# Some Tips On What I Did To Reduce Solar Install Costs



## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

I started building mine 20+ years ago on a zero dollar budget, everything was purchased with cash.

Now, stick with me...
I got land that had 'Junk' on it, I paid for lumber to mount solar panels on, the needed to move the rack mount.
The rack was STOUT (I live in tornado alley) so it was heavy.
A house trailer frame was left behind, and I made a flat bed trailer out of it.
I sawed off my solar rack and jacked it up, put it on the trailer, I was still producing power for building, so it sat their for a while...

Now, having spent money on the rack, I didn't have many panels, and power ran low.
I turned the trailer to track the sun for more power digging holes for the new (costly) mount for the rack...

Not being the smartest person in the world, it took a few days to dawn on me I was gaining about 30% more power by tracking the sun...

I used a scrap big truck axle, stood on end, set in concrete and attached the trailer to it, now I use the up side wheel bearing to support the trailer, and the gear set to rotate the trailer frame to track the sun.
A photo eye from eBay and an electric motor attached to the gear set track the sun automatically.

This saves about 30% on solar panel costs since the current panels produced about 30% more power.
House trailer frames, and dead big truck axles are everywhere, and can literally be had for free or scrap weight.

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To reduce panel mount costs, and since I wanted to adjust the angle for high summer sun, and low winter sun to maximize efficiency and reduce the number of panels and their costs,
I used a round pipe at the top & mounted the top end of the panels to the pipe.

This became an effective hinge at the top.

At the bottom of the panels I attached an oval 'Cam' lobe (first just wood, later metal) to the bottom square tubing.
Square rotates the cam easier than round, and I got it cheap.

Gravity holds the bottoms of the panels on the 'Cam' lobes, since the panels don't have to jack way up, just turning the bottom square tubing to adjust angle.

Since a dollar store protractor and a string/weight works as well as a digital angle finder, I attached one so I could track & correct the cam profile as I collected more information.
This was the reason for wooden cams at first, wood was cheap/easy to correct/replace as changes were needed.

I did add limiting cables to keep wind from lifting the bottoms of the panels and slamming them down.
This was also cheap & easy...

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If you go with lead/acid batteries,
Consider steel case fork truck batteries.

When they won't power a fork truck for an 8-10 hour shift, there is still a lot of life left in them (if they haven't been abused/damaged).
These can be bought for scrap weight, and sold for scrap weight, so you end cost is zero.

A 'Dead Cell' in a newer battery is a gift from the battery gods!
Steel case batteries have external bridges between cells, simply saw through the bridge for the dead cell and jump over it with a cable.
The reduction in voltage from one cell isn't an issue, while the amp hour rating is off the charts for RE situations.

Again, buy for scrap weight, sell for scrap weight, cost is zero at the end of the battery life.

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When you need positive disconnects (and you need positive disconnects), consider 'Anderson' connectors.
Anderson is a brand name, manufacturer, and they are made specifically for high amperage DC loads.
They are everywhere on fork trucks, and available on eBay for cheap.

There are grab handles, one pull disconnect handles, moisture & corrosion resistant boots, etc that can be added as needed.

The charge controllers, de-sulfidators, stuff normally connected to battery terminals directly often corroding and needing constant maintenance, the Anderson terminal connectors are large enough to add these smaller wires into them with the battery cable, keeping your connections away from the corrosives at the battery terminals.

This also allows your batteries to disconnect cleanly, no straggling wires to disconnect, a much cleaner install and easier battery maintenance.










As you can see, I make my own cables.
Learning how to make a cable that lives a long life around lead/acid batteries takes some effort, but it's worth it for long lived cables, and that makes them VERY cost effective over time.
More on that when I find the pictures again...

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This won't save you money, but it sure saves your back!

I use carts for batteries to get them up off the floor/ground.
Carts make moving battery strings around a snap when rollers are installed, and NOT having to stand on your head to do maintenance is great!

With my strings, on carts, I roll them under the work bench, which protects the batteries, and plug them into the inverter main cables via Anderson connectors.
When it's time for maintenance, the positive disconnect Anderson connector allows for a one pull disconnect, and I can roll the battery string where ever it needs to be.

A bottom shelf on these carts is where I keep my cable spools, crimping/soldering tools, heat shrink tubing, spare parts for the system, etc. Since I don't need that stuff very often anymore, and it doesn't weigh a ton like some batteries do, stooping over for it isn't an issue once in a while...
You also get a work bench out of the deal!

The bottom side of the work bench is where I mount feeds from solar strings, inverter mains, charge controllers, etc and wire them to the bench side of the Anderson connectors.
One pull, clean batteries...

Anderson connectors are color coded, only the same size/color will plug together.
This keeps me plugging the Lithium battery strings into ports that have charge controllers for lithium batteries, and keep my super capacitors from getting plugged into a battery charger.
Some days I just need 'Idiot Proof', and these help with that part of things. 

These connectors come in a bunch of different sizes, from just a few amps to 350 amps, and since the terminal are removable/replaceable, you don't have to buy housings all over again.
The terminals come in a bunch of wire gauge socket sizes, so you can get a good fit on the cable size you are running.

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I'm ALWAYS looking for new ideas so if you have something to add, I'd SURE like to hear about it!


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

When the 'Code' guy (that doesn't have a degree/certification in wiring PV) tries to bust your butt about disconnects,
The NEC says red handle, one hand disconnect, and insulated from the circuit.

The 'Code Guy' wanted a $250 disconnect box on each battery string, and another at the inverter.
He's stuck in AC/Grid land and doesn't understand the DC side of the system...

This is how you get an NEC/UL approved 'Red' handle, one hand operation with Anderson connectors for about $10 off eBay...










The connector body insulated you from the circuit, the handle is an add-on, and it's one hand operation when the other side of the connector is bolted to something.
NEC and UL approval is molded right into the connector bodies when you use real Anderson connectors.

If you look at the pictures in my first post you can see a gray pull handle, which is what the 'Code Guy' threw a fit about.
Red spray paint would have done the job, but I didn't want to have him complain anymore.
Now I just order red instead of gray...


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Aluminum terminals, alloy wire (not pure copper so it doesn't carry the amperage it's suppose to), and just poor workmanship is why I stopped buying 'Battery Cables', most from 'China'.

This is an example of what NOT to do...
Holes in the terminals that let water and acid right into a crimped connection (instant corrosion in a DC circuit),
Alloy wire that wouldn't carry the rated load for it's size (resistance),
Heat Shrink that didn't seal against anything.










While the AC guys complain endlessly about soldering DC terminals,
The fact of the matter is, it seals out moisture and corrosive gasses from the batteries.

A crimp is a mechanical connection, the cable only passes full current where it's crimped to the terminal.
Notice positive & negative terminals are different sizes on automotive post type batteries.
A good fitting terminal will do a better job for you longer.










An actual silver bearing electrical solder will give 100% connection, AND seal up the connection from corrosives.










A glue lined heat shrink seals things up even more.
If you get a good glue lined heat shrink sealed up tight, it takes a low yeild nuclear blast to get it off again!

Color also denotes polarity, which reduces costly, spark filled mistakes!



















Crimper, solder, heat source & heat shrink make for MUCH better performing terminals that are MUCH longer lived.

A couple tips,
Make the cable a little long, with some slack.
When a terminal end fails and needs replaced, cut the cable right behind the failed terminal, the slack allows you room for another terminal end to go right on the same cable.
This saves your costly pure copper cable from being too short.

If you use flattened tubing terminals (on left), and not 'Blind Socket' terminals (on right),
Don't forget to drop some solder in the bottom of the socket, even if you don't solder the terminal to the cable, solder up that seam!










That seam line in the middle of the ring end might not look like much, but it's a super highway for battery acid!
The acid will find the separation line and eat it's way right into your cable!










When your cables look like this inside the terminal & insulation, the resistance goes to the moon and you waste a BUNCH of power trying to overcome that resistance.
The sad part is it will rob you of power for YEARS before it finally fails completely.
An Ohm meter won't find this, it takes a full on load test to find.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

One thing I backed into by accident,
If your place is very big, and you are doing almost all yourself...

While scrounging for batteries I got a lead on a set of golf cart batteries a guy had bought, then bought another golf cart.
Turns out it wasn't batteries, so the brand new set did him zero good, he just went and bought another golf cart.

I got the batteries for about half price, but I had to haul the old golf cart off... SCORE!

One replacement relay later, and the golf cart worked fine.
This is a self transporting battery bank!
Since I didn't get a charger, I slapped three (surplus, bought used) on the 'Sun Roof' and it charged itself (slowly).
With some cable, and an Anderson connector, I plugged it into my inverter and fixed solar panels, and it charged MUCH faster, and it returned power to my little 'Grid'.

So, when I needed to weld, some creative wiring allowed welding around the homestead.
One of my earliest inverters mounted in the golf cart made 110vac, so I mount an extension cord reel, plugged in a cord, and had power tools that actually got work done.

Almost 20 years down the road, it's beat up, but other than a couple relays, a battery change, some wheel bearings & tires, it's still doing the job quite well.

No air/fuel/oil filters, no oil changes, no dead alternators or fuel pumps, no fuel costs, no lugging fuel cans from town...

It won't pull a plow, but it will cart my big butt around and work all day on a job site if needed.
Something to think about if you run into one...

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As for surplus, used panels for odd jobs like security lights, fence chargers, a beginner learning curve...
Every state has several auctions a year, and the road side signs show up in those auctions.
They have batteries, a charge controller, and usually two nice panels on top.
When cars hit them, or something goes wrong the shop guys can't figure out, or the state just buys new, the old ones are sold off.
I've bought several for next to nothing, often selling the axles/trailers for more than I paid for the entire rig.


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## IndyDave (Jul 17, 2017)

Thanks for the excellent explanation. I have not previously been introduced to that level of care with cable ends, but have had plenty of corrosion problems over time. I have developed a preference for flat ends with threaded post batteries rather than lead. Do you have experience with those?


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

You mean like the ones in the cable/terminal post above?

In the picture about flattened tubing vs blind socket picture, notice the small contact patch around the eye hole for the terminal?
See how much contact area is on the blind socket terminals?

The more contact patch, the bigger the amp load the terminal can handle, so I usually look for wide contact patch eye (stud) terminals.

Even if you don't use the entire capacity of the contact patch area, redundancy is a wonderful thing, it can be a little corroded and still work fine.

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A bit of trivia,
When my winch relays (like starter relays) wouldn't pass enough current due to small contact patch, I drilled a hole in a pre '82 brass penny, slipped it on the stud and soldered it to the nut on the relay.
Rusty steel never makes a good electrical contact when DC is involved.

When the cable terminal was attached and the second nut went on, I could get enough amperage to make the winch work like it was supposed to.

A pre '82 penny is brass and makes a 1¢ high current contact quite well.
Sure beats the price of copper or brass washers!

That problem got solved when I replace the relays, I got relays with copper studs instead of steel.
Copper studs have silver contacts inside, and they handle about twice the amperage for about $3 more in cost, and with silver contacts, they live a LOT longer.


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## IndyDave (Jul 17, 2017)

Thanks.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

There is really no good substitute for Fine Copper Wire Welding cable and solid terminal ends which are 3 or 4 point crimped with a hydraulic crimper. Another important "Lesson Learned" is to use ONLY Stainless Steel bolts and be careful to properly torque them and NOT over tighten. Simply put, **** happens with galvanised or other types.

I got those Anderson connectors a few years ago, great item BUT only if you have the handle...  Let me tell ya, without that handle trying to pry that connector apart is damned near impossible (as designed to do). Blue Sky words a plenty ! I then decided a better alternative was to use a Blue Sea DC Switch as a complete Battery Disconnect.

IF you have Lead Acid batteries a Pulse Desulphator is in fact recommended by MANY battery manufacturers (Mine Rolls, Surette does) and they do work, especially beneficial if you have inconsistent charging & usage. (Boaters & RV'ers use them a lot for good reason).

The one I used (note my battery bank is set as a single output only)








Alternately, IF I wanted to split my battery bank into 2x 24VDC strings I could use the switch below without further complications. The bonus there, is if you are Desulphating (Equalizing) you can select a single string if they are out of balance OR do both strings simultaneously. You can also use one string without impacting the other IF you wanted to.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

I *Think* the US NEC code is 3" between terminals.
My NEC code book is old & outdated (2013) but I'm thinking I remember a 3" separation between terminals on DC disconnects to prevent arc over.

If you are drawing so much DC Amperage you need 3" between terminals to prevent arc over, you need to wire things differently, but code is ALWAYS way stupid on the safe side.

The 'Boat' disconnects & switching you show should be good for any battery string, but I don't know about several strings in bank (en banc?).

I think it would be more clear to me if I saw a diagram, I'm a little dense sometimes...


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There is a lever type disconnect for Anderson, leverage pull thing.
The only place I can find a picture is on eBay and they won't let me steal it for display.



















The biggest issue I have with this is I've only found them for SB350 amp connectors, which is fine for inverter buss feed, but somewhat big for the 175 connectors I often use on strings.

Your switch would work for inverter disconnect quite well since unlike batteries, I'm not looking to remove the inverter from the system, just shut it off.

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Honestly, the lithium & super caps don't need to be completely disconnected from the system very often, they don't cause corrosion problems and need water like the lead/acid batteries do.

As my disabilities get worse with age, or for a smaller weaker person, the levered brackets may wind up on my connectors. Cantilevered leverage is a good thing!

eBay links, but we all know these expire...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Anderson-P...476&pg=2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109

https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Anderson...301&pg=2045573&_trksid=p2045573.c100667.m2042


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

I put my Jeep's second battery on an Anderson connector, and put Anderson connectors on all the tractors & stuff that had starters.
When I wasn't living out here, the meth-heads stole batteries and I got tired of replacing them, so I just pulled the second battery out of the Jeep and used it in equipment.
One good thing, I always had a charged battery!

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About fine copper stranded wire, EXACTLY correct!

The AC guys argue up one side and down the other, the simple fact is the finer the strands the more densely packed they can be, and you get more conductor material in the same size package.
You also can't explain 'Skin Effect' NOT happening with DC.

The other REALLY handy thing about fine strands, it's MUCH easier to bend/work with!

The only draw back is the best source for fine strand copper is welding cable, and the insulation often isn't up to NEC standards for 'Home' wiring.
What I can't get through the 'Code Guy's head is my batteries & inverter wiring is NEVER going to see outside UV and is never going to be buried...
These are not outdoor AC Grid connect cables!

Since I'm off grid, I finally figured out I could tell the 'Code Guy' to get lost.
You *Might* not be able to do that with grid inter-tie.
Since the panels, batteries & inverter are outside the home, the home simply got wired like any other home that meets 'Code'.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Smiles. I'm offgrid so inspection are my choice. I have everything inspected and it surpasses our codes (remember I am not American, so NEC to me is irrelevant). I'm well within spec and that was an important factor. My cables are from Royal Excelene using solid terminals (the really thick 3/8's ones, not "press folded". My supplier uses these exclusively and has that over priced hydraulic compressor. Luckily, the fellow who did the inspection is another Off Gridder and boy he had some things to say about the codes and the AC stupidity that confuses the DC side of stuff which is poorly addressed. Some stuff is so outdated & backwards given the tech & knowledge we have today. (some of the codes go back to the early 60's ! and never updated).

BTW you should look up BlueSea at link below, they are not just for "boats" they are a solar products company who produces Top Notch (not cheap but not crazy) Products.
REF: https://www.bluesea.com/ IF it's DC or Mobile, they have solutions.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

For Blue Sea, they look great!
I was looking at load specification ratings on them, and they are WAY better than the discount store 'Boat' transfer & switches!

I don't know if it's an 'American' thing or not, but everyone calls power transfer switches 'Ship To Shore' and the disconnects like you show 'Boat' switches.

I don't know what the switches you show would cost here, but the intent of the thread was to reduce costs without sacrificing safety.

The switches you show are most certainly solid disconnects that would work fine in places you aren't removing anything from the system regularly.

When I started with lead/acid batteries, fairly short cables on the batteries, you had to disconnect to service, which makes the maintiance MUCH safer (and easier!).

Since I spent money for bolt cutters type crimper and made my own cables, and I had Anderson connectors, it was just easier/cheaper to use a $10 Anderson to both disconnect and remove the battery strings.
You couldn't get access to the battery tops without disconnecting so 'Mistakes' were rare.

To use the switch you show, I would have had to know about it 20 years ago, had a local source to buy from, and been able to afford it.

I salvaged Anderson connectors off dead fork truck batteries (where I first discovered them) and got new terminals.
I also salvaged the cables off those fork truck batteries.
$20 to the guy at the fork lift company, and anything on the junk batteries was fair game, from cables & terminals to self watering caps on the cells...

I was disabled military, every penny counted!
Getting $50 or $100 worth of cables/connectors off every battery waiting to get recycled for a $20 bribe was a REAL good deal for me, and they didn't care one bit at the recyclers.

I can recommend this for beginners to do, fork truck services places are common, and inexpensive hardware encourages people to at least try!

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The 'Code Guy',
Keep in mind you put a stunted person in any position of power, and it's under-educated & over-employed.
He was the 'Inspector' for power, septic & water.
He wanted a backflow valve installed on my well system so it didn't back feed the water mains!
I'm off grid, no water main to back feed, but he wanted to see the backflow valve anyway...

I finally had to get the septic system contactor (certified) to check off on my inspection because 'Code Guy' couldn't understand the clean out plugs and diverter for gray water...

I was SO much happier when I found out I could throw him off the property!

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I show heavy duty terminal ends capable of full amperage draw, but these aren't 'Cheap' like the flattened tubing versions.
When I was learning I used the flattened tubing, often making the terminals myself from tubing simply because it was cheaper...

My first two years was failure after failure, lead/acid batteries EAT bare copper, terminals & wire,
And that's just something you have to learn for yourself.

I had a $20 hammer crimper, home made terminals, and "Battery Wire" from China, so fails were common & frequent.
Cables coming loose from the crimp and burning or pulling out, corrosion issues in both terminals & cables, the 'China' alloy wire heating up and wasting energy...

I saw the guys at the fork truck place crimping with a hydraulic machine ($$$ CUBIC DOLLARS $$$) but found out the field service guys used bolt cutters handle (compound leverage) style, and those weren't too expensive, so I want that route.










The terminals they used is what you see above, I still use them.
They say 'Copper' (but I think probably bronze or hard brass) with cadmium plating that's good and thick for corrosion resistance.

They also soldered the terminals when around batteries, or in warehouses where moisture was an issue. We all know what happens when moisture hits copper in a DC circuit... Instant copper oxide corrosion!

NOT being a science denier, or an 'Internet Expert', I jumped right on what the pros did to keep terminals & connections working under high DC loads for decades.

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Ignorant means you don't have an education in a particular subject,
Ignorant is temporary until you can learn the subject.

Stupid is getting an education from a qualified instructor, and ignoring it! 

I try my best not to be stupid, it's expensive and it hurts!


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

The Blue Switches like I used <$50 CAD so it's probably cheaper in the US.

I have looked at many other switches used for similar purposes and they don't come close at all and would never use them. I had to have battery shutoff on the cars I took to track, safety requirement. so I had familiarity with what is good and what isn't and it's shocking to see some of the krap sold for this purpose.

Yeah, the hydraulic crimper my solar guy has cost him something stupid like $800 but with the amount of cables they are cranking out, made sense and very accurate too which saves costs on mistakes and oopsies. Certainly not something I'd buy for myself.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

The floor mount machine the fork truck company used was like $10,000,
So the one you are talking about is a hand unit? Sounds about right at $800...

The compound leverage type I have (shown above) was about $300, but there were lesser versions for cheaper. Anything beats the $20 hammer crimper, but a $20 hammer crimper will get you started, it works, the others just work better.

Mine has done, no kidding, thousands of terminals.
I do cables for other people, and when someone local starts out (small), I go help.
The big jobs can pay quite well, and when you get some experience, you will be 'The Guy' for RE, and I wasn't bashful about charging those that could afford it...

I was just browsing your link, those switches look REALLY good!
This is exactly what I wanted to see when I started the thread, more & better ways to do things!


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Setting my own posts & bars for panels...
And digging/laying conduit & lines.

Once I figured out where the next batch of panels was going to go, 
I set the posts myself.
I wanted my posts long so the mower and livestock could go under them, and with buried conduit with conductors already ran, it really went quickly.

Asking around I found a farmer with a post hole drill, agreed on a price (barter) and I measured & marked the hole locations.
I rented a trencher on a Friday afternoon, one day rental price got me all weekend and I returned it on Monday morning.

One tip,
When you push wires through conduit, tape a string on the wires, leave it in place.
This allows you to pull more wires if they are needed, all it costs is the string.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

My 'Junk Yard' sun tracking solar panels...

I plugged a big truck axle into concrete, stood on end.
I greased the wheel bearings & gear set (they used liquid lube) and stood the axle on end.
I used the wheel bearings and lug studs to mount a salvaged house trailer frame (shortened) to mount panels on.
At first, I used a screw jack salvaged from a satellite dish (one of the old big ones) to rotate the panel deck,
Later I used an electric motor on the axle pinion gear to rotate panel deck.

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When I increased the size of the solar collection (more panels, solar is easily scaled up),
Set posts, run pipes through them (I used bearings in the posts) and mounted panels facing up on the pipes.
I use a screw jack to track sun east to west throughout the day.

I didn't start with high end solar trackers, I used a simple On/Off timer (discount stores) and simple limiting switches to move the panels 3 times a day.
1. From east to straight overhead where they trip a stop switch,
2. From overhead to west facing to suck up the last of the daylight,
3. End of day timer, returns panels to face East and start over again.

This allows panels to produce 20-25% more energy in a day's production.
Panels are expensive, sun tracking helps reduce panel costs and is relatively inexpensive.


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## Meinecke (Jun 30, 2017)

Pretty jealous about all your home made things...
Here where i life in Jersey, they want you to have it all done by someone...pretty much nothing i am allowed to do myself...
Since i am not looking at off grid...everyone tries to make the project as expensive as possible...like they dont want it ;-)
Just a bummer that i have my 20 panels already laying around


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

YOU can call to have underground services located, it's free to you.
YOU can question code offices for they type of wiring, conduits, etc for your underground & above ground services.
Once you know the specifications, and where the underground services are,
YOU can dig trenches, install conduit & wires, install disconnect boxes & switches/breakers, lightening arrestors, ect,
And YOU can obtain the required components where ever they are the most economical for you.

YOU can track down solar PV groups that have information in your area, ask for help, see what support is available.
I believe you will find *Some* people willing to help you for little or no cost and/or trade labor for expertises you don't possess.
Connecting with people that have been through it will get you through it MUCH easier with fewer mistakes.

Doesn't matter if components are new surplus, or even used off ebay, the code complaint materials can come from anywhere, and you simply don't pay a 300% or more markup, and the city/county/state is required by law to provide you with the code requirements.

YOU (and friends) can do all the manual labor of assembling the racking, trenching, laying conduits/wires, the first steps are locating the electrical code statutes and having existing services located, then getting a permit (if required).

YOU (and friends) can even do connections as long as the unit is 'Cold' (no closed breakers/disconnects) until the inspector gives his approval.
Keep in mind you will probably have to call an inspector out a few times, underground lines usually have to be inspected before the trench is filled in, the wiring will have to be inspected before the system can be attached to the house, etc.

We call it 'Sweat Equity', the value goes up (Equity) when you spend less, so the more you sweat doing things yourself, the less you spend, and the more your equity in the home goes up.
Almost everyone that self installs learns a BUNCH and is willing to pass that along for free, the work you might have to trade for, or at least have to buy dinner for the guy that teaches you how to make proper connections and supervises while you make the connections...

One thing about self building, you will know EXACTLY how to fix any problems you encounter later on while the bought & paid for guys will have to call a service repair man since that guy won't have the slightest idea of how the system works.

When someone locally is self installing, I will show up if asked (and I'm available), and I usually drag along the specific tools needed for my part of the task. No sense in a small system installer buying those tools for one afternoon off work,
And I drag along the code regulations so the correct wire size is used with the correct insulation, the code correct connections are made in code correct boxes, ect.

You CAN have the correct breaker, disconnect, enclosure box etc, but if that component isn't stamped/marked correctly, the code enforcement inspector can reject your work...
Something as small as a clamp on a ground rod can make you wait for 3 months until you can get the inspector back out there, so some help knowing exactly what will and won't pass is a big help...

Besides, install companies like to use the cheapest stuff they can find/slide past the home owner/inspector to increase profits.
Brand name high end components that last a LONG time bought off the surplus market not only live/work better, but they don't get marked up in price, and usually can be found well below normal market value.
I'm BIG on scrounging up my own components, things like conduit, cables, racking you only buy once, but breakers, disconnects, lightening arrestors, that stuff you want to have 'Extras' so exactly what you need is immediately available when something fails.

Keep in mind, stuff is discontinued all the time, the part you NEED 20 years down the road might simply NOT be made anymore for your particular enclosure box...
The surplus market often allows you to buy backups, and still allows you to buy cheaper than one component at full retail.

*The code inspector doesn't care WHO installed & wired the stuff, 
ONLY that the stuff installed & wired is correct for the job, and it's wired correctly.*


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