Building the Aluminum Structure for the Solar Aray

The whole structure was pre-cut and pre-drilled in Karl Hamson's
machine shop. The design was done on 3D software SketchUp.
The plan was that everything would fit together like a Meccano
Set, and it did.

As a small boy I had received a Meccano Set one
Christmas and had fun building a crane, and an excavator, etc. etc.
Now I had just as much fun 65 years later to assemble this structure.

An extract from the 3D design.

The Solar array consists of two parts, a 2-string array and a 3-string
array. They are sightly offset due to the extremely uneven ground.
The 2-string array is mostly done.

Working on the 3-string array.

The two arrays mostly done.

Close-up of intersection of diagonal and horizontal bracing.

Ditto

Close-up of the connection to the foundations columns.

Ditto

Ditto

The finished structure. Ready for mounting solar panels.

Pouring Concrete for the Solar Array Foundation

Paul is mixing the concrete.

Jordan is operating the vibrator

A sono-tube form (cardboard) for one of the columns, with re-bar and with the
3/4" galvanized bolt suspended in exactly the right place, as determined
by the 3D design. The solar array will be mounted on these bolts.

Shane is loading concrete from the wheel barrow into buckets for
carrying to the location up a steep trail - hard work for
Shane and Jordan. Shane's dog Buckwheat watching.

The elaborate jig 's purpose is to position all of the bolts in
exactly the right locations, such that the already pre-cut aluminum
structure will fit the foundation.

The forms have been removed, leaving the concrete foundations pads
and columns.Everything is sitting on hard bedrock, and the re-bar
extend into the bedrock.

Working on the Foundation of the Solar Array

Laying out the solar array on difficult ground, on the slope down
from the house.

There are 14 posts to be accurately located and fixed to the underlying rock.

Getting there, after checking and re-checking and re-checking.

Cutting and bending re-bar for reinforcement of the concrete.

Heavy duty re-bar cutter and bender.

Some of the pieces ready to be placed.

Sono Tubes will be used as forms for the concrete columns.

Drilling holes into solid rock for cementing
bolts and re-bar directly into Pender Island,
as we call any unmovable rock.

This is the re-bar structure inside one of the concrete columns.
The verticals are cemented 15cm (6") into Pender Island.

Making progress with putting together the re-bar structures.

A Third Blast of Winter - Followed by Spring

Another surprise blast of winter in early March

Needed to do some plowing of the upper driveway to get the car down.

When the weather is bad I can always work on the inside.
Here painting the upper parts of the ceiling joists from a
step ladder on top of scaffolding. Do I have enough ladders?

A nice winter sunset.

Finally, the daffodils have come out.

Judy gets the itch to dig in the dirt, establishing ornamental plants.

Arbutus trees on one of our favourite walks on Pender, Roe Islet.

Judy with Liz and Anders on a walk at Roe Islet.

Lady Arbutus.

Stonecrop growing in a crack in the rock.

Satellite Internet

Steve installting the satellite dish for Xplorenet satellite internet.

Fred cutting down a few trees to make a clearing in the sky
for satellite access.

Timber!

In the process we gained a clear view of a great Arbutus
tree that was previously hidden in the forest. Also a good
load of firewood for next winter.

Keeping Busy with Inside Tasks

Judy loves baking

...and making delicious bread.

How do you paint meters and meters of ceiling joists
without over-painting onto the rest of the ceiling?
Very carefully.

What do you do when you call it a day?
Stand back and admire the progress.

Painting in the loft.

A Second Blast of Winter

Snow on driveway

A walk in our forest to visit our Arbutus trees

Driveway??? LOL

Have to hike up and down like a Swiss mountain farmer.
Here transporting the replacement inverter for the off-grid system.

Ice art.