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offgrididaho
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2018 11:05am
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Looking for a little inspiration as far as building solar panel mount. Planning on using an off the shelf system to hold the actual panels, so what I'm really looking for is some input on footing(s), single pole versus ground mount etc.
Most likely looking for something that is capable of holding 3 72 cell panels (~900 watts), so probably looking (according to specs) using 4" schedule 40 pipe if I go with a single pole (~9' pipe to get 6' off ground, 90+ pounds), that's getting heavy and is going to require big hole which equals lots of bags of concrete to haul and hand mix.
My complicating factor is I don't have vehicle access to our property, so everything has to be brought in by boat and then carted to the property. All work will be done with hand tools / small power tools (so I can at least use a 1/2" drill to mix concrete for example).
If I were at home, I would just dig a hole and use sonotube and set the pipe in concrete with 1/3 of its height below ground (frost line is not very deep - coastal Washington). And that may still be what I do, but that means lots of haulage as noted above.
We have to mow the yard a few times a year with a tractor, so we're hoping to have the panels up higher (5-6' off ground) to lessen chances of death to a panel from flying rocks so a classic "on the ground" ground mount isn't ideal, but maybe a ground mount with posts on four corners would be more amenable to some sort of pier block / footing arrangement instead of buried footing?
Anyone have any brilliant ideas of easier ways to mount panels up off the ground a ways without wrestling with lots of concrete and/or lots of large schedule 40 pipe?
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Just
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2018 01:08pm
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Simple mount , one bag of concrete ,easy cleaning ,could use local cut wood , 5 years never moved .
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Nate R
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2018 01:20pm
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Good to see discussion on this! Seems like so many people put them on teh roof these days that there isn't as much ground mount happening. I came to a similar conclusion, that what Just has done may be the way to go. Seems a bit silly to pay so much more for the mounts, concrete, find a 4" pipe,e tc. At <$1.50/watt, it just seems worth the risk to em to try a simple setup like what was posted above.
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Steve961
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2018 04:48pm
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Here's my DIY ground mount. I had a local fence builder drive two treated fence posts several feet into the ground. He said driven posts were less susceptible to heaving in our soils, and it seems he has been right so far. The rest of the mount is made up of Unistrut and some other odds and ends. There are hinges on the top and several locations for the support arms to bolt into the posts so it is adjustable for different times of the year.
I also made it somewhat of a quick-disconnect system so I can keep the panel stored inside when I am away. I have a smaller panel installed on the roof, which is less likely to be stolen, to keep the battery charged when I am away.
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offgrididaho
Member
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2018 06:11pm
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Thanks everyone for replies.
Just, do you have more details on your build? What was the one bag of concrete for, I'm assuming you set your posts a little ways in the ground?
Do you get much wind where you are?
-- Bass
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Just
Member
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2018 10:19pm
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I like to put a 1/4 bag of concrete in each hole and tamp it flat befor i set the posts, I think it stops them from settling. river to the south open field to the back , lots of wind !! the array is set at 43* as we are on the 43 parallel and we need the most power spring and fall for a large dewatering pump. the frame is bolted togather not nailed .
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justinbowser
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# Posted: 7 Nov 2018 10:27pm - Edited by: justinbowser
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I have mine on a somewhat temporary setup right now but next spring I am going to cement posts in the ground similar to Just's rack to mount these to. I made three frames out of PVC pipe that each hold 3 100 watt panels.
Panel_Rack_4.jpg
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Panels_1.jpg
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Ontario lakeside
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# Posted: 8 Nov 2018 02:34am
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Sounds like our situation almost exactly. I made a video on our ground mount.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuSJTvH94EU
And another on the problems we encountered after a storm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZfqfziDZwE&t=1s
The horizontal pipe was not strong enough to handle the wind load. I have upgraded it to heavy gauge steel and its working well now.
Perhaps you can benefit from our mistakes!
Good luck
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offgrididaho
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2018 09:08am
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Thanks Ontario lakeside, that looks like a nice build, sorry it had a rough winter! Unfortunately I don't have a nice chunk of bedrock to mount into, so I still have the "lots of concrete" issue I'm trying to work around.
Just, that might be a good solution for me, going to investigate anchoring it better... I think winds up to 60mph are easy possibility for us. Definitely will bolt if I go with wood, I have little faith in screws.
Has anyone use ground screws? I'm considering that as an option as well to get some good depth, then anchor to the ground screw with a small pad/footing poured around the top for stability / extra weight... there are some ground screws that take 2" schedule 40 galvy sliding right over the top and you bolt the two together.
-- Bass
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Just
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2018 10:42am
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I believe the week point in my mount are the z brackets the dealer sold me to fasten the panels to the wood . They were small and light with only 1/4 in. Of aluminium over the edge of the panels, I soon reenforsted them with some cut from a old aluminum frame with a 1 in over lap and 1/4 in. lag bolts . We have had gusts here in ontario over 60 mph in the last 3 days .
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neckless
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# Posted: 9 Nov 2018 10:51am
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it seems everybody wants to put on a roof, seems like a lot of work ,ther are 15 cabins on my lake all on roof or garage...there is junk yards full of these things, they are the old satilight dish mounts already built in tilt and swivel on them made out of real steel lol bag of cement and your done install panels there is even mounts for a achuater i found like five of them when i looked seven years ago plus u can turn them to morning sun then face sun set anytime u want......
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