20 X 36 in Central Utah

[suburbancowboy]

Thanks for the replies.  The over hang will have fire wood in it.  I have some wood storage next to the cabin but I am the type that likes to have a years supply of stuff.
Part of my problem with the door was that I knew that it would be very heavy. So I had to go with heavy duty hinges.  The original plan was to go with 2 but after it was build half way I noticed how heavy it was going to be.  It ended up being over 100 pounds.  So I ended up going with 4 hinges.  If somebody wants to break in and get to the solar equipment they will need extra large bolt cutters or an ax. 

Can't wait to start installing the panels.  Hopefully by the end of September most of it will be done.  We will see how far the money goes.  I have one more 1000 dollar hay bill this year for the horses.

[Pritch]

Love the power house!  I've been playing around with a similar idea that would include solar water heating and a bathhouse. 

[suburbancowboy]

So I finally make it back up to the cabin yesterday.  I have been getting worried about an early winter on the mountain.  Here is what I saw when I was up there a couple of weeks ago.

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I needed to get my solar panels up to the cabin before it got snowed in.  It has been warm here for a few days, so I took the day off yesterday and hauled the panels up and got them installed on the roof.  It was an interesting challenge doing this by myself.  I put a board on the bottom of the roof to keep the panels from sliding off.  I then put the panel on the roof resting on the board.  Next I tied a rope around the panel and threw it over the roof to the other side.  I then climbed down the ladder and ran around the other side of the shed.  Climbed up another ladder. Grabbed the rope, pulled the panel to the top with the rope.  Then holding the rope I climbed down the ladder and tied off the rope.  Ran back to the front side.  Moved the ladder to under the panel hanging by the rope.   Climbed back up, positioned the panel to where I wanted it. I then put in 6 screws in the bottom Z brackets holding the panels up off the roof.  Back down the ladder again run to the back side, up the ladder.  Pull out the + and - cables, lift up the panel,  attached the grounding wire to each panel.  Next I put the screws in the top Z brackets.  One panel done.  I had to do this three time.  First one took about 90 minutes to figure out.  Second two took 45 minutes.  Worst of all I sized the roof for the three panel but didn't count on the z brackets hitting the ridges on the metal roof.  So I had to extend the roof width by 3 inches. 
I also got all the wiring to the inside.  I have designed the system to add three more panels next year in anticipation of living there full time in the summers in the next 3-5 years.  Here are some photos of what I got done.







I will post pics as progress continues.  Please comment if you see something that I have done wrong or that might be an issue later on.  I am patterning this after what Don did with his system.

[pmichelsen]

The only thing that sits uneasy with me is the cable running past the sharp edge of the metal roofing unprotected. This might not be an issue but it doesn't sit well with me. Other than that they look great, especially knowing you did it alone.

[suburbancowboy]

Great point pmi.  I will put something there next time I am up.  That could be a very bad place to have a short.

[Redoverfarm]

Great point pmi.  I will put something there next time I am up.  That could be a very bad place to have a short.

Wouldn't take much more than a small section of insulated pipe wrap. Slit one side and shove it on.

[UK4X4]

a piece of hose cut in half too can be used on the edge, beat it over and down - add a trim piece over the cut edge

it is a failure point and certainly needs sorting !

We are up at ours in Gran Mesa close 'ish to you, we had a foot of snow last week and last night / today its sleet and snow

Winter has officially started on the western slope !

The weather was so crap last night the six racoons raiding my bin spent 4 hours rumaging and playing under the trailer last night from 2am till 6ish
this morning !

Hopefully we don't get a repeat performance tonight with them chatterring and rumaging arround- they even got into the gas locker and opened it from the inside !

[MountainDon]

When modules are installed on roofs, and metal roofs in particular, I believe they is a need for a GFP device (ground fault protection) according to NEC. Just wondering if you have one. I do not claim to be up to speed on latest NEC requirements but there is something bouncing around in my brain about this; something to do about fire danger.  Small critters sometimes like to nest under panels in cool weather as the panels provide warmth. Small critters have been known to chew on wires....

There is also something about a danger of electrical shock if wiring was damaged and came in contact with the metal roof. This can be very dangerous with panels in series that may produce voltages higher than 48 VDC. DC higher than 48 volts can be lethal.

Sorry I don't have all the details.

[suburbancowboy]

So yesterday I had day two of very long boring training meetings, so I decided to go up to the cabin and work more on the solar for the cabin.  We had some snow up the previous few days but it wasn't to bad, just made thing very muddy.

So I took several peoples advice and put some protection on the wiring around where the wires comes off the edge of the roof.  I also bent down the metal some to make it more difficult to rub on anythings.  I will also put some protection where the wires run under panels.  Thanks don.  That will be for this weekend.



I also completed the venting for the battery box.  It is a 2" pvc pipe with a cap glued on and tiny holes drilled into it to keep the critters out.  I have one on one end of the box down low and one on the other end up high.  I then put silicone chaulking around the pipe to seal it.  My question is, with the tiny holes in the cap will this be enough to vent the gases?



Next I got the batteries wired together 2 sets of 4 6 volt GC batteries for a 24 volt system.  The cable are #2 copper.  I haven't put in the cable to connect the two end string + to + and - to -.  This will be a four foot cable.



The last thing I worked on was the combiner box and the charge controller.  A couple of words of advice to anybody building similar.  Don't use the midnight solar MN3 combiner box.  It is very small space and hard to move the wires around.  Also if you use #2 wiring be prepared to have to clip some of the wiring.  It is to large to fit into the bus bar holes.



Last question for the day.  I was thinking of connection the charge controller to one end of the battery string and connecting the inverter to the other end of the battery string.  Is this a good idea?  Or should the charge controller and inverter be connected at the same place?

Just for fun what do you think this paw print comes from?  It was at the end of my drive way as I was leaving yesterday morning.  It was a little larger than my hand.

[UK4X4]

Now that looks better protected- now add a cable clip or two to keep them all from moving and your done..

Holes look fine to me- above you usual snow depth ? or add a snorkle !

print---bear it has 5 toes...

[suburbancowboy]

Major success!!!  I finally got the solar shed done and the electrical connected to the cabin.   

So Saturday I went to the cabin to meet with the electrician that wired my cabin.  After a couple of hours, and some non typical wiring we got the electrical connected to the cabin.   I had him double check my work before we started turning on the components and he said I did a great job setting it up.  As we turned on each piece it preformed without any issues.  Only problem was that by the time we was done the sun was setting so I couldn't see what the panels were producing. 

So yesterday I couldn't stand it and took a half day off and went to the cabin.  The panels where working great.  The batteries were fully charged.  I couldn't wait for dark to check out the lights.  I didn't have to wait long as it gets dark here around 5:30.  So six hit and I walk around to all the light switches and the ceiling fan switch and they all worked great.  Now I kind of feel civilized.  So that night I watched two dvd's and left the lights on.  The next morning the "midnite solar" battery meter show me a green light at 80 percent.

Here is a picture of most of the components all working with the meter showing 100% battery charge.



Here is another pic of the shed and some of the wood storage.


On the way out this morning at 7 I ran into about 40 of these at the bottom of the mountain.  In the summer they hang around my land.

[Huge29]

Turning out very nicely, well done! 

[suburbancowboy]

So I finally made it back up to the cabin this year this last weekend.  The peace and quiet are priceless.   I was really wanting to see how the solar fared after sitting for four months.  When I got up there it was at 100% as expected.  During the day I worked on my laptop, watch a two hour dvd, ran lights and fan, watched a little basket ball.  End of the day I was still at 100%.  I have to say I love this system.  I might not need to expand my panels for a long time.
   We still have 6 to 24 inches of snow in most places.  I made it up on the 4 wheeler in the morning with no problems.  When I left in the after noon yesterday it was quite slushy.  Had to keep moving to keep from getting stuck.

Probably 4 more weeks before I can get up there in the truck.  Then the deck starts.  Anybody know if you need a permit to build a deck?  I know if I call the county they will say yes probably, they are money hungry.  It is going to be 8X20 feet, so I was wondering if there is some kind of square footage requirement like there is on buildings.  Here it is 200 sqft.

Here are a couple of photos that I took.

[suburbancowboy]

I have spent the past couple of weekend on my next project at the cabin.  My goal for this year is to get the deck build.  A couple of months ago, home depot was having a clearence sale on decking matterial.  I purchased enough for a 8X20 foot deck.  Here is where I left off end of day Sunday.



So Saturday I was sitting on my deck in the evening enjoy the view after dinner and this guy wanders into my camp.  I offered him a piece of leftover steak.  He then crawled onto my lap and sat for a spell.  After it started to get dark I went in to watch a movie.  He followed.  I left the door open a bit in case he wanted to leave.  He ended up spending the night.  In the morning we had breakfast and then went out to work.  After wandering around for thirty minutes he went into the trees and I didn't see him again.  He was very skinny.  I was going to take him home.  Oh well have a good life friend.

[GSPDOG]

He is a German Shorthair Pointer (GSP), I have three of them If he returns and you don't have a place for him let me know and I will in contact with a member in Utah from our GSP club and have someone come by and find him a home.  I hate to see a GSP left to wonder.  I would hope he is micro chipped.  Or hold on to him and I will post him at our site http://www.autumnoakskennel.net/ as a potential rescue/adoption.

[UK4X4]

Love the deck but more concerned over the dog !

He looks lovely, and yep a GSP a close cousin to our weimies

if he stayed over, he's homeless or lost

Probably pretty recently, as he's not gone feral yet and is still trusting of humans

Your in mountain lion and coyote country and he wont't last long without assistance.

The change from family pet to untrusting feral dog is swift and heartbreaking, see here about these two lost boxers and the owners struggle to get them home, almost worthy of a disney film, and luckily with a happy outcome

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/92334-Lost-my-adventure-buddy-s-Both-are-home-safe!?highlight=lost+boxers

[suburbancowboy]

That might be my next dog.  He was so sweet.  Wife said she would have been ok if I bought him home.  We are headed back up there this weekend.  So if I see him again.  He will be coming home with us.

[GSPDOG]

I have had nothing but Shorthairs for 30 years my kids grew up with two of them their whole life.  They make great family and hunting companions for those of us that love the great outdoors.  Good Luck I hope you find him I agree with UK4x4 he is a young one and with him staying over night he is either lost or was abandoned.

[rick91351]

I have had nothing but Shorthairs for 30 years my kids grew up with two of them their whole life.  They make great family and hunting companions for those of us that love the great outdoors.  Good Luck I hope you find him I agree with UK4x4 he is a young one and with him staying over night he is either lost or was abandoned.

When I hunted birds a lot I loved hunting behind German Shorthairs.  The good ones - the tough ones would go anywhere you sent them and they would just adjust their hunting style like magic to you.  They just sensed what you were thinking and wanting and without a lot of yelling and screaming and whistling.   But then there were the...    Hey Mister your dog is so out of control over here.  Nice dog!  (NOT)  Why don't you get your nice dog and go to the next like.........county.....

The good ones you just loved and bad ones and I now feel were most likely ill trained you just wanted to kill.  Now that I am older and retired I think I would like to try and train a couple but I am so not in shape for Chucker and Hungarian Partridge the main bird hunting up here.  But might be a good excuse to see if a 60 year old can get back into that kind of shape.  Chase the covey up the mountain  - down the mountain - then around the mountain - then up the mountain then down the......        

[GSPDOG]

When I hunted birds a lot I loved hunting behind German Shorthairs.  The good ones - the tough ones would go anywhere you sent them and they would just adjust their hunting style like magic to you.  They just sensed what you were thinking and wanting and without a lot of yelling and screaming and whistling.   But then there were the...    Hey Mister your dog is so out of control over here.  Nice dog!  (NOT)  Why don't you get your nice dog and go to the next like.........county.....

The good ones you just loved and bad ones and I now feel were most likely ill trained you just wanted to kill.  Now that I am older and retired I think I would like to try and train a couple but I am so not in shape for Chucker and Hungarian Partridge the main bird hunting up here.  But might be a good excuse to see if a 60 year old can get back into that kind of shape.  Chase the covey up the mountain  - down the mountain - then around the mountain - then up the mountain then down the......        

Been there but they are just fun to be around and I have a definite comfort level with Shorthairs, different dogs and different training styles most folks think you can train all dogs one way and you really have to understand the breed.  Some things are the same but you don't train retrievers the same way you would train a pointer.

Though a good day out with the dog on the mountain would be good either way.

[suburbancowboy]

Well I didn't see the dog this weekend.  Must have found a new home.

Here is a new pic on the progress on the deck.
I love how  the deck makes the cabin feel much larger.

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[GSPDOG]

Nice deck are there rail height restrictions?

[suburbancowboy]

I believe so.  The stiles are 4 feet.  Height on the deck comes to around 3 1/2 feet.  This is what I remember from when I did the railing in the cabin a couple of years ago.  I also used a 2X4 on the stile spacing, which is 3 1/2 inches. Code says 4 inches.  I mainly designed it to keep the grand kids from falling off the edge of the deck.  In the next week or two I will put on the metal roofing and flashing.

[OlJarhead]

Curious?  What size rafters on the porch?  Looks like 2x6 but maybe 2x8.  Also what pitch?  I'm pretty sure I'm going to need as much pitch as I can get and 2x6 is likely too thin unless I put them on 12" centers maybe.

I'll have a fair amount oof snow that can slough onto the roof of the deck of the main cabin roof so I'm trying to figure that in.

[Adam Roby]

The deck really does add another dimension to the cabin, I love the entire look of your cabin.  The railings do look high from this vantage point, probably because the spindles extend over the deck joists. 

I watched an episode of "This Old House" and they were measuring the spindles using an long elastic with markings measured at every 2 inches.  He would tack in one end and stretch to the other end, leaving the approximate 4" space between each spindle location but because of the elastic it did all of the adjustments so he just had to approximate and transfer the markings to the deck.  Pretty cool idea... not sure where he found that elastic though.