[RE-wrenches] Self-drilling posts for ground mounting

[jay peltz]

Hi Jeff,

Having looked at the video, first off I"d use a air or electric  
3/4"driver.

but a few thoughts.

Piers won't prevent ground movement, if its going to move,

More of these footings might be way cheaper than any other option.

Get an engineering Geologist to do the review for you for soil  
stability and also the uplift which will be dependent on soil type etc.

Still in the end might be the best least expensive way to go.

jay

peltz power








On Apr 24, 2009, at 6:30 PM, Jeff Yago wrote:

> We have an upcoming install for a residence subject to Homeowners  
> Association controls and they have demanded that the array be  
> mounted on the ground, not the roof.  The client has a huge yard,  
> but the south facing yard area for the array slopes down fairly  
> steeply.  Of course this is ideal for tilt angle so we can keep the  
> array just high enough above the ground to crawl under to wire and  
> put down sheeting material to reduce grass growing.
>
> However, this will be a real bear to get a tractor or Bobcat on this  
> steep slope to auger holes for the concrete piers, and then get the  
> concrete down to the pour.   So I started checking and found a  
> company selling a self-drilling 2-1/2" galvanized pier that you  
> auger into the ground with a 3/4" drive wrench.  After auger drills  
> itself all the way down, you add an extension tube that is  
> adjustable in height.  It would be perfect for my application, but I  
> am afraid its too good to be true.
>
> Here is a video link for the product.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syl-MKD-1BE
>
> My concern is will my racking start to move downhill if these posts  
> start to tilt over from the side loading, and will the pull out of  
> the ground from a major wind uplift.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff Yago
>
>
>
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