u/Major_Tom_01010

Doing my first solar this weekend

Doing my first solar this weekend

Spent today marking my rafters and chalking a layout as well as doing some dry fitting on the ground to figure out all my parts and spacing and how it all works.

I bought a micro inverter DIY kit from a local company after providing my roof spacing - i wanted to keep it small as this is just a hobby project for me, and I just wanted to use this south facing part of my garage to get the most bang for my buck. they gave me parts for 4 portrait and 2 landscape.

I am going to do the portraits on the top since they will be slightly longer, and then the landscape below with a 1.5" gap between them. I have left enough room to walk along the bottom as well as room to walk on the very last left rafter where I'll put the roof box so it goes down though the far overhang down the side where my new 200A service is going (you can see the mast at the far end).

Any last minute tips?

u/Major_Tom_01010 — 19 hours ago

Solar feets

These feet aren't the same as on the video for my rack system. At first i thought because of the wedge shape they would go under a shingle but that lifts the shingle up a fair bit and i think it could get ice jammed.

I'm thinking you put these on a flat part, and just use whatever hole lines up with the rafter (just the one screw).

So in this case since the chalk line is my rafter I would put it like this and use the middle left hole. Then I would just make sure to mount the bracket so it's on the left side to not torque it sideways.

I'll do a thin layer of roof caulking under it and top and sides.

thanks.

u/Major_Tom_01010 — 23 hours ago

ACE

Hi I'm new to drywall, just DYI.

i just wanted to know at what point do you stop making Ace Ventura references every time an awkward peice slides right in?

I can't stop myself.

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u/Major_Tom_01010 — 3 days ago

Aluminum power lines

The last couple service upgrades i did, they have started leaving the old power line behind. I don't think they are supposed to but they probably don't want to have to deal with all that scrap coiled up in their bucket truck. it's probably #1 aluminum, two insulated and one bare.

Iv been taking it home more just to clean up after the job and storing it - wondering how the price or aluminum is going these days if I should start insisting they take it with them or is this a job perk?

I have a company logo on my truck so I don't think I'll run into trouble at the scrap yard - they can easily look me up.

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u/Major_Tom_01010 — 5 days ago