How to mount solar panels with Superstrut flat washers, spring nuts, 3/8" Grade 8 bolts (3")
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ค. 2016
- © 2016 by Chris DIYer. All rights reserved.
My solar powered house video link (System Overview): • Video
Note: the Superstrut square flat washers may/may not be needed (and save money). You can also use a rubber washer and a regular washer. The rubber washer will help protect the solar panel.
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Thanks for the tips Chris. I'm going to start mine soon. You are awesome to share with us brother.
You are welcome...there are 1,000's of different ways to mount solar panels. This is just one way.
Great info My USAF Brutha! Love the out takes! LOL
HOO-RAH! Thanks man...
Hi Chris Great Video And How To Love The 100 watt Panels keep up the great Work Man
Thanks...100w panels cost more, but they are more rigid and can be strung up in series for high PV volts!
Chris DIYer Amen To That Buddy Smaller and Stronger
More power!!!! I used those spring nuts on my 2 panel strut array and they are freaking awesome! Keep the vids coming Chris!
Thanks...will do! Just trying to help others with their backyard solar DIY projects.
What does the spring actually help with? Holding it until you tighten it down? Or anything after that?
Hey Chris, I just got the stickers you sent. Thx. I bought some spring nuts but I need to pick up some washers too. I hope to mount my panels over the next week or two. Still looking into other components to complete my new system.
*Oh cool...glad they arrived. Hope my video helps. There are 1 million ways to do it. The way I did it is prob way-overkill. But, then again, I live in the bullseye of Tornado Alley.
Hey Chris after watching the video I didn't see how those washers and spring nuts actually ground the panels. I know a lot of folks are looking for the most economical way to build their systems and super strut is a great alternative to the more expensive rack systems made for panels but the nuts and bolts that come with those systems also come with the weebs that bite into the frame of the panel allowing you to ground them.
THAT is a GREAT observation! I am going to look into that and get back with you...do some continuity checks with the meter (not when the panels are making power tho). I would love to have a full blown Fluke earth-ground tester like we had in the military and get a complete grounds check. Safety first!
LOVE IT. MORE POWER MORE POWER!! Dude your going to be blinding low fling planes be for long. That just rocks. So happy to see solar working so well for you.
Thanks...running that window AC and charging a 1,100 aH battery bank in 95 deg heat is using a lot of power...hopefully the 600w addition will help.
Happy 4th! Try the cone nuts much easier than the spring nuts, Just a thought.
I am interested...I will look them up. Do you happen to have a web link?
Home depot has them same area as the struts, they used to have 1/4 3/8 1/2 cones they slide in the channel, no springs to mess with. Have not bought any in almost a year.
Great information - but pleassseeeeeeee turn off that fan before you hit record.
Thanks how are you mounting this to the ground and the basic shape of the structure?
How did you secure the outer panels to the superstrut? Thanks!
I am going to do this with my 6- Sharp panels. The only thing I going to do different is try to incorporate grounding into the fasteners.
Cool. A few years back, someone asked me about "grounds" on my arrays. Showed them how conductive the buried Superstrut and metal poles are with the meter. So, multiple grounds...never had an issue in all these years. And no one ever came back flying the BS flag at me.
I can tell from your video how you mounted in between panels, but how are you securing the exposed side of the end panels? Thanks so much for sharing!
I did DIY L-brackets
perfect solution. I don't understand why all the racking and fasteners have to be so complicated. superstrut rules.
*Many say the same thing...really great to work with. And strong*
Great video. Did you have to drill into the sides for the L-brackets for the end clamps or were your panels pre-drilled? Were they 3/8s as well?
Yes I did
How do you get around the galvanic corrosion between the steel hardware and the aluminum solar panel frames? I know you get rain and morning condensation, eventually the aluminum will corrode.
Old school maintenance
66 degrees at 1:00pm up here on July 4th! Try to stay cool.
forgot to mention, the bloopers are funny. Can't tell you how many times I forget what I want to say or say the wrong thing.
Thanks man...appreciate it. I was in MI last week, when I left it was 49 deg in the early morning. Oklahoma has a 102 heat index as I write this.
Hi Chris: I've been meaning to ask, is there any reason you chose to use 100W panels versus the larger 200w+ panels?
Great question. I started with this model and continued to build for the past 2.5 years. It is a little more expensive than 200+ watt models...but, Renogy is treating me good. And, with smaller sized panels...easier for me to mount and wire up in "series" for higher volts (long PV feeder cable run). It works. If I had to do it over again...start with higher wattage panels. I do own three 435w frameless laminates. So...
435w laminates ? hot dam that's yuge !
keep on trucking now...
I'm guessing you could use a thinner washer (Maybe wider diameter to contact more panel) to prevent shadows. As long as the washer is stronger than the panel, it'll hold up to the wind.
Totally agree...I went overboard on those square washers. But, after nearly five years...no rust, no issues.
using unistrut is like a 1/3 of the cost of solar racking systems, but possibly stronger.
To this day...zero issues. How many years now?
Are stainless steel nuts and bolts better for fastening solar panels on the custom built stands? Or simple iron nuts and bolts are better? My iron ones became super rusty and jammed but some say stainless steel nuts and bolts corrode from inside and fail without warning and dangerous. What's your take on that? Any suggestions?
I have had no issues (rust) with stainless steel and those Grade 8/9 bolts from Tractor Supply. I got the spring nuts on Amazon for that Superstrut
I wish I,d seen this vid before I went down the rabbit hole that is fixing panels down (Chinese style)
I have a bunch of 1/2 grade 8 bolts so I just get the 1/2 spring nuts and this will work good and just use the square washers? Cool my unit is a portable wind turbine tower and solar array on a home built flatbed trailer with 1800 watts solar 500 watt rated 3 phase turbine can get about 800 to 1000 watts some times. 1410 ah 12v bank crown CR-235 6v deep cycle batteries industrial grade thick plated . 80 amp EPEVER 200v mppt controller and renogy rover 40 amp x 2 and a 80 amp duel bank samlex marine charger. Custom 1000.amp copper busbar for electronics box with temperature controlled relay boards from drok and inline blower fans for cooling. My tower is a prototype telescoping tower that can fold down and pivots 360. Very strong and custom built. Let me know if you know how to use unistrut to build sliders and hinges i would like that. Thanks
Oh and a dump controller board 1urdc-12-b and a solid state relay with 100 watt 3 ohm resistors in 300 watt bank for dragging the turbine down in high winds.
My inverter is a 6kw to 12kw powerbright 12v 120 v inverter with a 30.amp RV receptacle box hardwired to the inverter.
The 3 inch bolts, according to my measurements will just about take up the entire space of the superstrut right to the other side and that is accounting for the thickness of the square washer and maybe a lock washer with my panels and the superstrut. I'm thinking 2 1/2 inch might work. As far as the square washers, do you have any other recommendations?
2.5" is correct. I can't recommend those square washers...I started using Grade 8 hardened flat washers and saved money.
@@ChrisDIYerOklahoma Thanks. I had a feeling they were going to be a bit too big. My panels don't even have a big of an aluminum edge like your so I probably would be coving a small part of the panel with them.
@@ChrisDIYerOklahoma I wanted to use at least 3/8" hardware but I haven't been able to find mid-clamps or end clamps that will take a 3/8" bolt. They seem to take 5/16 or 1/4. That's why your idea using the bolts themselves as spacers will have to do. Thanks.
@@ChrisDIYerOklahoma Yea it looks like you already had those grade 8 washers on top of those square washers. I think I will do the same thing. I even saw on ebay where somebody had a little bit thicker grade 8 flat washers. The regular thickness will probably be ok tho.
What do you do for end clamps?
I used some L-brackets from Lowe's on the ends for the solar panels. Had to cut them a bit
A wise old man once told me, 6 marks is grade 8, 3 marks is grade 5 and no marks is WTFK??. No engineer here but I'd be tickled with any graded bolt.
Haaahaaa...me neither (not an engineer).
There's no shading over the actual solar cells (the blue part) ;)
You'd think that a guy'd be able to take all that money he's saving on electricity and buy some sleeves.
I know that's how the professionals do it but I just can't bring myself to trust holding 40lbs+ panels tilted at an angle with just friction/clamping force. What happens if the clamps expand and contract loose? There's got to be a better way to fasten THROUGH the parts by a metal bolt or shaft.
I suppose I could have welded them in place...