Solar Panel Ground Mount Question

[Fearless]

I'm brand new at this and located in Texas. I plan on having a 20KW array. Which is more efficient, a single-axis mount tracking east to west using electronics to automate the sun tracking or a single-axis fixed south-facing mount that you can adjust north-south periodically?

Or are there any mounts with a fixed north-south angle that track east to west?

 

[MichaelK]

Here's a pic of one of my mounts. This is my V4.0 design, but my upcoming V5.0 will hold six large residential panels, 1500-2000W. I go out and rotate them by hand, maybe 2-3 times per day. I call it hillbilly solar tracking.

Can you go into a bit more detail as to why you are constructing a system with 20kW of panels?

BTW, an alternative to rotating arrays, are fixed arrays facing different directions. Maybe 6000W facing due East, 6000W South, and 6000W facing West. That's called virtual tracking.

 

[Texican]

I'm brand new at this and located in Texas. I plan on having a 20KW array. Which is more efficient, a single-axis mount tracking east to west using electronics to automate the sun tracking or a single-axis fixed south-facing mount that you can adjust north-south periodically?

Or are there any mounts with a fixed north-south angle that track east to west?

ground mounts that track are usually more expensive than the extra pv that they can provide when compared to just adding more panels to a fixed array
if you have a cheap method of tracking with a 20kw array, Im sure many of us would be very interested to see details

 

[Bluedog225]

In Texas, I’d go fixed south facing panels. Summer optimized tilt to help with the air conditioning load.

Maybe another winter optimized array if you need the power.

So much sun.

 

[Fearless]

Some great info here. Thanks
At first, I was looking to build my solar mount using pressure-treated lumber. Then I read here that would not be wise. I don't want to have to construct a replacement solar mount down the road. Now I'm looking at using 4" square tubing with a couple of slew drives and uni-strut.
Unless I'm missing something I should be able tilt towards towards the south at least some and still rotate east and west.