First Solar mount install question

[wilfor03]

Just finished shopping/begging in the countryside and got a hold of two (2) satellite dish antennas. I plan on building a six (6) panel mount on the frame and use a single axis tracker to move it east/west (Redrock, of course). I also have a 36vdc actuator with a 25 1/2" spread. My question is: when I first hook this actuator up, does the head need to be pointing due south and at high noon setting? Then set up the east/west limit switches? Any advice would be appreciated as I'm starting out with only what I read on the internet. Thanks.....Bill

[Volvo farmer]

First, make sure you don't put more square footage of panels on that dish mount than the original dish used. I can only put 4 panels/ mount without exceeding the Sqft of a 10' solid dish. Sure you might get away with a bigger array, but this it the way that I stole the engineering design of the satellite dish manufacturer.. So far with good luck.

Duane's sensors need no initial adjustment. You need to have east and west limit switches on your actuator though. Most satellite actuators have these built-in and it should be a piece of cake to wire it up properly.

Good luck! Stationary solar panels are boring!

[Basil]

Volvo farmer is right about the square footage of panels on that dish mount .

You have a 36 vdc actuator. It runs good on 12 volts  also.

Much slower for better tracking. Sure you know this.

Mine has east and west limit switches on the actuator only also.

Most satellite actuators have these built-in and easy to manually adjust.

Good Luck.

[wilfor03]

Thanks VolvoFarmer & Basil....It just seems so weird with a frame that strong that ya can't exceed a certain weight, eh? Guess it's because of the torque of the actuator and what weight it can move? And, on the actuator itself, I only have the red and black wires for dc power, none for the limit switches!! is this an internal deal inside the actuator?  Thanks again, guys....

P.S. I tried to include a photo of the rough tracker, but I can't get it to post, but its in my files. oh well............Bill

[TomW]

wilfor03  ;

Both of your photos:

Tom

[Basil]

I only have the red and black wires for dc power,

none for the limit switches!! is this an internal

deal inside the actuator?

Mine is the same way. 2 wires red and black. My limits (mico swithches)

are on the end of the motor. Has 2 roller cams for adjustment.

One for East and one for West.

The cover was gone so I had no problem finding them. I'm sure it's

different for models and makes. I bought an actuator off

Ebay and the limits did not work. Had to put A switch on each

end to make it work. Hope this helps

Basil

[Volvo farmer]

It's not the weight so much as the wind. When at the limits, those panels are going to be within 20 degrees of vertical. 75+ square foot of panel is a lot of sail!

[wilfor03]

TomW....how did you do that with the pictures? I tried to link 'em onto the original post and no-could-do???  But, thankyou, anyways, always good to have someone covering your back, eh???   Bill

[wilfor03]

Hey, Volvo Farmer, did you pour your concrete for the base on yours yet? Looks a bunch there....I'm thinking of sinking my 8' (3 1/2"pipe)post into the ground bout 2' with an "x" anchor on the bottom. We have lots of red clay here in Alabama and its pretty tight most of the time. How big is your system (PV) you put together? Just being nosy, I reckon.......Bill

[wilfor03]

Basil...I took the actuator motor apart and I don't seem to have any limit switches on this dog. You say you put a switch on each end? On the mount itself or on the actuator arm? Wouldn't happen to have a photo would ya?  Always askin for the world here, eh? Thanks for all your input......Bill

[TomW]

VF

I just get the l;ink then enclose it within standard <img src="The_url"WIDTH=80%> html tags.

Simple but has to be accurately formatted. I made this display as text which is another hidden option most don't use.

Tom

[Basil]

This is the best I can do for now. I made a slide with a bar

in it that had stops at each end. Mounted the switches to match.

Took some time but it's still working. I made this just to fit my set up.

Maybe it will help.

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2008/6/20/224052/555

[Volvo farmer]

That picture is an "oops" I did not get my pipe deep enough or with enough concrete. We also have clay and it was all good till the wind started wallowing out a cone around my pole when things were sopping wet. The big concrete form is an overkill solution to poor planning.

I built a second, identical array and got the pole a good 30" deep with about 10 bags of concrete around it and it has been fine.

I got about 1.2KW of panels on two trackers, and a few various and sundry other blue silicone things exposed to the UV here and there.

[hydrosun]

I lucked out when I went looking for an old satellite mount I found one that had a four foot square of 1 inch square steel tubing that supported the dish. I removed the dish and bolted 10 foot long steel tubing to the original metal. I then bolted the solar panels to these. When I wanted to put another 500 watts of panels on the tracker I extended the metal tubes toward the ground and supported the bottom end with an inverted vee of angle iron.  I then had a three legged structure for the panels to pivot on. I also guy wired the original 3 1/2 inch pipe that the satellite mount went over. So with these modifications I was able to safely mount double the sail area than the original dish. It also helps that I'm in the woods and protected from the worst winds. I'm using a 1200 pound thrust actuator.

Chris

[wilfor03]

Just want to thank everyone who's commented on my First Solar Mount problem. Lots of meat to digest here. I'm sure there will be a lot more questions popping up as I proceed to "get it in the wind". I'll keep ya posted as I go.....Thanks again           Bill

[dlenox]

wilfor03,

Pretty much most of the mounting will need to be re-built to lay out the panels onto a framework.  most of the satellite framework you have is kinda unuseable without a ton of modifications, so my advice is to start out with fresh steel.

it is actually pretty easy.

here is a link to my solar tracker that I made: http://www.briery.com/solar as an example.  if you look around the web you should be able to find other projects and ways to build one.

the more examples you get the easier it is to make certain decisions right up front.

Dan Lenox

[wilfor03]

Hey Mr. Dan...I really appreciate your web site you referred me to.....a lot of really great reading there! I see now, I just need to get the pole in the ground and get the frame mounted before I start with laying out the upper framework. I also think I need to get my panels before I weld up anything. I really like the "spud" idea you have. Gonna use it if ya don't mind?  I'll post (try) some pictures of my mount as I go. Been sanding/grinding rust off the satellite mount for the last few days. Never thought I'd say it, but, sure glad its raining for the next couple days. Again, thanks for the input cuz' I really need it. Gonna try and do it right the first time this time!! LOL  At ya later Mr. Dan..............    Bill