DIY GROUND MOUNT SOLAR SYSTEM USING SUPERSTRUT/UNISTRUT

DIY GROUND MOUNT SOLAR SYSTEM USING SUPERSTRUT/UNISTRUT - INTRODUCTION

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Күн бұрын

This is an overview video of my own design for Ground Mount Solar Panel System using Superstrut / Unistrut.
Unistrut / Superstrut are steel building materials typically used by Electricians and Plumbers to secure pipes, cables, boxes, etc...
Unistrut / Superstrut system have been around for a long time and it has tons of components and accessories already made for them.
In my ground mount solar panel system I am using Superstrut 14 gauge 10-feet pieces.
Here are the list of parts I used in my ground mount solar panel system:
Superstrut 12 gauge 10-feet
Amazon: amzn.to/39aqqu7
Home Depot: thd.co/3kULQO3
90-degree angle (to mount vertical and horizontal beams):
Amazon: amzn.to/2HnALay
Amazon: amzn.to/370fgpe (1-hole)
Connector Bracket (to connect 2 superstruts together - make longer struts):
Amazon: amzn.to/36VFlWw
1/2-inch bolts
Amazon: amzn.to/35U4P77
1/2-inch spring nuts
Amazon: amzn.to/396B84Y
1/2-inch washers
Amazon: amzn.to/3kVtgpc
1/2-inch nuts
Amazon: amzn.to/3lYsKYL
3/8-inch bolts
Amazon: amzn.to/2IYrjuM
3/8-inch spring nuts
Amazon: amzn.to/2UOURxN
3/8-inch washers
Amazon: amzn.to/3nZAOJB
3/8-inch nuts
Amazon: amzn.to/2UMMliN
1/4-inch bolts (2-3/4 inch long to press down solar panels)
Amazon: amzn.to/3kYOXo5
1/4-inch spring nuts
Amazon: amzn.to/2USeTHI
1/4-inch "SQUARE" washers (to press down solar panels)
Amazon: amzn.to/3nJiYdB
Thank you for watching, please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!
#groundmountsolar #diysolarpanel #diygroundmount

Пікірлер: 45

@DIYSOLAR 3 жыл бұрын

✅ ✅ ✅ SEE VIDEO DESCRIPTION FOR PARTS LIST ✅ ✅ ✅

@subroot2352 3 жыл бұрын

I was looking for someone using superstrut for solar panel - this video was exactly what I was looking for

@DIYGEEKTEXAS 3 жыл бұрын

Engenius use of Superstrut, best design I have seen so far. Very nice, thanks for sharing

@Pbeas52 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing! I had looked at some other superstrut & unistrut solar mounts on KZfaq but with smaller arrays. Your system will work well with larger arrays and appears to be sturdy and strong. You are right about saving a considerable amount of money using these aforementioned materials as opposed to using other metal mounting systems. This was a well structured & detailed presentation.

@jethrotull5847 Жыл бұрын

Great video that I personally recommend following VERBATIM! Being frugal and time aware I bought the “shallow depth” super strut at Home Depot as I saved $5 dollars per rail and time as they never seem to have the greater depth in stock ! Then my problems began. The spring nut only fits the deep well product, …screws bind on the metal back plane as there is less depth so a much greater attention to screw selection must be observed. Screws must be much shorter. After initial build I was concerned about the rigidity of the shallow well bar so I built a wood frame that allows horizontal placement of 2X4s to anchor the horizontal bars… so my experience was a time consuming pain in the ass ! Moral of the story.. when good folk take time to make a good video with links to all the supplies one needs.. follow it ! Disclaimer.. I am not an electrical engineer, just a poor dude with hobbies I can’t afford.😊

@rocketsurgeon7057 2 жыл бұрын

Nice. I note that you have no shear constraints, i.e. wire rope connecting the upper and lower superstrut nodes diagonally. This would significantly strengthen your structure. An efficient structural support must resist shear (wind loads), as well as gravity loads. Good video. I plan a superstrut ground mount for my 50 panel system. Well done.

@Ryguu132 4 ай бұрын

Do you have videos on this?

@samdorchester2524 2 жыл бұрын

Great video just what I was looking for. I live in Wisconsin but it will still work.

@hndeveloper5570 3 жыл бұрын

Great solar ground mount video - thanks for sharing

@rob9307 3 жыл бұрын

This is awesome savings thank you so much for showing great idea. Wow that's a huge solar panel system you can power your whole block

@teekay1785 3 жыл бұрын

It also makes the panels less vulnerable to wind having the low edge close to the ground and having the fence close behind toward north that blocks the wind. Which hedges berms other plants etc can also do this though taller trees may not be a good idea since limbs can fall and hit the panels

@teekay1785 3 жыл бұрын

You can also make connections to posts vertical and next layer toward panels of horizontal instead of vertical and you can add horizontal support to the posts any weight you want and overlap ends and not need to cut or weld.

@rickharold7884 2 жыл бұрын

Cool

@danielpolson9340 2 жыл бұрын

Now $35 each at my homedepot Phoenix az

@offgridmangogrower Жыл бұрын

Most likely going up…due to supply and fuel costs.

@teekay1785 3 жыл бұрын

You do not have to weld the unistrut together they have straight brackets that attach 2 pieces together with 2 bolts on each side but they will bend some here under force of particular directions.

@deelarry2137 3 жыл бұрын

Looks like you extended the vertical superstrut to make a bit over 10 feet

@Moes_Prep_and_Tech 2 жыл бұрын

Would this mount work for SIX 200 watt panels? or would I need something smaller, how many struts do I need in total?

@ezbandscustomwristbands2380 3 жыл бұрын

How much does your entire ground mount solar system cost (with panels etc)

@stevencorrea7982 3 жыл бұрын

My favorite KZfaqr Ashera star goddess is from Katy Texas. I guess everything come bigger in Texas so they say.

@teekay1785 3 жыл бұрын

The angle of the panels should be equal to the latitude where you mount them so he is at about 26 degree north latitude in Kaddy Texas area. Just look up the latitude of town you live in on internet or if you have smart phone etc GPS coordinates. In the northern hemisphere US etc it will be the number NORTH coordinate.

@ssoffshore5111 6 ай бұрын

Lat. -10% for year-round best performance.

@mchabbi Жыл бұрын

Did you have to get city of Houston to approve the plan for construction?

@gg-gn3re 4 ай бұрын

of course not. his concrete needs to be like 4ft deep to be to code. Not like it matters but they'd want it way deeper

@william38022 5 ай бұрын

I have a question for you and all your viewers I’m getting ready to build a more permanent mounting system for my panels I have considered metal but I myself personally am somewhat afraid of a metal mounting system,,, now let me tell you why. I have heard stories of lightning strikes they say that lightning will find a metal mounting structure faster than it would wood mounting structures I myself do not really know,,,have you or any of your viewers had a lightning strike using metal mounting fixtures and things? If you use a ground wire on your metal mount and panels would that prevent lightning from coming in your shed or building?

@Thrice909 4 ай бұрын

You must ground your solar panels and metal mounting structure per the NEC. It will help prevent the lightning from traveling along the PV wires. If you don't ground it the lightning is very likely the travel along the wires and fry the electronics at the other end. It should be considered mandatory to ground all metal frames and structures regardless of the other materials used.

@phucdatbich8581 3 жыл бұрын

Please post the URL to figure out the angle of the solar panel

@teekay1785 3 жыл бұрын

see my comment

@carlosreyes6448 2 жыл бұрын

Are you using microinverters?

@awesomedee5421 Жыл бұрын

you didn't go into detail how you did the end clamps using the square washers. There is nothing holding up the outer end of the washer, so how do you deal with that?

@beastslayer9153 Жыл бұрын

Yes, that is something that is overlooked in the video. I am wondering the same thing

@macclark4112 2 жыл бұрын

How’s it handle wind

@jethrotull5847 Жыл бұрын

All things get more expensive these days super / unistrut goes for $36 dollars for a 10 foot span on the east coast. I’m seriously considering finishing my latest mount in wood that goes 2x4x10 for 8 bucks a board pressure treated. Also I’m sure all the bolts ect have skyrocketed… luckily a deck screw is still “affordable”. Pros cheaper.. cons less expandable with ease, wood carpenter bees go crazy for even treated wood here… and it doesn’t look as good as your mount ! Not to mention more difficulty in grounding. A poor guy can’t win.

@anastigmatix4119 11 ай бұрын

Should have used the thicker steel 12 ga Unistrut and filled holes with concrete instead of just putting back the dirt. Also a few diagonal supports . . .

@MrSummitville 3 жыл бұрын

Did you need to pull a PERMIT? Did this pass an electrical inspection?

@teekay1785 3 жыл бұрын

If you are using offgrid you need to observe the setbacks for the lot but may not need a permit if its not Grid tied . Many places use the value of the project like over $1,000 to need a permit but you need to ask your local code office. The value can be just the frame of unistrut not necessarily the panels and certainly not the inverters wiring etc unless you are going to sell back to utility then all will need permitting and have permission from local utility company etc. You can connect the grid to your inverter as long as it can't feed back to grid without a solar permit.

@MrSummitville 3 жыл бұрын

@@teekay1785 But this is GRID-TIE ...

@teekay1785 3 жыл бұрын

@@MrSummitville You cannot sell back to the electric utility company or feed power back on utility line without a permit period.

@joseb9395 Жыл бұрын

I don’t see the video on how to pass the inspection for grid tie