Solar Electric Project

[3RRL]

Wow, that's a lot of work and you knocked it right out.
I watched my solar contractor do that with a helper. All I did was dig the holes for the poles. They were big like 4 x 4 x 5 feet deep. I think it took those guys several days to get it all done if not more.
Great going Hayden!

 

[charlz]

Very nice looking installation! Once the grass recovers its really going to look sharp.

I flipped back through the thread but didn't see a mention, are you putting some type of 'sun tracker' on the panel arrays? If not how many times a year will you have to adjust?

Could a solar thermal array be pole mounted like that? (the only easy way for me to put one in)

 

[lhfarm]

...I made the poles a few feet longer than the manufacturer suggests to be sure the panels would clear the snow. I still expect to have to plow around them, but at least I won't have to do it every snow fall. With the longer length I have about 4 1/2 feet of ground clearance...

Don't suppose you could rig a little solar heater to help with snow control?

 

[hayden]

Very nice looking installation! Once the grass recovers its really going to look sharp.

I flipped back through the thread but didn't see a mention, are you putting some type of 'sun tracker' on the panel arrays? If not how many times a year will you have to adjust?

Could a solar thermal array be pole mounted like that? (the only easy way for me to put one in)

No, no solar tracker. The benefit is marginal in this climate. I'll probably adjust the tilt twice a year. It would be optimal to do it four times, but I don't think I'll ever actually do that.

 

[hayden]

Yesterday was conduit day, and I was reminded once again why all the farmers abandoned New England in the mid 1800's. Rocks and ledge everywhere. It made for a very unsatisfactory conduit trench, but I'll have to live with it.

I ran a pair of 2" conduit from the poles back to the house, entering the house through/under and outside doorway. Once inside, it runs underneath the vapor barrier and crushed stone that makes up the floor.

One conduit run carries the solar panel power cables, and the other is for future low-voltage controls. I'm hoping some day to add a micro hydro generation system and will use the power and control conduits for that.

The pictures show the conduit at various stages of completion, including where I had to punch through one of the stone walls. I'll piece it back together after I backfill the trench.

 

[hayden]

And today was panel hook-up day. First I had to pull the cables through the conduit. There's about a 20' to 30' drop from the house to the panels, and I had hoped to pull the cable down hill. However, I couldn't get the fish line through in the reverse direction. It was hung up at the last elbow and I just couldn't get it through. So, we went the other direction but man was it difficult. I've got just short of the max allowable bends in the conduit, plus about 100 lbs of #6 wire, and together it was a VERY hard pull. But, it's done now.

After pulling the cables, the wiring boxes, disconnects, and lightening protectors needed to be installed.

Finally, it was back up on the ladder to wire together the three strings of four panels that make up the array. Unfortunately there wasn't much sun when I finally turned it on, but it was nice to see some power going back into the batteries. The wires need to be re-dressed. I just left them full length and tie-wrapped them together. I first want to get some sheething to bundle the wires together where they come down the pole, then I can dress it up real nice.

 

[mjncad]

And today was panel hook-up day. First I had to pull the cables through the conduit. There's about a 20' to 30' drop from the house to the panels, and I had hoped to pull the cable down hill. However, I couldn't get the fish line through in the reverse direction. It was hung up at the last elbow and I just couldn't get it through. So, we went the other direction but man was it difficult. I've got just short of the max allowable bends in the conduit, plus about 100 lbs of #6 wire, and together it was a VERY hard pull. But, it's done now.

I had a similar problem with the fish tape hanging up on the last elbow. I pulled it back out, tied a piece of string to the tape and the other end to a nut that I could grab onto with a magnet. Once I got a hold of the nut and string, it allowed me to jiggle the tape just enough to clear that elbow's edge.

 

[Defective]

I don't think I can recall ever using a fishtape in conduit.

I've always used a shopvac & a rag to pull a string...followed by a rope...followed by me wires.

 

[hayden]

I had a similar problem with the fish tape hanging up on the last elbow. I pulled it back out, tied a piece of string to the tape and the other end to a nut that I could grab onto with a magnet. Once I got a hold of the nut and string, it allowed me to jiggle the tape just enough to clear that elbow's edge.

Darn! Where were you yesterday?

 

[hayden]

I don't think I can recall ever using a fishtape in conduit.

I've always used a shopvac & a rag to pull a string...followed by a rope...followed by me wires.

So many good ideas. As soon as I get good at this, I'll be done with my life-time quota on conduit wire pulls.