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diy solar

diy solar

Post your Ground Mount Setup: No questions or comments on the setup. (pictures only)

Here is my simple setup using BougeRV 190W panels attached to an Ecoflow Delta 2. I used this setup to learn about solar and power my office computer, monitor, T-Moble WiFi and desk lamp. Now I am ready for a full upgrade.
 

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All work done by me.

Mount on the left is DIY made from 4x6 lumber and and 2x10 ledger boards, panels attached to 10ft lengths of superstrut . As you can see I made some mistakes with the concrete posts hence the gaps. 15 Renogy eBay solar panels for just over 4Kw. Installed 2020.

Mount on the right is 16 bifacial Canadian Solar panels on an IronRidge Racking system. The Racking system is installed on top of ground anchor screws which works amazingly well. 6KW. Installed 2021.
 
First part of the build nearly completed. Tilt adjustable arrays. 32 X 530 Canadian Solar panels for around 17kw. Got it up just in time for the shortest, grayest days of the year 🤣 Still have to trench for wiring, as well as install batteries and inverter
 

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Here's my second UniRack ULA ground mount setup I've installed recently. This one got hooked up yesterday and is producing nicely. The rack faces due south at a 30 degree tilt. The panels are eight Mission Solar 395 watt model for a total of 3160 watts of PV that is feeding a Victron off grid setup with 14.5 Kwh battery bank.

It came out rock solid.
 

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New build in process, when done It will be 8 strings of 9 {440} watt panels @ 3.9Kw per string for a total of 31.6 Kw
This will be in addition to the existing Solar chicken coop array I have posted earlier putting out 15.6 Kw. It should be complete for new years if the weather holds in South Alabama. There are 18" air gaps between strings to let the hurricanes blow through with less wind load. I hope!!
Timbers are 6x6 treated and all headers are rough cut 2x8 untreated and all are coated with Thompson's. The brackets are 4x4-1/4" angle drilled and broached to square holes for carriage bolts. Headers are set in notched beams and attached with 1/2" x 8" lag bolts. Angle iron is bolted to the connex boxes with {2} 1/2 -1.5" bolts and the box pipe was tapped for the bolts. I set it up to be able to replace any piece needed or removed at any time required.IMG_3277.JPEGIMG_3280.JPEGIMG_3281.JPEGIMG_3287.JPEGIMG_3288.JPEGIMG_3289.JPEGSolar 1.jpgsolar 2.jpgSolar 3.jpg
 
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This is a 12 hr time laspe in a 4:54 min video of my home made 2 Axis PV Tracking array. this day had sun,wind,rain and clouds. It has proven worth while. Production because of tracking 30% increase. 8 Panels -460w 50.43 voc Isc 11.25 a average day production 14.5kw Load ave 12kw
 
My 4 array single axis tracking setup. 11,800 watts, using 32- 370 watt Zshine panels. It has manual seasonal tilt adjustment, for nearly the same performance as 2 axis tracking. Tracker software is strictly clock based. Code was written in Python, and runs on a Beaglebone black single board computer. It has a custom handwired buffer board, driving two dual channel 20amp motor drivers which drive the linear actuators. Seasonal adjust is via Bulldog trailer jacks on each array. Best single day performance so far was 81.23 kwh.

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A first attempt at a basic wheeled ground mount here in the UK. Used to charge 2x Jackery 2000 Pro batteries, which the kids have to use to power the Playstation! They get around 5hrs of play time from a nearly full battery and the batteries can be fully charged in about 3-4hrs of good light each. Using 2 x Astronergy Astro N7s 445W Bifacial panels and they are kicking out over 600W in direct sunlight in January in the South of the UK...which is incredible. Output drops to around 120W in hazy cloud. Planning to cover the entire available flat roof area in these panels by the end of the year. IMG_8755 Large.jpegIMG_8750 Large.jpegIMG_8751 Large.jpeg
 
Warning: Zero-cost hillbilly setup to follow:p I move my entire setup to 4 locations every year, and when I get to the site, I cannot expect to have the same location, so cement and steel and structures are not my thing. I have the ability to store components at just one site. So, the old futon frame stays here. The old carport frame travels with me. Only the 100 watt panels travel. The 140s do not.

All my support components came out of dumpsters:p

Only one of my sites has high winds, and it is a site in Colorado where I am in July, so the panels lay at a quite low angle. I rarely fasten my panels down for wind.
 

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2x5 Array adjustable array with space for five more panels.
Built from treater lumber and unistrut.
Tilt is accomplished with small crank winches due to the height of the array. Winches are only used when raising or lowering and do no support the load in general.
mount 3.jpg
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I have not built it yet, but this is the configuration I am going with. borrowed the idea from Ambition Strikes on YT, but with a more engineered approach. 0° to 60° of adjustability, 40k lbs of concrete ballast, and the container is welded to embedded pads. I am still working on the adjustable legs that keep the array at 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60°..

15°
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60°
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I finally managed to get some pics of my 4 - 100 watt ground panels.

They feed into my main RV system that has 6 x 200 watt panels on the roof. You might wonder why I need more power when the thing is just sitting at the house. Well, I can export power from the Multiplus in the camper into my backup switch panel in the house and power any of the circuits that I could normally power with a generator. Currently I'm just using the solar to run the lighting circuits since we're only making about 4.5 kWh here in the winter.

3D printed parts hold a Victron Bluesolar 100/30 and a temperature controlled relay to turn a cooling fan on and off at appropriate temps. Everything is housed in the vacant OEM battery box.

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