Anyone done DYI solar panels w/tracker?

[Rearscreen]

Just bought a house in VT and am itching to green it up. If I can't afford a ground based tracking array installed by a contractor, has anyone here done it on there own? If so, where is a good supplier? Or, if there are any Vermonters who have used a contractor did you get any incentives? Thanks!

 

[semipro]

Many considering trackers have found that it makes more sense to spend the money on a few extra panels to compensate for the lack of tracking.
That said, with a ground-mount systems vertical tracking can be done manually periodically if the mounting system is designed for it.
Also, some have found that aligning their systems slight west or east may work better for them depending on sun exposure and household usage.

 

[iamlucky13]

I've know a guy who did his own install, including the trackers. He used the Zoneworks passive type, if I remember right. Interesting principle.

This was maybe 4-5 years ago. He has told me since then that prices have come down so much in the interim that if he did it over again, his best payoff would actually come from simply using less expensive fixed mounts and just buying more panels to get the same total production.

 

[Rearscreen]

A few more panels, makes sense...maybe skew them in slightly different angles...

 

[peakbagger]

My ground mount array is manually adjustable for vertical angle but fixed for rotation. I designed it to be balanced so I can adjust it myself. I have considered automated single axis tracking by the addition of a geardrive rack cylinder similar to one used on satellite dishes. I haven't made the move as in the winter wind buffeting is at the point where I seasonally install two anchor struts to transfer some of the load off the pivot and out to the corners of the array. The All Sun units made in Waitsfield VT have an anemometer and go into lock down mode when the wind speed gets to high. I am not sure how its works but its supposed to make the array last through heavy winds. I also would need to run a new conduit to my pole mount for the power to run the tracker.

I screwed up a few years ago, someone on ebay ended up with a few cases of Siemens gear motors from a wind project, one of them would have been great for tracker but they used a stepper motor and it was technology that I would have to learn to get the stepper motor to do the tracking.

Given my winter time wind conditions, I think I will stick to manual adjustment. The Zomeworks designs are specifically limited to fairly low wind speed that would never work in northern NH