This has been a year of maintenance and repair projects. Some of it has been pretty routine, like repairing fencing and repainting the barn. Other things have been more challenging, such as building a new frame for our solar panel array.
Here's the original set-up.
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| Photo from 2019, when the system was first up and running. |
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The original panel frame was hinged at the top so we could adjust the angle of the array depending on the time of year. |
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| Close-up of hinges |
But. The posts were home-milled and not treated, so eventually they rotted
out. No surprise there. In replacing them, Dan decided to try something a
little different. One thing he wanted to address was how heavy the frame +
array was. So after installing sturdier posts, he made a lighter weight
frame.
Instead of hinges, the frame swivels on a metal pipe.
He also used a different configuration for the panels.
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| Front |
This puts more weight above the pivot point, so that it isn't so bottom heavy. This helps make the frame angle
easier to adjust.
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| Back |
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| To hold the frame in place, Dan used slotted strut channels and a steel dowel pounded into the frame. |
Here it is adjusted for July.
And of course, somebody had to claim it . . .
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| Katy |
I often wonder, when driving by those ranks of panels on solar farms, how much energy is used for their 'self adjusting'.
ReplyDeleteCurious as to why Dan changed the configuration. Was there a reason?
Rosalea, I'm not sure those solar farms have adjustable panels. Possibly they do. Of course, our adjusting is manual, but I've seen ideas where energy is used to adjust them. I doubt it takes much. And when the sun is shining, there's plenty of energy. It's only a concern if there's no sun and batteries must be relied on.
DeleteOne reason Dan changed the configuration was as an experiment, to see if it would make a difference. Also, it adjusts the weight of the array, so it's easier to pivot to change its angle.
That new set up looks really professional. Here, if the solar panels aren't set up on roofs, they have a mechanism to automatically follow the sun throughout the day. You can see the angles change as well in the colder months, when we have little sun. It think it has a lot to do with climate conditions. Good job though. I like the changes. I hope they work out like you want them too.
ReplyDeleteNina, the ability to follow the sun would be the best option, but that doesn't seem to be a DIY type of project. :) It definitely has to do with location and time of year. To compensate for stationary panels, they usually oversize them for winter months.
DeleteWow. It shocks me I remember when these were first put in.
ReplyDeleteDid you do anything to the wood to see if you can get it to last longer? 7 years is a pretty good run, but not a task I would like to repeat for multiple times.
TB, we painted the original wood with an outdoor paint. The biggest problem is where the posts were buried. We hope the sturdier treated posts last longer.
DeleteSomething I learned along time ago is putting in treated post to wrap the bottom to just above the dirt height with a heavy mill plastic and pull it tight and tape off and then pour concrete and posts last 20 to 30 years without maintenance. I had posts last me far longer done that way.
DeleteKevin, good advice! We'll have to do that next time we're sinking posts.
DeleteSolar panels are one thing I wished we invested in from the get-go living here. Looks great. Hope it all works out for the better.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kristina. I'm glad we've got them, but experience has taught us a lot. Not sure they're the answer for as many things as we wish they were.
DeleteThat is a cool design and I can see that it would be easier to adjust. Do you power your whole house and farm on solar power, or do you use it to supplement?
ReplyDeleteKevin, no, not the whole house with that array. Just the freezer and an auxiliary fridge. We do have a number of other smaller solar panels that we use for shed and greenhouse lights, also for ventilation fans in the attic, crawlspace, and greenhouse.
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