I just joined the forum a few days ago, but have been doing solar since fall of 2016. I figured I'd share the journey with you guys.
I started out with 80 panels with micro inverters (Ubiquiti SunMax inverters and panels). 56 of them went on my shop roof and the other 24 on a ground mount array.
Lots of boxes from Ubiquiti:
![sunMAX-03.JPG sunMAX-03.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110442-a25e3bc0a7285c012ee182cb3524035c.jpg)
![sunMAX-04.JPG sunMAX-04.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110443-07aa1e6209885754efb477e4099fcae5.jpg)
I made a rig for my tractor to bring each panel up onto the roof:
![sunmax-11-4-01.JPG sunmax-11-4-01.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110444-552fd0b44c684081f9686def8ebd00b4.jpg)
Next up was doing the 24 panel ground array next to the shop building:
![groundmount11-28-01.JPG groundmount11-28-01.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110445-747baed9c98bf6aa222ba104a132f75f.jpg)
![groundmount12-4-02.JPG groundmount12-4-02.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110446-9d5a345927dd933ec5d43481d27d939a.jpg)
80 panels is good, but why not add 48 more?![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![axitec-01.JPG axitec-01.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110448-c8c37fb9026953fa6fc0ec10f24f9184.jpg)
This time I went with 280 watt Axitec panels, but still used SunMax 250W micro inverters. 2 more 24 panel ground mount arrays:
![hillsidearrays-10.JPG hillsidearrays-10.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110449-1ff52e9765e3e1ff957407373fedaf50.jpg)
But before bringing them online, I had the POCO come out and upgrade my transformer from a 25 VKA to a 50 KVA:
![50kva-03.JPG 50kva-03.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110450-97cb703225734505da1417ebd2a1852f.jpg)
So at this point I had a total of 128 panels, all using Micro Inverters. Each AC string had between 12 and 14 panels and went to a 20A breaker in a dedicated 200A soler sub-panel:
![200A_Solar_Sub-panel.JPG 200A_Solar_Sub-panel.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110453-25b9b205129ac19044817ce9ee9e34a9.jpg)
Next I decided to do a 32 panel ground mount array using a SMA SB 7.7. Don't have any construction pics, but here's the completed array:
![IMG_1693.JPG IMG_1693.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110454-cfdb7706bea758e542264ebb3b72066b.jpg)
Next I build a pole barn with the roof consisting of 45 panels.
I started out with 80 panels with micro inverters (Ubiquiti SunMax inverters and panels). 56 of them went on my shop roof and the other 24 on a ground mount array.
Lots of boxes from Ubiquiti:
![sunMAX-03.JPG sunMAX-03.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110442-a25e3bc0a7285c012ee182cb3524035c.jpg)
![sunMAX-04.JPG sunMAX-04.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110443-07aa1e6209885754efb477e4099fcae5.jpg)
I made a rig for my tractor to bring each panel up onto the roof:
![sunmax-11-4-01.JPG sunmax-11-4-01.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110444-552fd0b44c684081f9686def8ebd00b4.jpg)
Next up was doing the 24 panel ground array next to the shop building:
![groundmount11-28-01.JPG groundmount11-28-01.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110445-747baed9c98bf6aa222ba104a132f75f.jpg)
![groundmount12-4-02.JPG groundmount12-4-02.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110446-9d5a345927dd933ec5d43481d27d939a.jpg)
80 panels is good, but why not add 48 more?
![axitec-01.JPG axitec-01.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110448-c8c37fb9026953fa6fc0ec10f24f9184.jpg)
This time I went with 280 watt Axitec panels, but still used SunMax 250W micro inverters. 2 more 24 panel ground mount arrays:
![hillsidearrays-10.JPG hillsidearrays-10.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110449-1ff52e9765e3e1ff957407373fedaf50.jpg)
But before bringing them online, I had the POCO come out and upgrade my transformer from a 25 VKA to a 50 KVA:
![50kva-03.JPG 50kva-03.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110450-97cb703225734505da1417ebd2a1852f.jpg)
So at this point I had a total of 128 panels, all using Micro Inverters. Each AC string had between 12 and 14 panels and went to a 20A breaker in a dedicated 200A soler sub-panel:
![200A_Solar_Sub-panel.JPG 200A_Solar_Sub-panel.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110453-25b9b205129ac19044817ce9ee9e34a9.jpg)
Next I decided to do a 32 panel ground mount array using a SMA SB 7.7. Don't have any construction pics, but here's the completed array:
![IMG_1693.JPG IMG_1693.JPG](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/110/110454-cfdb7706bea758e542264ebb3b72066b.jpg)
Next I build a pole barn with the roof consisting of 45 panels.