X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Originally posted by bcroe View Post
    Here a 6 inch gap has been added between the upper and lower
    panels. Snow will only need to slide half as far to clear a panel, and there will be only half as much
    snow being pushed into each pile on the ground. That means I won't be doing so much running the
    snow blower to keep the pile lower than the bottom of any panels. And pushing snow off will be a
    lot lighter work; possibly avoided completely on some occasions. This would work even better if
    the panels were turned landscape. But that would be much more difficult, and will be postponed
    to another phase. Bruce Roe
    As the white stuff did its last Mon and Tues, the snow slots again proved their worth. This morning
    panels with a 6 inch gap were already 97 % clear. The one test section with a 4 inch gap was only
    about 60% clear. I extrapolate that without a gap, I would have a lot of snow to move. Bruce Roe

    Comment


    • Originally posted by bcroe View Post
      I extrapolate that without a gap, I would have a lot of snow to move.
      I hate to extrapolate snow. That's why I moved to Phoenix.

      Dave W. Gilbert AZ
      6.63kW grid-tie owner

      Comment


      • Thought I'd piggyback onto this. While doing irrigation research, came across this page of daily solar log for farming
        http://www.cimis.water.ca.gov/SpatialData.aspx
        Your state may have a like program.
        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



        • Its up, a 24 panel tilting array. The original PV array here was a classic SW desert system, which was FAR
          from optimized for northern IL operation. After 4 years of observations and measurements, the new design
          is an attempt to correct a number of problems.

          The newest array is accurately positioned, and located to avoid previous shadows all day long. Physical
          accuracy of the array itself is high. It mounts 24 panels of 250 watt rating, or 6KW.

          Observations over days and seasons have been made, including with test panels. This input has been
          used to attempt to maximum summer hour production over the entire day. This will be somewhat less
          effective for other seasons, but variable tilt will allow some compensation. Existing arrays will be working
          with this one.

          The array is 12 panels wide and only 2 panels high, landscape orientation. This will greatly aid in allowing
          easy tilt adjustment. An 8" gap between the upper and lower panels provides a space for snow to drop
          through, combined with low height, to ease the labor of snow removal. Tilt bearings placed in the gap are
          close to the center of gravity, minimizing tilt effort. 40" ground clearance minimizes or eliminates the need
          to relocate snow piles from the panels. In case of a snow storm the array could easily be set to vertical, to
          minimize snow pickup.

          This array is designed to track the ground 10% slope along its length. No extra earth leveling, moving, or
          "steps". The chain running across a picture was to keep my equipment from sliding down the hill while
          working. The foundation contains 240' of rebar, with 6 pairs of front and rear supports joined 4' below
          ground level to eliminate frost heave. Machine roller bearings can be greased.

          I don't expect to change the tilt angle very often, though a couple of electric actuators are available. To
          keep things steady the rest of the time, extra braces are bolted on at the bottom.

          The wiring isn't on yet, hope I have enough to reach the 12 position combiner box nearly 200 feet away.
          A 6 gauge ground wire runs with the panel wiring.

          My considerable net metering reserve was useful this year. My well sprung an internal leak, causing
          enough loss of pressure to run the motor continuously. I didn't realize it for weeks, my reserve is gone,
          its all been renewed now. Net metering starts again on 1 April.

          Bruce Roe24Rebar.JPG 24FouPosts.JPG
          24FEast.JPG
          24EndFr.JPG
          24Rear.JPG
          24ReSiSec.JPG
          WellRepr.JPG
          Attached Files
          Last edited by bcroe; 03-30-2018, 01:43 PM.

          Comment


          • Very impressive Bruce. I wish you well with that new panel tilting system.

            Comment


            • One of the few remaining phone booths !
              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 Mike90250 View Post
                One of the few remaining phone booths !
                That booth is in A1 condition, from Estes, CO. I got it after spending much of my career (but
                not all of it), 41 years designing phone office equipment. Still looking for a rotary dial pay phone
                at an affordable price. Bruce Roe

                Comment


                • It looks like a well engineered solution -- but I'm trying to wrap my head around cost vs payback of changing tilt a few times a year.

                  And on the telecom career, Western Electric, Bell Labs, GTE Automatic Electric, or ???
                  8.6 kWp roof (SE 7600 and 28 panels)

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by bcroe View Post

                    That booth is in A1 condition, from Estes, CO. I got it after spending much of my career (but
                    not all of it), 41 years designing phone office equipment. Still looking for a rotary dial pay phone
                    at an affordable price. Bruce Roe
                    So I guess all this means we can assume you can engineer your way out of a phone booth by now, Right ?

                    Comment


                    • superman celebration.jpg He is out ..
                      9.36 grid tied, Phoenix Arizona

                      Comment


                      • Originally posted by Kingram View Post
                        "Superengineer !!"

                        Ya gotta' love it !

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by CharlieEscCA View Post
                          It looks like a well engineered solution -- but I'm trying to wrap my head around
                          cost vs payback of changing tilt a few times a year.

                          And on the telecom career, Western Electric, Bell Labs, GTE Automatic Electric, or ???
                          There IS a Superman doll in the booth, not visible here. I worked at Bell Labs Naperville after they
                          opened it in 1966. We designed, then maintained and upgraded 4ESS, a massive project. It was
                          the first of the big electronic switches that changed everything, and the first AT&T switch to use
                          integrated circuits. It managed to serve for 4 decades, now it and I are retired.

                          Cost, did I forget to mention its a science project? If one doesn't like what exists, build something
                          better. After that, evaluate, decide which features are worth while, and figure how to reduce costs.
                          Sort of like at work.

                          My cost structure is different too. Saved big bucks digging my own foundation, not bringing in a
                          ready mix truck, free engineering, labor, wiring. Lots of what you see was on the property years
                          before this project started. A BIG POINT, its built on a considerable slope, no heavy earth moving
                          equipment used or retaining walls built, causing serious erosion problems later. It just follows the
                          slope, that saved a ton of time, labor, and money.

                          Its part of my dealing with clouds and snow in northern IL, should boost output under clouds some
                          20%, its already quite good. Bruce Roe

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by bcroe View Post

                            There IS a Superman doll in the booth, not visible here. I worked at Bell Labs Naperville after they
                            opened it in 1966. We designed, then maintained and upgraded 4ESS, a massive project. It was
                            the first of the big electronic switches that changed everything, and the first AT&T switch to use
                            integrated circuits. It managed to serve for 4 decades, now it and I are retired.

                            Cost, did I forget to mention its a science project? If one doesn't like what exists, build something
                            better. After that, evaluate, decide which features are worth while, and figure how to reduce costs.
                            Sort of like at work.

                            My cost structure is different too. Saved big bucks digging my own foundation, not bringing in a
                            ready mix truck, free engineering, labor, wiring. Lots of what you see was on the property years
                            before this project started. A BIG POINT, its built on a considerable slope, no heavy earth moving
                            equipment used or retaining walls built, causing serious erosion problems later. It just follows the
                            slope, that saved a ton of time, labor, and money.

                            Its part of my dealing with clouds and snow in northern IL, should boost output under clouds some
                            20%, its already quite good. Bruce Roe
                            Looks good and like lots of fun, but I don't understand why it would boost cloudy sky system output by 20 %.

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by J.P.M. View Post

                              Looks good and like lots of fun, but I don't understand why it would boost cloudy sky system output by 20 %.
                              Light clouds, I can still run close to 100%. Heavier clouds, might run 25% to 50%. Adding 20% panels here would
                              boost that to 30% to 60%. Bruce Roe

                              Comment


                              • Running 2 to 1 DC/AC ratio those Fronius inverters will be screaming on a sunny day.

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X