Non-wood Solar collector ground mount

[tradewinds]

@Ahultin - Shoot...I was missing that there are pipe laterals and breaking my head on how to get the unistruts onto the pipe. Where did you get the tee for the pipes from? They mentioned on the Eco site about them being special or somewhere like Grainger, did you find a more common source?

 

[Ahultin]

@Ahultin - Shoot...I was missing that there are pipe laterals and breaking my head on how to get the unistruts onto the pipe. Where did you get the tee for the pipes from? They mentioned on the Eco site about them being special or somewhere like Grainger, did you find a more common source?

Lowes! The brand is steel-tek and my local lowes stocked them

 

[tradewinds]

Lowes! The brand is steel-tek and my local lowes stocked them

I'm only seeing up to 1-1/4" Steel-tek tee at Lowe's but I believe you had mentioned your pipes are 1-1/2?

 

[Ahultin]

I'm only seeing up to 1-1/4" Steel-tek tee at Lowe's but I believe you had mentioned your pipes are 1-1/2?

I think they are 1.25 but ill confirm shortly.

 

[Ahultin]

I think they are 1.25 but ill confirm shortly.

Sorry, shortly became 15hours lol. I did confirm that i used 1.25" pipe for the base rack

 

[tradewinds]

Sorry, shortly became 15hours lol. I did confirm that i used 1.25" pipe for the base rack

No worries. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[tradewinds]

Sorry, shortly became 15hours lol. I did confirm that i used 1.25" pipe for the base rack

I found a supply of 1.25" schedule 80 aluminum pipe. You think this would work?

 

[Ahultin]

I found a supply of 1.25" schedule 80 aluminum pile. You think this would work?

I don't see why not.

 

[tradewinds]

I don't see why not.

I think it may be risky since the tee is galvanize steel and the two dissimilar metals may react.

 

[Ahultin]

I think it may be risky since the tee is galvanize steel and the two dissimilar metals may react.

I think this would only pose a problem when/if you went to dissasemble the rack as galvanic corrosion may fuse the parts together. Mine are steel to steel but I have zero confidence in the ability to loosen the little Allen set screws when several yrs of corrosion has settled in from just morning dew. I for one am not taking mine apart, that would be a problem for someone to deal with when I'm long buried lol

 

[tradewinds]

@Ahultin how did you connect sections of pipe together? Assuming a ~13' x ~40', the pipes would need to be joined. Did you by threaded pipes? Also assume you didn't join in the tee?

The site showing the eco one didn't really show lengths that needed longer than 10' sections.

 

[Ahultin]

@Ahultin how did you connect sections of pipe together? Assuming a ~13' x ~40', the pipes would need to be joined. Did you by threaded pipes? Also assume you didn't join in the tee?

The site showing the eco one didn't really show lengths that needed longer than 10' sections.

Since I used galvanized plumbing pipe, it was threaded so I just used galvanized couplers. Using the aluminum tubing, you could either use the steeltek couplers or use the wider steeltek tee's and join at the tee.

 

[Ahultin]

Did you by threaded pipes?

 

[tradewinds]

Got the metal roofing panels today.

Qty: 15
14' x 3'

So the mount surface area will be ~45' x 14'.

 

[tradewinds]

@Ahultin I see the swimjoy manual says to flip the roof panels around so the flat side is facing up for the solar panels to rest. Your photos appears to show the ribbed side up. Was there a reason you did it like that?

 

[Ahultin]

@Ahultin I see the swimjoy manual says to flip the roof panels around so the flat side is facing up for the solar panels to rest. Your photos appears to show the ribbed side up. Was there a reason you did it like that?
View attachment 539134

The roof sheeting I got a smoking deal on was finished on one side so I kept that side up. In hindsight, I'm sure that's why I had to run a 3/4 spacer under each mount.

 

[tradewinds]

The roof sheeting I got a smoking deal on was finished on one side so I kept that side up. In hindsight, I'm sure that's why I had to run a 3/4 spacer under each mount.

What was the smoking deal price?

When you say finish, you mean aesthetics or weather related?

 

[Ahultin]

What was the smoking deal price?

I bought 16 pieces for ~$400

When you say finish, you mean aesthetics or weather related?

Aesthetics, they are coated in a medium gray polyester paint finish

 

[tradewinds]

I bought 16 pieces for ~$400

Aesthetics, they are coated in a medium gray polyester paint finish

Oh wow, that is a deal. Mine came up to $750 for 13 pieces. Did you make yours that wide with 16 or used some?

So, ok to flip and make top side the flat side you think?

Also, trying to get the pipe materials BoM.
Looking at this, if the verticals are cement in, how are you able to thread the pipes together? Did you assemble everything, drop it in the hole, level and cement after?

 

[Ahultin]

So, ok to flip and make top side the flat side you think?

I don't see why not

Looking at this, if the verticals are cement in, how are you able to thread the pipes together?

You are using the steel tek tee's correct? They don't thread, they have an Allen set screw.
I ran a string line to set the line as we as ensure that all of the posts where the same height. You can then set the tee's and run your horizontal pipe thru them to wherever they end up. The only threaded connection I used was the couplers.