Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

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  • brandywine
    brandywine Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭
    #32
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    Ours.
    Mounted the LAMINATES today. No frames on panels.
    solarpanels-sm.jpg
    solar-panel-rack-sm.jpg
    underpanels-sm.jpg
    The missing one is holding back. We are making an instructional video on how to mount a junction box to a laminate bought from Sunelec.

    <whew. Tired.>

    -Mickie & Travis
    10 Sun 225 laminates, Xantrex Freedom SW3000, 8 12v batteries, Troy-built generator
    48v system conversion in process
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  • Wilis
    Wilis Solar Expert Posts: 84 ✭✭✭✭
    #33
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    Shading from posts will decrease output. Could the fence be moved away? I have used 4x4 posts for my 12 ground mount panels and they survived a tornado on April 27 here in Tennessee. I tried two ways of changing angle for seasons. Half are at the top and half are at the bottom. I have found the top adjustment works best for me.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #34
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    are they just laying into that wooden mount that a good gust of wind from behind would pop them out of their mounts?
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  • brandywine
    brandywine Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭
    #35
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    Shading:

    yes, we noticed that and will be cutting the tops off the fence posts to eliminate this (if it stops raining!). In summer it wouldn't be an issue... Thanks for noticing that.


    Are the panels laying in? Well, we filled the frame with silicone and laid the panel into it. We are backfilling the edges with more silicone and plan to add cross tabs in the corners. The Wind blows from South to North so there is hardly ever any wind coming under the rack. We are also going to put some fence boards cross the back as a wind break just in case.

    Any better ideas welcome!

    I hope it works out for us.
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  • James
    James Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭
    #36
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    If I understand your description correctly, you mounted the laminates directly to the treated framing into a bed of silicone?
    If so, you may have some release issues over time.
    I have experience issues with silicone adhesion to treated lumber on unrelated projects through the years.

    Also, I assume you allowed for expansion/contraction of the framing members.

    I hope I am wrong about the silicone adhesion issue.
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  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    #37
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?
    James wrote: »
    If I understand your description correctly, you mounted the laminates directly to the treated framing into a bed of silicone?
    If so, you may have some release issues over time.
    I have experience issues with silicone adhesion to treated lumber on unrelated projects through the years.

    Also, I assume you allowed for expansion/contraction of the framing members.

    I hope I am wrong about the silicone adhesion issue.

    Having decades of experience using silicone calking/seal to "glue" things together, I've found it among the very best for that purpose. Two pieces of wood glued together with silicone will actually tear the wood apart if you try and separate them after the silicone has set.
    With that experience, I would suggest that if for any reason you have to remove a panel, for sure it will not be coming out in one piece, unless you can use a knife etc to completely cut the silicone all around the edges between the panel and the wood, and likewise all around the back of the panel wherever it's "glued" to anything else. This will be a very difficult job, but hopefully you'll be able to do it. Then if your lucky you'll be able to ease the panel out of the wood frame without busting up anything.
    If however the panels don't need to be removed for any reason, the silicone should work out great.
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  • brandywine
    brandywine Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭
    #38
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    Thanks Wayne. Appreciate the comments.
    :D
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #39
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    All that wood is going to warp and twist and bend, as it gets wet and dries out. It's treated, and won't rot, but exposed, you will have pretzels in 3 or 4 years. Or else treated wood has gotten much better in the last 6 months.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | 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 ,

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  • brandywine
    brandywine Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭
    #40
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    I believe that if you provide structural support in the direction the wood might twist or bend, then you mitigate your risk. Otherwise, every deck, gazebo, and porch that is over 3 years old would be a pretzel mess. Travis has over 20 years of carpentry experience, so he has seen just about everything.

    I'll repost to this thread in 3 years with an update ;)

    -Mickie & Travis
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #41
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    a high quality outdoor paint may also help prevent the warping possibilities.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #42
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?
    niel wrote: »
    a high quality outdoor paint may also help prevent the warping possibilities.

    To that end ...

    Buy the right grade of PT for the job in the first place. When water no longer "beads" on it, treat it with preservative or paint it. Do not try to coat it with anything if it still beads water.
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  • bmet
    bmet Solar Expert Posts: 630 ✭✭
    #43
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?
    mike90045 wrote: »
    All that wood is going to warp and twist and bend, as it gets wet and dries out. It's treated, and won't rot, but exposed, you will have pretzels in 3 or 4 years. Or else treated wood has gotten much better in the last 6 months.

    I would be concerned about the heat generated below the panels, that the collective radiation might be held by the earth directly underneath, creating a micro-climate, drying-out the underside of the wood faster than the top side.

    In my application, am leaning towards a pole mount I saw in HomePower magazine. Unlike Travis, I am not a carpenter, so I'd prefer to pay for a kit.

    I am looking forward to the video brandywine mentioned. It can't be worse than Sunelecs'. ;)
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  • bmet
    bmet Solar Expert Posts: 630 ✭✭
    #44
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?

    Yes, the Unistrut is much stronger than the satellite dish mount it's attached too.
    nsaspook wrote: »
    I would use Unistrut instead of wood for a DIY panel mounting system.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsaspook/4694617830/in/set-72157622934371746/
    http://www.unistrutohio.com/pdf/unistrut-catalog-16.pdf

    It lightweight and will last as long as the PV panels.
    http://www.unistrut.com/
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  • brandywine
    brandywine Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭
    #45
    Re: Planned Mount on 6x6 treated posts - comments?
    bmet wrote: »
    I would be concerned about the heat generated below the panels, that the collective radiation might be held by the earth directly underneath, creating a micro-climate, drying-out the underside of the wood faster than the top side.

    In my application, am leaning towards a pole mount I saw in HomePower magazine. Unlike Travis, I am not a carpenter, so I'd prefer to pay for a kit.

    I am looking forward to the video brandywine mentioned. It can't be worse than Sunelecs'. ;)

    Here is the first of 5 in the series.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ggHr9f3FXA

    The others are uploading now.

    This is just how we did it.....buyer beware etc etc etc. LOL. ;)
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