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fatjay
Elite Member
Solar panel. It's electric!
New garage time!
- Thread starter fatjay
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dodge man
Super Star Member
I assumed that’s what it was. Does that charge the vehicle or just help?
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fatjay
Elite Member
Yeah, I'm liking it's perspective. I think I'm going to get a dedicated tablet for it though, I hate having to use my phone.
It charges the vehicle, there's a screen where it says miles added and power collected via the roof.
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fatjay
Elite Member
Finished the siding on the garage. It looks so much better.
Now I can focus on the solar.
When I finish this I'm going to sleep for a week. I'm wrapping up at 1am every night, sleep by 3, and waking up at 9am.
Now I can focus on the solar.
When I finish this I'm going to sleep for a week. I'm wrapping up at 1am every night, sleep by 3, and waking up at 9am.
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fatjay
Elite Member
I cleaned up and pressure washed everything and the porch is ready, now it's time for the roof.
The structure is going to be an all steel design. I'm using 2" square tube with 1/4" walls, which can be seen in the image above. The legs are going to be max size to fit the patio, but the roof must be 21.6'x19.5' to accomidate the solar panels, which is slightly larger than the patio.
It will come up over the first floor roof by about a foot, and angle down as steeply as reasonably possible. The concern is it will extend over the lawn, and angled down, if it gets to low it becomes an overhead hazard.
This is going to be a "lift a 200lb beam into place and see what happens" type of thing.
Just a rough draft to play with some numbers. The 3 horizontals will be spaced in the mid section, one 7' above, and one 7' below, with a 3' overhang on each side, to "balance" the racking points.
The structure is going to be an all steel design. I'm using 2" square tube with 1/4" walls, which can be seen in the image above. The legs are going to be max size to fit the patio, but the roof must be 21.6'x19.5' to accomidate the solar panels, which is slightly larger than the patio.
It will come up over the first floor roof by about a foot, and angle down as steeply as reasonably possible. The concern is it will extend over the lawn, and angled down, if it gets to low it becomes an overhead hazard.
This is going to be a "lift a 200lb beam into place and see what happens" type of thing.
Just a rough draft to play with some numbers. The 3 horizontals will be spaced in the mid section, one 7' above, and one 7' below, with a 3' overhang on each side, to "balance" the racking points.
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fatjay
Elite Member
So I built it up to the cross members. Got them all welded. Let me tell you, this stuff is not light. I can see why they build stuff out of wood.
I did have a helper to set the beams. He wanted to learn how to weld, I got free labor. It's a win win.
The base did fall over once, 2 legs and one piece from front to back, I was on a ladder lifting a 24' section onto it and bumped it. I was pretty helpless to watch it fall. My biggest concern was watching the leg fall over the wall, because that would be a pivot point and it could come at me, while i was on a ladder, holding the the beam. Fortunately, it just fell over, missed me completely, the welds held and nothing broke, not even the block wall. Getting it back up was a challenge, but we managed to do it.
I did have a helper to set the beams. He wanted to learn how to weld, I got free labor. It's a win win.
The base did fall over once, 2 legs and one piece from front to back, I was on a ladder lifting a 24' section onto it and bumped it. I was pretty helpless to watch it fall. My biggest concern was watching the leg fall over the wall, because that would be a pivot point and it could come at me, while i was on a ladder, holding the the beam. Fortunately, it just fell over, missed me completely, the welds held and nothing broke, not even the block wall. Getting it back up was a challenge, but we managed to do it.
Get yourself some “C” style vice grips and cut some 3-6” angle iron clips.
Clamp pieces together to hold still and in plane.
I’ve fabricated tons of stuff just held together with vice grips till final welding.
Clamp pieces together to hold still and in plane.
I’ve fabricated tons of stuff just held together with vice grips till final welding.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Now I'm curious why you are building the porch out of metal instead of wood, like the porch next to this one?
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fatjay
Elite Member
Larger spans, lighter longer lasting. The wood one is being replaced as it leaks badly.
The end of the 3 month sprint arrived today. My son turned 1 today, and his birthday party went off without a hitch. My wife invited about 40 people. Tons of food, friends, and family.
It started with the yard, then the pool, then patio, and finally the roof. I didn't get solar panels up, but I did get to harbor freight and buy a tarp. The weather was great, plenty hot and the kids spent pretty much the whole time in the pool.
I'm going to take a week off, and let my body recover. I overdid it and I'm hurting. But the end result was worth it.
Also my lawn looks like hell from lack of rain.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
There really isn't anything better then a pool for summer parties!!!!
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fatjay
Elite Member
Day after welding in a tank top regrets. Feel the burn.
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fatjay
Elite Member
Can I mount the panels to steel angle iron? Or do I really need aluminum angle?
I'm making my own mounts that will run up and down, with the panels mounted sideways. The gap is 7 foot between the center and outer ones, with a 3' overhang, so the panels will "balance".
In the image below, the black lines are the steel cross you see in the above image. The orange lines are what I'm going to mount on those to attach the panels to, which don't exist yet. And the purple is the panels.
I'm making my own mounts that will run up and down, with the panels mounted sideways. The gap is 7 foot between the center and outer ones, with a 3' overhang, so the panels will "balance".
In the image below, the black lines are the steel cross you see in the above image. The orange lines are what I'm going to mount on those to attach the panels to, which don't exist yet. And the purple is the panels.
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fatjay
Elite Member
sodamo
Super Star Member
- Joined
- May 20, 2004
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- 18,482
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- Big Island, HI
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- Bobcat CT4545 LS XR4140H (Mine) BX2380 (wife’s)
Likely either would work as rails as long as adequately sized and you can support. Are you going to be painting/ repainting the steel. I leave my aluminum natural and use SS fasteners.
How will you attach? Your panels appear to have some sort of attachment. I just predrilled and bolted directly.
Also how you attacking the panel supports (orange) to the structure (black)?
Here is a pic of the aluminum feet I made rather than attach directly.
How will you attach? Your panels appear to have some sort of attachment. I just predrilled and bolted directly.
Also how you attacking the panel supports (orange) to the structure (black)?
Here is a pic of the aluminum feet I made rather than attach directly.
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fatjay
Elite Member
Ok I went and mocked up a scale-ish model of what I'm thinking.
The racks, being angle aluminum, will be 20'. They will have 7' spans on each side of middle beam. The angle aluminum comes in 25' lengths. I'll get them in 20' and get the 5' drops, then cut the 5' drops in half to support the cantilevers.
Each large block below is 1 foot. 20 ft OAL. The solar panels come to 19.66', there will stacked 6 high. This is from the side view. The black boxes are steel int he middle. They will have steel angle iron ears, 2"x2" welded to it on top and bottom. This isn't shown below. The steel will be drilled and I think a rubber washer between the steel ears and the aluminum racking should be ok.
The green is solar, pink is aluminum, and black is steel. 2.5 ft from the bottom black ear to the top aluminum on each side to form triangles to support the racking. I think this will make it strong enough to support snow load and wind.
The racks, being angle aluminum, will be 20'. They will have 7' spans on each side of middle beam. The angle aluminum comes in 25' lengths. I'll get them in 20' and get the 5' drops, then cut the 5' drops in half to support the cantilevers.
Each large block below is 1 foot. 20 ft OAL. The solar panels come to 19.66', there will stacked 6 high. This is from the side view. The black boxes are steel int he middle. They will have steel angle iron ears, 2"x2" welded to it on top and bottom. This isn't shown below. The steel will be drilled and I think a rubber washer between the steel ears and the aluminum racking should be ok.
The green is solar, pink is aluminum, and black is steel. 2.5 ft from the bottom black ear to the top aluminum on each side to form triangles to support the racking. I think this will make it strong enough to support snow load and wind.
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fatjay
Elite Member
Ok got some prices back. 2x2 1/4" angle aluminum 25' sections is $164, that's a LOT higher than I anticipated. It's the orange pieces in the diagram in the 2nd post. I need 8 of them.
I'm thinking of switching to angle iron, then mounting rubber washers between the panels and the steel. I'm waiting on quotes for the angle iron, but flat stock is $36 for a 20' length.
I'm thinking of switching to angle iron, then mounting rubber washers between the panels and the steel. I'm waiting on quotes for the angle iron, but flat stock is $36 for a 20' length.
sodamo
Super Star Member
- Joined
- May 20, 2004
- Messages
- 18,482
- Location
- Big Island, HI
- Tractor
- Bobcat CT4545 LS XR4140H (Mine) BX2380 (wife’s)
Believe I used 3/16 angle
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fatjay
Elite Member
I picked up some steel and started work again. Go figure, it's cool when i take a break, and hot when I work.
Soon as I puled out of the shop, freak rain storm. Had to strap down in the pouring rain.
Started bracing. It's a lot of cuts, I need to find a way to speed it up. And the angles are to hard for my saw, so I have to use the bench to cut it.
Soon as I puled out of the shop, freak rain storm. Had to strap down in the pouring rain.
Started bracing. It's a lot of cuts, I need to find a way to speed it up. And the angles are to hard for my saw, so I have to use the bench to cut it.
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fatjay
Elite Member
So I'm going to run power to the shop, real power. My house has 200a service, 100a per leg. I want to run full power to the shop, all 200a. The reason for that is I eventually want to generate all of my power in the garage, and backfeed the house, so I want the ability to send it all both ways.
I used this site: https://paigeconnected.com/calculators/wiresize-calculator
This said I need 1/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum.
So I found this: SWEETBRIAR-CUT :: Sweetbriar, (2) 4/0, (1) 2/0, Aluminum, Cut to Length :: Rexel USA
so I think I'm going to go with that.
I used this site: https://paigeconnected.com/calculators/wiresize-calculator
This said I need 1/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum.
So I found this: SWEETBRIAR-CUT :: Sweetbriar, (2) 4/0, (1) 2/0, Aluminum, Cut to Length :: Rexel USA
so I think I'm going to go with that.
bigtiller
Super Member
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- central Iowa
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- John Deere 2720 John Deere 3039R John Deere Z545R
You could use a bigger building. That garage looks awfully full to me.
