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Oscar4u

Regular Member

Joined: 23/02/2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 42

Posted: 09:20pm 01 Mar 2017

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I believe that trackers are not a good investment because for what they cost one may as well buy more panels and not have the hassle of moving parts. However a friend of a friend built one and a few weeks after he had it put up he died. His widow considered any bid over $50 and so I bought it for not much more. My father has offered to buy the panels (which no doubt will come out of my inheritance at the end of the day) so this project was given a massive kick start. The decision was made to put it further back in the paddock from my workshop, to get it out of view a bit more for the neighbors and for us.
first job was to dig a trench for three phase power, air line, town water (fire fighting??) well water from header tank for stock and communications cable.
Am thinking about building a shed for the electronics for the panels and tracker.The tracker has a plc or similar gadget that would be a lot better in the shed than outside in a plastic enclosure I feel. Also just bought a loader (for the wife I tell her) which is sleeping outside at the moment.Have lots of other "treasures" in the paddock which would be better inside as well.
For a dozen beer bought some conduit which I will be running between the tracker and where the shed will be.
I hired a ditch witch and was cleaning the trench up a bit in this photo. The hole in the foreground is where the tracker foundation is going.

For a dozen beer bought some conduit which I will be running between the tracker and where the shed will be.Just under legal height!

The foundation took close to two cubes of concrete.I fixed the boxing to the tracker in the workshop.

Edited by Oscar4u 2017-03-03

Oscar4u - for all your rotary cowshed repairs

Georgen
Guru

Joined: 13/09/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 462

Posted: 09:04pm 14 Mar 2017

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Sad story with your neighbour.

As for your new assets it sounds like a bargain.

From what I heard, tracking can give even 30% more power.

What will work against your extra power is the distance from where it is used/stored.

(It works like a fraction of percent loss per metre distance.
Larger cable means smaller loss, shorter distance means smaller loss too.)

Interesting what will be total gain?

George

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