Where? Why? Goofy picture.

Grinnin
Grinnin Solar Expert Posts: 39 ✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
I came across this PV installation last summer and took a picture of my shadow on the PV panels.

I can understand why these panels are on a permanent ground mount. It would be easy to say that the installation is either "wrong" or just "not optimal".

There would be significant challenges to Improving this installation. I cannot criticize the installation but I also cannot argue with anyone who says it's wrong.

Why?
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Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    I do not see any anchoring to the ground (may be there--Just don't see any).

    Missing cross bracing--In theory the panels could rack if wind or something else pushes from the side.

    There may also be a loose rectangle (looks like part of a scaffolding system) right behind the panels--Looks like it may damage the rear of a panel if there is any movement (wind/people) of the scaffolding frame.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,006 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    If your talking about the orientation, The Sun hits my panels from behind early in the day and would at night, if this were not in the way.

    As Bill said, it's not anchored so it could be moved around. I'd like to see some diagonal bracing, even in a welded frame, but you might be surprised how ridged the panels are!
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • Ken Marsh
    Ken Marsh Solar Expert Posts: 114 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    Depends on the panel but some panels have their electrical box vented on the down side.
    Having one row upside down would let water get into the box.
    Even if there is no vent I would want the wires to exit at the bottom.

    All panels appear to be in wired in series.
    If they are 34 volt nominal this would be 408 volts to contend with.
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  • Grinnin
    Grinnin Solar Expert Posts: 39 ✭
    #5
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.
    Photowhit wrote: »
    If your talking about the orientation, The Sun hits my panels from behind early in the day and would at night, if this were not in the way.

    My panels also get sun from the sides shining on the back. The photo shows sun more directly behind the panels.

    And yes, the anchoring is very light.
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  • zoneblue
    zoneblue Solar Expert Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    Well heres a real robust ground mount i saw while in Boston last month. These are at Logan Airport, on top of one of the carparks.

    Attachment not found.
    Attachment not found.

    Real solid, steel I beam construction. Bit sad that at 200kWp they only power 5% of the carparks power. The reason is pretty clear from the air, the pole mounts only cover a small fraction of the surface area of the car park.

    https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3625888,-71.0185749,206m/data=!3m1!1e3
    1.8kWp CSUN, 10kWh AGM, Midnite Classic 150, Outback VFX3024E,
    http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar


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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    the lighting in the first pic makes it seem like its a ball park, so where are the bleachers?... batter up!

    That's why they use so much power!
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • zoneblue
    zoneblue Solar Expert Posts: 1,220 ✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    It is actually led lighting.
    1.8kWp CSUN, 10kWh AGM, Midnite Classic 150, Outback VFX3024E,
    http://zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar


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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    Looks like they left a couple of loose sections of scaffolding too. For working on the electrical or mechanical connections, I wonder?
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    and that barbed wire in the background, some kind of secure industrial area...??
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
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  • Grinnin
    Grinnin Solar Expert Posts: 39 ✭
    #11
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    The picture was taken at about 23:30 * in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The sun is up for 56 days in the summer and they have no sun at all for 30 days in the winter. Even though the sun is up a long time it never gets higher than 47 degrees above the horizon.

    In the summer they could generate solar electricity all day and night with a 360-degree tracking mount. The town currently runs on diesel so there could be significant savings for a while. A tracking mount would be a little more difficult than a post set in concrete. The entire town has foundations that protect the permafrost -- their electric, water, and sewer are all in a above-ground conduits. I do not know if they move or disassemble this array for winter, but it would not get much light for a long time.

    Westbranch mentioned the barbed wire and industrial look. Most of the buildings in the whole territory have a simple and functional look as if they are able to batten everything down pretty easily. This was on the grounds of the police/fire building. The fence does look serious, but the gate was wide open.

    * While it was almost midnight by the clock, Inuvik uses Mountain time even though the longitude is west of the western edge of Pacific time. The clock in the summer shows a time that is wrong by 2 hours 55 minutes. Then again, when you have a season of daylight then transition to a season of dark, does the clock really have to be synchronized to the hour of solar noon or midnight? Sunrise and sunset times shift fast in the spring and fall.

    Thanks, all, for posts in this not-terribly-serious thread.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #12
    Re: Where? Why? Goofy picture.

    There are "bi-facial" solar panels....

    http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/01/bifacial-pv-modules-can-they-move-beyond-bipv-applications

    I am not sure that they produce a lot more power--Wiring/racking produces lots of shading on "rear" of panel. Tracking would probably produce way more power vs bi-facial solar panels in your situation.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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