My total cost (P.Eng review/seal, materials, helical anchors, hardware, and Galv) was $7,760 cad which works out to $5,650 usd.
Post your Ground Mount Setup
- Thread starter drps10
- Start date
My system is based on gabian basket ballasted ground mount. Make the baskets from 4x16 ft goat panels, then the 2 inch schedule 40 pipe is placed in the basket and several tons of rock are placed into the baskets to hold the array in place. The array is comprised of schedule 80 pipe and unistrut supporting 18 250 watt Canadian Solar panels. My array is 10 ft by 30 ft in a 9S2P configuration. I ground out the metal t's so that I could pivot the entire system for seasonal change. A 4-ft pipe wrench and about 2 minutes to change the angle as seasons change. Due to the extreme rocky soil digging was out of the question we go from bowling ball size rocks to rocks the size of small cars. I assembled the system by myself.
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SilverbackMP
Solar Addict
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- Apr 4, 2022
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That shipping amount (I think $1500 in my case) is one reason why I ended up with my intermediate goal of 72 panels. I wasn’t going to go quite that large initially, but went ahead with three 24 panel mounts (would have been two 36 panel mounts if I had flatter ground…or at least sloping to one plane).
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
Solar Enthusiast
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What panels are those?
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Looks like very rocky ground.
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
Solar Enthusiast
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365w REC N-peak 2
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
Solar Enthusiast
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Yes. Took several hours per post to dig with a 2.5t excavator
My next 10 panels are going on the roof of my shipping container. I don’t care if it’s faced SW.
HalfBaked
Ever the student
Yo! I fly too! (Well not lately) Got certified at lookout mtn ga. It's been nearly 10 years, still think about it often and one day plan to make a diy version and find some bunny hills. Still crazy after all these years
ghostwriter66
"Here - Hold my Beer"
maybe a little overkill on the footing??
Jack Rabbit Off Grid
Solar Enthusiast
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Probably. 142 60 lb bags in total.
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
Probably not, wind comes up the hill.
Mine are 8 feet deep and 36 inches in diameter.
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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But you get those nice looking single post (or row of posts) design.
If you did tripod or otherwise had diagonal braces, it could all be 2" or so pipe, except maybe for the horizontals, and smaller footings.
You wouldn't stand with your feet together if trying to brace yourself.
If you did tripod or otherwise had diagonal braces, it could all be 2" or so pipe, except maybe for the horizontals, and smaller footings.
You wouldn't stand with your feet together if trying to brace yourself.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Could decrease the ROI by selling billboard space on the back.
Nobodybusiness
Solar Sponge.
Lol no kidding.
B-Mod
Solar Enthusiast
Sinclairs and then something else? Why change?
B-Mod
Solar Enthusiast
This is my mostly complete 56KW array. It is 100 panels on a Sinclair ground mount. And another 40 panels on a modified EG4 mount that tilts.
Last summer I started it, put in a 56 Panel Sinclair. This spring I added on 44 panel sinclair to the right side of the existing. Then while doing this I decided to add a small array to the left with EG4 and my own wood tilt, to do just some elec. to hot water heat, which grew at least 3 times to a 40 panel array. I had to raise it up about 10" higher as the ground continued to taper up and at full tilt panels are close to the ground and snow gets deep here some winters. In the next few weeks I will be finished with the outdoor work.
It has been a lot of work between my day job, my side business and this solar I have no life, lol. My daughter and I did all the work. All this is connected to 10 Growatt 5000es inverters. Full electric house, and 2 EV cars. Lots of battery too, lol.
My house has been off grid since March, utility is turned off. Might need a little gen. help in December and beginning of January.
Last summer I started it, put in a 56 Panel Sinclair. This spring I added on 44 panel sinclair to the right side of the existing. Then while doing this I decided to add a small array to the left with EG4 and my own wood tilt, to do just some elec. to hot water heat, which grew at least 3 times to a 40 panel array. I had to raise it up about 10" higher as the ground continued to taper up and at full tilt panels are close to the ground and snow gets deep here some winters. In the next few weeks I will be finished with the outdoor work.
It has been a lot of work between my day job, my side business and this solar I have no life, lol. My daughter and I did all the work. All this is connected to 10 Growatt 5000es inverters. Full electric house, and 2 EV cars. Lots of battery too, lol.
My house has been off grid since March, utility is turned off. Might need a little gen. help in December and beginning of January.
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