Check out my rack!

[madlabs]

Hi All,

I figgered THAT subject should get some views... :-)

I finished that solar panel rack I have been working on for the last few weeks. The rack is built primarily from 1 1/4" angle iron. I built it bolt together style so that I could take it apart and bring it to a powder coater.

In total I have less than US$600 into the rack. It looks kind of spindly in the photos, but you can climb around on it like a jungle gym, it's very stiff. The powder coating was $270, money very well spent, especially as they did the prep and weld scale removal for that. The coating got into every crack and crevice, even behind the tangs. No way that paint would have gotten there.

Anyway, thanks for the help. Just thought I'd share the result.

Jonathan

[DamonHD]

I want that in my garden, please!  (Not that my other half would be impressed as they are bigger than my garden in total!)

Rgds

Damon

[dbcollen]

well, since I am single again I can say "Nice Rack" out loud instead of just thinking it.   

[Bruce S]

I'm married and I'll say it too!!
NICE RACK!!

[gww]

Is the other rack wood, hows that going?
Nice rack
gww

[madlabs]

Gww,

Yep, the other rack is wood. It's almost 4 years old now and is holding up well. I used wood because at the time I didn't have a welder/bandsaw/ect. That one is also hinged and can be adjusted for the seasons, a feature I decided to forgo on the new rack.

The new rack is 1/3 of the panels I bought. So now I have to make two more racks just like it. Then I'm buying a chest freezer! Woohoo! Ice cream!

Jonathan

[gww]

Ice cream good
Thanks
gww

[Bruce S]

Madlabs;
I noticed the container it's bolted to. How's that unit coming along?
Cheers;
Bruce S
Yumm vanilla bean ice-cream 

[madlabs]

Bruce,

Are you asking about the cement footing project for the container? If so, it went well and the container is bolted down. If not, do you mean the container as a structure?

JOnathan

[Bruce S]

The container as a structure.

[madlabs]

The container has worked out very well for me. I moved onto my off-grid property due to the economy almost 4 years back. I needed to get out of my rental to keep my property and I needed storage, a place for a power system and tools. While it isn't an ideal shop space it works. As a power center it is outstanding, short wire runs, you can weld to it anywhere, punch holes, etc. It is water tight and the paint is holding up well and it can easily be locked.

So, I like it. Perhaps not ideal, but cheap.

Jonathan

[richhagen]

Nice, and in time for the longer spring days.  I broke 2000 Watts from my panels for the first time I've noticed since fall today as some get a bit shaded when the sun is too far south. In your case with 18 of those new panels you are going to be raking in quite a haul of energy.   You may have to find a few more uses to dump it on for those long sunny days ahead.

[madlabs]

I am most certainly going to have to come up with some dump loads , espescially when I have all of the panels up. This summer I'll be watering with it and I am going to hack my chest freezer's controls and have the extra power pump it colder during the day. Then there is the hot tub going in this year too, so flitering etc as. Always plenty of uses to put a spare electron to!

Jonathan