More ground mount

[Mdm99]

Here is a ground mount in Maine. Schletterer racks, 215 azimuth 30 tilt. 2x12x280 Hyundai panels, SE6000 inverter

https://www.icloud.com/photostream/#A4GRMtznJ0omoV

Data http://www.pvoutput.org/list.jsp?userid=37844 I have just recently got PVwatts pulling SE data.

My roof has 50 year metal shingles https://www.tamko.com/ResidentialRoo...WorksAstonWood one installer wanted to use L brackets with 5 lag bolts for each bracket, through the metal shingles. That would potentially be hundreds of penetrations. Another installer recommended ground mount as they would not install on my roof.

[peakbagger]

Is there a capability of making seasonal angle adjustments? Its hard to judge from a photo but is sure looks like they should have installed them higher so they could be adjusted to winter angle to optimize production and shed snow faster. They will crank out the power in the summer.

[Mdm99]

Is there a capability of making seasonal angle adjustments? Its hard to judge from a photo but is sure looks like they should have installed them higher so they could be adjusted to winter angle to optimize production and shed snow faster. They will crank out the power in the summer.

The racks are fixed mount, did some brushing of snow this past winter

[organic farmer]

My panels are also 'ground mounted', though we were able to configure them so their angle can be changed with the seasons.

There sure are a lot of folks going off-grid here. I live in the Southern half of Maine, about 20 miles North of Bangor.

[SunEagle]

My panels are also 'ground mounted', though we were able to configure them so their angle can be changed with the seasons.

There sure are a lot of folks going off-grid here. I live in the Southern half of Maine, about 20 miles North of Bangor.

I agree I have seen a lot more people looking into going off grid and I am sure they have a reason and personal justification. Saving money on their electric bill will not be one of those justifications.

Yet if those people are going off grid are doing it not to save money but to "live life their way" then they have my respect and admiration in going down that hard road.

[organic farmer]

I agree I have seen a lot more people looking into going off grid and I am sure they have a reason and personal justification

Up in Northern Maine, the majority of townships do not have grid power. If you live there, and if you want power, then you need to make it.

However I am not in the Northern half of Maine. I live in the Southern half of Maine, here in my township, we have one paved road and portions of it have grid power alongside the road. Other portions of our road do not have power lines. Also when looked at in terms of tax parcels, or individual properties, the majority of properties in my township do not have direct access to grid power. Those homes would need to run power lines in excess of a mile, across other people's land. Which requires legal easements.

I bought land here in 2005. When I was shopping for a homestead, most homes I looked at did not have grid power available. It was commonly a 10 to 20 mile stretch to the nearest grid power line.

My home is grid powered. We lose power on a fairly routine basis. Commonly once a week. Since we moved here [9 years ago], we have not yet experienced a continuous month with out the loss of grid power.

During the week of Christmas we were without power for 3+ days. During the second week of January we lost power for 4+ days.

In the USA, if you want reliable electric power, you need to make it for yourself. By 'reliable' I mean, if you want electricity every day, day after day, for a continuous 30-day stretch.

In this township, many homes have never been wired for power. 'Rural Electrification' never reached Maine, like it did the more urban Tennessee Valley. Homes here that are grid powered, usually have at least one generator. Many of those generators are 40+ years old. In the 1950s and 1960s if you wanted power ever, then you had to make it. When they finally did run power lines through here in the 1970s, they only ran the lines along a portion of our paved road, not all of it. They have never ran power lines to the majority of homes here.

So it is to this day.

... Saving money on their electric bill will not be one of those justifications.

I am not aware of anyone around here, who has said a word about 'saving money'.

If you want power, you must pay for it. If you are in a city, then you pay the Utility Company. If you are rural then you pay to setup how you will make power. Power costs. There is no free power. Everyone using power is paying for it.

I suspect that maybe you are focusing on an urban mindset and not rural. The majority of square-miles of the USA are rural.

... Yet if those people are going off grid are doing it not to save money but to "live life their way" then they have my respect and admiration in going down that hard road.

Living life 'their way' meaning 'to have electricity' is a reasonable thought.



My solar panels are up. Our electric panel with charge-controller / invertor / etc, just arrived over the weekend. Soon we hope to have batteries in place. Then we hope to be off-grid, and to experience a form of reliable power, like what city folk experience.

[SunEagle]

Up in Northern Maine, the majority of townships do not have grid power. If you live there, and if you want power, then you need to make it.

However I am not in the Northern half of Maine. I live in the Southern half of Maine, here in my township, we have one paved road and portions of it have grid power alongside the road. Other portions of our road do not have power lines. Also when looked at in terms of tax parcels, or individual properties, the majority of properties in my township do not have direct access to grid power. Those homes would need to run power lines in excess of a mile, across other people's land. Which requires legal easements.

I bought land here in 2005. When I was shopping for a homestead, most homes I looked at did not have grid power available. It was commonly a 10 to 20 mile stretch to the nearest grid power line.

My home is grid powered. We lose power on a fairly routine basis. Commonly once a week. Since we moved here [9 years ago], we have not yet experienced a continuous month with out the loss of grid power.

During the week of Christmas we were without power for 3+ days. During the second week of January we lost power for 4+ days.

In the USA, if you want reliable electric power, you need to make it for yourself. By 'reliable' I mean, if you want electricity every day, day after day, for a continuous 30-day stretch.

In this township, many homes have never been wired for power. 'Rural Electrification' never reached Maine, like it did the Tennessee Valley. Most homes here that are grid powered, usually have at least one generator. Many of those generators are 40+ years old. In the 1950s and 1960s if you wanted power ever, then you had to make it. When they finally did run power lines through here in the 1970s, they only ran the pines along a portion of our paved road, not all of it. They have never ran power lines to the majority of homes here.

So it is to this day.

I am not aware of anyone around here, who has said a word about 'saving money'.

I suspect that you are focusing on an urban mindset and not rural folk. The majority of square-miles of the USA are rural.

Living life 'their way' meaning 'to have electricity' is a reasonable thought.

My solar panels are up. Our electric panel with charge-controller / invertor / etc, just arrived over the weekend. Soon we hope to have batteries in place. Then we hope to be off-grid, and to experience a form of reliable power, like what city folk experience.

You are correct. I have lived my entire life (across a few states) where grid power was always available. I now understand that there is a lot of states that simply do not have the luxury of a "reliable" grid and people will need to be able to generate their own power.

As for living life "their way", I was referring to people enjoying life without needing to burn 50kWh per day. Sure there is a need for electricity but "happy" off grid people do not use (or need) as much as a lot of city folk do.

That is what I find admirable of people living "off-grid". They are able to live a good life that does not require as much electrical power as those people use to living on grid.