6Kw going in soon in Aliso Viejo

[Alisobob]

Hey Bob, the company you went with that I am considering said I should not tilt my panels so I don't get wind under them that will fatigue the racks and possibly cause roof leaks. Do you (or anyone who wants to weigh in) think that the difference in tilt to no tilt is worth that risk?

Matt

I'm a contractor who does work out in Rancho Cucamonga .. and I've seen con block walls blow over. The wind out there blows....... hard.

In Aliso? I've been here for 22 years.... seen it blow hard... maybe ...5 times?

I dont think the wind / gust loads here are that much of a factor... I also dont know how much a few degrees of tilt will effect total solar output.

What pitch is your roof.. and where are you trying to get to?

[mcollins]

I'm a contractor who does work out in Rancho Cucamonga .. and I've seen con block walls blow over. The wind out there blows....... hard.

In Aliso? I've been here for 22 years.... seen it blow hard... maybe ...5 times?

I dont think the wind / gust loads here are that much of a factor... I also dont know how much a few degrees of tilt will effect total solar output.

What pitch is your roof.. and where are you trying to get to?

True I have not seen much serious wind here in Aliso Viejo. I don't know the pitch of the roof. I have seen sites that would tell me the best direction for my panels. I will try to attach a google shot of my roof and proposed panels.Roof with Panels Prop..jpg Any thoughts? thanks!

[J.P.M.]

[QUOTE=mcollins;137553]

Enphase monitoring did shows "some microinverters(8) aren't reporting"



Some systems perform less or more because of tile angle and shade. For example the system above. Both Summer and Winter outputs were low. The single higest output in June were 39kWh which is considerablly low for its size. The graph did not show a perfect bell shade. You know the solar system is covering with shadow. Trust me, most the solars produce just about same output regardless of brand name of panels. It has to do with shading..... tile angle will give you little more or less during Summer/Winter. Sunpower or Canadian solar will be about the same.


Hey Bob, the company you went with that I am considering said I should not tilt my panels so I don't get wind under them that will fatigue the racks and possibly cause roof leaks. Do you (or anyone who wants to weigh in) think that the difference in tilt to no tilt is worth that risk?

Matt

+1 on panel output being more a f(orientation, shading) than mfg.

On the wind loading: imposed loads and forces from wind - static and dynamic, including cyclic and occasional must be considered in any design. Methods of fixation are readily available and design methods are well known to handle such situations, which are more common in northern climates. Accounting for such loadings is essential and one reason why building codes exist. Any company who told you not to tilt panels using the reasons you mentioned (fatigue, roof leaks, etc) is blowing smoke. The added cost of tilted racking may not be cost effective, but that has nothing to do with the viability of panels mounted non parallel to what their support structure is attached to. That's B.S. Period.

[Alisobob]

Any thoughts? thanks!

I dont know which neighborhood your in, or what association... but I just remembered that one of the associations you have to go through (You submit to two, your local, and the general A/V association) insisted that the panels follow the same slope as the roof, and are no more than 5" off the roof.

So that kinda' eliminates the tilted racking idea...

[silversaver]

True I have not seen much serious wind here in Aliso Viejo. I don't know the pitch of the roof. I have seen sites that would tell me the best direction for my panels. I will try to attach a google shot of my roof and proposed panels.[ATTACH=CONFIG]5652[/ATTACH] Any thoughts? thanks!

You can use this link for sunrise/sunset in any season: (move the red balloon to your home and select Sat view)

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/

I used it and it is pretty accurate. South is the best and avoid any shades unless in early morning or late afternoon. My solar arrars were facing SW 245 deg and I have tried my best to avoid any shade but still cannot avoid chimney shadow....As you can see, I have moved the panels on top 2 roll to the bottom and still cannot avoid shading..... but at lease I elimated the tree shadow lol

[sensij]

True I have not seen much serious wind here in Aliso Viejo. I don't know the pitch of the roof. I have seen sites that would tell me the best direction for my panels. I will try to attach a google shot of my roof and proposed panels.[ATTACH=CONFIG]5652[/ATTACH] Any thoughts? thanks!

You should start a new thread to discuss your questions. 1st thought seeing your google shot is that not every house is meant to have solar. On the other hand, if you don't mind a 10+ year payback, carry on!

[Alisobob]

solar44.JPG

Whoop-Whoop!!! My first " Official" day over 30 KwH's. ( I've had a few 29.999999999999 days.)

Days are getting longer, sun is getting higher.....

Nice....

solar45.JPG

[Alisobob]

solar46.JPG

Today was kind of special... I've generated two megawatts of power!!

Its taken 3 months.. but its a milestone for me, for the following reason.

e-126-wind_turbine.jpg

I use to be a mechanic that maintained the cranes used out at the Palm Springs wind farm. Those huge windmills are of the 2 megawatt class, and are awesome to be around..

I know their is considerable difference between continuous output, and cumulative... but its still fun to think my little array is making pretty good power.

[bcroe]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5705[/ATTACH]

Today was kind of special... I've generated two megawatts of power!!

The chart says 2 megawatt HOURS, which is energy, not power. Bruce Roe

[control4userguy]

That's OK, let him think he's made 2 million watts.

[Alisobob]

You guys are all just party poopers....

[josefontao]

Lol

[mcollins]

Associations

My neighborhood assoc. said "you want solar, go ahead we have no say". They are looking into reducing the trees on the common property they manage. I will see when we get to Aliso Viejo City what they say.

[mcollins]

You can use this link for sunrise/sunset in any season: (move the red balloon to your home and select Sat view)

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/

I used it and it is pretty accurate. South is the best and avoid any shades unless in early morning or late afternoon. My solar arrars were facing SW 245 deg and I have tried my best to avoid any shade but still cannot avoid chimney shadow....As you can see, I have moved the panels on top 2 roll to the bottom and still cannot avoid shading..... but at lease I elimated the tree shadow lol

Thanks silversaver! this info was helpful.

[mcollins]

You should start a new thread to discuss your questions. 1st thought seeing your google shot is that not every house is meant to have solar. On the other hand, if you don't mind a 10+ year payback, carry on!

I get that same feeling with all the trees around me and the smallish roof. But I am interested in a longer term payoff and creating clean energy for my home, car and the world. We have no intentions of moving from here and the investment to me seems low compared to how much it may payoff in 10 years and beyond. Even if I only knock off a few tiers from my Edison bill I will be happy when rates are so high later that they are impacting my "golden years".

As far as discussing my questions in a new thread, pardon me I am a newbie. I will have to check to see how to do that and how to invite people I have conferred with in the past to enter into a new topic.