pole mount 150 watt modules [RE-wrenches]

[Tom Simko]

   I'll guess I'll weigh in on this one...
 Using a bucket truck when a boom truck shoud be used is a false savings.
They are designed for picking people. I own a 10 ton 84' reach boom truck,
30,000 GVW, 18' flatbed. Wrenchs, this is one very usefull tool! Right now I
have a 960 watt array, mounted and wired, and ready to deliver to the
jobsite, along with the 1400 lb battery box, also already interconnected and
ready to connect to the power panel. The power panel is prewired as much as
possible, and it weighs about 300 lbs. All this work was done in the comfort
of my shop, and to load it I'll telescope the boom in and pick everything
up, rigged carefully of course. Point is this piece of equipment cost less
then a new pickup, (32K), and makes me 85 an hour when used, uses little
diesel fuel, and is much simpler then a backhoe as for maintenance. I don't
want to turn this into a crane discussion group, I'm already on one of
those, but by having the truck pay for itself by primarly lifting trusses
for building contractors, I get to use the truck "for free" on my own solar
projects. I am very small time in that department compared to most of you
guys, and I can't help but think some of you would benefit from my
experience with this piece of equipment. Lifting preplumbed 6 panel thermal
arrays onto 3 rd story jobs in minutes, with one helper, standing 60'
turbine towers with turbine installed with one helper, in minutes, and its
lots of fun to operate also.

 After hiring out on over 200 jobs now let me share my insight on how best
to hire a boom truck/crane guy:
1. Butter them up, mention you'd like use him every time you need a
crane,(and do it) he'll cut you a better deal, its better for everyone to
form a working relationship.
2. Clearly state the load to be lifted, its weight, how far up and out it
needs to go from where it  is, and whether specialized rigging will be
needed.
3. Have adequate help, you don't want the crane operator twiddling his
thumbs while you look for hardware or lost tools, have it together as much
as possible. IF something comes up unexpected, a good operator, one you have
used in the past and will use in the future, will knock some time off, I do.
But I don't for incompetency!
4 Tell him , hopefully in universal recognized crane signals, if not loudly
as he's standing by the damn thing and may not hear you, where you want the
load to go, don't tell him how to run the crane, he'll put the load where
you want it the way he wants to, make sense?
5. Wait until the job is done, all his rigging and dunnage is picked up
(help him in that, don't stand there and watch) and secured, and he is ready
to roll and THEN ask him how much, and then whip your checkbook out, or pay
cash, even better.....! Don't try and ask him how much while he's still
there working on your job, even though the load is lifted it still takes
time to get out of there. Again, a steady customer gets a better deal then a
jerk.

 I've pictures on my site of the truck. Look around you're area, talk to
builders and see if the area is adsequately served by a light crane. If not
you may be able to make a few bucks, mine paid for itself in 2 years, and
get to use it for free! Anyone wanting to run out and buy one contact me off
group and I can forward some good used boom truck sources.    END OF BOOM
TRUCK TALK.

Tom Simko
www.skylinesolar   



on 2/20/03 11:03 AM, keith at kcronin at lava.net wrote:

> Hello Jay
> 
> I was envisioning using a bucket truck to set the poles in concrete and
> a bucket truck to install the arrays.
> I recall back in 96 when I did an SEI education/charity project in North
> Carolina that we used a pickup truck and a lot of humans. Getting that
> array on the gimbal was a dangerous event. And that was before the 150
> watt panels came on the scene!
> 
> Keith Cronin
> Island Energy Solutions
> 318 A Kuulei Road
> Kailua, Hawaii 96734
> 808-262-3268 Tel
> 808-263-0338 Fax
> www.islandenergy.net
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jay Peltz, Peltz Power [mailto:jay at asis.com]
> Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 5:08 AM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: Re: pole mount 150 watt modules [RE-wrenches]
> 
> HI Keith,
> 
> I just installed a 8 panel shell 150's.  6" pole.  You'd better have a
> bunch
> of strong guys to move that 8" pole.
> 
> jay
> 
> peltz power
> 
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