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How to jack up a solar rack, help you wonderful geniuses

Stewfish

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Oct 20, 2020
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Disclaimer - This doesn't need to move on our property. It won't drive. I just needed the height to get over the shade of a small tree. This is a question how to raise the panels/structure, not pick apart my build like I would be driving down the road. Thanks for understanding and your help for this particular issue ;)

So I tried you and extend an arm down from my rack on the side that lifts up. Then attach a winch and pull the arm up through a big thick chunk of channel to keep it from sliding left or right as it lifts. The winch was too far to the side and torqued the aluminum and bent it. I could try steel and maybe change the angle of the winch to the front but I'm now thinking maybe use some sort of Jack, like the basement jack that lifts 4 ft, pic below.

Any ideas? Here's a bunch of pictures below of my build so far.

Basement Jack idea:
If I could weld a nut on the back side of that bottom bracket to the threaded rod - if it can be reached through the bracket without doing anything to the bracket. Mount that to a base bracket to then side of the trailer by welding up a support, then spin the rod/nut with my milwaukee torque impact drill and the rod would spin and push the shaft up and down
This one does 8ft of lift and has a nub that spins on the back side of the base I could weld to. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052PLEGM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_UkJeGbQ6939DE

Highlift jack I have, but not tried:
The panels stick out passed the horizontal pipes a bit so I dont think the pipe that ratchets the jack up and down would have enough swing room to ratchet.

Winch I had and tried:
Look at the portable winch and bent square tubing picture. That's after I bent it back to lift it up with the 10ft struts as supports on the ground. It was bent way over. I can lift one side at a time, but not bolt it on also and dont trust leaving it unsupported while I add a nut. I added the winch cable in the pic once I lifted up the 10ft struts so you could see my lift idea, and the angles. It can lift it but it would need tp be steel, but the angles are all wrong.


Details:
The rear lifts up. See pics
The front ubolts are snug, but pivot on the super solid front bottom pipe.
Its the superstrut method with square washers and bolts.
The top rear pipe comes down behind the rear support pipe, again see pics
The rear top pipe now has a angle support strut that pivots at the top then the rear support vertical strut holes will slide onto a ubolt with long bolts that stick out, then add a bolt.

The pipes held me 245lbs as I bolted down all the the panels plus a 2x12 that I used to span the pipes.Then strut and pipes aren't bending. I really like it so far except I need a way to raise and lower it for the seasons.

IMG_20210121_142105851_HDR.jpgIMG_20210119_161609406_HDR.jpgIMG_20210127_190239823_HDR.jpg

IMG_20210127_190249282_HDR.jpgIMG_20210119_161854724_HDR.jpgIMG_20210127_190541996_HDR.jpg
IMG_20210127_190348364.jpg
IMG_20210127_190439116.jpgScreenshot_20210127-205049.pngScreenshot_20210127-205352.png
 
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I'm new to your setup.
It's a trailer, yes?
Supposed to drive around?
If so, is the hang over from the panels allowed?
(Otherwise perhaps different orientation)

I'm curious about the amount of force you seem to use to lift.

Looking at it, it's supposed to go up and down frequently, yes?
I'm not native English I don't know the English word.
There are Gass springs (??)
Like this:
51h+V-crglL._AC_SY355_.jpgimages (65).jpeg
In many different strengths.

They make the panels light enough you can lift them with one hand.
(Or even slowly lift on their own, then for transport you pull them down, with one hand.)

I've used them on a horse trailer to open (and close) the walk board :)
One Gass spring was enough to go slowly down and easy up :)

I could calculate online how much Nm I needed (Dutch website)

I hope this input helps!
 
I'm new to your setup.
It's a trailer, yes?
Supposed to drive around?
If so, is the hang over from the panels allowed?
(Otherwise perhaps different orientation)

I'm curious about the amount of force you seem to use to lift.

Looking at it, it's supposed to go up and down frequently, yes?
I'm not native English I don't know the English word.
There are Gass springs (??)
Like this:
View attachment 34862View attachment 34863
In many different strengths.

They make the panels light enough you can lift them with one hand.
(Or even slowly lift on their own, then for transport you pull them down, with one hand.)

I've used them on a horse trailer to open (and close) the walk board :)
One Gass spring was enough to go slowly down and easy up :)

I could calculate online how much Nm I needed (Dutch website)

I hope this input helps!
It needs to lift 300 lbs minimum, with 66" of rise in the back of the panels for the winter angle. Like the wood in the picture holding up the frame I made.

Its not a lot for the winch, just a bad angle so its pulling it sideways. I may just put a piece of steel superstrut in place of the bent aluminum for more strength, and I have extra already.

It needs to be adjusted twice a year for winter and summer angles. If its really easy, then four times a year, (including fall and spring angles).

It wont drive. I just needed the height to get above some shade from a small tree. This is my "shed"
 
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300lbs should not be a problem for Gass spring
(is It the correct English term?)
(In Dutch: Gasveer)

Making it really easy to adjust.

You can place a few to make it more easy.
I was surprised about the low cost of them, one o found a good source.
(Trailer shop)
 
It needs to lift 300 lbs minimum, with 66" of rise in the back of the panels for the winter angle. Like the wood in the picture holding up the frame I made.

Its not a lot for the winch, just a bad angle so its pulling it sideways. I may just put a piece of steel superstrut in place of the bent aluminum for more strength, and I have extra already.

It needs to be adjusted twice a year for winter and summer angles. If its really easy, then four times a year, (including fall and spring angles).

It wont drive. I just needed the height to get above some shade from a small tree. This is my "shed"
Have you thought about a pulley to change the angle of force?
 
A couple of creative individuals have used "Scissor Jacks" as a mechanism to adjust panel rack angles. When anchored/fixed to a solid base and with a pivoting end to account for changing angles they can work a charm. There was a YT Vid a few years ago where the fellow used an electric motor with belt & pully setup & 2 Scissor jacks to raise/lower his panel rack, he had contact switches that acted as cutoff limiters. I searched but could not find it, may have been taken down. It was a really slick and awfully simple setup actually and it handled wind & load issues without problems. I do recall, that he was adamant about using very heavy-duty jacks, such as those used for heavier trucks NOT those jacks that come out of a Honda car LOL... certainly a logical point I'd say.
 
Try two lifting struts with the winch in the middle. Distance apart is not critical, though wider apart may start to twist more.
Here's my quick chicken scratch.
 

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Two struts and a cable would let you tilt the array with a winch.
(more cables to spread lifting across top of array if desired)
Then place struts in back to hold it up.

cable strut tilt.jpg
 
I fixed it. I saw todays replies to late.

I swapped the aluminum square tubing to steel superstrut. The box guide channel was binding up and the angle increased with the thicker strut. I slowly cut it starting at the bottom to relieve tension. The other supports were bolted for safety. That led to changing it to a safety ubolt, and just cut the outside fully off. Now I can get a full 10 ft superstrut in there. Its working really good now and went up and down a few times as I adjusted angles, bolts, etc.

I think if it continued to pull sideways too much than a pulley wheel at the top would be better. Mount the winch at the bottom then go up.and over the wheel and straight down to the lifting bar to get a straight pull. That superstrut is so strong it was staying straight. I think this is good until I need to move it in the summer. I really like Q-Dog's design. I could leave the winch and go straight down and have a spanner bar to the two lifting bars. Sounds safety with two for any wierd torque/racking or something - looks like a quick easy fix.IMG_20210128_164346271.jpgIMG_20210128_162622172_HDR.jpgIMG_20210128_163552980_HDR.jpgIMG_20210128_163622320.jpgIMG_20210128_163634647_HDR.jpg
 
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Try two lifting struts with the winch in the middle. Distance apart is not critical, though wider apart may start to twist more.
Here's my quick chicken scratch.
Thats a good design right there. Well done sir
 
So you got the array raised safely?

I was looking at the vertical strut to horizontal pipe connection. It has a single U-bolt, subject to shear failure or one threaded nut pulling off.
If that connection broke, array would fall and the strut would punch the panel.

1611876702813.png

I would suggest a saddle and horizontal pipe riding on the end of the vertical strut. Put things in compression.

I have something similar, with conduit clip (flimsy sheet metal) holding horizontal pipe to vertical U-channel. I clamped a 90 degree bracket under it with bolt and channel nut. Not as good as a saddle on the end but sufficient.
 
So you got the array raised safely?

I was looking at the vertical strut to horizontal pipe connection. It has a single U-bolt, subject to shear failure or one threaded nut pulling off.
If that connection broke, array would fall and the strut would punch the panel.

View attachment 34940

I would suggest a saddle and horizontal pipe riding on the end of the vertical strut. Put things in compression.

I have something similar, with conduit clip (flimsy sheet metal) holding horizontal pipe to vertical U-channel. I clamped a 90 degree bracket under it with bolt and channel nut. Not as good as a saddle on the end but sufficient.
Good point! Hey, can you send me a pic ao I can look at the pipe strut attachment please w ubolt.

Yeah, its raising up and down smoothly.

I used lock nuts in a lot of places especially on ubolts that had to rotate. I got them snug enough but so that they would just barely rotate also. Now that its working good everything will get nylocs. When lifting the ubolt could shear esp on the lifting bar when the rack is not supported by the other struts, like you were mentioning. I was thinking add a total of 4 supports in the rear to follow Q-Dog's design. 2 to lift and will have a pins and two others on the outside for final support with their ubolts.
 
Good point! Hey, can you send me a pic ao I can look at the pipe strut attachment please w ubolt.

I used u-bolts elsewhere, holding rails (for PV panels) on conduit.

For small array, one end of rails on fence and other end above a block wall ...
U-channel supporting 1" conduit (which supports rails)
(sheet metal clip is particularly flimsy)

U-channel top IMG_1329.jpg

For a larger array with fewer supports ...
Unirac component on 2" pipe supporting 2" pipe:

Unirac top IMG_1334.jpg
 
Whatever works is a decent solution, but I'd use linear actuators. They aren't expensive since most come out of China. I considered using them in an automated tilt system for my moho until I measured the output of my panels in the time frame I'd be using them and realized I don't need anything more. You already have a solution, and it's not worth changing it just to be elegant, but other folks might benefit from the idea.
 
I sure looks like you could use 2 long 2x4s and just push it up from the back .
We lift 50’ walls 10‘ high with a few guys .
One side is sitting on the truck so you are just lifting half the weight .
 
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