What am I missing here, Bill? If the tracker costs $10,000 (plus installation) to carry 24 modules, that's $416 per module, which is more than the cost of the modules themselves. I don't get the point of doing this. It almost sounds like consumer vanity - "Folks do like to watch the slow dance of the modules". How can tracking be justified?
Allan Sindelar Sindelar Solar 505 780-2738 > On Sep 6, 2018, at 1:26 PM, Bill Hennessy <[email protected]> wrote: > > Chris-- > > We installed two 24-module AllEarth dual-axis trackers at the request of a > homeowner two years ago--"I like companies that are from Vermont." > inspite of a higher cost as compared to a ground mount equivalent w Krinner > groundscrews. > > You can buy either the tracker alone or complete kits. The 24-module tracker > is about $10,000. The concrete base was fairly easy to install. I think the > hole was 4x4x4 with rebar crosshatch. The frame is assembled on the ground > and lifted to the pole (you need about a18-foot lift). Our mini excavator was > barely tall enough. We did the frame layout and assembly on the excavator > trailer and it worked well. If you go to Vermont, they have a free two-day > training program where you assemble a tracker. > > One of the trackers had an early issue with a stuck hydraulic valve. Warranty > service was prompt and knowledgeable and we haven't had issues since. We did > have to upsize the Fronius inverters. My design mistake. I typically oversize > the array to the inverter, but in the spring, the arrays were always > clipping. > > Folks do like to watch the slow dance of the modules. > > Bill Hennessy > Berks Solar, LLC > 371 Centennial Rd > Mertztown, PA 19539 > > o 610 682 4300 > c 484 560 4666 > NABCEP certified installer > PA contractor #44411 > www.berkssolar.com > > > From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > To: 'RE-wrenches' <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, September 6, 2018 3:37 PM > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Trackers > > Hi Folks: I appreciate the input but I am looking for TYPES of trackers that > you may be selling (and yes, I told him about adding more & cheaper solar > modules than investing in a tracker, but it’s the customer’s decision). > Zomeworks is not what the client wants; I would prefer dual axis; the > customer’s in north central CA with a good resource. I say go with Array > Technologies but I would think there must be something new and improved by > now. > > --Chris Daum/Oasis Montana > > > From: RE-wrenches <[email protected]> On Behalf Of > Dana > Sent: Thursday, September 6, 2018 9:18 AM > To: 'RE-wrenches' <[email protected]> > Subject: [RE-wrenches] Trackers > > I second this observation. > > I now live again off grid in a narrow N-S canyon in south central Idaho. > Having limited ground space [thanks to county regs] & not wanting roof > mounted arrays to have to clear snow from, trackers VS. fix top of pole > mounts enhance my output & they reduced the # of modules required for my > homes projected load design. > > 6400 watts rated output on 2 Array Tech tracking arrays. Fixed would have > required 3 arrays & 6-8 more modules. Trackers are programed to full vertical > in winter to shed overnight snow dumps, this saves time & effort in the > morning when it’s a Powder day! Can’t miss those Powder mornings. > 5400 watts per hour in the summer when hot. > Up to 8400 watts per hour on a cold winter day. Exactly what I needed 31+% > additional output with a 4-hour window of sun at New Year’s Day. So far, my > generator has never started… > > *A repeat from a previous RE conversation years ago, I had to see for myself > &: > Last house in CO, I had [6] 250-watt mod on a tracker & [6] 250-watt mod on a > fixed roof array. > The tracker consistently outproduced the fixed array by 32% averaged over the > year. > > Trackers have their place and advantages. That said, with todays $/watt o > modules if you have the space fixed is a more cost-effective way to proceed. > > Signed - A 25-year tracker advocate. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Dana Orzel Great Solar Works, Inc. > C - 208.721.7003 [email protected] > Idaho Contractor - # 028765 Idaho PV # 028374 > NABCEP # 051112-136 www.solarwork.biz > "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988" > P Please consider the environment before printing this email. > > > From: RE-wrenches <[email protected]> On Behalf Of > Chris Schaefer > Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2018 8:27 AM > To: RE-wrenches <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Trackers > > To All, > > Seen it first hand with existing Northeast offgrid clients that had old pole > mounts with lots of generator usage during the winter months. Added a single > 12 module DAT and generator usage was down to as little as twice in the > entire winter. Others usage was down to just a handful of times required from > genny. They are great at shedding snow. Bottom line is generator usage was > cut in most cases by 75% or better. I'm a believer here in upstate NY. > > Christopher > Chris Schaefer’s > > Tel/Fax 585-229-2083 or Cell 585-748-1870 > 5115 South Hill Road ~ Canandaigua New York 14424 > www.solarandwindfx.com ~ E-mail: [email protected] > > Thomas Jefferson, the author of our great Constitution, once said, > "democracy" will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing > to work and give to those who would not." > > > On Thu, Sep 6, 2018 at 12:37 AM, Andrew Truitt <[email protected]> wrote: > > These guys are new but I've heard good things: > http://www.sulasindustries.com/ > > > Regards, > > Andrew Truitt | DRV > www.dr.ventures > d: 202.486.7507 > > NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional ID: 032407-66 > Colorado Journeyman Electrician License No.: 600132 > > > > "Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer fusion to > fission. And it just so happens that there's an enormous fusion reactor > safely banked a few million miles from us. It delivers more than we could > ever use in just about 8 minutes. And it's wireless!" > > ~William McDonough > > > On Wed, Sep 5, 2018 at 9:38 PM Sindelar Solar <[email protected]> wrote: > Bill, > No, I'm with you on this.Given the the greatest boost (~+/- 30%) of daily > tracking is during the summer and most stand-alone applications are > winter-peak (where tracking adds at best 10-15%), seasonal water pumping is > about the only time when small-scale tracking is justified over simply adding > array. Any pumping where the source is slow enough that the length of the day > becomes an important factor, like drip irrigation or a very low yield well or > spring, is worth looking into. But that's about it in my experience. > Allan > -- > Allan Sindelar > [email protected] > NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional > New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician > Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc. > 505 780-2738 cell > On 9/5/2018 5:53 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Chris, > I thought since solar PV prices have come down (understatement), is it not > more cost effective to buy more modules than a tracker? Are there scenarios > that the above would not ring true? (As I remember, off grid water pumping > for livestock ponds may still be an exception as also, limited space.) Please > advise. > Thanks, > Bill Loesch > Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar > 314 631 1094 > ---------------------------------------- > From: [email protected] > Sent: Wednesday September 5 2018 3:45:25PM > Dear people: > What trackers are y’all using nowadays? I have a customer (with a great > site) who’s insisting on a pair. We’ve sold Zomeworks and Array Technologies > in the past, but I know there are more offerings now. > Thanks for the input! > Chris Daum > Oasis Montana Inc. > 406-777-4309 or 4321 > 406-777-4309 fax > www.oasismontana.com > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > -- > Chris Schaefer’s > > Tel/Fax 585-229-2083 or Cell 585-748-1870 > 5115 South Hill Road ~ Canandaigua New York 14424 > www.solarandwindfx.com ~ E-mail: [email protected] > > Thomas Jefferson, the author of our great Constitution, once said, > "democracy" will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing > to work and give to those who would not." > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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