“Start from scratch” is a somewhat vague expression. How itchy is it? Do you bake your own bread or grow your own wheat? Self installation of solar devices may not involve the manufacture of their own photovoltaic cells. However, when it comes to making a frame to support the panel, why not process the support and harvest wood from nearby trees?. This is what krisharbor did with his carefully designed 8.4kw solar bracket.
He has installed a wind turbine and some solar panels elsewhere, but [Chris] wants more power. At the beginning of the video, [Chris] commented impromptu that he hoped this would last at least 30-40 years. This is reflected in everything from the focus on concrete footings to oversized supports and beams. The bracket was cut on his plasma CNC, and the wood was cut into rough sizes by his sawmill. He admitted that sapwood will decay a little after 20 years, but since the core of the column is heartwood, structurally speaking, they will last for a long time. After planing to the proper size, cutting holes and slots is a somewhat complicated process. Once this building is built, it is quite successful. We like to see it assembled. The most impressive thing here is that this structure is assembled by one person. All rafters are cut and hand chiseled to size and hoisted in place. The panels were not delivered on time, so he had to use new panels instead of the old ones he expected.
Previously, [Chris] showed off his impressive hydropower facilities. We look forward to seeing the new solar panels power all the projects [Chris] plans in the future. Play the video after the break.