Adding a Solar Array

We live in an almost perfect area for generating electricity with solar panels. We have long days of sunny sky, weather that is suitable - solar panels have greater output when they are cold (we have lots of that). a great view of the southern sky and an electric company that supports grid tied solar arrays.

We decided to install eighteen 330 watt solar panels and a 6 kW inverter which covers our electrical usage year round.

The solar panels are supported by a series of 3" galvanized schedule 40 pipe set into concrete piers in the ground. This is a rather large DIY project for Julie and me, but is coming along well.

I'll show progress pictures as this goes along and update frequently.

This is not our solar array, but does give an idea of what a ground mount array looks like

This shows a typical installation of supporting piping

This is looking to the south where our array is to be located

We made a trip to Grand Junction to the steel supplier to pick up the pipe for our support structure.

Ready to head home

While in Grand Junction we noticed work underway on the cellular tower "Tree"

Interesting disguise of a cell tower...

We hired a back hoe operator to dig the needed holes for the sonotubes needed to support the pipes

Four backhoe slots were all that were needed

We then clamped 2x4's in the correct spacing to the sonotubes and lowered them into the holes

Everything was aligned and leveled

Cross bracing was added and then we back filled the holes using our compact tractor

Next we assembled the upright and cross pipes and lowered them into the sonotubes

Next will be the construction of wooden cradles to hold all of the pipes in alignment

Looking thru the pipe to check alignment

We figured out how to make mixing concrete as easy as possible. We bring the bags to the mixer using the tractor  and load them into the mixer after splitting them in half so only 40 poundsis carried at a time.

An early season snowfall stopped work for a few days

We have added a retaining wall to level out the area under the array

This small shelter will house the electronics

Just about ready to begin back filling with dirt and a topping of gravel

25 tons of 3/4" rock were delivered

This gave the tractor a workout moving the gravel under the array

We spread a special fabric under where the gravel goes to reduce weed growth.

Next we added the rails that support the panels

We started adding panels and worked until darkness fell

Six panels to go...The little shed is where the inverter will be located