Off Grid Solar- HUGE IMPROVEMENTS- Eco Worthy Dual Axis Tracking System
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- Опубликовано: 23 авг 2024
- We get a HUGE IMPROVEMENT on our solar array with the ECO-WORTHY Dual Axis Tracker System! This will be super helpful at the OFF Grid Cabin especially during the winter months where we get little sun.
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One of the best parts of this video is that the camera angles you used, allowed us to see the fixed mounted panels as well. So we got a real time visible comparison. 👍🏾
It would be cool if it was the same number of panels and the same quantity of panels, with the view of actual wattage in a Time-lapse. But that’s not possible.
I’m saving this video. Thank you.
Glad it helped!
Put nuts on both sides of flange to hold the bolts in place when setting them in wet concrete
I like that, I will definitely use that trick
Yeah, anybody with half an inclination towards mechanical proficiency would have done that automatically. I also noted the round washers on the square portion of the carriage bolt... Did this set up come with instructions?
@@johndboran That didn't matter cuz that end was down in the cement
J Bolts!
Cute that you etched your initials in the concrete. Love this solar stand. Technology has really taken off . Very impressive
😉 it really has....thanks Stephanie
That’s an awesome addition to the property 👍 I’d definitely look into a wind turbine next, especially if you guys have loads of wind there.
That is so great how it tracks the sun and rotates itself.👏👏👏❤️😍🐾🐾
It really is!
I'm impressed, what a great addition to the off grid cabin.
Use Code Jay&Jen 150 to save $50 on your purchase of Tracking System & 6*195 Solar Panels!
www.eco-worthy.com/products/dual-axis-solar-tracking-system-with-remote-controller?variant=43420358508793
Not available in England or France sadly great bit of kit for the price!
@@offgridblacksmith521 Oh Sorry.....I was not aware of that.
@@OffgridwithJayandJen thats ok its not your fault : ) I find it strange that these companies with the same name have completely different stock in different countries : ) oh well something to look forward to
Now available in France due to popular demand! Maybe because of your video thanks guys saves me putting the solar on my roof which requires planning permission : )
@@offgridblacksmith521 So Cool.....LOVE IT
That level is going to be your best friend! Kudos on the new system - it looks like you’re ready for a space launch!😍
Ha.....it is a very popular tool lately, LOL
Thanks! Ive been curious if its that much better than your other system but 40 percent better is pretty impressive. You guys kick butt on power now, LOL!
It works really well.....mounting the panels and setting up racking was a little more challenging than I showed, but you only have to do it once.
Great problem solving mounting and leveling to the concrete! 👍 Looks like a nice stand even without the tracking
Thanks buddy, so far we love the system and it collects great energy all day long......kind of cool really to see it be so effective. Best wishes
Old bed rails are great for home projects but this was a new one for me! (I copied their idea to set & level mine last week.)
I scavenge every bed-frame set I see heading to the dump.
May the lord bless and protect you and Jen and your solar panels
😊😊😊
A video that turned out helpful. I was more interested in the way made the base, today I was able to do the same since tracker showed up! Only change, I didn't use washers on the bottom. I put a flange nut on the bolts under the base and used the washer and nut on top to hold bolts in place while setting into concrete. It not only held the bolts but also kept the crete from seeping though the holes on top the base to cause issues later. Thanks for the vid!
Awesome....glad it helped buddy. As a note.....it's over a year later and crazy wind storms over the winter and spring and it still is doing great
Super addition to your power system. Now add a few more batteries and a wind system and you wont have any issues no matter the time of year. Stay safe my friends.
Hi 👋 the angle iron was genius..to keep it from sinking...for a minute I was thinking...why would you mount a drywall jack in concrete....Mo Batteries... new slogan ? Great Build 😊
Ha....love it
Great Addition for you guys.
Can't wait to see how well it works out over the summer and then winter❤
I bought one of those...I want to buy another but it's a bit pricey at around 500..wait its listed much higher after I watched the video I saw it included the panels. I bought mine without.. so now it makes sense. I have not set up mine yet it was good to watch you do it❤
Lots of Great Deals going on.....use our link and enter our code and save an extra 50 dollars. Link is in the description box
My neighbor was building one last time I was at camp. Should of asked him about finding solar north vs magnetic north for my passive solar cottage. Around 12-13* off from magnetic north in Central U.P. Make sure it is well grounded being on a hill. Seth at land to house had to put jumpers on his panels for ground. Tested by a continuity tester.
Interesting.....is it silly to think with the unit being all metal and connected to a 4 foot concrete block in the ground.....would that ground it? Or is a metal grounding rod necessary?
That's pretty sweet follows the sun's path to maximize charging 👍
You need to trim trees that are casting shadows on you solar panels. I think research into what shade does to your energy production is in order.
That's a very impressive solar setup. I think this will help you through those cloudy winter months.
I Think So too.....exciting to have it and glad so many viewers are liking the system too....Good Stuff. Best Wishes my friend
Now your' talking, great upgrade! Get another mount and move the old panels over; soon you will be selling electricity! Cheers.
Woot woot......think I might need to cut my favorite pine down.....it is somehow covering the panels a LOT this year.
Very interesting solar tracker! I would think that a small 200 to 400 watt wind turbine would be great and give you power even at night when the solar is off as you probably get some good breezes at night up on that hill.
Yes....we have been thinking about one for a year or two.....maybe soon
Cool new solar system, this will sure boost the amount of power coming in. You might have to keep the snow shoveled around it, it looks low in some areas, snow can accumulate and prevent it from moving. Just a thought.
Very true......will have to see hownit goes. 😊
I like how you adapted and overcame the base mounting! I was hastan about getting this cause I did not have a welder to make a base. I will do just like you did and concrete screws in form! OORAH
This has held up great so far....Think you will be happy with the results. Thanks for watching and commenting. =)
I am impressed by the price and functionality!
We have enjoyed having it here at the cabin!
I did some testing with having the long actuator on the east side (then have to switch the 2 wires for the actuator so east/west goes the correct direction when commanding on the controller) this gives you more tilting angle to the west 53° then to the east 35° (i have woods to the east so it works better for me to get more angle in west sky). With it on the west side, it is almost even angle, west 45°\ east 50°. I have also replaced the short actuator with another the same length as the long actuator, moved the bracket back 1 hole on the north/south mount, drilled new hole and installed rivet thread sert, retracted actuator, tilted all the way south and drilled 2 new holes with rivet thread sert. Now it can tilt all the way south and a good angle to the north. I have also seen people putting the north/ south cross strut on the top of the east/west strut instead of under it.
I like it
Always cast your concrete in the hole. The Sono tube is just a form for the exposed portion of the foundation. Wet the walls of the hole prior to pouring. Leave the Sono tube on for at least 7 days. A foundation like this should have rebar reinforcement. Never do that "DRY POUR" crap unless you like wasting money and time. The water to cement ratio is critical especially for bag mix. Stuffs made to minimums for cost savings.
I keep hearing this....but have no proof or REAL experience that it doesn't work.....only others who have it work this way with no problems.....weird
@OffgridwithJayandJen It's chemistry and material science that is well proven. Your project is not structural but cosmetic. Retired Civil Engineering Inspector. Love the northern Michigan area. Spent many many decades fishing with grandpa and dad in Frankfort. Be well and stay safe, winters coming.
@toddwheeler1526 appreciate your experience.....I just know it feels solid as a rock and has held up to very very strong winds already without a problem. Is if perfect no.....will it hold up for many years....yes. Best wishes
With out a doubt tracking more useful, we’ve had a duel axis running 9 plus years, I recently put in a north facing array aswell, unless you have a very large battery bank solar production from first light to last duel axis surpasses static arrays, I can attest from that. 🇦🇺
P/s our system uses duel slew drive combination not linear actuators.
Can handle any wind thrown at it.
That is so neat and will help you out. Plus the extra solar 👍.
This looks fantastic! I had looked at making a homemade tracking system but ended up going with more panels instead. It will be interesting to see how it does with the wind up there and the harsh winters. Almost looks too close to the ground. Keep us updated! Thanks.
Will do Andy
We actually had a bad storm come through last week and take out a lot of trees, but the solar array survived. Yay. Some of that was in out latest video
@@OffgridwithJayandJen I saw that video after I posted this. Lol. Figured it must have done well if you didn't show it destroyed lol
@@AndrewJohnson149 😊👍
I was hoping that when you made this video that you would do a step-by-step assembly video so that I could see that. I’m thinking about buying one but on Amazon there’s a lot of people that have been putting in reviews that their directions are just horrible and a lot of people have been struggling with that. It’s too bad that you didn’t do a step-by-step. I was looking forward to some thing like that. But thank you for the video that you did make I appreciate it.
I'm considering making that video....just getting a feel for what you guys want to see.
Solar system is so cool mr,! I love it😊❤ good work
Thank you my friend
Nice tracker. Next time go with higher volt "house panels" like 36v or better, using higher voltages at lower amperage you get a much more efficient system, smaller wires, lower cost, more KW at lower wear and tear on components like inverters. Those small "off grid" or "12-18v RV Panels" are really in-efficient and really expensive per watt and just drive amperage up if wired wrong causing excess wear. I just bought 375w panels for $90 each, and they are 36v~10amp. 6-8 of those with a Growatt SPF6000T high volt offgrid inverter and a 48v LIFEPO battery (heated for cold areas). Going bigger costs more, but when you outgrow the small stuff, you waste $$ piecing together expansion, going bigger may cost 30% more, but produces 2-3x more KW. Also oversizing your battery can make sure it lasts you 15-20 years instead of 8-10 due to over cycling. EG4 Has some nice options, but rather than going with their small 5KW, consider the 14KW, costs less/kw, lives longer.
Solar trackers make more sense if you need additional power but you don't have enough space to add more panels or if the cost of panels is extremely high.
Today panels are relatively cheap and it looks like you have lots of space.
Adding more panels is probably the more cost effective solution to get more power.
Adding more panels is less complex and there are no moving parts to fail.
Regardless, trackers are interesting.
Great video.
Good points.....there are definitely pros and cons to each situation and option. Being a, simple is better, kind of guy I appreciate that, but at the same time this system really capitalises on making the panels be as efficient as possible in a small amount of space. Thanks for watching. 😊👍
Great video thanks for sharing. I bought the same unit and I’m in the middle of installing it myself.
just wanted to note that your stationary panels have branches shading them. That’s killing your efficiency.
I like the concept of the panel tracking with the sun, thanks for sharing. I appreciate your eagerness to try new idea. really look forward to each video and project!!!
Thanks Howie......I really appreciate your kond words and how you get it, staying open minded and making things work. Best wishes
Man you guys sure are getting fancy up on that Hill 😂
Lol.....I know right? I might have to build me a rustic little cabin to level things out a bit. 😉
12 hours of daily optimal sun! I buying one :U
With all that wind you're getting up there, I'm surprised you haven't added a VAWT to your property. That thing would generate hundreds of watts just sitting there all day long, day and night. I wish I had the kind of wind you have!
One day we will get a wind turbine just looking for a good deal
Looks like you have a perfect place for a wind generator.
Well I'm a little jealous, that it took you less than an hour to dig that hole. At my camp I got rocky ground, tree roots, and more rocks. Hope it works out. Cheers.
Thanks NYC.....the sand is a blessing, but hard to grow stuff in. But the benefits outweigh the cons.
That is really cool.
See you have a lot of wind , Maybe you should look into a vertical wind turbine to supplement your power grid
Yes we do....I'm hoping eco-worthy decides to send us one
man guys that is major upgrade! time for some more batteries now #EcoWorthy , congratulations guys and thanks for another awesome video
Ya we are excited to get more batteries or better batteries when the time comes
cant help but notice that it looks like a flower following the sun. Love it and can't wait to get solar on my property someday!
That is a cool observation Jen.....Wishing you the best
@@OffgridwithJayandJen thanks Jay and Jen! Wishing the same for you too :)
I got a really good belly laugh on ya Jay... jumping like a school girl when it started the array.. thats some funny sh** right there!!
Ha....Last thing I need in the headlines is " Local off grid man dies by hand of solar squishing " HA Ha
Wow! That is a great solution. Someday when I grow up.
😊
Hey thats pretty slick!!! 😮
It is pretty cool
Always fun to make improvements to the homestead!
Brilliant video so happy that you got a sponsor who can help you guys get to the next level with your solar rig. I sent you guys a link to the top reviewed domestic wind turbine power rigs. Cheers, Puck.
Awesome buddy.....I'll go look for it. Jen said she looked at it....I will check it out too. Thanks you. I think one will be very helpful before winter comes. Best wishes my friend
I bought two of these for only $800! Hoping to build a 2400 watt system. However, i have 200 watt panels which are just slightly bigger than the 195's. Im sure theres a way.
The clamps that hold the panels to the railing are adjustable....you should easily be able to use them.
Wow that thing is amazing!!! I have never seen that kind of system before
It is pretty Sweet.....=)
That\s just finer than frogs hair! Never seen a system that tracks like that on a small scale, only on the power companies HUGE solar arrays
It is pretty cool huh?
@@OffgridwithJayandJen Dang skippy it is!, Thinking that now, since you'll have I think more than double the power going in, it's time for some more batteries too!
I like what you did. 😊
Some help though,
0:53 The sauna tube only Hass to go into the hole a couple inches. The shape of the hole should fill with Concrete to make it more stable.
2:58 You don’t have to mix the concrete. You can dump it in dry.
3:09 Make a template out of cardboard or plywood to sit on top of the concrete.
🤔
You guys should utilize that wind you were talking about and get a wind turbine.. just a thought😊
Pretty sweet! But dude... get yourself some power tools! I'm already invested into Makita and Flex, but Harbor Freight's "Hercules" brand is crazy bang for buck. I may pick some of their tools up anyways.
I hear ya man...
....I should do that. I have done a lot with all hand me downs tools though, so I just keep on being cheap. Best wishes
hi, just one thing about your fixed panels. the upper row is in shadow from your trees. should make some pruning, to get all the juice from your fixed array.
You got me there, lol. Silly as it is....the Sun is only high enough to make the angle for a month of the year....and it is during high production time, so I'm trying not to cut down those Pines down....as I love them there. Thanks for looking out for me though, Bet wishes
Awesome!!!
Thanks!!
I mean cutting the tree that's shading your pannels would also be a good start on solar gain.
Lol. Ya true. The truth is I would cut it down if I needed to. But the only time of year it shades the panels is summer months....and we get enough hours to fully charge our battery bank as it currently is. This additional solar array will really help us a ton in the winter months when sunshine is limited. Like I said....I really like these pines here for the shade and if they caused us issues year around I would cut them down.
That's great guys well done 🤗🤗🤗
Thank you 🤗
Would you consider doing a more in-depth review about this? I can appreciate this video, but it would be nice to know how it is all configured. Is it wired for 24v? Do you have to have a separate battery to give it the power it needs to "follow" the sun? If you didn't already have your power barn, how would you wire this up? Thanks for the video!
I might do an update in the spring....give it some time to do some data collection. There is updates to the system being hooked up in more recent videos too
It would be interesting to see how much a bifacial solar panel would gain in this situation.
Agree.....these panels are just OK...not great
Looks like a pretty cool system you've got there! 👍
Nice but where is the light sensor. I was thinking there should be one on top to track where the sun is.
It's on there....we showed it
Very good! 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
great video. was waiting for this one. didnt let me down. thanks for being you. keep on us how it goes. Oh you thinking about wind turbines?. with the wind you get. especialy in the winter.
Yes, think we will be getting one
What a great addition to your solar system!
Thanks my friend. 😊😊😊
Wow - what a great system!!! Love it!!
It really is!
As always a great video, WOOT!
7 Days for basic "Curing of Concrete " 28 days for Max. Babe it's CONCRETE not Cement and it "Cures" not dries . . Lots of good advice below on Bolts and securing pole.
Don't intend to be negative want to be helpful. Devil is in the details and nomenclature.
I appreciate that.....been a year and half and still standing strong....so we did ok i guess, LOL. Best wishes
Nice! Price looks good too, thanks for sharing.
No problem 👍
I'm pretty impressed with this system given the price point! It does look like you kind of need to have the optimal size panels for it though. Still reasonable though!
I Completely Agree....considering the cost of traditional racking or panel systems having this one that also tracks the Sun for similar cost it very nice. I have seen others set this system up with Four larger Panels, Rather than the six they included in our set up....but I would go with what ever allows the Most Wattage Available. Best wishes
great product. May consider one for myself!!
Hey Randall......the link for their website seemed to have the best deal I found. I really think this is a very well rounded unit and fairly priced in my opinion
Great Job...It took a little time...weather, etc. Looks great . Nice to see a review on this Maybe fall?
Hey buddy......yes there will for sure be more videos including the function of this system. Thanks for watching my friend. hope you are well
I can buy a fixed mount that will hold 4 large 455 watt panels for 300.00. I found that i can mount 6 large panels on this tracker for 440.00 and once it traccks, it means the difference of 78 to 80 % charge on a cloudy day, to 99% charge. Im seriously thinking about getting a second. Less foot print and more power are a win for me. I just concern myself with how long the cheap Chinese electronics will last
I don't normally like complex stuff....but this system is simple enough and at a decent price point, it makes it hard to pass up. I have had My first actuator failure just recently, but still ok with how it works
How big of panels will this system hold? Would like to see a update on how u put both solar systems together in solar shed... I told u a lot of people want a wind turbine setup review....lol keep it going..yea
I would have to look at the spec sheet to get measurements but the railing makes it pretty flexible with the mounting....but you would have to balance it as to not cause extra strain on stuff. The link below takes you to the tracking system with the Panels they recommend for it. =)
Dude awesome, I want one!
Ya man.....cool little tracking system. Lots of extra solar collection now. =)
Have you ever looked at the packaging for the amount of water required for the concrete mix?
Yes, the set up hardened and is working great. Thanks for asking.
more power is always good Cheers
Several folks like yourselves have set up these amazing trackers. The question that has not been answered is how big of panels can they take? My panels look to be about twice the size of yours. Is there a weight limit? Thank you.
If you email us ican give you the dimensions of the railing....the clamps that attach to the brackets are adjustable. But send me an email and I can get you some dimensions
Awesome videos! Thanks for sharing this!
Hey, no problem......glad you are enjoying them. 👍
Now I see some airconditining being installed in the cabin. 😂
That would be awesome actually, lol
J bolts would have been a better choice.
If I had them, I might have used them. Still holding strong tho
I didn't see you put any rebar in your concrete to keep it strong and intact. I sure hope you did or you might find your rack and panels laying on the ground after your next big wind!
Maybe.....Guess we will see. I do have a ton of wind up here so it will be put to the Test. 😊
Wow that is great are you going to get another one for your fix panel to sit on you can buy the rack only i was reading!!!
Would certainly help....but having the m the way they are should take care of us. 👍
I see some tree shade on your fixed panels!
Ya for a couple months during peak summer the top row is covered for a few hours in the morning....BUT the whole system gets fully charged in about 4-5 hours later in the day, so I don't worry about it. The Shade they cast elsewhere is my favorite spot to sit and stare at my cabin. During the shorter days of the year and winter the tree does not shade them due to the sun being lower on the horizon. This new array will be a huge help come fall and winter months.
Good job i like how you work
I can’t imagine anyone not going down to a hardware store, and buying 8 hardened anchor bolts. Using standard bolts is substandard to say it politely.
It's not a twenty ton mack truck.......it's a couple hundred pounds of metal and panels.....I think 8 half-inch bolts can handle it. If 100 mph winds come through, other things would break first I'm sure.
Wow pretty high tech you guys! Nice!
Very!
Way cool. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Great video! How did you get the clamps to work properly? I cannot get them to bind anything to the rails.
They were a little tricky at first for me.....but you had to make sure they were turned the right way as you started the threads into the clamp that slide in the channel. Hard to explain...but if you mess with it for a but you should see how it works.
Thanks. Figured it out. The pre-assembled nut in the plastic piece was upside-down AND the picture in the instructions, and on the ecoworthy youtube video are wrong. @@OffgridwithJayandJen
Awesome video guys Rosa olbera from Texas
Have you given any thought to adding a ground turbine or a regular wind turbine ??
Trying to find a good one
Love d idea 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
You have some shading on your stationary system, I would cut some branches.
Ya I hear ya. They only shade it for a month in peak summer......and the system runs well enough at that time to make it worth keeping them 😊 I trimmed them pretty High lol
@@OffgridwithJayandJen I just hope that new set up holds because if the wind gets rough you will be thankful you have the old set up. I know where I live it would be broken in the winter. Looks cool though.
Surely it would be cheaper to add 40% more panels ?
If you have the space or want to buy larger CC and such to handle it. The system is actually very affordable......it's not an expensive set up, so hard to say.
That is beautiful 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Did the washer buried in the concrete sink to the bottom with the head of the bolt?
They probably were not really necessary, but my thought was it couldn't hurt, lol. But I feel they could be good insurance if the bolt did decide to slide at all. We were just hit with a pretty bad storm that took out lots of trees and the new array survived through it
Cool
Tracking System Dual Axis with Tracker Controller für Solaranlage