The Ground Mount "Tubs" Thread.

Grumpypants

It took a while, but I had a week off, so I ordered 3 tonnes of Wicklow Gold stone and finished off the Solar panel areas. Also got a plastic edge to keep the grass and stones apart. Turned out great.

I have the installers coming back next week to add another 5kw to the existing 5kw battery, and to set me up to be able to run the panels off-grid to charge the battery/run the house. That 7 day power cut after the storm was a real pain, seeing all those panels sitting there not making any power and I really needed it for water from the well & to turn on the heating.

bullit_dodger

Looks well good that. Respect.

Aside: I'd slap a couple of panels on the wall of the shed. Looks like you could get 4x of them on that wall - but that's me :-)

Grumpypants

Yeah if there wasn't a kid treehouse that casts a nasty shadow on that wall by 3pm I'd go for it. I've room for another row so down the line I might extend it forward.

Exiled Rebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123387343#Comment_123387343

Are you going to raise them up as you were saying a few months ago? It's a nice job which I might replicate in a few years if I decide to remodel the garden.

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123387343#Comment_123387343

Dunno - it's south facing right? Even if it's 3pm that the shadow appear….well you have 9am → 3pm of good sunshine on them most of the year. In summer with the sun overhead, I'd bet you probably don't get a shadow until 4 or 5pm? Guessing.

Panels are relatively cheap and you can expect €50-60 return on a panel per year (roughly speaking). Put them up with a hinge on the top so you can angle them out 10-20 deg from the vertical, could be an easy win I'd say. Even flush with the wall in winter that works well as the sun is low on the horizon.

Did the same myself back in 2022. Panel on the right above is mostly in the shade until 11:30am as the wall with the clock on it shades it, then for 4-5+ hrs every day it gets uninterrupted sunshine. Already paid for itself and now earning me wonga which I use in winter as a credit.