for curbside delivery. And he does his best to accommodate them, unless they're total a-holes. Since I'm only a partial a-hole, I'm starting to like my chances of getting them to accept a 50 buck tip to put my panels in the garage, which I have completely emptied out, except for pepsi and chips.

 

[zanydroid]

I’ve taken 3 pallet deliveries this year to my residence and they all were willing to use pallet truck to put the pallet where I wanted in my garage. Garage was 20 feet down a driveway from the street.

It’s not like you’re asking them to lift them above grade

 

[zanydroid]

https://www.jinkosolar.com/uploads/Unpacking%20and%20Storage%20Instruction(2021.02)-1.pdf

I’m basically doing a modification of 3.3

 

[ArtieKendall]

I am unpacking a edge stacked pallet by myself right now. I have a massive cart with locking wheels (actually a 200 lb wheeled scaffolding) blocking one side. The other side is held up by a pair of 48” long clamps. I use a pair for redundancy/extra positioning options. If I leave it alone for a few days I add a tie down strap to secure it a tiny bit more.

These are 50 lb 405W panels

I’m pretty sure I can get to the end of the pallet by myself.

I don't have clamps, but I have some 16' ratcheting tie-downs that HD had on sale yesterday that I hope will hold them together, and if I can get the driver to put them in my garage, or at least on my driveway close to it, then I can pull my car up till it touches the downhill side (my garage floor slopes down a bit for drainage), and I'll just put the 100-pound batteries from the same shipment on the uphill side.

Seriously, this is the first time in 25 years that I wish I was still married. My ex was pretty strong.

 

[ArtieKendall]

https://www.jinkosolar.com/uploads/Unpacking%20and%20Storage%20Instruction(2021.02)-1.pdf

I’m basically doing a modification of 3.3

Wow, thanks for that link, it looks really helpful.

 

[zanydroid]

The clamps are way way way easier to use than rachets. Rachets flop all over the place. Clamps are rigid and predictable. I’m using those on a daily basis.

I’m using these. Yeah they’re expensive, but so is hiring a helper. The trigger based clamp action is actually quite helpful for this specific application since it facilitates one handed tightening. 1 is probably good enough but I wanted the extra option in case shit got real or I didn’t predict something.

DEWALT 50 in. 600 lb. Trigger Clamp w/3.75 in. Throat Depth DWHT83188 - The Home Depot

This DEWALT 50 in. XL Trigger Clamp is intended for the professional. This fastening tool has a 600 lb. clamping strength. The resin material is durable and allows for the clamp to withstand and rust.

www.homedepot.com

 

[ArtieKendall]

I’ve taken 3 pallet deliveries this year to my residence and they all were willing to use pallet truck to put the pallet where I wanted in my garage. Garage was 20 feet down a driveway from the street.

It’s not like you’re asking them to lift them above grade

Very good to hear. My garage is about 35 feet from the street, up a gentle slope. I'm pretty sure I'm good if he can put them in the garage, because then I can take a week to unpack them if I want. What I was afraid of was him leaving them at the bottom of the driveway, especially if it's raining.

 

[ArtieKendall]

The clamps are way way way easier to use than rachets. Rachets flop all over the place. Clamps are rigid and predictable. I’m using those on a daily basis.

I’m using these. Yeah they’re expensive, but so is hiring a helper. The trigger based clamp action is actually quite helpful for this specific application since it facilitates one handed tightening. 1 is probably good enough but I wanted the extra option in case shit got real or I didn’t predict something.

DEWALT 50 in. 600 lb. Trigger Clamp w/3.75 in. Throat Depth DWHT83188 - The Home Depot

This DEWALT 50 in. XL Trigger Clamp is intended for the professional. This fastening tool has a 600 lb. clamping strength. The resin material is durable and allows for the clamp to withstand and rust.

www.homedepot.com

Sold! 3 in stock at my HD. I'll order two right now, pick them up tomorrow. Thanks a lot for your links, they've been really helpful.

 

[zanydroid]

Cool hope it works out for you, if you can’t figure it out and I still have a few left to stack I’ll take a video or something.

Basically for one clamp this is how it works.

You shall use your body (chest, waist, whatever) to hold the one that you are popping off. It will be at an angle so it’s going to be a couple pounds of tilting force.

You shall use one hand (probably non dominant) to hold up the ones staying in the stack. This is only stabilizing force so it is minimal.

The other hand (dominant) relocks the 48” clamp so you can walk away with the one resting on your body. Now with two free hands

Good to order two, then you can decide your risk tolerance for trying with just one.

Sometimes the rubber padding pops off one end, which you need to handle with zen and just realize that it locks fine without it.