DIY Adjustable Solar Panel Ground Mount - Part 2 

@@canyondan hey thanks. It has done great. I still recommend a 6x6 instead of 4x6 for the main post. Depends on how high it is from the ground may need a little more heft. 👍

Nice to hear solar is working for you. We lost power during Matthew and florence here in Robeson County NC for days and we are inland.

@@robertmjr7996 Hey thanks! Freedom is what it is all about for me

@@rodneyhunt Without Freedom, man really has nothing. Just finished part 1, I have to say that your "engineering" looks flawless.

At least someone thinks so. Usually everyone tells me what I did wrong. But that’s the internet when you upload content. Thanks!

I did as well. Might be in another video. 👍

Lol yeah

I had these on the ground for months lol. Didn’t have time to build the mount until now.

Good ideas and tips thanks!

Well said! Thanks

Hey that sounds great! You will like the 6000xp. Mine have been great

Indeed it is. Keep at it!

So goods. I may add some corner bracing but wanted to see how it was without it first. Also adding cross bracing for post. May go with bigger post on my next one. 👍

Hey thanks! You are right and I may add bolts to the 2x4 in the future if I don’t add auto adjustment

@@aflipzkidn Awesome! Thanks

Nice! 👍

Will keep you updated. 👍

Appreciate that. That is one of my goals. 👍

Awesome, thank you! Appreciate that

@@TheVaga9 which one lol. I have had a few but I guess this video had one as well!

Thanks. You should enjoy them and I am ready to get mine installed.

Awesome! Thank you!

Hey thanks will do

You too. Thanks

Thank you

Better to have something than to wait. I have been slowing building for several years now. 1800 watts is huge to someone with nothing so you are better off than most. 👍

Thanks. It makes all the difference 👍

More and more people everyday. 👍

That is true! High enough winds will destroy anything I can build. Not looking for any government telling me how I must do it though lol. So you have any Solar installed in Ak yet? How has it been?

@@rodneyhunt I am building a house at our Lake property. I built a 1200 watt array on a timebframe tower. I used an excavator to dig a 5' deep hole. Used a sonot tube on a "big foot" footing cone. I cemented 4 steel straps into the concrete footing pad. Everything I build uses our native spruce. I built the Tower using 4 rough cut 4X4 posts 16' tall with 4x6 blocks as spacers every 4' or so. 1 timber spacer is above the 4, 4x4's to make the top of the tower. I drilled a 2" hole through the top 2 spacer timbers to slip a 5' long 2" pipe through to make a pivoting pipe mount for an array of 3 200w solar panels. A second array is fixed on an adjustable, but not pivoting, unistrut frame attached to the South face of the tower. I use this system to charge 4 glass matt 12v 100ah batteries configured in a 24 volt system to power a 12 v diesel heater for my 15kw Propane generator, generator house. The Gen Set will be used to recharge 4 14kw lithium batteries that power the house only in the darkest period of our winter here in South Central Ak. I have a 12k SolArk solar System and 20, 375w Bifacial Canadian Solar, solar panels to place on a timebframe ground mount like you have built. I will use 5, 14 foot tall rough cut 6x6 timbers that will have a pivot point 14' off the ground. I will bolt the base to a treated timber ballast cage frame and use gravel for ballast. The property is only 1' above ground water next to the lake. Never Never Lake, Ak on the North shore of the Southern cove if you'd like to Google map it.

Hey thanks!

Maybe I can do an update when I move it again

Hey thanks

Good tips. Already had some unistrut hardware and it worked before so I just used what I know. 👍

@@rodneyhuntkeep it up, you’ll be totally off grid soon. It took 47kWp. All on pt lumber.

Can you elaborate on the 1/2" pvc? Are you saying to make shims out of the pvc and stick them in on the outer clamps so the square washers sit flat? Run the bolt through the pipe or just sandwich the pipe on the outside of the washer? Seems a small wood shim would do that as well but not look as good.

Lowes. Unistrut washer

Hey thanks. Appreciate that

I have one of the eg4 mounts that I will use for a solar mini spilt when it arrives. I think the eg4 ones are adjustable some what so I would think it would work for you. I have more adjustability with the DIY mount but you should be good.

Will do a video this week on that. 👍

Will show what they put out for sure. Will be testing that out soon when I change out all my inverters. Might do it before to show what the growatts will produce before changing to eg4 6000xp’s

Thank you! 🙏

Thats what everyone should do! I will probably do 6x6 post on my next array to get a little more stiffness before adding cross members. But it will work as long as it is short enough. 👍

I did! I thought I put that in a video but been busy so maybe not. My 6000xp screws were in the bag with manual I think. Did you check that?

I'm pretty sure he has that.... Was in part one where he talked about that.

I have that just tightened bolts to much I think.

👍

@@rodneyhunt Ok cool, just saw this part and not the previous video. Looks good to me, thinking about the same thing looked at sinclair and they were around $2300 for 10 panels. I got the same panels that you did.

Save money with DIY. I will go with 6x6 post on my next version. Just for added stiffness prior to adding cross bracing.

Right now with a 2x4 from my post 4x6 to array 2x6. Looking at some options not to install for final setup

Would be awesome if you could make it automatically move.

I put one on each positive right before I parallel the two series together.

@@rodneyhunt What if only running in series? It's for my mini split

I just put it on positive side at the connection inlet mini split. You can put it anywhere as long as it is easily accessible so either side of you line

They have been doing great. Can’t remember exactly efficiency off the top of my head but will look it up

None yet. Doing good

Not sure will need to look. 10awg PV wire maybe

Yes 10 AWG PV wire

@@rodneyhunt thanks for always answering my questions. That's another reason I like you and your channel. It's not just educational but you really talk to people

I try and thanks

Like I said not an engineer but we will see. Might make a few changes on the next one. 👍

I have 47kWp on mostly pt pine and one array on oak. No problems so far at two years. Aluminum has a coefficient of expansion 5X greater than pine. The aluminum pv panel frames are the problem.

You can put a ground lug from lowes/home depot with a bolt hole for the unistrut. Just make sure everything is electrical connected. I used several lugs and verified everything was grounded together.

@@rodneyhunt thanks Morpheus, 😉really appreciate your help.

👍

Thanks. Put boards on all three already but thanks. Will see if inside is feasible for the boards I have or if I can make front and back sides work. 👍

Please elaborate on this @awbean5254. That is what I need to figure out so that I can track the horizon correctly each month for the best collection of solar rays. Thank you!

Only have screws where no load bearing is happening. Only to keep things lined up and square. I think it will be fine but feel free to use bolts anyway you see fit. Thanks

@@rodneyhunt It’s not load bearing until a freak storm comes through.

Well bolts or even a commercial ground mount can be destroyed. I will make a few changes on my second version of this but that will probably only be bigger post. Thanks for the tips though

Home depot, lowes, local electrical supply company, etc. 👍

@rodneyhunt okay, thanks wasn't aware they were available locally. Thanks

Glad to help

Great! No problems but I would still go with 6x6 for the post in the future. Then I would be much more confident in the winds. Definitely had 40 plus mph winds so far and still standing

@@rodneyhunt Okay, I will definitely go with 6x6's, its been super windy around here lately too.

Sounds good!

It’s pressure treated but we will see how it holds up. My other array is 2 years old and still doing good. Thanks for the tip!

Pell and stick flashing works great on things like this a decks it's cheaper and easier then painting.just apply it to keep water out the joints.if the joints can't breathe and air dry that's where rot starts even on treated wood. What's the frost layer depth where you live?

@@justincourts8296 Pretty shallow can’t remember exactly.

​@justincourts8296 you're thinking of butyl tape.

​@rodneyhunt you'll be just fine. Your panels will keep off most of the water and wood mainly only rots when it's in constant contact with moisture, all the time. I'm planning on doing this exact thing but with rough cut lumber from my sawmill. Thanks for the videos and the good ideas!

👍

Native American

Lol just with less money