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diy solar

Put them panels on poles

Roswell Bob

Solar Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
759
Location
Warner, NH
I live on a hilltop in New Hampshire. We get a lot of snow. I put a pair of 2kW arrays on poles. In the fall I place panels nearly vertical. Best for low angles of sun. Snow doesn't bother my panels - if any collects it is gone soon after sunrise. I didn't want to bolt panels to a brand new roof. They remind me of sails.

I dug a hole and sunk 8" steel pipe with about 2 yards of concrete. I put a small 6' junior I beam across pole with a trailer axle on top. Hung panels on axle. It was inexpensive. Concrete truck was up there pouring floor anyway so work out good.

Ping me if you want more info.
 
Sounds awesome, I have heard of people who complain about snow removal issues before myself. I had pondered that a panel you could put sufficiently vertical, and high enough to stay off the ground-fall, shouldn't ever have this problem at all.

Are yours adjustable for Summer angle as well or fixed? Do you have any pictures?
 
Sounds awesome, I have heard of people who complain about snow removal issues before myself. I had pondered that a panel you could put sufficiently vertical, and high enough to stay off the ground-fall, shouldn't ever have this problem at all.

Are yours adjustable for Summer angle as well or fixed? Do you have any pictures?
Yes they go complete horizontal to almost verticle. Two guys and a 6' ladder was all took to install.
 
My own looks a bit like your left-hand array. I designed mine to rotate left to right to track the daily sun, and also seasonal angle. I didn't design mine to go 90 degrees vertical, but they are steep enough at my winter angle that the snow just slides off.
 

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Also using top-of-pole mount (not one I built myself) but wanted to note that even when I have it at 60 degrees for winter if you are in a COLD climate (I'm in N. Minnesota where typically is 0F to -40F air temp in winter mornings ) the morning sun many times is not enough.. when the sun is enough to start melting it is really helpful to have panels that have a black frame instead of the natural aluminum color. I have exact same panels on same pole, half with silver frames and half with black frames. On the silver framed ones the sun may start to melt the snow off of the panel itself but then refreeze as ice on the silver frame. The black framed ones don't do this.
 
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