Solar Power Shed Project

[3RRL]

Here's more on the solar project.
I may have told you final inspection was done already and the propane has been hooked up to the generator. All that's left is to back fill the trenches, clean up the site and some fine tuning ... then the solar contractor will school Loretta and me about how it all works. He also ended up cutting down 2 large Oaks or "trimming" them to provide more sun access to the trackers. He did a butcher job and I was left bucking a bunch of fire wood for the day. He had a choice of where to place the trackers and assured us he would not have to touch those trees. Now they look like Totem poles!!! We are not happy about that.

Anyway, here are some photos....
The Cummins generator proved to be a good choice. It runs super smooth and quite. It is mounted on these mounting pads.



This is one of two battery banks on the other side of the shed. They are separated from the generator and Outback Controllers.

 

[3RRL]

Additional air vents were cut into the shed on the generator side. They are screened on the inside to keep critters out.



The generator exhaust pipe is super quite and all you can hear is the radiator fan blowing. This is where the radiator fan exhaust exists the shed. It is also screened off and facing East, on the other side of where the house will be.

 

[3RRL]

I took a couple of shots of how the engine exhaust is routed and insulated. The exhaust pipe is covered with insulation and then where it goes through the roof, it is suspended with additional insulating materials.



It is suspended with a sort of baffles that keep it away from the wood as it passes through the roof. After running the generator for some time, the insulation around the exhaust pipe gets pretty warm to the touch, but the insulation going through the roof is much cooler than that and you can easily hold on to it.



Here is a shot of it going through the roof from the outside. I don't know if you can see it or not, but it has a flapper cap on the exhaust pipe.

 

[3RRL]

Finally, someone wanted to get an idea of how big those solar panels on the trackers were. So I took another picture to show me on the left side of this one tracker and panels.

 

[EddieWalker]

Rob,

Are you sure that's you in that picture? It looks more like a GI Joe action figure than a real person. hahahaha

Did you get any pictures of the trees? I'm just curious as to the damage.

Thanks for the update, it's a very impressive project.

Eddie

 

[3RRL]

Hi Eddie,
GI Joe??? LOL... Yes that's me there. Those suckers are BIG man. I know you are a big dude so they wouldn't look as big next to you ... hahaha. I found out I shrunk an inch in my old age and am only 6' tall now?? What's up with that? BTW, directly behind me is the ravine where that darn lion hangs out.

No, I didn't get any pictures of the trees but I will next time up. Loretta is heartbroken because Oaks take a long time to grow big and they also sheltered us from view of our neighbors across the ravine on the North. What really bothers me is I offered to clear more towards the ravine if those Oaks were in the way, and he assured us they would not be!! Bummer.

 

[schmism]

Now they look like Totem poles!!! We are not happy about that.

did i not mention something about you standing in the shade when you were showing us the mamoth holes you dug for the footings of the trackers?.....

i would have thought it would have been a poor choice (or much tree trimming required to get full use) at that point....

I mean i dont have to be a genus in tracker math, solar efficencies bla bla bla to know that if your pannels are in the shade they arnt working at 100%

 

[3RRL]

I remember and you were right and he was wrong. Now I'm even more p_ssed. Plus I had to clean up his mess and spent all day bucking those trees! It's not like I need more fire wood. I have a billion trees down from when the road was pushed in 3 years ago.

 

[hilld]

I remember and you were right and he was wrong. Now I'm even more p_ssed. Plus I had to clean up his mess and spent all day bucking those trees! It's not like I need more fire wood. I have a billion trees down from when the road was pushed in 3 years ago.

You have more food for the termites and other critters.

All I can say those are some impressive panels, you don't realize how big those panels are when then are on a roof or so, but that is impressive. Next thing you know, planes will be coming to land near there with all that blinding reflection coming off that glass.

I really enjoy reading the thread (even though it appears to have been hijacked for last couple of weeks )

Derek

 

[Little_Grizzly]

I must have some kind of setting problem. I don't see any pictures in this thread! Any ideas what could be wrong?