How many tubes of Dicor?

[JiminDenver]

I am sure the answer is it depends but I am trying to get a idea of how many tubes it takes to reseal a 25 foot roof with 2 vents, antenna, skylight, a few vent tubes and the front and back edges.

[JiminDenver]

mchero wrote:
I installed 8 z brackets on each of my panels that look the same size as yours. If your sticking to just 4 mounts/panel keep a very close eye on them for any movement. I put 20k on my panels and not a budge!

Fired up the crock pot one day and was seeing 800+ watts out of those four panels! Nice setup! If you have the space the big boys they are the way to go! #10 PV wire with MC4 branch connectors and you're good to go!

I agree and will likely add at least a set down the middle, maybe two considering I may not be able to get to the middle of the roof from the ladders.

I do love my big boys. Price per watt, watts per sq ft, even what that expensive MPPT controller does with the excess power. These three will bring down over 600w flat, enough to run the little A/C, the cook top or water heater. Good thing as there wasn't room for bigger or extra panels.

[westend]

Looking good, Jim!

[mchero]

I installed 8 z brackets on each of my panels that look the same size as yours. If your sticking to just 4 mounts/panel keep a very close eye on them for any movement. I put 20k on my panels and not a budge!

Fired up the crock pot one day and was seeing 800+ watts out of those four panels! Nice setup! If you have the space the big boys they are the way to go! #10 PV wire with MC4 branch connectors and you're good to go!

[Colo_Native]

Looks good Jim, understand the apprehension putting holes in the roof I went down close to the tank vent and missed the mark and had to do it again lots of Dicor in the mistake.

[JiminDenver]

I think I am looking at something near the same. It will let me drop into the overhead and then into a wall behind the controller using a lot less wire.

[Fubeca]

Do it! :0

Come over to the dark side! I stuck a homemade combiner box over my hole and then a slightly modified galvanized turtle vent over that to keep the UV rays off. I've had zero issues so far (crossing fingers).

[JiminDenver]

Thanks, I appreciate it. Right now I need the guts to punch through the roof where I want to instead of the fridge vent on the wrong side of the trailer. That's not a big deal if I go series and 10 gauge. Running parallel will squeeze 10 more amps out of the panels but I'll need the shorter route for the 1/0. Shading is no longer a issue without the A/C.

on edit

I just got done putting 36 holes in the roof, why stop now.

[Fubeca]

Looks good! Let me know if you ever need anything!

[JiminDenver]

I should have been a good boy too but that was no fun. 😉

I brought the trailer home last night and the neighbors set the panels up on the roof for me. This morning I got them locked down but noticed the shop didn't have time to finish the reseal. I'll finish that up tomorrow before it snows Thursday and run the wiring over the weekend. I know the Lifelines were fully charged when I took the bank down but I sure will be happy to have it all hooked back up.



No step by step images, I had too much dicor on my fingers to even think of touching the phone.

[westend]

Lookin' good, Jim!

Yeah, just take it slow. An orthopedic surgeon told me 40 years ago to get a desk job. I've defied that in every way. Now, at 67, I am finally knowing that I've gone gone from a Greek God to a G&*+#(mn Greek.

[JiminDenver]

The trailer went down yesterday. With the A/C gone there is a lot more room up there for mounting.



I like the fantastic fan, I didn't know they open and close themselves.

I was a bit shocked to see just how much the rig was lifted with the axle flip. It went from this



to this



I did not feel anything different on the way home. I was dark so I haven't had a chance to get under it yet.

[JiminDenver]

I'm just waiting for the shop to pull the A/C and seal the roof. I have the physical part dealt with via my neighbors who have been asking all summer when we were going to mount the panels. It will only take a few but once the trailer comes and the ladders go up I'll have a half a dozen wanting to do something. Consuming beer and pizza will take far longer than the job. I am very lucky this way. Since the cane showed up I'll come home and find the grass mowed, the drive shoveled, trash bins put away, etc.

As for the getting old part, doctors told me to stop playing superman 20 years ago. Now at 53 I am finding out why they said it. I've learned new terms like bulging, slipped, ruptured and last week they added severe stenosis in my neck to the list. I went from being able to pick the panels up over my head and sliding them up on the roof to having a set of wheels on the portable so I can roll it out when I want to bring up the Lifelines. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. 😉

[westend]

Yeah, a tube or two of sealant and a gun is a good Boy Scout type thing to have along.

I guess finding help for mounting the panels is the only thing slowing down your progress. Maybe someone in Denver will read this and want to help. For myself, I hate getting old and crippled up. I sometimes lift too much and pay the price for days.I know some have it even worse so that tames my bitching.

Hoping you have some good luck installing the panels. Your plan sounds like a winner.

[JiminDenver]

It is a decent deal but I think I'll still get a tube for some lighter touch ups until they can get it in. It's getting to be that time here and all I need is a leak.

While I am glad it's getting taken care of, waiting to mount the panels is driving me nuts. I am glad I waited though, removing the A/C changes everything. I was either going to have to elevate them or have one panel or another partially shaded a good part of the day. Tilting would have fixed it but I'm not getting up there and trying to lift 50 pound panels. No A/C means more room and no shadows on the panels. A easy flat install.

The panel on the truck will tilt and I am replacing the old 235w poly with a 270w poly. Tilting it east early and then dropping it flat for the rest of the day will give the main system a boost kicking out 19a while the roof wakes up. Having it mounted will keep it from walking away.