Solar tower construction, Tube sizes?

[Snowpetrel]

I am helping a mate build a Solar panel tower. We are looling at options for tube or pipe. Its going to be about 6.5 foot high with four uprights to support two heavy solar panels.

Ideally we want something simple and strong that doesnt look two agricultural and isn't overly heavy.

Tossing up at the momemt between stainless 1" 1/4 (32mm x 1.6) polished tube, with a thin wall, 1 "1/2 (38mmx 1.6) thin wall polished tube or 1"1/4 thicker walled unpolished pipe (about 1/8" wall 32mm x 3.2mm).

What are your thoughts? What sizes do you have and how much flex is there in the whole unit. We don't want tp add to much cross bracing if we can avoid it.

Any pics and other ideas would be very useful. We plan to incorporate a engine crane, but no davits or windgen loads.

[laika]

Sorry I don't have any pics, but I have 4 36W panels mounted on a 1 1/2" SS tube radar pole about 7 feet above the stern. I went with the highest quality lightest semi-flexible panels with thin sheets of G10 as backing. Two arms made of 1" SS tube each holding two panels, swung 180 degrees out on each side of the pole, and mounted to the pole with garhauer tube clamps. The garhauer clamps receive the 1" tube and are thru bolted together. The wiring is quick disconnect. By loosening a single bolt and unclipping the wires I can take one or both arms down in a few seconds.

The panels are mounted on the 1" tube with adjustable friction clamps that can be rotated to the best angle for the sun.

Hope that helps. I still used cross braces as well for extra strength and pole rigidity.

[Snowpetrel]

Thanks Laika, that sounds like a pretty neat setup, good to know a single 1 1/2" tube can support a few panels like that.

We plan on using 4 poles, two aft, two forward, to support the hinged panels.

Those garhauer clamps could be perfect for hinging the panels.

The arch will be part of the pushpit so there will be some bracing from that, and offshore in nasty stuff some cross bracing can be added to make it knockdown proof. Cheers

Sent from my SM-G930F using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app