Hitch mount for Pole to mount solar panel
Can't seem to find much on mounting my solar panel on a pole and have it attached to a slider going into the hitch receiver. This may be an option so I won't have to mount it permanently on the fiber...
Forum Discussion
Here's how I'd build it, if I can describe it.
Assumption is that you have a 2" hitch receiver.
Get two pieces of 1-1/2" galvanized pipe about 2' long and a 90 deg ell. The 1-1/2" pipe will have an OD of 1.9". One of them fill fit nicely into the hitch receiver. Put it in and mark where the hitch pin holes hit it so you can drill a hole through the pipe.
When you get the two pieces of pipe, one will be cut from the threaded end of a 10' piece of pipe so it will already be threaded. On the second piece, you'll need them to thread one end. See below, you may want to have both ends threaded.
Screw the two pieces of pipe into the 90 deg ell. Use some anti-seeze compound if you have it so that you can take them apart later if you want to.
Now, since the pipe is round vs using square tubing in the receiver, when you put it in the receiver, you can rotate your mast. Take whatever you're going to use for the mast put it in the 1-1/2 inch of pipe. If you're using 1" pipe, you can either just set it in the upright section of 1-1/2" pipe or you can get both ends of that piece of pipe threaded and use some fittings (bellreducer) to reduce it down to 1" for your mast.
If you wanted to use 1-1/2" pipe for your mast also, then all you need is the 2' pc, the 90 deg ell and the 10' pc for the mast.
Put the pipe assembly (two pcs of pipe and ell) into the receiver, but don't put the bolt in yet. Screw your mast to assy, and then assemble your solar panels on the mast and tip it up-right. Tipping the assy up gives you more control and less weight to lift than trying to lift everything up onto your receiver mount.
Tip it upright, hold it, and have someone insert the bolt through the receiver to hold it upright.
Bill
Assumption is that you have a 2" hitch receiver.
Get two pieces of 1-1/2" galvanized pipe about 2' long and a 90 deg ell. The 1-1/2" pipe will have an OD of 1.9". One of them fill fit nicely into the hitch receiver. Put it in and mark where the hitch pin holes hit it so you can drill a hole through the pipe.
When you get the two pieces of pipe, one will be cut from the threaded end of a 10' piece of pipe so it will already be threaded. On the second piece, you'll need them to thread one end. See below, you may want to have both ends threaded.
Screw the two pieces of pipe into the 90 deg ell. Use some anti-seeze compound if you have it so that you can take them apart later if you want to.
Now, since the pipe is round vs using square tubing in the receiver, when you put it in the receiver, you can rotate your mast. Take whatever you're going to use for the mast put it in the 1-1/2 inch of pipe. If you're using 1" pipe, you can either just set it in the upright section of 1-1/2" pipe or you can get both ends of that piece of pipe threaded and use some fittings (bellreducer) to reduce it down to 1" for your mast.
If you wanted to use 1-1/2" pipe for your mast also, then all you need is the 2' pc, the 90 deg ell and the 10' pc for the mast.
Put the pipe assembly (two pcs of pipe and ell) into the receiver, but don't put the bolt in yet. Screw your mast to assy, and then assemble your solar panels on the mast and tip it up-right. Tipping the assy up gives you more control and less weight to lift than trying to lift everything up onto your receiver mount.
Tip it upright, hold it, and have someone insert the bolt through the receiver to hold it upright.
Bill
