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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>As they are driven, they were constantly checking for plumb
along 2 axes. This can be adjusted with their hydraulic driving tool by
changing the angle of drive into the earth. They also had a string line between
the 2 outermost posts (which they set first) to maintain alignment of the row.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Not perfect, but what is? We had no troubles with minor
deflections from the true line when installing the 2” top and bottom
tubes of the U-LA through the clamps. Also the racking system has a great deal
of tolerance for mounting points.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>The drive machine was a tracked vehicle with an articulated arm,
don’t know its weight but it came in an enclosed trailer, pulled by a
pickup truck.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>BTW, they work through the winter up here in the North East –
propane torches to heat the ground I think they said…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>-Glenn<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>John
Raynes<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, January 26, 2009 11:37 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] helical screw piers<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>What kind of post-post horizontal tolerancing can you hold
with those things, and how is it adjusted or compensated for while driving
in? Usually at least one of the two horizontal surface coordinates has a
reasonably tight alignment tolerance in my experience.<br>
<br>
They look like a great idea, although one advantage of concrete is you have
lots of time to tweak the post alignments if necessary while the concrete sets.
I would think a helical screw would be prone to walking just a little, unless
the drive apparatus is extremely well-anchored. <br>
<br>
John Raynes<br>
RE Solar<br>
Torrey, UT<br>
<br>
<br>
At 08:45 AM 1/26/2009, you wrote:<br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>We have also used the local franchisee of TechnoMetal Posts
for many jobs that are ground mounts.<br>
Around $250 per post is what we paid also.<br>
They were in and out on our last job in 2 days, but their machine did break
down for a while. They placed 32 posts in 2 arrays for a 12.6 kWp array (60
modules).<br>
We marked the 4 corners of each array & told them how far apart to place
the posts & off they went. Marked, drove, cut off those too high &
welded on extensions to those too short, then ground the welds & painted.<br>
<br>
We also topped them with Unirac U-LA racking and it lined up well.<br>
<br>
-Glenn<br>
<br>
<b>From:</b> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org [<a
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">
mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Larry
Brown<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, January 26, 2009 7:24 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> info@asappower.com; RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] helical screw piers<br>
<br>
Wrenches,<br>
We used a company called techno Metal Post ( <a
href="http://www.technometalpost.com">www.technometalpost.com</a> ) I believe
it is a franchise arrangement with the main company in Canada. Here is a
business opportunity if a franchise does not exist in your community.<br>
They are screwed into the ground while hydraulic pressure is applied. We
received a stamped engineering report after completion that identified how many
posts were set, to what depth and how much hydraulic pressure had been
applied for load bearing capacity<br>
It requires a special unit designed for this purpose<br>
We set 8 posts in 2 rows of 4 and then attached a UniRac U-LA Ground Mount
racking system for 28 Sanyo 200's<br>
The posts in this case were 2" schedule 40 galvanized steel pipe ready for
the UniRac mounting system<br>
They also shot the elevation and cut each pipe to the proper height so that the
relationship between the front row of pipes and the back row of pipes was set
to receive the racking system and then the mounting rails would be at latitude
for this site. We supplied the heights that were required.<br>
Many other uses for these screw piers. Pictures on their website<br>
<br>
Larry<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
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