X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Originally posted by SunEagle View Post
    Dan that 72 panel array sounds huge. Have you posted any pictures of it?
    IMG_0087.JPG

    Front array 36 Kyocera 235 Black panels and the rear array 36 Kyocera 245 Blue panels.

    Comment


    • IMG_0671.JPG

      I clean the snow off with this.

      Comment


      • Originally posted by DanS26 View Post


        I clean the snow off with this.
        Nice snow sweeper. Thanks for the pictures.

        Comment


        • sun

          Originally posted by SunEagle View Post
          Nice snow sweeper. Thanks for the pictures.
          I would be intrest in this as I got my first quote out of 7 so far that mentioned sun hours

          Comment


          • Originally posted by DanS26 View Post
            [ATTACH=CONFIG]8100[/ATTACH] I clean the snow off with this.
            I made a snow pusher pretty much like that one. This winter will be testing the gap between upper
            and lower panels, to see if the snow will drop through after being pushed only half as far.

            They look pretty close to the ground at one end. Here those would be blocked by snow before
            long. As it is I still have to run the snow blower in front later in the winter. I think you made
            them perfectly straight and level. The ones I built follow the hill, which means they are not level
            from end to end. But they are straight, because I used a laser to align things. Bruce Roe

            Comment


            • Originally posted by bcroe View Post
              I made a snow pusher pretty much like that one. This winter will be testing the gap between upper
              and lower panels, to see if the snow will drop through after being pushed only half as far.

              They look pretty close to the ground at one end. Here those would be blocked by snow before
              long. As it is I still have to run the snow blower in front later in the winter. I think you made
              them perfectly straight and level. The ones I built follow the hill, which means they are not level
              from end to end. But they are straight, because I used a laser to align things. Bruce Roe
              After much trial and error I have determined this method is the best and fastest way to remove snow from my arrays.

              1. Push the top 2/3 of the top row off the back. Yes, I'm pushing the snow upward and backwards.
              2. Now pull the 1/3 of top row down over the next two rows.
              3. Third pass to clean off the bottom row.

              Using my new and improved snow broom assembly, it is fast and efficient.

              Comment


              • Originally posted by bcroe View Post
                I made a snow pusher pretty much like that one. This winter will be testing the gap between upper
                and lower panels, to see if the snow will drop through after being pushed only half as far.

                They look pretty close to the ground at one end. Here those would be blocked by snow before
                long. As it is I still have to run the snow blower in front later in the winter. I think you made
                them perfectly straight and level. The ones I built follow the hill, which means they are not level
                from end to end. But they are straight, because I used a laser to align things. Bruce Roe
                I used the plumb bob/solar noon method to perfectly align to due south. Then used a laser level to finish the job professionally. Arrays are within 1/8 inch dead level and due south. Array tilt is 32.5 degrees.

                A good friend of mine is a contract mason and he was kind enough to let me use his professional tools.

                I used the golden ratio wherever possible. That ratio makes for a pleasant design and is pleasing to the eye as the Egyptian, Greek and Roman builders were aware.

                Comment


                • I just got panels a week ago, so I haven't gone through my first winter yet.

                  My installer implied that the panels naturally shed the snow, presumably between the smooth glass and the dark profile. Is this generally not the case?

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by Alchete View Post
                    I just got panels a week ago, so I haven't gone through my first winter yet.

                    My installer implied that the panels naturally shed the snow, presumably between the smooth glass
                    and the dark profile. Is this generally not the case?
                    It will depend on temperatures there. The dark color doesn't do much, when its covered with snow.
                    Cleaning up an overnight storm here is a 90 minute job, and later in the season I need to blow the
                    snow piles farther away. I think installers don't like to talk about snow and clouds.

                    My lot isn't squared, and the installer didn't bother to do anything precision on my solar either. Good
                    thing it really doesn't affect production much. It shows on the satellite view. Esthetics are pretty bad,
                    good thing its out of sight. Next time will be different. This summer I spent some time establishing a
                    rectangular grid on the back acre that is squared off, and possibly accurate to 1/4". Bruce Roe

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by Alchete View Post
                      I just got panels a week ago, so I haven't gone through my first winter yet.

                      My installer implied that the panels naturally shed the snow, presumably between the smooth glass and the dark profile. Is this generally not the case?
                      Maybe yes, maybe no. It depends. sometimes snow will slide of, sometimes not. Beware of snow slides.

                      Comment


                      • Here's an illustration of "sun hours" (Image below) at my location, in mid November. I looked back through my logs to find a good day without much cloud cover, which makes a really messy chart.
                        Follow the blue line, as it is battery voltage, and as the sun comes up, it climbs just a bit, but about 3 hours after dawn, it really takes off as the sun lines up on the array. Even a 1Kw load (red line) when my pump comes on, barely twitches the volts. Then about 3pm, it starts to crash as the sun drops off (note - this is a NiFe bank, not a lead acid)SunHoursExample.jpg
                        Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                        || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                        || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                        solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                        gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by bcroe View Post
                          Probably my problem isn't your problem. I looked at the display cable on my 7.5, but nothing was loose
                          or burned. But wires should not be discolored from heat. Lets see what develops with your repair.
                          Bruce Roe
                          Well I repaired my Fronius 7.5 yesterday.

                          Replaced the display board that is mounted on the door. Fronius tech support said the problem is definitely at the ribbon connection on the door side of the display panel. There is little cobalt/steel? oblong ring situated right at that connection. Fronius is aware of the problem...even had one of their factory mounted inverters with the same problem.

                          Bruce I suspect your problem is/was the same. It is intermittent and you may go months/years before it will appear again, but most likely it will appear sooner or later.

                          If you do replace the display board you have to make sure the brain board version matches the display version. Fix takes about twenty minutes all under warranty.

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by DanS26 View Post
                            Well I repaired my Fronius 7.5 yesterday.

                            Replaced the display board that is mounted on the door. Fronius tech support said the problem is definitely at the ribbon connection on the door side of the display panel. There is little cobalt/steel? oblong ring situated right at that connection. Fronius is aware of the problem...even had one of their factory mounted inverters with the same problem.

                            Bruce I suspect your problem is/was the same. It is intermittent and you may go months/years before it will appear again, but most likely it will appear sooner or later.

                            If you do replace the display board you have to make sure the brain board version matches the display version. Fix takes about twenty minutes all under warranty.
                            Good to know, thanks for the update. I think it won't be fixed before spring, but may run this
                            by my installer. Bruce

                            Comment


                            • Winter is here.

                              Bruce

                              Based on the weather forecast you may have to use your snow sweeper this weekend.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by SunEagle View Post
                                Bruce
                                Based on the weather forecast you may have to use your snow sweeper this weekend.
                                You are so right. I am more worried about wheeling out the 27 hp, AWD snow blower. The temps
                                have finally dropped below freezing; we still had blooming flowers this morning. I started using
                                partial resistance heat at night, so the heat pump doesn't have to work so hard (I might have a
                                big energy surplus this winter). Still having decent PV production about half the days; hope it
                                doesn't go 27 days in a row without seeing the Dec sun like last year. With the snow, only did
                                30 KWH today.

                                Just Tuesday I finished setting up the upper-lower panel gap, so that when I push the snow
                                (pretty much as DanS26 described), I will only need to push half as much, half as far, to the
                                nearest gap. Only 2 wires now cross each gap to the upper panels now, each securely tied
                                to a main support. Needed a couple short MC4 "extension cords" to do the extra distance.
                                Bruce Roe

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X