Solar Tracker #4 is now complete…

I installed the last six KC-130’s on Tracker #4 this past Saturday in 40+ mph winds, boy was that hairy but I got’er done.

I setup a temporary ground rack to hold the now orphaned Siemans SR90’s that just feed some power into an old Advanced Energy GC-1000.  I’ll be moving the GC-1000 to a tracking trailer mount I’m putting together with eight old Photowatt 90 watt panels I have.

 

I have installed Nema-3 rain tite disconnects on post near all my trackers.  The tracker assemblies are connected to the system through Multicontact MC-4 latching quick connectors. I’m calling the posts with disconnects “Renewable Energy Access Points”.  I had to separate the tracking mounts from the “Inspect-able Electric System” due to the fact if the tracking assemblies were “Permanent Installations” my building department would require very expensive “Engineered, Signed, Stamped, Sealed Blueprints” with wind-loading of over 120 MPH.  Not really do-able for home-built mounts. I don’t plan on leaving a single PV panel out in the Hurricane if one does hit anyhow. I did pick them up and spread them farther apart as I discovered this past winter they were a bit too close with some shadow overlapping.