Lightweight 1000w solar

[Frood]

Thought this was interesting...

Expensive, but interesting.

 

[user 22017]

In the comments someone pointed out that Humble Road already has videos on this (extruded aluminum arrays?). The guy said he viewed those videos. Humble Road:

 

[maki2]

In the comments someone pointed out that Humble Road already has videos on this (extruded aluminum arrays?). The guy said he viewed those videos. Humble Road:

8020 is way expensive and much heavier than is needed. Aluminum T6061 angle is structural quality and cost a lot less.

 

[Gr8ful]

If you don't trust 6061 use 7075 which has almost twice the tensile strength & is fairly common. 7075 aluminum is the highest strength to weight ratio of all aluminum alloys.

 

[Gr8ful]

I know nothing about these but saw them on Amazon for $509 for 4-400 watt flexable panels & 2 charge controllers. They have 800, 900 & 1000 watt pkgs also,

1600 Watt Solar Panel Kit, with 2pcs Charge Controller(40A) 4pcs 400 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel for 12-48V Battery Charging Car Battery Camper RV Yacht Battery Boat​

Brand: AQWSD
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

 

[maki2]

If you don't trust 6061 use 7075 which has almost twice the tensile strength & is fairly common. 7075 aluminum is the highest strength to weight ratio of all aluminum alloys.

I do trust T6061. I have worked with it for the last 45 years. The advantage of T6061 angle for working on our builds is that you can walk into Hardware stores including Home Depot and find 1/8” thick angle in stock. The width of the stock would increase for longer runs for more support or you could use tubing instead of L shaped angle. It is perfectly strong for building solar panel support racks. No need to use 7075 for that, it would be overkill and a waste of $$ plus you would have to go to a specialty metal supplier to buy it. There are online engineering tables of information to help calculate the load weights versus material type and dimension size versus the distance being spanned between the supporting brackets. Photo is me in the foreground in the year 1980 installing pieces of T6061 while working at Boeing. I pretty much do know what I am talking about as it was my professional career to build with aluminum and I am still building things out of aluminum angle.

 

[Gr8ful]

Maki2, I was not questioning your expertise just adding one alum alloy I like to use. We have several places in Kazoo to buy drops like Shupan, Alro & others.I meant no offense!

 

[onethoughtatatime]

I know nothing about these but saw them on Amazon for $509 for 4-400 watt flexable panels & 2 charge controllers. They have 800, 900 & 1000 watt pkgs also,

1600 Watt Solar Panel Kit, with 2pcs Charge Controller(40A) 4pcs 400 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel for 12-48V Battery Charging Car Battery Camper RV Yacht Battery Boat​

Brand: AQWSD
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

I am in a different country and couldnt find those panels listed but I just want to give a friendly heads up. My own experience is that PET encapsulated solar panels are not fit for purpose. It bubbles and degrades quickly in the sun. ETFE panels however can be great and long lasting. hth's someone.

 

[Gr8ful]

Go to amazon.com & search for flexable solar panels. They have pkgs up to 2000 watt.

 

[rruff]

If you don't trust 6061 use 7075 which has almost twice the tensile strength & is fairly common. 7075 aluminum is the highest strength to weight ratio of all aluminum alloys.

I have lots of high end bicycle experience. Though 6061-T6 is garden variety structural aluminum (cheap, readily available), it has good corrosion resistance, and resistance to stress corrosion cracking. 7075-T6 is generally only used for things like handlebars and axles, and sometimes seatposts and stems. Frames and hubs are made from 6061-T6, or a slight variation. Carbon fiber is very commonly used now, but it's not the best everywhere.

I used 6061-T6 to make a pivoting system to mount the camper to the fame of my truck. Most of it I got from BuyMetal online.

The 8020 shapes aren't super efficient or cheap, but there is the convenience factor. I read that 6105-T5 is used for the good stuff, and its properties are close to 6061-T6. No idea what the generic companies use for alloy though.

https://www.makeitfrom.com/compare/6061-T6-Aluminum/6105-A96105-Aluminum

 

[rruff]

I do trust T6061. I have worked with it for the last 45 years. The advantage of T6061 angle for working on our builds is that you can walk into Hardware stores including Home Depot and find 1/8” thick angle in stock.

According to this, they are 6063-T5, which is architectural... a bit weaker, but still a fine alloy to use. The big advantage to HD... if you buy metal online, shipping is very expensive for >6' pieces. Metal salvage places are a good place to buy material sometimes.

 

[Gr8ful]

I built aircraft so I wanted twice the strength. For bicycles 6063 is most likely fine. There's a lot more fall from a structural failure from an aircraft than a bike. 7075 cost 25% more & is worth it to me YRMV

 

[rruff]

I built aircraft so I wanted twice the strength. For bicycles 6063 is most likely fine. There's a lot more fall from a structural failure from an aircraft than a bike. 7075 cost 25% more & is worth it to me YRMV

High end bicycles; cost is no object. 7075 was tried, but it didn't work well for most applications. For unfinished bolted assemblies to hold solar panels, it would be a bad idea.

I don't even know where you can buy 7075 extrusions. None of the normal supply houses seem to carry it.

 

[Gr8ful]

\No problem here, if 6063 works for your bikes Great! It was worth 25% for about double the tensile strength in my case.

 

[rruff]

No problem here, if 6063 works for your bikes Great! It was worth 25% for about double the tensile strength in my case.

Definitely different alloys for different environments and applications! Just to be clear it is 6061 not 6063.

 

[Gr8ful]

Sorry my bad but both 6061 & 6063 are inferior to 7075..

Differences Between AL 6061 and AL 6063 6061 aluminum has a lower melting temperature, lower thermal conductivity, and lower heat capacity. AL 6061-T6 has a higher yield strength and fatigue strength when compared to AL-T6 6063. It is also less corrosion resistant than AL 6063. Click on the link below, scroll down to the chart of uses.

Aluminum 6061 vs. Aluminum 6063 - Industrial Metal Supply​

Industrial Metal Supply

 

[Happy Camper]

I'm sure any of that would be more than enough for the ops needs with the proper design and installation.

I still contend having one larger panel would seem to be a better idea. To each his own.