I have been wanting to get a PV system for many years and have had little solar panels that have intrigued me for some time, but I am ignorant about how exactly to get a system for my home.
Recently, I saw some solar panels for sale on local craigslist, looked at them and bought a pallet of them. They are 310 watts each. I knew from reading all over that I needed an inverter so I could hook the panels up to the grid and sell the extra electricity. I found one on Ebay and bought it.
Then I contacted my local utility to see what the next step would be. They did not seem impressed that I was interested in net metering and offered to enroll me in their solar panel club where they own the panels and rent them to customers. Not interested. I got their contact and regulatory information from them and filed it.
Next I talked to the county in Mn. where the panels would be. If they go on a building roof, there are several extra hoops to jump thru and additional permits/inspections/safety features that would add cost and complexity. Several years ago, we built a shed with the long side orientated towards the south so we could get panels someday but after consideration about putting them on the roof, we decided to look at ground mount systems.
That is where I am at today with my project. I need to decide if I should cobble a ground mount for 24 panels or buy something. I think I have looked at just about every option from mono pole with trackers, driving piling systems, concrete pilings, screw down systems, to a system that you build on the ground, then drive cables into the ground to secure it. I am leaning towards getting the racks that you build on the ground and drive cable in to tie it down.
I have been reading information from this and other forums for some time, but I need to learn more before I get anything up and running. Any racking suggestions would be welcome. I have a skid steer and a post hole auger and any tools needed to get something put together but I am trying to decide which way to go with racking.
Thanks, Ken
Recently, I saw some solar panels for sale on local craigslist, looked at them and bought a pallet of them. They are 310 watts each. I knew from reading all over that I needed an inverter so I could hook the panels up to the grid and sell the extra electricity. I found one on Ebay and bought it.
Then I contacted my local utility to see what the next step would be. They did not seem impressed that I was interested in net metering and offered to enroll me in their solar panel club where they own the panels and rent them to customers. Not interested. I got their contact and regulatory information from them and filed it.
Next I talked to the county in Mn. where the panels would be. If they go on a building roof, there are several extra hoops to jump thru and additional permits/inspections/safety features that would add cost and complexity. Several years ago, we built a shed with the long side orientated towards the south so we could get panels someday but after consideration about putting them on the roof, we decided to look at ground mount systems.
That is where I am at today with my project. I need to decide if I should cobble a ground mount for 24 panels or buy something. I think I have looked at just about every option from mono pole with trackers, driving piling systems, concrete pilings, screw down systems, to a system that you build on the ground, then drive cables into the ground to secure it. I am leaning towards getting the racks that you build on the ground and drive cable in to tie it down.
I have been reading information from this and other forums for some time, but I need to learn more before I get anything up and running. Any racking suggestions would be welcome. I have a skid steer and a post hole auger and any tools needed to get something put together but I am trying to decide which way to go with racking.
Thanks, Ken