DIY solar array 12.5 kw

[Robaroni]

Originally Posted by pinballlooking

We bought it we drive way too much for a lease. Since we are going to keep this car for a while we even bought the extended warranty. I usually don’t get the extended warranty and the car has been very reliable.

But there is so much tech in this car repair cost can get big. I shopped around and got a fair price on it. I hope I never have to use it.

I did the same thing when I bought the Subaru Outback in 2006. I got the extended warranty. Turns out I had a major problem and it came in handy. Here's the trouble, now the car is out of the extended warranty, what do I do? Get a new car? Keep it? It only has 65K on it in the 9 years we've had it and Nancy doesn't drive. We like the wagon as I'm always dragging stuff around or filling it with 50 lb bags of potatoes for the winter.
We get too much snow here for the Volt in the winter, the front valance is just too low and if I ever got caught in a snow storm it would be gone so the best it would be is a second car but two cars and an old pick up for 8k miles a year?

I don't know what to do.

Rob

[pinballlooking]

I read on the Volt forum that the Volt does well in the snow. The battery makes it heavy and the front valance is very flexible no real issues. We do not get snow here so I have no firsthand experience.


But I think I would just keep the Subaru. All wheel and wagon hulling is a big plus. Even with free solar fulling any EV will not save any money. You don’t drive enough. There other reasons to get a car but not driving much makes it harder to do.

If you start having lost of issues with it then I would get something else. But only 65K you likely have many trouble free miles left.

[stevehull]

Pinball, speaking of rails, have you looked at the "rail less" roof attachments for PV panels? I have the same kind of metal ag panel roof you have. Can't tell if you have anything underneath, but I have SIP panels that I can bolt into.

Seems like a lot cheaper. Thoughts?


Steve

[pinballlooking]

Are you talking about these S-5 clips? Do you have standing seams? If you do it would be worth looking into this.
S-5! | Home | Introduction | S-5! Metal Roof Attachment Clamps and Snow Guards

With these you still get air flow under the panels. The air flow keeps the panel and microinverter cooler and producing more power.

[stevehull]

Not a standing seam, just like the ag panels you seem to have. These have raised trapazoidal elements every foot or so. From your posted pictures, it looked like that is what you have.

Steve

[pinballlooking]

I could not find any rackless system that still gave air flow for my AG panels. The S-5 for my panels does not anchor the solar into the timbers and requires more roof penetrations. Once you have the racks mounted to solar goes up so fast. The racks make your building stronger it is like cross hatch support over cross hatch support I think that is how the engineer I talked to described it.
He showed me picture of a hurricane took to roof off on house and not the one with their racks and solar installed because of the strength it added.

[stevehull]

I have 6" thick SIPS under the metal ag roof and they are rated at more than 120 mph, so I am OK there. The entire shop is made of SIPS.

But to focus on racking, it is necessary to use IronRidge, UniRack or other of the big boys? I can purchase L brackets, that attach to the roof (EPDM pad underneath to seal for water), inexpensively. But what about rails? Just the railing costs for a 10 kW (40 panel) system look like about $3000. Yikkes!

I do like the ability to have ventilation under the panels, so that is a good idea.

Someone on the site used Simpson type materials to put up racking and now I can't find it.

Your suggestion on Renvu was superb. I am getting their weekly specials and 250 watt poly panels look like $0.65 a watt. Enphase M215's at less than $120 each.

With any luck, this fall I get up on the roof. But daughter now in medical school and tuition to pay!

Great thread, BTW. VERY helpful to read and re-read.


Steve







Steve

[pinballlooking]

My first 40 panels I used ProSolar racking total cost to install 40 panels $1,351.66. (this was well worth it)
This was not even using L pad brackets.

I used L pads on the next 14 panels I installed. (this was even cheaper and the rails were on sale)
You should be able to do better on your racking pricing.

I did use IronRidge online install configurator to know what parts I would need for my racking.
The big boys were too expensive there other good quality racks out there.

[stevehull]

Just called ProSolar and they have "nothing for metal roofs". I am not adverse to using mounting devices that are not "approved".

Any specific suggestions on the L pads that might mount up with their (ProSolar) racking system?

Or you (or the group) may have another system that I can use on a metal roof (not standing seam)?

Steve






Steve

[pinballlooking]

I used these Fast Jack E- Series 3"
Professional Solar Products Inc. (Prosolar)
They don’t need to be for a metal roof. You screw the lag bolts into the roof trusses.

The clamps that are designed for metal roof are not that great and they are expensive.

I did call them and talked to one of their engineers and explained what I wanted to do to them and he said that would be fine.

As long as you are putting lag bolts into roof trusses there is really not much difference between metal roof and a shingle roof. Except you don’t need a metal plate to mount under the shingles.
When I drilled into the truss I injected sealant I also put sealant over the bolt head.


I just looked it up and the second racking I used was renusol VS rails
Solar Mounting Systems for Flat Roof and Pitched Roof
This racking was even cheaper and went up faster. I used there L foot bolted with lag bolts into the roof trusses







Here are some pictures of my racking install. As you can see you just make sure you are on a flat part of the metal and also hitting a roof support.

If you put the microinverters back to back it saves on cable. It also lest you buy portrait and not landscape engage cable witch is cheaper and has lower resistance loses.