3KW DIY Solar Project Part 4 - Putting the Panels Up On the Roof and Hooking Up the DC Wiring

[@glennamccabe9770]

Go to college kid and major in plutonium engineering or STEM.you be working for NASA one day keep it up very good videos.... peace

[@john67elco]

Your time making these videos is helping me and family out uo sunny boy 8000tlus. Just wanted to say thx.

[@makerj101]

You're welcome! It's a great inverter! Works very well! I've seen it putting out 10 watts on really cloudy days when most inverters would not even turn on.

[@BrokenCapo]

sharp... how much for that big inverter

[@john67elco]

I had 2 strings up and wasnt getting volts and had to come here to see how you measured. I was measuring the stings that wasn't hooked up yet lol. I taped them just like you did

[@makerj101]

Ya it's easy to mess it up! The tape does help a lot!

[@jwsolarusa]

Please checkout my KZbin and google+ for diagrams photos on how to go about these kind of solar modules setup. Please don't forget to subscribe, like and share. Cheers

[@rabakomaba4562]

I will use avasva plans

[@jeffreyd1701]

smart kid, learning and sharing a great skillset

[@makerj101]

Thank you! Well I'm glad I have not experienced a broken leg or worse! :) Not that I would have fallen off but I'm glad that the chance was very low.

[@glennamccabe9770]

Awesome build I like the safety!

[@makerj101]

Thank you!

[@showme360]

I don’t see a problem with the wooden rack choice, after all it’s usually wooden rafters underneath!... but what did bother me was how you connected the system up, I hope you waited until sundown, because connecting 400v plus in sunlight is very dangerous, as well using a cheap voltage meter to check the connection. My roof on the other had is a steel frame, so mounting the rail brackets was more complicated than a timber one.

[@makerj101]

Well we will not make more than we use. But the meter does spin backwards when the sun is shining and we are not using is all.

[@enriquelaroche5370]

I used a racking system and micro inverters. Doing mine to code.

[@makerj101]

Thank you! I'll have to look in to that.

[@makerj101]

No, I have never heard of it before. What is it? Thank you!

[@Darrellsrelm]

Wow what a cool project and clean install. Thanks for sharing. "D"

[@aeroscope]

Amorphous panels?

[@makerj101]

What?

[@aeroscope]

Are they amorphous silicon panels that is.

[@makerj101]

Umm I don't know. I do know they are thin film but I don't know the exact chemistry or technology.

[@aeroscope]

Amorphous panels are usually dark and almost black, with a continuous look unlike poly and mono where you can see individual cells. but the efficiency is lower and hence the larger surface area.

[@makerj101]

The model of our panels is Stion STN-120. Here is a document about the Stion panels. www.energymatters.com.au/images/stion/stion-solar-panel-presentation.pdf But I think that's what they are. Thank you!

[@sparkstarter]

Have you ever thought of applying to the 20 under 20 Thiel Fellowship? Also, you guys did a nice job on the solar install...

[@makerj101]

I will go to collage even though I don't want to... I just want to invent stuff!!! I think NASA is pretty cool but I think I would rather work for a privily owned company not government owned. Plus they are not doing as much any more. Thank you! I will try my be to keep them coming!

[@makerj101]

Thank you! The grid-tie inverter costed about $1600. I will be coming out with a costs video in a bit.

[@JustinCrediblename]

sounds like you paid about 2 bucks a watt. correct?

[@Starfox-zg4tk]

Amorphous panels will break down within 5 years. Why didn’t you guys use polycrystalline or monocrystaline panels?

[@coreymcniel3390]

Discover how to do it with Avasva.

[@mcneeseremalf28]

I love this solution Corey

[@elenaremins7062]

Thx

[@joecox9958]

thanks a lot! what kind of bracket you use? any torque limit to tighten the bolts?

[@lenny-r2]

Dude, you got 3 hands

[@sparkstarter]

You should check it out... instead of college you get a chance work on your inventions for a year and learn how to turn them into a business. You can still go to college afterward if you want, but with a much better focus on what you need to learn. I think it is a cool program but only 20 per year get in.

[@makerj101]

Thank you! It was not that hard. If you do your research and have some basic hot to skills you can do it. This is the forth video. I would recommend you go watch the other videos. I have a playlist of them all on my channel.

[@bobn8995]

Why are the two stings wired different, as one in series and the other in parallel

[@makerj101]

***** It's because of number of panels we had to deal with and the voltage rating of the inverter. So basically we got 25 panels. If you divide up you get one set of 7 panels and 2 sets of 9 panels. The two sets of 9 panels will produce the same voltage so they can be connected in parallel. The other 7 must be connected to the other input of the inverter or you will have problems.

[@MithunKarmakar]

Are these stion panels?

[@nlo114]

I'd be a bit more careful when measuring DC voltages like that, especially when using cheap uninsulated probes. You may be able to pull the probes away from an accidental short, but the arc may be hard to extinguish. Also, DC bites hard at that voltage and will kill you if are careless.

[@StuttgartHD]

do you sell the power to grid? in germany we sell it to grid :)

[@CRsolar]

CRsolar I may actually try this treated wood method if someone wants a cheaper system on a porch roof??? on the farm of course. maybe not??? worry about NEC code??? need to look this up

[@makerj101]

Chris Rath Well I mean it passed inspection.

[@shantahsieh335]

I made it by myself. I used Avasva solutions for that.

[@nannettebattista6224]

You need to make some changes. Check Avasva Solutions if you want to make it right.

[@morrisl7]

using wood to mount to roof? kinda ironic in that the wood will probably last about as long as the panels before needing fixing about a decade lol.

[@Wintersky136]

A proper racking system was too expensive I guess 😂

[@makerj101]

Yeah and just didn't seem practical at all. Treated 2X4's last pretty long when kept dry.

[@CRsolar]

I also install for a living wow, maybe I need to start nailing on treated 2 x 4s , it however looks straight hey people I help home owners install, we do unreal work together typically, why not work with a pro installer>> willing to help you do it right? we install stion panels also

[@makerj101]

Chris Rath Yeah it works pretty well! It's the cheap way to go for sure! Cool!

[@paulnedovich2510]

Great job on dragging your panels across the boards. hopefully you didn't damage the backing. Don't install on wood what are you people thinking. The reason you had problems with the end brackets is because you used wood not an approved racking system.

[@butchkern4929]

I install for a living. this DIY thing saves a few bucks but really wood rails never get permitted with that where i live on ground lugs washer goes between panel and lay in lug it is there to cut through coatings not good connect the way you installed them. i hope people don"t follow this.... there is more just sayin check with a solor installer please< if you can"t find one Email me i"ll help......

[@makerj101]

We didn't just save a couple bucks. By making these cost cuts with wood rails etc we actually almost made solar panels practical from an investment point of view. Proper aluminium rails would have added about $1000 dollars to the project and added another 5 years to the payback time. We did put the washer between the aluminium and grounding lug to break though the aluminium anodized coating. We did check with a solar installer. The guy was a DIY hobbyist so he was like give it a try! We have not had any problems with the system yet and it's been up for almost a year now. We have checked the panels for tightness a couple times now and they are not loose or anything. Thank you very much for your concern!

[@butchkern4929]

there are reasons for proper mounting systems.. your panels are so close to roof they will run hot they need air hotter they get less power whats that cost...and you'll replace that wood before system payback..i didn't see any washers between lugs doesn't matter people will step over a dollar to pickup a penny. oh and you now have no warranty on your panels whats the cost!!!!! and when all the DIY systems fail the solar industry gets the blame. i can't see you getting a permit with that system let alone passing a proper inspection where is it you live anyway?

[@makerj101]

True, we should have more space between the roof and panels. I think the wood will last plenty long enough. Take for example your average deck. They last 20-30 years. That's long enough. I remember putting washers there. They are sharp locking kind. I don't know how to describe them any better than that. They were the ones that came with the lay in grounding lugs. And those things were not cheap. Solid copper with a tin coating on them. True about the warranty. But oh well. I'm telling you it passed electrical inspection. We like in Pennsylvania.

[@wiboater4]

butch kern They did get it approved and connected in the next video. I do agree that the air space maybe should be a little more.

[@tylernorton583]

quit saying so! SO MUCH

[@makerj101]

tyler norton Hahaha I know I say so a lot and umm and uhh. Just me. I try not to but it's soooo hard. hahaha

[@makerj101]

Thank you!