Balcony solar PV

[Tay]

The panels do come in massive cardboard boxes.
It takes longer to rip up the boxes and put the cardboard into Pink plastic bags than it takes to install the panels.

my last two just had the corner covers as they presumably came from a pallet. I'll find out which way these ones will go I guess.

Now got storms forecast all week, so I reckon I might be sticking them into the garage instead

[Tay]

What a cracking price for panels!

Pergola is a cracking idea, I saw a guy on you tube bootsowen make a car port type install, second hand wood, panels etc.

I've just watched some videos by this guy, he does scare me a little but big kudos for getting stuck in and despite the tree's in the way seemed to be getting some great numbers. I can probably only dream of that.

He must have a good supply of wood there, around here, it costs an arm and a leg, I've scavenged some old bits when people have had Shed's delivered and I've nicked the packaging bit, also got a couple of pallets but nothing like what he had.

[ALAN/ALAN D]

Fitted 4 more panels from City Plumbing today.

Now got 39

When should I STOP.

[Joeboy]

Fitted 4 more panels from City Plumbing today.

Now got 39

When should I STOP.

Congratulations! A clever man once said to me, the goal is 1kW at any time. Much further South than we are so not attainable. Nonetheless, a good goal.

[Tay]

Fitted 4 more panels from City Plumbing today.

Now got 39

When should I STOP.

oouu, what sort of frame have you got there if you dont mind me asking? Thats exactly the design the wife would like infront of some shrubs we have.


I was looking at something like this alongside the fence, as our shrubs are about 15-20feet high, this would replace them. But I'm worried about suddenly giving next door tons of extra light for a day or so by removing the shrubs then blocking it again with this. The wifes (eg: Your) solution might allow us to bypass that initial issue.



My panels arrived today from CP too - I did have a quick looksee in the box as they was a nasty bend in there but panels seem okay at initial glance, and I kept the long pallet it came on, more wood !!!!

[ALAN/ALAN D]

The frame is made from old galvanised scaffold tower bits.
Just push the sections together. I just tack weld the male / female joints.
The ground mounts are old 3 inch pipe with a female pipe coupler welded on top.
This allows the panel angle to be changed very easily.
9.9 metre of mounting rail from City Plumbing was only £56 including vat.
Just drill through the rail / frame and bolt on.

( I'm not connected with City Plumbing in any way. Just impressed with prices )

[Tay]

I presume its pretty solid being scaffold?

Are the ground mounts suck into the garden? or just held by the weight of the unit?

I'm on the south coast and get some meaty storms now and again..Whatever I do needs to be pretty chunky, I'm hoping to get 6 hefty panels on some sort of roof like structure or ground mounted with some serious basis.

Chatted with a guy today that I've asked for some prices from for a battery/Hybrid inverter solution and I mentioned about building regs for a ground mount, he was saying some of his customer just drew up the and mentioned renewables at the council office and the feeling was(down this way at least) that anything with renewables/solar etc in the name pretty much got accepted.

[ALAN/ALAN D]

These 16 panels mounted on scaffold tower sections have been there since April 01 2010. Four panels on each ground mount.
These ones have got a bit of 2 inch pipe across each 4 scaffold bits to make it stronger.
The only problem has been the cable plugs and sockets burning up. All cut off now and cables soldered together.
A hole was dug for the 3 inch ground mount pipe and they are cemented in. The angle of each frame of 4 panels can be changed very easily.
I was going to do an automatic drive system to change the angle once a week. Still on the to do list.
We have got Gusts of wind up to 63 mph tomorrow. Will let you know if they go wonky. If the 150 ft vertical tower gets blown over it should fall behind the panels.

[Tay]

ok, thanks. I'll need to look at potentially raising the units hence the initial look at some sort of leanto type frame as the stupid dog will pee on panels that low.. ^^

You look a tad more exposed than us

We've got the similar weather here today and just noticed that they are forecasting up to 85mph gusts tomorrow so that should be fun.

Also for those interested, City Plumbing have gone out of favour with me atm, one day after their end of October sale finishes the bloody panels are even cheaper ^^ - so if you were holding out this might be the shove you need.

I have no affiliation with CP btw but I do like cheaper prices.

https://www.cityplumbing.co.uk/c/produc ... c/1870007/

[Joeboy]

The balcony solar idea morphs!

https://electrek.co/2023/11/02/solar-table-power-plant/