Solar Power Shed Project

[stumpfield]

And a close up of the hardware used in the installation.

[/QUOTE]

WOW! that's really heavy duty hardware there. Did they come standard with the Wattsun trackers or your contractor design the panel mounting frame work?

 

[scott_vt]

Hi Rob,
I dont know if it really matters but all I did when I installed my 330 gal tank was to use the solid concrete blocks. I havent had any issues with frost, and we all know how cold it gets up here I originally was going to pour a base but the farmer up the road from me, and also the one I bought the tank from said its not necessary. Sounds good to me, less work !

The 330 is the little brother to the 500 gal.

 

[patrick_g]

Rob, For only a few bucks more you can use two stage requlation instead of single stage and get better requlation performance on your propane. This also reduces line loss between the tank and the location of the second stage regulator(s). This permits longer runs without performance hits and can let you use smaller pipe from the tank to the points of entry into the structure(s). The first stage regulator is installed at the tank and the second stage regulator(s) are installed outside the home where the gas line enters the structure.

In anticipation of a propane fired backup generator and consideration for my backup propane fired furnaces on two of the heat pumps for when it gets below 40F plus the 4 gas logs, dual fuel range, propane range in basement, BBQ, and hedge against price fluctuation and any fuel delivery difficulty due to emergency situation... (takes a breath) I installed two each 1000 gal propane tanks. One would have been enough probably but I got decent prices on the tanks, installation, and now I can buy when the price dips or wait for a year or two without delivery if needed.

I too did not pour a slab for the tanks. I set them on some used concrete slab pieces bedded in sand. My tanks are in a pit with one end open on the downhill side so vapors can't collect. The tanks are next to a pond but are high enough that the pond can outrun its 12 inch drain pipe and overflow via the swale in place for emergencies and still not quite make it up to the height of the tanks.

Should a tank blow that is no direct path from a tank to the house. For debris to hit the house it would have to go out on a high angle like a mortar shell and fall on the house which is not likely to do much damage or injure occupants.

NOTE: The typical failure mode of a standard propane tank in a rupture/explosion sceanario is to blow off one or both end caps. This is much more likely than blowing up the cylindrical part. So... don't aim either end of your tank at a normally occupied region like your house or the swing set or...

Pat

 

[john_bud]

SNIP

NOTE: The typical failure mode of a standard propane tank in a rupture/explosion sceanario is to blow off one or both end caps. This is much more likely than blowing up the cylindrical part. So... don't aim either end of your tank at a normally occupied region like your house or the swing set or...

Pat

Pat, I didn't know that, but it makes sense. Just how common is a rupture? I would think it was pretty rare, but...

jb

 

[patrick_g]

JB, I can't quote the stats on propane tank ruptures. I got the info from the company where I bought my two 1000 gal tanks. When they came out to deliver the tanks and found they needed to lower them into the "HOLE" which I built partially to hide the ugly things and partly for safety the powner of the outfit who had come along on the job told me that the orientation I had aimed the ends in safe directions and that since the end caps blowing out is much much more likely that any other explosion, I probably didn't need to hide them below grade.

They are still ugly no matter which way they are pointed and I didn't want to paint them to match a major sports team, or a watermelon, or a holstein or any of the other slob art genre. I would have prefered them out of sight even if they were non-flamable.

Although not an explosion a common failure mode is flooding that floats the tank up off its resting position and rips the gas pipe lose which releases a lot of highly flamable gas which is just waiting for a spark to start a good sized flame thrower type fire. Water weighs about 8 1/2 lbs per gal and propane only about 1/2 as much so there is over 4 lbs of buoyancy for each gallon plus the empty head space at about 8 1/2 lbs per gal. Tanks are only filled to 80%. The water level doesn't have to get very high on a propane tank before it floats.

Pat

 

[3RRL]

Our visit to the property with the cousins revealed that the Watsun Trackers were complete and operational. Our contractor was in the process of synchronizing them and setting the initial parameters in how they will track the sun. We did not stay long enough to see him finish that though.



Here is what one of them looks like now.



And the other one.



They are pretty big. Here is the back of one.



He said adjusting them to the right spot was pretty finicky and he needed to contact Watsun to see if there was an easier way to do it. He wants them to lie flat during the evening to avoid any wind damage during the night. Then rotate over to the East where the sun comes up. At the end of the day, they would move into the flat position. I'll have more pics next time to show those positions.

Right now he's got all the lights on inside and outside the shed and keeps them on day and night. All I need now is something (like a house and shop) to hook up to it. I can't wait to start building the house.

 

[EddieWalker]

Rob,

Following this thread makes me think of Star Wars. Not that your out to take over the universe, but it's just got that high tech look to it!!!

Thanks for the updates,
Eddie

 

[Doc_Bob]

Here is what one of them looks like now.

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i106/rliefveld/Solar Power Shed/TRACKERS/2-1.jpg

Nice pics, can you put a person in one so we can have a size prespective.
Bob

 

[patrick_g]

Rob, Lights on all the time huh??? I guess you wasted a lot of money on switches.

Pat

 

[3RRL]

Nice pics, can you put a person in one so we can have a size prespective.
Bob

Bob,
That same picture in your quote has me standing 5' uphill to the very left in a tan shirt. I'm 6ft 190lbs. Check it out.