12 KW Ground Mount In Poway CA. Daily Install Progress

[thejq]

My trench was only 70 feet long without boulders, but it still took 2-3 guys five days to trench. I can't imagine doing 200 feet in a day and a half. Your ground must be much different than mine.

I think I didn't read his reply carefully, he said "some actually female hours" which changes the work load equation completely. My wife always gives me honey-dos that she thinks only takes a few hours but ended up taking the whole day. So there got be something that we, guys, are doing it the wrong way.

[Poway]

My trench was only 70 feet long without boulders, but it still took 2-3 guys five days to trench. I can't imagine doing 200 feet in a day and a half. Your ground must be much different than mine.

I followed your install on this forum... thanks for sharing... gave me things to ask up front for my install...

My array is in a 10 deg slope area (your's much greater) and the path to my array is mostly <20 deg.

Which means I was able to use a trencher. there is a big difference between jack hammers and trenchers.

The trencher "should" travel the whole 200 ft in less than 1 hour... but the reality is that it took almost 1 hour to cut thru the largest bolder (about 15 inch deep cut 10 feet long ... the trench is 20+ inches ... rock below surface)

Plus mine is all granite and decomposed granite. I know granite... See examples below

cut_small_rocks.jpgeasy_to_cuts.jpgstay_away_from_thiss.jpg

The picture labeled stay away from is hard granite... trencher would do nothing to it...
The large rock above ground is one that a trencher will cut easily
The picture underground is a cut thru a rocks that I did not even notice were there (notice the little pile of granite chunks)



Had to resize photos

[lkstaack]

Trenching took place over 1.5 days and took 32 man hours (some actually female hours as my wife was one of the workers) and $117 rental.

My trench was only 70 feet long without boulders, but it still took 2-3 guys five days to trench. I can't imagine doing 200 feet in a day and a half. Your ground must be much different than mine.

[Poway]

What about trenching for cable?

The holes for my Poway ground mount took three people three days to dig. They couldn't use an auger due to Poway's cobble and clay.

I did the trenching... Array is 200 feet thru foundation wall, trees, rocks, sidewalks, stairs... from house...
When getting estimates knew this would be a big swinger (preliminary estimates from $2500 to $8000 depending on how risk adverse the installer) so I did not have trenching quoted.

But I knew the rocks here from trenching for irrigation (granite --- decomposed granite) sliced thru several small boulders and two that were >5 feet across.


Trenching took place over 1.5 days and took 32 man hours (some actually female hours as my wife was one of the workers) and $117 rental.

[J.P.M.]

I'll be on PVoutput "team san diego" soon...

Logdin won't let me in till array fires up. Counts against the team.
Have consumption via Rainforest Eagle thanks to help from Logdin.

Updates coming

Thank you.

[Poway]

I'm looking forward to photos, but I'll be more interested in output. Given the equipment and orientation, unless there's shade involved, that array will probably have annual output that will be the standard for inland north co. San Diego for awhile.

I'll be on PVoutput "team san diego" soon...

Logdin won't let me in till array fires up. Counts against the team.
Have consumption via Rainforest Eagle thanks to help from Logdin.

Updates coming

[lkstaack]

Day 1: Installer arrived, staked out the array, Drilled holes, and called for underground inspection
2 people x 3.5 hours

What about trenching for cable?

The holes for my Poway ground mount took three people three days to dig. They couldn't use an auger due to Poway's cobble and clay.

[J.P.M.]

Equipment (12 kW)

40 x LG300N1C-B3
40 x SolarEdge P400 Optimizers
1 x SE11400-US Inverter

Array:
187 deg (Just slightly West of South)
30 deg elevation
8 panels wide (landscape) x 5 panels high

Electrical to sub panel (at array), Installed by homeowner.

Predicted Timeline:
Day 1: Dig holes
Day 2: Pour concrete
Day 3: Assemble Array, Panels
Day 4: Finish any items not completed in Days 1-3



Day 1: Installer arrived, staked out the array, Drilled holes, and called for underground inspection
2 people x 3.5 hours

I'll add photos below:

I'm looking forward to photos, but I'll be more interested in output. Given the equipment and orientation, unless there's shade involved, that array will probably have annual output that will be the standard for inland north co. San Diego for awhile.

[DanKegel]

daily pictures too please!

[Poway]

Day 4 Progress

Placeholder for Day 4

[Poway]

Day 3 Progress

Placeholder for Day 3

The array is up... connecting the inverter and finishing things up tomorrow AM.

Will have photos...

Total Man Days On-site (doesn't include the time to get all material together and bring to site)

Digging Holes (Mon): 1 man day (2 people 1/2 day)
Pouring Concrete (Tues): 1 man day (2 people 1/2 day)
Assembling Array (Wed): 2.5 man day (2 people all day, one extra person helping with panels 1/2 day)
Inverter/Cleanup (Thurs): 1 man day (2 people 1/2 day) <== THIS IS GUESS

Total 5.5 Man Days.... for a 40 panel system

As I stated in an earlier post. My thoughts are that ground mounts (not including electrical connection from array to house) should be cheaper than roof mounts. Unfortunately many installers do mostly roof mounts and just add the cost of subing the array to their typical quote.

[Poway]

Day 2 Progress

Inspector could not come till 1:30. Waiting for inspector (to give underground approval):

Day2_Wait_for_inspector2s.jpgDay2_Wait_for_inspector4s.jpgDay2_Wait_for_inspectors.jpg

End of day 2 (Concrete finished ... Late start due to 1:30 underground inspection)

end_day2_a.jpgend_day2b.jpg

[Poway]

Equipment (12 kW)

40 x LG300N1C-B3
40 x SolarEdge P400 Optimizers
1 x SE11400-US Inverter

Array:
187 deg (Just slightly West of South)
30 deg elevation
8 panels wide (landscape) x 5 panels high

Electrical to sub panel (at array), Installed by homeowner.

Predicted Timeline:
Day 1: Dig holes
Day 2: Pour concrete
Day 3: Assemble Array, Panels
Day 4: Finish any items not completed in Days 1-3



Day 1: Installer arrived, staked out the array, Drilled holes, and called for underground inspection
2 people x 3.5 hours

I'll add photos below:
Day1_as.jpgDay1_bs.jpgDay1_cs.jpg