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I had decided on buying some EG4 3000EHV units, but wanted to go OEM and get the SRNE equivalent so I purchased 1 unit direct from SRNE on aliexpress, and it arrived in 4 days, from HK via DHL. (DHL is lightning speed from HK this is typical) The EG4 3000w appears to be a de-rated and...

thank you @42OhmsPA. I have been a fly on the wall for about 2 months and the hook is set deep now. I have tracking on my 2 EG4 batteries and rack, so i will be able to get the first inverter operational as a battery backup system next week for heat/lights/internet. I have been chipping away...

i changed the pitch to be 5 degrees and made the rear angle braces longer. i could extend the main length 2x6 lumber to stick out to add bracing, but i may be tempted to just add more panels.

correct, I thought it was obvious I was not actually comparing a 180 panel deployable array to my project. I'm going back to the drawing board with sand, I forgot i have access to a tractor. The temporary nature and future disassembly of this project was conflicting with my tendency to over...

sketchup, then using a plugin called twilight for the renders.

the concrete weighs what a pickup truck does. how many pickup trucks do you think i need to hold down 16 solar panels.

bad news. unfortunately it's going to cost too much, and way too much when I remember to factor in my time. I think only the 20ft shipping container route is going to make sense. the array will be smaller, but I could at least have the roof array running in 1-2 days. The ability to have it...

@42OhmsPA I did consider the solid blocks, but I have to consider the labor stacking, and unstacking later. I can pickup 2 of this style of block easily, one with each hand. (this is actually easier than picking up 1 and walking a few feet) Positioning a single block is also a lot easier...

ok, first pass on new "sand" strategy is rotated 90 degrees in the parking lot, so the footprint is not the same but it allows us to park the entire box trailer underneath. This version has 10 yards of sand in 4 boxes, putting 6,750lbs in each corner for 27,000lbs total ballast. The 16 panel...

Can we talk prices of used 20ft containers? I'm having trouble finding them less than $3000 used for WWT. I was really hoping to get one under or near 2k. I am playing with some 20ft container ideas after walking away from a ballasted pergola path on another thread. I know output would...

yea the more i though about it, unless they were submerged there's no way they are compromised beyond the connector. we are over 5 miles from salt air too. i sent up the flying camera machine. 50 pallets must have been the buy, they probably got a container. There is about 5 pallets in what...

If anyone is curious, these are NE solar 370w panels, just shy of 6000w total for under $1500 shipped. Lumber is sitting at $450 and cinder blocks around $200.

the paveed area facing south is roughly 37ft wide and 28ft deep. I am giving up a parking spot for the container, yes with the sides facing east/west. if we could obtain 2x 20ft containers at a good price I would be tempted to connect them with a 10ft span and triple the array, and park a car...

It's not going to blow over, and I have mentioned: at least 4 times pentrating the pavement is not part of the solution.

The concensus seems to be ground penetrating solutions are better for obvious reasons, and although I would have to agree that to be true in most situations, the deciding factor is the amount of force/direction needed to for a ground anchor to fail. For the amount of suggestions I am seeing for...

Great suggestion, thank you. I have a few people I can ask, I see these types of things around and wish I had thought of that sooner. I was originally thinking concrete jersey barriers, then the plastic kind, but unsure what happens when the water freezes.

hmm. they should put solar panels on the other side. what a waste!

Thanks. This a march project, so plan is to nail down a design on the sooner side, purchase the panels and PT wood so it can dry out for a few weeks, and build the 4 boxes with verticals attached first. I was thinking some plants at first too, but that's only if we go with the smaller top with...

Havent bought them yet, signature solar. My batteries came today, also signature solar. I'm leaving towards 18 panels for 7000w now.

I was curious what those pallet size water jugs were called. Can they freeze? Unfortunatly i think they are cost prohibitive if you add the cost to the wood structure vs just buying a 20ft shipping container, mount the panels on top, and get some extra storage. Container could be moved with...

I ordered 18 of the NE solar 370w panels, en route. The first array of (6) is going on our box trailer....potentially this weekend. The remaning 12 panels are going on a 20ft container, before april. Those will also be arrays of (6) panels, each with another inverter. I realize all 12 can go...

no i dont mean dipping below freezing. i mean they would be cubic yard ice cubes.

@42OhmsPA I like the idea but i've never worked with tube steel. Now that i'm into 4 pallet territory of blocks needing delivery, I might as well consider just getting 2x2x6 retaining wall blocks or similar with the rebar lift point delivered before I make the wood frame. I was going to build...

shown with (21) NE solar 370w panels, spanning 17x24ft, 7700 watts. I will have 3 inverters <10ft from the array, so voltage drop is not really a concern. i might as well use all 3 inverters.

The vertical supports are too busy. I should be using 4x6 lumber and less of them.

200 amp service is 100 amps on each leg. i doubt he has 200 amp breakers from the street. 6 months is nothing on a forum people will read for years. i still highly doubt he was referring to (4) 50amp breakers and you can't be sure of it either.

Thanks. I am already now leaning towards larger concrete blocks if the weight recommendations are what's needed. I am under the impression uplift is the biggest concern with a mostly flat array, and if the blocks are directly below the top of the frame edges, i'm not sure I know what you mean...

Someone must have simulated this. I said fail, but I am more asking what happens if I were to power off 2 of 3 inverters if the grid was down to save power. If the master (configured as 3 phase normally) would function standalone as 120v if the other 2 were simply taken offline, that would be...

Aside from code, the OP's existing 240 circuit likely has a shared neutral, if any at all. If they were to parallel the 2 hot conductors on the same phase, the current on the neutral conductor would be way too much. Citing code alone is not enough to stop everyone so it's worth mentioning if...

Anyone know anything about or experienced some of the cheaper panels SS is offering near 25 cents/watt? I am building a solar pergola in a small parking lot that will be dismantled in less than 5 years. If longevity is the only concern, I am not concerned in this situation. I am looking to...