Easy DIY Solar Panel System Racking Install
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 тра 2024
- Ready Rack by APA Solar Racking can engineer an American made screw system for your solar racking that eliminates the need for concrete! This is a DIY friendly solution for solar racking. See all the details as I expand my solar ground array racking system. You can get a quote for your solar system racking here: www.readyracksolar.com/
Learn more about solar power and home backup on my website ProjectsWithDave.com: projectswithdave.com/
Solar Noon calculator: www.gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Links to related videos:
Watch my original step by step 9kW ground array install here: • DIY 9kW Grid Tie Groun...
Step by Step Roof Mounted 9kW solar system: • 9kW DIY Home Solar Pan...
Install a Home Battery Backup: • Battery BACKUP for Hom...
Avoid The $4,000 Mistake I made: • DIY Solar Panel System...
South VS West Array Performance: • West vs. South Solar P...
Super Cheap Used Solar Panels: • Super Cheap Solar Pane...
One Year Performance Review: • Solar Panels For Home ...
Cost of my System VS Quote: • My DIY Solar Panel Sys...
Planning Your Solar Array Episode 1: • How to Size Your Solar...
4 Things to Know About Solar in the Snow: • Solar Power In Snow - ...
Ground Vs Roof Mount Solar: • Ground vs Roof Mount S...
How to Get A Permit For Your Solar System: • HOW TO GET A PERMIT FO...
Remaking my J-Box to reduce fire risk: • Solar Panel Junction B...
3 Solar Panel Wiring Issues Answered: • 3 Solar Panel System W...
Net Metering Explained With Actual Data: • Solar Panel System Net...
$600 Starter OFF Grid solution: • 200W Solar Panel & BLU...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For great prices on used and clearance solar panels use SanTan Solar: www.santansolar.com/product-c...
For large orders and pallet pricing fro SanTan, contact Alex (480-360-6203; or alexanderson@santansolar.com ) and mention EverydayDave for 5% off.
Best Value Source For Solar Panels and Batteries - Signature Solar: signaturesolar.com/shop-all/s...
Quality & Service Source for Batteries and Inverters- Current Connected: www.currentconnected.com/?ref...
Emporia Vue Monitoring system: amzn.to/457mUew
Materials and project details for my Victron Multiplus II /SOK 48V Server Rack battery backup system here: projectswithdave.com/battery-...
My Recommended Battery Storage Options: projectswithdave.com/batteries/
Common Tools I Use for Solar and Off Grid Power: projectswithdave.com/tools/
Common Components for Building Your Grid-Tie or Off-Grid Solar System: projectswithdave.com/components/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WANT TO GO SOLAR BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START?
Solar doesn't make sense for everyone and I have found a great free resource that's on YOUR side. It's called EnergyPal, they will help you determine if solar is RIGHT FOR YOU and set you up with the lowest cost installation that meets your needs. If you follow my link to sign up you will get a $500 gift card when your install is complete! energypal.com/everyday-dave
Or, Try Energy Sage - It's free: www.energysage.com/p/everyday...
I used Energy Sage to research solar and receive multiple competing quotes for my install.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Using my affiliate links helps the channel at no cost to you! THANK YOU!!
Disclaimers:
This video is for information purposes only, and does not constitute professional advice. Solar systems can and do involve dangerous electrical connections. If you do not have experience with electrical wiring, please seek professional support.
Affiliate information and disclaimers:
Links in description may be affiliate links, we may get paid if you purchase something through one of these links. This helps out our channel at no extra cost to you. Thank You!
(As a SanTan Solar Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases)
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Projects with Everyday Dave is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program,
An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:51 Screw Assembly
03:02 Driving Ground Screws
04:20 Installing Weed Block
05:23 Racking Assembly
12:12 Solar Panel Installation - Навчання та стиль
Oh that's neat. I like that
I wasn’t sure about it when I first decided to go with it, but it was easier to install than I expected and I’ve had 60mph winds without even the slightest issue.
I used ready rack for my 11K system. It is a well designed system. Very good quality. Nothing to complain about. I would do it again.
Thanks for reporting your real world experience!
How many panels does the rack fit and what is it the estimate price for that size?
what was the price old man
I finally installed my ready rack yesterday. Due to some issues getting things aligned it took longer, but I will be mounting panels tomorrow. Also, that pro tip you gave is what I learned yesterday via some trial and error.
Screw piles, British patent from 1833. Great video, many thanks, very useful.
thanks for doing these videos and making solar more accessible to the DIY crowd!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Thanks Dave! You do such a great job with your steady, cool, explanations. Nicely done.
Agreed
Very insightful! 👍🏻
Very cool system.
I'm not sure this racking system is quite as HD as some of the others out there (although likely cheaper and easier to install), but it looks like a good option for those folks that don't live is areas prone to extreme wind conditions. BTW, I checked my location in CT and solar south was within 0.05° of due south... close enough for me!
Love how you explain. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
This video was SUPER helpful!! I am getting ready to do a 24kw ground mount system. Thank you for all the great information you are sharing.
Hello I am doing solar system accessories, your installation video is very comprehensive, let me learn a lot. Hope to have more videos in the future, thank you
Wow, this was a great video tutorial. So many great tips plus your video format and pace were excellent. I learned a lot. Thank you very much!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent and Useful Video
thx
Great video!
Good simple instructions and good what and why explanations, well done and you have another subscription. Keep safe and good luck with your installs (from AF in the UK).
DANG man!!..... I thought I had a great DIY ground mount...... YOURS makes MINE look like a kindergartener made it!!! GREAT JOB!!!! I don't even think a hurricane will pull THAT outta the ground!!!!
Good design
What a nice set up
Thanks!
I used ready rack for my 12kw system after seeing your original video on it. Overall I'm pretty happy with it. It's survived our Oklahoma wind and snow for a year now with no issues.
I will say, you have some really REALLY soft dirt there. Getting my screws in the ground was a total nightmare due to the clay we have about 18 inches down here. I had to get grade 8 bolts for my screws because the original hardware would snap off rather easily. I got to dig up 2 different screw heads because of this 😢
Also, my 35hp tractor would not screw in these screws all the way. Also, there was no way I was going to be lining up the bolt holes by hand. Luckily I rented a skid steer with a reversible head that made lining up the bolt holes easy.
Overall I would definitely recommend the system but place a big BIG emphasis on getting the right screws for your ground type.
Thanks for posting your real world use case! This is great information for people to consider. For clay type soils, I think time of year can also play a big part. I made a point to install my screws in late fall or early spring when the ground is soft from rain fall. In mid summer, it becomes very hard, almost like concrete. I was worried about breaking bolts, but had no issues with that, sounds like my fears were not unfounded.
@@ProjectsWithDave very good point about time of year. I installed mine during Christmas break of 2021. It wasn't freezing weather but that still may have not been the best time.
What a high quality video
Brilliant video Dave, so informative, I was hoping you would expand the array and record another video, Thanks!
More to come!
Your video helped a lot in my decision of what rack to get. I'm really impressed with the kit and almost have it completed. I watched this vid several times as I was building which really helped in the assembly.
Awesome! I'm glad I could provide some value for you.
As Usual, .... Another Excellent Video You Really Do It Up Nicely .... Bravo!!
Thank You
Nicely done. Very informative
Thank you!
12:43 Pro tip: we build brackets from home depot in a double L and 4 in total , 2 for the current panel and 2 for the next. The upper L will be put onto the lower horizontal bar or profil and the lower L mounted so to say upside down faces up that you can lay the panel onto them and adjust them easily without someone always having to hold that panel.
You then have a master piece for the distance of the lower end of the panel to that profile where you mount the panels cause I bet the horizontal profiles and bars were perfectly aligned, and the the panels are a lot easier to align them perfectly this way. You can adjust the home depot plates , I mean 2 of these L each 40 cm long with holes in a pattern drilled already from the factory can also adjust close to the perfect position. The last mm can be adjusted by a rod of wood and you have the perfect line. If you have screwed the middle connector you pick up the 2 bracket assmeblies ( built out of for L) and move them forward to the next spot. If you have additional pieces you can build a U shape at the lower end which prevents those brackets from falling of if you push the panels in place. Hard to describe but if you think about very valueable especially on the roof or if you have to work on your own and not further helping hand is available.
Cheap (20€ or 20$ for 4 of them) and easy to build cause you simply need 8 L pieces and some screws to mount the upper L with the back on the lower L and adjust it the distances. You can also bend an U at the lower end with the U pillars in a distance of the height of the panel, mostly 3 or 4 cm.
Helps an awfull lot and can be reused later. And makes the aligning a lot easier cause your horizontal profiles are easier to align first and then you should get automatically the right alignment of the panels if they lay in these brackets. Attention: You might have to shorten the upper L to release it once the panel has been fixed. If the shorter leg is too long there is not enough space to the back of the panel, so 1,5 cm should be enough to held the panel in space but also short enough to release or recover the L from the holding position once the panel has been fixed.
Hard to describe especially in a foreign language but it is a very usefull geometrical alignment tool only for that particular use case and of cause on a roof too.
Thumbs up & subscribed! Excellent video and audio with clear understanding of project.
Awesome, thank you!
Would be cool to see a version of this for quick antenna mast installs. Sometimes you just need to be able to have a decent base for a mast that is not going very high. Would be cool to see a short one designed to attach to an auger just screw into the ground and bam you have a mounting point to install a metal pole off of. You could even use 5 of the things so you could get a really solid base for a taller mast.
Yea, I was thinking it would be a great solution for a windmill. Seems like there are a lot of possible applications.
God Bless
Thanks!
Thank You!
this is structured is more stability for wind ?
Okay....Several things come to mind. First, my Ironridge ground mount didn't require 2' holes 7 feet deep. Granted I'm not in a hurricane area, but my rack is rated for 120mph. The 'rack' sure looks like Unistrut. The small cables seem to be more show and tell than anything else. I can't see how 1/8" cable is going to add much in the way of support. And lastly, how in the hell do you screw in the earth screws if you don't happen to have a tractor with a post hole digger attachment? Renting a bobcat would certainly put the screws to building a inexpensive solar mount.
The only support that the cable provides is connecting the long posts to the others. Should the rack deflect a bit in the wind, they'll transfer some of the deflection to the next post and that post to the next post, so the only way if fails is if a force is applied to that's strong enough to break the cable or bend the whole rack. Commonly available 1/8" steel cable is rated for 400lbs tension and has a breaking strength around 2000lbs, so they'll do a lot more than nothing.
How did you dig the holes for your concrete footings? The drawings in the video show the helix on the bottom of the posts are 6" wide, which I'm guessing is more narrow than the holes you had to dig. Anything that can remove earth with a larger radius than that should have enough power to drive these down. My point being that if you don't have something to do this you're probably renting something anyway.
Renting a bobcat for a few hours isn't that expensive.
It's three weeks later. Yeah seven feet deep is stretch, a back hoe, 36-40" and a sonotube. Just like a deck. I am not a fan of steel direct in soil where in can rust away, prefer it on concrete with anchors..
really awesome. dont know how expensive is it in compare to other racks, but looks really good. Many people do a rack without diagonal stabilizers, that is actually wrong. Just I would make them tighter, than one can do with bare hands and own weight.
Prices have gone up over the last few years due to the price of steel, but I expect that's the same for all systems. When I did my original analysis to other systems the pricing was similar, but I didn't have to spend any labor or money on concrete so I came out way ahead with this method.
You don't need 7 foot deep holes, unless it is Alaska or Canada. Frost line in many states is 3 feet below grade or so.
Try to get some WD40 Dry Lubricant it will 1) dry and collect no dust. 2) seal the nuts 🔩 from moisture, 3) makings it easily to remove if needed 4) removing moisture from electrical. I even used it underneath my car and lawnmower etc. thumbs up 👍
anti seize or go home XD
Hi Dave, very informative video. Could you provide a little more detail on the adapter to drive in the screws. Also how do you determine the soil type in a given are? Thanks for all your help
I just measured the diameter and bolt pitch on my auger and had a friend machine an adaptor for me. Typically there are county maps with soil type for your area. Or you could dig a hole.
That is a thick ground/weed tarp. is there a specific name for it?
"CLEAN!"..
Thanks for the video. Curious if the auger poles would work in the blue rock (old lava) that the minority of us here on the big island of Hawaii have on our property under the 3-4” of top soil?
I don't know the answer to that, I would contact the company and see if they have experience with that situation. They do have a ballast system that does not require any ground penetration, that may be a consideration for you. Ballast spec sheet: uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5e4bf6aabc92428ec6194695/634ea02dcb50d20a20dac2ce_APA_SPEC_SHEETS_V01.4_GEOBALLAST.pdf
@@ProjectsWithDave good information, thank you for the insight.
Question for ground rod location? Should my 10’ rods be driven in by the pole with the conductors going underground to my solar shed or at another pole of the array about 12’ away from the conductor run pole? Fantastic videos across the board Dave. I’ve learned a ton.
Generally speaking, you have one ground point for your house and everything goes back to that. Usually two rods at least 6' apart. However, I'm not an electrician. I suggest you ask your local inspector for their input.
@@ProjectsWithDave Excellent, Thank you for the prompt reply, keep up your amazing works.
Great vid thanks. Im a huge fan of helical piles. My house is on them. I looked at their website though and there is no pricing which makes me think Im not going to be able to afford the system. Bummer.
Question-what is your east west span between the piles? How many feet between each one? Thanks
It varies a little depending on your panel setup. Mine is about 9’.
Thanks very much for that info Dave
❤❤❤
HOWdy P-w-E-D-D, ...
Thanks ...
COOP
the WiSeNhEiMeR from Richmond, INDIANA
...
Thank you for the content. I am in analysis paralysis. Need to get something built. you are 2ns or 3rd person i have seen planned and built a solar array, both roof and ground, then wanted it larger with more panels. I think my goal is to overbuild a ground array rack system and then I have extra capacity for future expansion.
Which is the best panel mounting orientation? Portrait or landscape? Seems like the size of newer model panels are growing also? does that factor into the rack mounting?
I can relate to "analysis paralysis." 😀 I don't regret making room to expand, but at some point you just have to make a choice and go with it. You can see my logic for sizing my original system in this video on sizing grid tie solar systems: ua-cam.com/video/rbFnZqA0GCI/v-deo.html
I targeted never overproducing, in retrospect I think overproducing a couple of months would have been a better balance for me. I prefer portrait orientation, but it is going to be dependent on your racking system. You will want to choose your panel first, then spec the racking to match. I would quote multiple racking systems and choose the one that best fits your needs.
@@ProjectsWithDave Thank you for the content. I’m off grid for now. Also plan is for a lithium ion phosphate cell and natural gas generator tie in. Why? The only electric provider in northern New Mexico doesn’t have any equipment I’m told supply chain shortages and hurricane Ian last year. So they are not running new customer lines until 2024. A year ago I was told by 2023. I got a quote from your favorite rack company but shipping is very expensive from OH to NM and I didn’t see any discounts.
Do you have a code?
I don't have a code. I don't have an affiliate relationship with them.
on the cable suspension, I thought about using a long piece (8-12") of heat shrink tubing to secure the extra wire.
Sure, that would work if it was a UV stable tubing.
Great additional point!@@ProjectsWithDave
For people without skid steers, what alternatives are there? I know I could rent one but if possible I'd like to buy something so I can use it over and over again. It's not clear to me that if I bought a post hole auger (the kind you can hold with your hands) that I'd be able to use it for this application. Thanks!
following. I have the same question
If you have soft ground and make an adaptor for a two person post hole auger you might be able to do it. Where I live the ground is clay and very hard in the summer, but in the spring it's very soft. If you try it, or if someone else has tried it, let me know how it goes.
I wonder if the ground screws can handle the clay/rock mix of the Ozarks?
You could contact Ready Rack, I'm sure they have some experience to share on those soil types.
How well does ready rack work if you have rocks? I live on on land with clay and glacial rocks.
The tighter screw is for rocky soils. If you have very large rocks, I recommend you go with the ballast type system.
Learn more about solar power and home backup on my website ProjectsWithDave.com
Leave comments and questions below, I answer as many as possible. Thanks!
Wouldn't it be beneficial to build a shed and use the panels as the roof? Is the open space important for cooling?
You get better performance on the ground. You can see the performance difference with a shed application here: ua-cam.com/video/mzqjCsZKUYQ/v-deo.html
Cool. Have you tried Ironridge? I'm curious how they compare in price.
Ironridge was much more expensive when I priced it out.
Do you know how much force is exerted when a 100kph wind blew on the panels?
When you have a system designed, the engineering paperwork comes with all the loads defined.
Do they give you plans to submit for a permit or the whole thing assumes no permitting?
They provide the engineered stamped drawings for permitting.
Please setup the new panels virgin. No optimizers and no microinverters. Use this as control set. Compare the different systems. Thank you for the great videos
That’s the plan.
if you have a finance constraint, would it not be beneficial to put more batteries and less optimizers?
If you have a finance constraint, I would not use batteries. I would just have a grid tie system. Here are some details on how it works: ua-cam.com/video/IwUK1dNJ3n8/v-deo.html
Any company make a fence post that can be installed on either of those ground anchors you show? I thinking about a vertical solar panel fence reason I am asking.
I think you could just order the screw with a longer post attached. As long as you had a way to drive that long of a pile.
@@ProjectsWithDave How deep did you go with the screw or auger style tip? What is your frost depth code? My project’s frost depth is 24” and the county construction code requires every thing to be buried 12 or more inches below the frost depth. Everyone I asked said the local contractors bury everything 48”. Would Fence post tips need such a depth?
Mine go down 3'. If you don't go below the frost line, the posts could move up and down and crack your panels.
The screw system obviously is great. If you don’t live where I do go down, maybe a foot and you hit rock side of a mountain and rock yes everywhere.
They make a version that is just ballast that might work better for you.
You dont have enough space for all the solar panels? LOL you have an entire field. Im so so Sorry I could not hold that back hope you have a sense of humour.🤣 Still deserves a LIKE and best of luck.
😀 You and I are on the same page, but my wife doesn’t think giant solar arrays in the back yard are as beautiful as I do.
Million dollar house with 10 acres, doesn't have enough room.
Cables are pointless. Just use regular ol chain link fence top rail (I'm guessing 3/4 to the top at horizontal would be the most stable).
I imagine less likelihood some derpy kid runs face first into a pole - plus great hanging space for drying blankets
wouldn't poles have to be cut to a more precise length, when cable is infinitely adjustable at the point of installation? Cables only work in tension of course, but that's why the "X". I've done similar instals with both poles and cables and the cables were much easier DIY.
Try this in Santa Barbara County where the local jurisdiction thinks that they are smarter than everyone else and will require you to get wet stamped structural engineering on the plans which will cost you thousands of dollars and probably take about six months at a minimum to get done. I had a perfectly successful install business and I threw it all out the window in frustration with pulling permits and dealing with electrical utility interconnection agreements.
It's too bad the business environment is so unfriendly there. No one wants to have to move just to keep their business.
Did you compare readyrack with unirac large array system? cost/benifit, or pros/cons?
I did not.
I’m also trying to compare the Everest rack system. I think it is best to prepare the rack site and over build by a few panels for future expansion. Everyone I have asked wishes they had built a larger array.
That's because It's addicting to produce your own power...
DIY friendly? All I need is a $20,000 tractor and a $3,000 screw implement. Easy! I'll just mortgage my home. Thanks.
You can rent a skid steer for the day. That would still likely be cheaper than concrete.
What about rocks
I don't have many rocks in my soil so I can't speak with direct experience. The longer narrow pitch screw I show in the beginning of the video is supposed to be for rocky soil. I'm sure rocky soil is more challenging.
An admirable system but, having eliminated the concrete, why did you need to put down all that stone? Wouldn't sheep manage the grass and avoid ground maintenance?
Sheep might be a solution, but I don’t have any.
LOL, im not affiliated wit ready rack, but they gave it to me free... LOL
Just to be clear, I did not get paid to sponsor them, nor do I get revenue if you purchase their products. I just try and make sure any possible conflict of interest is understood by the viewer. As for this racking system, I purchased the racking for my original install at full price, because it was the best option for me. Thanks!
As a solar installer; I can tell you these screws only work if you've got good clean dirt.. if you have lots of rocks or god forbid you live on shelf rock, then these screws will not work.
We use a very similar screw system (sunmodo) at my workplace and I hate it.. the crews who drive the screws have to auger rock out and set them in concrete half the time, anyway! XD
My soil has very few rocks, so no issues for me. They do make a screw for more rocky soil, but I haven’t had the opportunity to try it.
I don't have any rock but I do have clay will this be an issue? Thx
@savedforever7702 Clay should be fine. The screws are 5ish feet long with only about 18 inches above grade. (If it's done correctly. XD)
@@milkhbox gotcha. Thanks for the quick response. Yeah I'm having to find a rack with 125 mph wind rating to get permitted I'm noticing a lot of the cheaper ones are in the 115 Max wind and I'm assuming this rack is probably around the 7 or 8k range as far as price goes. Probably way out of my budget. I'm seeing a lot of great racks being built out of timber. Then you got to get engineered and probably won't look as good in 5 or 10 years .
It changes everything for people with no mechanical ability or logical reasoning.
DIY is all I see! Clearly there are no commercial vendors for these systems because everyone is having to build them themselves. You'd think where there's a market, there's an industry to fulfill that need, but I guess not. Not everyone is a "do-it-yourself" capable person, we'll just have to keep buying electricity from the city.
There are installers, I found one through Energy Sage before I decided to go DIY. It's a free service to help you get competing bids. Here's my affiliate link: www.energysage.com/p/everydaydave/
Thanks for the info! We actually tried them but they have a catalogue of preliminary questions that is thicker than the US tax code! We gave up. @@ProjectsWithDave
0:29 - Concrete is cheaper
0:57 : Readyrack .. blablabla .. those screw are a pretty old system, and we use them for houses for decades : This is clearly an advertisment for Readybolocks
looks like an ad to me
As I stated in the video, I don't make any money if you use them.
Nice bit of chemtrailing going on there.. 😕
12:02 - big mistake and also dangerous cause a plastic zip tie will rod away and then the cable end will get loose maybe even under tension and might hit the white foil and damage that. And then you are screwed cause you will not recognice what is happening cause moisture will get in directly condens under the electric surfaces and cause what ?
corrosion which grows over time and equals what ? additional resistance and therefore less power from that particular panel which also kills the string, I mean decreases the production of the whole string.
Get metal cable ties VA2 or so cheap from china and everything should be fine even though I suggest to cut the rest off that it never could hit the white foil. Best and easiest way.
The current long cable will not make you happy or help you but can cause big damage. Those cable ties rot away in about 5 years , most likely lot earlier in your region with the snowy winter and a lot additional reflection of UV light that kills the plastic.
Here plastic zip ties are forbidden for electric installations at all due to these reasons.
Energy pal is a waste of time don’t bother. You should warn your subscribers that the energy pal website is not sophisticated enough and limited to grid tie systems and they can’t help you if you have new development plans and there is no current ability to tie into the existing coop. So they will not help with any off grid systems. Also they stated they don’t have any subcontractors that can work with the newest 2023 equipment such as the hoymiles 4-1 micro inverter as an example.
Thanks for taking the time to let people know your actual experience.
Nothing pisses me off more and makes me unsub quicker than when someone says "I'll put the link in the description, then doesn't bother doing so, but instead fills that area up with a bunch of affiliate links or other revenue streams. The description area is for info on the video, not an advertising space... I'll go find the solar noon link myself... I'd paste it here for others but UA-cam deletes comments if you include links....don't say you're including a link if you're not and instead going to just puke affiliate links.
It's better to be pissed off than pissed on, unless your into that.
Link to the Solar Noon calculator is in the description towards the top. Thanks!
Affiliate links and sponsors are how UA-cam content creators make money. If you don't like it, go pay for cable.
@@AdministrativeReload I already pay for UA-cam Premium to not have ads, UA-cam IS my cable...if you want to turn your video into an infomercial that's your choice, just don't tell people you're including something of actual value to the topic then not do it... you sure didn't forget all the affiliate crap.
@@Jennifer-007 well bye then I guess🤷
great vid