New garage time!

[EddieWalker]

Your shop filled up pretty quickly. Looks like it's time to build another!!!

 

[fatjay]

Where are you getting panels at that price?

Marketplace. They're second hand panels 3-5 years old from a commercial installer. The stupid government tax credit is usable every 3-5 years so they do panel upgrades and claim the credit, then sell the used panels off for cheap.

Panels are warrantied for 80% production after 25 years. I have some in place now and they're doing well.

 

[fatjay]

Your shop filled up pretty quickly. Looks like it's time to build another!!!

I am expanding, lots of projects that are made possible by that shop. Best move I've ever made.

 

[slckeys]

Marketplace. They're second hand panels 3-5 years old from a commercial installer. The stupid government tax credit is usable every 3-5 years so they do panel upgrades and claim the credit, then sell the used panels off for cheap.

Panels are warrantied for 80% production after 25 years. I have some in place now and they're doing well.

Good to know. Thanks for the info.

 

[sodamo]

I did a 12x24 solar panel roof a couple years ago. A nice covered area to park stuff. How are you going to address seal between panels? I just ran a bead of silicone, but have a few spots that leak. I I had it to do over, might consider using butyl tape, but there may be something else available these days. Maybe I was too concerned about thermal expansion/contraction. Otherwise very happy with it. I made my supports from 2inch 1/8 alumimum angle

 

[fatjay]

I did a 12x24 solar panel roof a couple years ago. A nice covered area to park stuff. How are you going to address seal between panels? I just ran a bead of silicone, but have a few spots that leak. I I had it to do over, might consider using butyl tape, but there may be something else available these days. Maybe I was too concerned about thermal expansion/contraction. Otherwise very happy with it. I made my supports from 2inch 1/8 alumimum angle
View attachment 877964View attachment 877965

That's exactly what I needed, thank you.

So I wanted to butt them up against each other, but was concerned about thermal expansion. I was looking at a 1/4" gap and using butyl tape even.

So I will have 3 cross members but wasn't sure what to do for the racking. It looks like you have 3 cross members, if it's 12' wide that means a 6' span. Mine is going to be closer to an 8' span, so I was thinking I need something more substantial than angle aluminum. Or reposition my cross members so there will be overhang on both sides.

If you think about it, can you get more pictures from underneath?

Before I put the metal frame up, I need to stucco the patio wall. Needed to cut a hole first to walk down to the pool. Now i'm ready for the stucco.

 

[sodamo]

Hope these help

My rails were matched to the PV factory holes

Conceivably, I could have considered slots in the alumimum rails. I used 1/4 SS nuts and bolts. Note my panels were a tad short of 12ft, but that was ok. A 4th row would have been overkill for me, but I did consider it.
Only bolted panels to rails, not to each other. I would use the butyl tape without extra gap. You have a more extreme condition as I only see about max daily 22° temp change (60-82)yearlong. The aluminum sealing tape you see on bottom side was an after thought, would have been more effective on top side.

Hope these help

I agree, wouldn’t go more than 6’ span with my 2” 1/8 alumimum.

I’ve done a couple of PV rackings

 

[fatjay]

Hope these help
View attachment 878039

My rails were matched to the PV factory holes
View attachment 878040
Conceivably, I could have considered slots in the alumimum rails. I used 1/4 SS nuts and bolts. Note my panels were a tad short of 12ft, but that was ok. A 4th row would have been overkill for me, but I did consider it.
Only bolted panels to rails, not to each other. I would use the butyl tape without extra gap. You have a more extreme condition as I only see about max daily 22° temp change (60-82)yearlong. The aluminum sealing tape you see on bottom side was an after thought, would have been more effective on top side.

View attachment 878041

View attachment 878042

View attachment 878043

View attachment 878044

View attachment 878045
Hope these help

I agree, wouldn’t go more than 6’ span with my 2” 1/8 alumimum.

I’ve done a couple of PV rackings
View attachment 878046

That helped immensely, thank you.

 

[sodamo]

Looking forward to your progress

 

[fatjay]

I'm only working after dark right now. Got half the patio stucco'd but then had to step out of hte country for a week. Now I'm back and am back at it.

Also picked up a drone, which is pretty neat. It was pretty windy, but the thing managed to have minimal issues.

Got myself a little something while I was out of the country as well.

 

[EddieWalker]

What drone did you get?

 

[fatjay]

What drone did you get?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CF8NXJ57

So far I really like it. 25-30min of flight time, gps, very stable in flight, and for the most part, I could just position it and it would stay put for the duration. Follow me worked well enough, but glitched out a few times when I walked directly under it.

Overall, very easy to fly, easy learning curve. I've crashed it 3x and so far nothing has broken.

 

[airbiscuit]

My son in law has this, and it is astonishingly stable and takes great pics.

https://www.amazon.com/DJI-Mini-SE-...mzn1.fos.c3015c4a-46bb-44b9-81a4-dc28e6d374b3

 

[fatjay]

Every night I throw a sack of stucco at the wall. Managed to get everything covered in scratch coat, all interior walls have brown and finish. I do have a bit to do on the wall ends, I need to build that out to be flush so it can be smooth.

I'm no pro at this and it's not perfect, but I think it's good enough to pass a casual glance.

Once that's finished, I'll get the tops back on and glue'd down. Then I can start on the roof structure.

 

[EddieWalker]

I haven't done stucco in decades, and then it was just repair and patching type work. The guys who did it all the time all had home made trowels that were at least 4 feet long. Some might of been 6 feet long!!! I think that was the secret for getting it all flat.

 

[fatjay]

I haven't done stucco in decades, and then it was just repair and patching type work. The guys who did it all the time all had home made trowels that were at least 4 feet long. Some might of been 6 feet long!!! I think that was the secret for getting it all flat.

Yes, I have a 8" and a 14" trowel, and the 14" is much easier.

 

[fatjay]

Now that it's a bit cooler, I can get a bit more done.

Signed off from work today, headed to the garage and trimmed around the 2nd door jam, then started on siding. Across the top is annoying, all those 6" pieces 3' wide.

Now off to home depot, i need landscape adhesive and my old tubes i had dried out.

 

[fatjay]

Set the caps on the block, dismantled the solar panels and ground mount, and moved that stuff out. I'm beat and my dogs are barking.

Tomorrow I'll cut the pieces that need cut to fit and set them, then clean up and pressure wash everything.

 

[dodge man]

What’s on the roof of your vehicle?

 

[EddieWalker]

The drone shots give a great perspective!!!!