OP
LD1
Epic Contributor
Regarding the wind loading......Thats why I had the site prep I did.
Sinclair engineers were good to work with and giving me options.
Obviously pictures are hard to convey slope/elevation. My my setup has 5 posts in the ground. First post to last post is something like 52' long. And over that 52' I had 3'3" of elevation change. Which is a tad over 6% slope.
Sinclair says they can handle up to 5% slope. My initial though was to just form the footer (sonotube). Where the furthest uphill hole/footer would be flush with grade....and the lowest downhill would extend above grade (concrete reveal) of 3'3" to keep the array level. But doing so their engineers spec'd 7'6" deep holes....and SIX #8 rebar (1" rebar) per hole.
Obviously thats alot of rebar and expensive addition to the project. I have access to a 30" auger as well and inquired about upsizing the hole....their engineers said that would only get me down to 7' depth, rebar still required.
Some options I had.....
1. Dont make the array level. Follow the slope of the ground. Their engineer said if concrete reveal is less than 1'6" no rebar required. While I didnt ask...I suspect their "no more than 5% slope" has to do with the array being able to do the seasonal tilt.
So I was inclined to just do no site prep....even though the "grade" was a 6% slope.....run the array from 0 to 1'6" reveal....which would be about a 3% slope...and require no rebar. And that would still require the 7'6" footer.
The other option was to have NO concrete reveal and I could drop the holes down to 6'9" per their engineer. But to have no reveal I needed to do site work. And since I have the means and equipment....rather than just getting to 5% grade or less.....I figured I might as well just make it level.
With no reveal and a level pad, no rebar required and my options were a 24" auger 6'9" holes, or I could have went with the 30" auger at 6'0" holes.
I opted for 2' auger slightly deeper.
Again, I am sure they were tired of hearing from me and questioning this and that.....but sinclair engineers were very helpful and responsive in answering my questions and working with me on coming up the with best solution for the equipment I have to work with. For me...it was simply what was the most cost effective way to achieve the desired end result
Sinclair engineers were good to work with and giving me options.
Obviously pictures are hard to convey slope/elevation. My my setup has 5 posts in the ground. First post to last post is something like 52' long. And over that 52' I had 3'3" of elevation change. Which is a tad over 6% slope.
Sinclair says they can handle up to 5% slope. My initial though was to just form the footer (sonotube). Where the furthest uphill hole/footer would be flush with grade....and the lowest downhill would extend above grade (concrete reveal) of 3'3" to keep the array level. But doing so their engineers spec'd 7'6" deep holes....and SIX #8 rebar (1" rebar) per hole.
Obviously thats alot of rebar and expensive addition to the project. I have access to a 30" auger as well and inquired about upsizing the hole....their engineers said that would only get me down to 7' depth, rebar still required.
Some options I had.....
1. Dont make the array level. Follow the slope of the ground. Their engineer said if concrete reveal is less than 1'6" no rebar required. While I didnt ask...I suspect their "no more than 5% slope" has to do with the array being able to do the seasonal tilt.
So I was inclined to just do no site prep....even though the "grade" was a 6% slope.....run the array from 0 to 1'6" reveal....which would be about a 3% slope...and require no rebar. And that would still require the 7'6" footer.
The other option was to have NO concrete reveal and I could drop the holes down to 6'9" per their engineer. But to have no reveal I needed to do site work. And since I have the means and equipment....rather than just getting to 5% grade or less.....I figured I might as well just make it level.
With no reveal and a level pad, no rebar required and my options were a 24" auger 6'9" holes, or I could have went with the 30" auger at 6'0" holes.
I opted for 2' auger slightly deeper.
Again, I am sure they were tired of hearing from me and questioning this and that.....but sinclair engineers were very helpful and responsive in answering my questions and working with me on coming up the with best solution for the equipment I have to work with. For me...it was simply what was the most cost effective way to achieve the desired end result
