Jedi lost a solar array

[s/v Jedi]

Hurricane Nicole took our stern solar array and smashed it all kaput

That’s 1,125W of solar total loss. One of these metal fittings was broken in pieces but I think this only happened after another failure where a fitting was ripped off, bringing the load to the broken fitting where the wind got leverage to break these really stout fittings.

I can exactly point at the cause: Covid19. We were forced to build our own temporary subframe because welders are not available and it worked so good that we didn’t replace it with better (secondary cause: complacency).

I got my eye on higher capacity panels for a 1,320W array, but I will make this same frame again with these changes:

- I will glue the Hollaender QuickRail fittings with epoxy instead of just using the included fasteners. These are 1.5” IPS which is way strong enough: the failure was the fasteners.

- I will make extra support for the back end of the array. This can be as simple as a 1/8” Dyneema tie-down. The second picture shows the aluminum heavy wall 1” angle that I riveted inside the panel frames to support that back end overhang and this worked great. A simple tie-down would have prevented this.

The good news is that this was the only damage and the hurricane strapping and ground anchors used by Cape Marina worked 100%.

[Pete7]

Jedi, sorry to see this, thankfully the yacht is okay

Our yacht has a mix of welded arch and those 1" stainless steel fittings, with a grub screw to grip the pipe. Looking at it earlier this summer and testing the tightness, I found some of the grub screws loose. I have since bonded them in with thread locker. Then separately, drilled the stainless fittings and tapped the hole before fitting 5mm cap head screws, with thread locker.

You might see if bifacial panels are available in the US, sadly unobtainable in the UK at the moment. However, they offer 10-26% extra for a slight increase in weight with the extra glass underneath.

Pete

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Hurricane Nicole took our stern solar array and smashed it all kaput

... drag. Sorry to hear about that.

Will you do wind-tunnel testing on the next iteration?

[JPA Cate]

Nice job of turning a misfortune into an opportunity!

Ann

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Jedi, sorry to see this, thankfully the yacht is okay

Our yacht has a mix of welded arch and those 1" stainless steel fittings, with a grub screw to grip the pipe. Looking at it earlier this summer and testing the tightness, I found some of the grub screws loose. I have since bonded them in with thread locker. Then separately, drilled the stainless fittings and tapped the hole before fitting 5mm cap head screws, with thread locker.

You might see if bifacial panels are available in the US, sadly unobtainable in the UK at the moment. However, they offer 10-26% extra for a slight increase in weight with the extra glass underneath.

Pete

Yes, ours were all threadlocked and far in, but anodized aluminum is softer of course and this hurricane had much more wind for us than Ian did. It simply wasn’t good enough. I have used West System G-flex (thickened in tubes) with the stainless fittings with excellent results so I guess this is what I will do in addition with longer setscrews.

[Chotu]

Sorry to hear you had a loss there. However, it’s good that you know what works and doesn’t now. So you’ll be able to put together an even more robust support system.

I am with Ann on that. Great to turn it into an opportunity.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

... drag. Sorry to hear about that.

Will you do wind-tunnel testing on the next iteration?

We already did… had 74kts (kts, not mph) at anchor without any problems. I am suspecting that being hauled out is somehow different, plus the wind came at an angle from the back which is different as well.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

We already did… had 74kts (kts, not mph) at anchor without any problems. I am suspecting that being hauled out is somehow different, plus the wind came at an angle from the back which is different as well.

Wind angle is definitely a big factor. A structure that can handle 80 kts from one direction may not survive it from a different direction.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Wind angle is definitely a big factor. A structure that can handle 80 kts from one direction may not survive it from a different direction.

Indeed… especially with the aft 40% of the panels without a vertical support. Next setup will include a some 1/8” Dyneema tie-downs at the aft corners as another backup, which would have totally prevented this

Of course this means I can fit larger panels

[wingssail]

Sorry that you suffered this damage but glad for you that it was not more serious.

It seems that if your array can withstand 74 knots it is pretty stout, but if I recall you have over 100 sq ft up there and that presents quite lot of area for wind to grab onto.

I am thinking of being underway and having hurricane strength winds and that that might put a lot of stress on that array.

Rebuild it even stronger.

[BlueH2Obound]

"You can make it Better, Stronger, Faster!" . . . and for a lot less than $6,000,000!

The bad news is that you may find it difficult to find the new solar panels. I bought six, 360 watt panels in April of this year. I want to add two more, but no one has them, not just same brand, or 360 watt, but NO larger panels. The reason I was given was that due to "events" in Ukraine, Europe if buying up all the renewable energy components they can, creating a shortage everywhere.
My panel expansions runs a VERY distance 2nd or 3rd place (or maybe 200th) to their need, but I still wish I could find some!

[kayakerChuck]

Bummer

I fab lots of SS bimini frames & such. The grub screws are temporary, at best. I use them to get everything to final adjustment, then generally replace them with a 3/16" SS rivet. The hack I sometimes use is to drill the tube for the set screw, then run the screw into the untapped, unthreaded hole. The grub screw will gall in place and be essentially as permanent as a rivet. It will need to be drilled out to remove.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Jedi, sorry to see this, thankfully the yacht is okay

Our yacht has a mix of welded arch and those 1" stainless steel fittings, with a grub screw to grip the pipe. Looking at it earlier this summer and testing the tightness, I found some of the grub screws loose. I have since bonded them in with thread locker. Then separately, drilled the stainless fittings and tapped the hole before fitting 5mm cap head screws, with thread locker.

You might see if bifacial panels are available in the US, sadly unobtainable in the UK at the moment. However, they offer 10-26% extra for a slight increase in weight with the extra glass underneath.

Pete

Am I the only person that had to look up 'bifacial'? https://www.semprius.com/bifacial-solar-panels/

Set up an array of mirrors and double your input.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Am I the only person that had to look up 'bifacial'? https://www.semprius.com/bifacial-solar-panels/

Set up an array of mirrors and double your input.

They seemed to have gone the way of the Dodo. Since they are not going to work on a house roof, I guess the demand just isn't there unfortunately. Not helped when LG pulled out of the market and Panasonic are in radio silence.

Whilst sea water doesn't reflect sunlight very well, white GRP does, so does snow btw. So you need something that's made of fibreglass and can have a gap between the reflecting surface and the panel of over 1m ideally. A yacht perhaps?

[s/v Jedi]

Bifacial panels are in stock in the US.

Here is one: https://www.solaris-shop.com/ja-sola...l-solar-panel/

I may buy these, which are now available for pre-order, to become available in December: https://www.solaris-shop.com/aptos-d...o-solar-panel/