What do you think? I like them. Think about how easy an off-grid system is if you threw this on the ground in your backyard. Excited to see more of these come to market:
Sollega Ballast Ground Mounts (Iron Ridge Supplier)
- Thread starter Will Prowse
- Start date
andrew-d
New Member
I love the idea of ballasted ground mounts. Seems super straightforward for a DIYer compared to getting up on a roof and drilling. I do wish that there were more options for those of us up north, though; most of them that I’ve seen are pretty close to flat.
green mountain boys
Solar Enthusiast
I agree, the flat angle is a problem.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Ballasted is hard to do for much of an angle.
Due to wind uplifting.
Due to wind uplifting.
Central Coast Solar
New Member
What about the buckets from Powerfield?
?
?
I bought similar ones off of Alibaba. 60 @ $16.60 each. I did CIF, but hindsight DDP would not have cost much more, and it would have been less of a headache.
Shipping pretty much doubles the price unless you ordered a lot.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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They're Heavier.
And block some of the wind flowing under.
Which are both helpful.
I need a 53 degree option. i don't think ballasted will be an option.
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
All these plastic "ground mounts" are too low to the ground for anyone who gets significant snow. If you live in the south they might work for you.
I haven’t seen any of those buckets more than 25°
But I think you could go up as high as 60°-ish if you just added more buckets and ballast. Besides the buckets on either end of the panels, add buckets in the middle too.
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
The other day was 45+ mph winds sustained for over 4 hours. Gusts over 50 mph.
If I installed a ballast mount no matter the angle, I would most likely have seen it flying by my windows at some point.
I have no idea how some of you get away with a ballast mount. I doubt my insurance would even consider insuring one here. I'll stick with my cheap mounts on the expansion. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/sinclair-or-mt-solar.76590/ Ordered 3 poles from a local welding shop I buy material from at around $500 each.
sunshine_eggo
Victron's little biatch
The other day was 45+ mph winds sustained for over 4 hours. Gusts over 50 mph.
If I installed a ballast mount no matter the angle, I would most likely have seen it flying by my windows at some point.
I have no idea how some of you get away with a ballast mount. I doubt my insurance would even consider insuring one here. I'll stick with my cheap mounts on the expansion. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/sinclair-or-mt-solar.76590/ Ordered 3 poles from a local welding shop I buy material from at around $500 each.
The powerfields are 550 lb when filled to the brim with sand or gravel with a wind load rating of 120mph.
scrubjaysnest
Solar Enthusiast
And in the AZ desert or FL with the sun how long does the plastic last.
I have those buckets 6 rows of seven panels. Eight buckets per row. Each bucket has 85 pounds of ballast. I’m up on a hill that is very windy, I have been getting more than 50 mph winds. They don’t budge.The other day was 45+ mph winds sustained for over 4 hours. Gusts over 50 mph.
If I installed a ballast mount no matter the angle, I would most likely have seen it flying by my windows at some point.
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timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Turn them the other way and fill them with concrete. lol
ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
In AZ, about a week if it gets sun. However as long as it doesn't get sun or if you put a heavy coat of paint on it, much longer.
ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
Bwahahahahahahahahah. Yea it won't. Sun here is the most brutal thing I've ever dealt with on plastics. Maybe 20-25, maybe. The 'dashmat' for cars was originally created for phoenix.
ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
It's just not that much more expensive to drop 4x4 posts in with a wood frame. I dunno, once you start filling tubs with rocks the annoyance goes up, and you still have to deal with the wiring. The only reason I can think of to use this type of mount was for something temporary, but then you have to do something with the ballast, and ...
It does look like glass reinforced HDPE. It probably will last a really long time. They are also shaded by the panels.
yodamota
Solar Enthusiast
I wonder if the ballast makes the panels run cooler in these bucket arrangements?
ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
Yes, not in DIRECT sunlight for 50 years as stated. Paint helps a lot.
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
If you say so........
I received an engineering report with my 16 panel mount, this is the force just at ground level on each pole.
Not even discussing uplift.......
AZ Solar Junkie
Maricopa, AZ
Glad to hear that. I have some Powerfields on order ?
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