Single pole mount for 6 or 8 panel array

[Off Grid Zion]

Good afternoon all. I'm currently trying to find a top of pole mount for my array, currently (6) 445 CS panels but may move up to 8 before mounting. Its a single wooden pole and its needs to be tall (25ish feet) to reach the sun in the winter as my property is covered in Ponderosa pines. I'm looking for a mount (Collar style) for a 10" wood pole, it would be ideal if it can tilt and turn to adjust for seasonal changes. Is anyone aware of a mount that meets this description? I've considered making one as I'm more than capable of welding one up but the finding the pieces without being forced to buy long unnecessary lengths of steel is proving difficult and the list of summer projects is certainly longer than available weekends before I've run out of time..

 

[Hedges]

25' tall monopole (telephone pole)? 12 ~ 16 square meters of sail?
Ships usually have guy wires for their masts.

Some ground mounts have one-axis tilt. Tilt/track hardly worthwhile with today's cost of panels.

I think an A-frame has a better chance of standing up to the wind. Make it a cabin or roof structure while you're at it.

 

[Off Grid Zion]

25' tall monopole (telephone pole)? 12 ~ 16 square meters of sail?
Ships usually have guy wires for their masts.

Some ground mounts have one-axis tilt. Tilt/track hardly worthwhile with today's cost of panels.

I think an A-frame has a better chance of standing up to the wind. Make it a cabin or roof structure while you're at it.

Single pole is the only option currently, I can and have planned cable stays for it. I will add its temporary for a year of so until my new house is built then a much bigger array will be mounted on top of it, until then, this is it.

 

[Hedges]

How small an array can you get away with for now?
Emphasis on summer or winter production? Summer, panels flat on the ground should add more.

I could imagine pole with four guy wires. Two beams follow two guy wires, are held out from pole and apart by three struts. PV panels mounted landscape orientation to those beams. Maybe single, then two across, then two or three. Maybe portrait, better for mounting on horizontal unistrut or similar. Possibly neither portrait or landscape, rather on point to follow guy wires? I plan to do one roof section that way.

If shade will still clip lower panels, plan your series/parallel array configuration to work well with MPPT input(s)

Any flowing water on the property?

 

[Bluedog225]

How much mid day sun do you get at ground level? If 6-7 hours, there may be better options than tree top.

 

[Off Grid Zion]

How much mid day sun do you get at ground level? If 6-7 hours, there may be better options than tree top.

In the winter not quite 4, on a pole it will be over 6. I've done all this math and this is my best and honestly only option with 75 ft tall trees everywhere, I just figured id check and see if anyone has done something similar and had incite to a commercially made product.

 

[Off Grid Zion]

How small an array can you get away with for now?
Emphasis on summer or winter production? Summer, panels flat on the ground should add more.

I could imagine pole with four guy wires. Two beams follow two guy wires, are held out from pole and apart by three struts. PV panels mounted landscape orientation to those beams. Maybe single, then two across, then two or three. Maybe portrait, better for mounting on horizontal unistrut or similar. Possibly neither portrait or landscape, rather on point to follow guy wires? I plan to do one roof section that way.

If shade will still clip lower panels, plan your series/parallel array configuration to work well with MPPT input(s)

Any flowing water on the property?

Winter is the time I need the production, the array is the minimum. No water.

 

[Hedges]

No hydro power then.

Minimum ~ 2500W (STC) needed? About 1800 ~ 2000W actual. Maybe 2 or 3 equivalent full hours of sun per winter day, 3600Wh to 6000Wh/day. (or whatever insolation calculator says for your location.)

Maybe if my idea of panels & brackets along guy wires works, one wire due South, others East & West, so panels face SE and SW. Although that's more of a benefit during long summer days, will reduce production in winter vs. all South. But flattens production, less cycling at night.

You'll probably need backup generator for days of clouds.

75 ft tall trees everywhere,

I've thought of panels up on trees. would probably bend like crazy in the wind.

 

[OffGridForGood]

"Solar Trees" - artificial "tree" with built in solar PV

 

[Bluedog225]

Biggest I’m aware of if tamarack at 6”.

I don’t understand why more panels lower for shorter duration will not suffice.

Good luck with your project.

 

[OffGridForGood]

I'm looking for a mount (Collar style) for a 10" wood pole, it would be ideal if it can tilt and turn to adjust for seasonal changes.

Build (or have built) a 4" Sch 40 pipe welded to a plate, welded to a short section of 10 Sch 40, with some holes drilled in the 10" section - so you can through bolt it to the wood.
buy a single or dual axis Solar Tracker suitable for the panels you have in mind, that will attach to the 4" pipe .
Install.
I you can't DIY the bracket, send a sketch to a misc metals shop and get them to price it for you. Will not cost much.

 

[seneysolar]

Heres a Solar Rackworks 6 panel mount, goes on 6" schedule 40. These are reasonably priced and good quality. They can be assembled and set up in about 2 hours. Its alot of surface area to catch wind, i wouldn't want to go higher than this without some major bracing or excessive concrete.