Solar garage

[Edgemonton]

This is to detail the construction of my new garage.

Here is a Sketchup rendering of it.

 

[MKE Mike]

I get to be the first to say WELCOME! Lots of good ideas here. More info on your build?

 

[Edgemonton]

I get to be the first to say WELCOME! Lots of good ideas here. More info on your build?

Thank you, for now this will be mostly backdating posts as the garage construction started last september.

The garage is a 24x28 garage with a 8/12 'storage' trusses. The size of the roof area was largely built to accomadate the 6kW grid tied photovoltaic array.

 

[Edgemonton]

This is the 22x24 garage that was there before.

August 10, 2013 - After many hours of destruction. The entire thing was taken down by hand with a little help from a Hilti concrete saw.

August 13, 2013 - Second bin later.

August 16, 2013 - Time for a little concrete destruction.

 

[baggedcobra]

Interesting build. My brother was just quoted $10k to get electric ran to his garage and he's considering going solar. I'd be interested in knowing what your total cost is for the solar setup and how well it works. My brothers garage sits on top of a hill in the corner of a field so it gets a ton of direct sunlight. Should work well.

 

[dubber]

Welcome. Looks like a cool build. Can i assume by your screen name that your an Albertan? I grew up in the Garneau area.

 

[Edgemonton]

September 23, 2013 - Post site prep and form work installation.

I installed conduits to have a clean run to feed the house power + internet.

 

[Edgemonton]

Welcome. Looks like a cool build. Can i assume by your screen name that your an Albertan? I grew up in the Garneau area.

You are correct, I as well am from and currently am living in Edmonton.

 

[55cadillacking]

Edmonton has sun? Hehe. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Edgemonton]

September 25, 2013 - Rebar set and insulation laid

September 28, 2013 - Concrete poured, forms stripped.

 

[Fueler]

Subscribed. To the OP, when the time comes please spare nothing to show us all about the Solar system.

 

[Autorotica]

Solar electric or thermal... or maybe both?

Chris

 

[Edgemonton]

Solar electric or thermal... or maybe both?

Chris

Solar electric.

Edmonton has sun? Hehe. Welcome to the forum.

Believe it or not, Edmonton is actually one of the best solar cities in Canada (locationally anyways) Our local government policies and support is another story.

 

[Edgemonton]

September 30th - October 1st - Raising of the walls.
Wall height, 8'6", 3/8" plywood. North and south walls framed with 2x6 studs. East and west walls framed 2x4 on 2x6 plates staggered to maximize insulation.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/ericpenel/IMG_4783_zps17b3d553.jpg

 

[paranoid56]

did you raise those walls by yourself?

 

[R6 Racer]

Great looking project! Welcome to the board!
I'm also looking forward to seeing your solar set up. I have a shed planned for this coming fall or next spring (most likely next spring) & my plan is to do something similar to yours

Steve

 

[stoffels]

Great project ! Subscribed

 

[Edgemonton]

The roof trusses arriving, the neighbours were generous to let me use their parking pad to store them till help arrived for the lifting of them into place.

Though it was worth showing my cutting station, it was a rainy fall so having cover to continue working along on the limited days I had to finish the whole project was crucial. Notice the location, had the conductor previously feeding the old garage repurposed into a construction service for my cutting station.

 

[Edgemonton]

did you raise those walls by yourself?

Just me, a couple wall jacks and a step ladder.

 

[svtride]

And for now, here is a little taste of what It will (does) look like.

Build is looking good. Good Luck..

Here is my Solar Garage.
Garage was completed 2010 and I had the system and panels installed Sept 2013. Qty 25 SunPower panels ~ 8.3kW.

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[Edgemonton]

October 2nd, 2013 - Raising the trusses. Had to wait till the evening to have help. Five of us total.

Since I would not have the help the next day I had us simply get all the trusses up and I could finish the roof on my own later.

 

[socapots]

Sounds like a great build. I can't see pic on tapa for some reason. But I'm sure its on my end. Just posting so I can find the topic later and check out the pics.

 

[Edgemonton]

October 3rd - Work on the ladders on the east side of the garage.

October 5th - Started sheathing what I could of the roof.

 

[Edgemonton]

October 13th 2013 - As things being strait forward is less fun... here we go.
I had the good luck of my old service running through the last few trusses of my roof. So I had to leave off finishing the end of my roof till the line was relocated. As such I moved on to finishing the siding on the east wall of the garage. This let me mount the meter box as well as mast on the wall.

To get the minimum height over the alley on the new service I needed ~5ft above the roof line, therefore, 2.5" rigid conduit.

Lastly, digging a trench from the side of the garage all the way to the house. Hindsight says, should have run as much of the conductor inside the garage instead of in the ground. Digging by hand was a lot of work. Managed to hit 2 large root stumps I thought had been ground by the stump grinding company.

 

[captain14]

Looking good so far. Solar power for house too? Storage batteries are going to be located where? Interested in this thread and will read with interest.

 

[socapots]

Good stuff man.

 

[Edgemonton]

Looking good so far. Solar power for house too? Storage batteries are going to be located where? Interested in this thread and will read with interest.

Thanks, This system will provide power for the house yes.

This system is 'grid tied' meaning it essentially uses the local power grid as the battery. I would really rather stay away from the expense and hassle of batteries.

The only major downside to grid connected systems is that if the grid goes down, Your system also goes down.

 

[BRIANBB]

Just curious, This is basically a floating slab? I thought you were supposed to go down below the frost line for footings? Good looking build by the way.

 

[Edgemonton]

Just curious, This is basically a floating slab? I thought you were supposed to go down below the frost line for footings? Good looking build by the way.

It is a floating slab. You can go bellow frost line but it's not common for garages in this area.

I looked at it but it was a VERY large price increase so I decided against it.

 

[Edgemonton]

October 13th , 2013 - Due to time constraints regarding getting the roof closed in before the snow, I decided to have a friend come and install the garage door for me.

This freed me time to work on framing the ladders for the lookouts. Based on the pain it was to build them on the roof I decided to build them as single pieces on the ground and lift them into place after.

 

[Edgemonton]

The mast/ panel board and conductor to feed the house being installed meant I could now book the service change. It being so late in the year means every new construction and their dogs are trying to get service changes at this time. I was told it would be two weeks before I could get mine done.

This led me to choose plan B, prop up the line with a 2x4 so I could keep going on closing the roof.

I made a wooden cross at the end of a long 2x4 and wrapped it in old inner tubes to make it as safe as possible.

Now I was free to go full speed ahead on placing the final trusses, finishing the framing on the roof and stapling down the sheathing.


October 16th, 2013 – The south face sheathing complete and a good view of the cross holding the service.

 

[Edgemonton]

October 16 -24th, 2013 – Several hours spent every day after work hammering away at the shingles.
This being my first roof was quite the learning experience. I decided very quickly after doing the first rows by hand to purchase a shingle nailer, got a smoking good deal on a used one from Home D tool rentals.
I made the mistake of trying to apply the black felt over the entire roof surface and applying shingles after. Came home from work the next day to a big mess all over my yard and a roof stripped back to bare. The 8/12 slope is not fun to work on, after doing this project I have a ton more respect for roofers. I have no idea how they do it every day all ‘year’.

I did however learn a lot from doing the south slope and the north one went a whole lot faster.
I applied four rows at a time and worked my way across cutting off the ends and using them on the other ends next row up.
I nailed 2x4’s on the roof and carried all the bundles to the top, and importantly I got a whole lot more comfortable and confident walking around on that slope.
As a side note for safety, I screwed the top of the ladder into the fascia.

North face

 

[Edgemonton]

October 25th, 2013 - Cut in the conductors for the mast into the meter socket.

And the conductors cut into the panel board.

EPCOR finally changing out the service.

And my bare support, making my garage look a whole lot more holy then it is.

Service change done, time to finish the last bit of the shingles along the ridgeline.

And I cut out the windows.

 

[dwaynesmithz]

Great project looking good as I've seen it on your posted picture.

 

[Edgemonton]

Worth mentioning, I was able to salvage Roxull offcuts from work that were destined for the garbage.

I wish I had had my truck for this endeavour, It took many loads on very warm days with the windows rolled up.

There will be enough to insulate the entire garage walls however.

 

[TomcoPDR]

Those Canadian tire work stands are awesome. They go on sale all the time $9.99-$12.99

 

[GRN96WS6]

I can't imagine how much of a pain it was to clean your car out after hauling insulation in it!

 

[dubber]

I can't imagine how much of a pain it was to clean your car out after hauling insulation in it!

I was thinking the same thing. But great job saving something destined to the garbage.

 

[Mr. 360]

Good job packing that car full, and saving money by recycling all that (essentially new) insulation.

Will be nice to see the array go up on this, too bad grid tied systems don't allow you to pull any power for your own garage, but then with what they pay you per kw/h, it makes more sense anyways (assuming Alberta's rates are similar to Ontario's).

 

[socapots]

Now that's some recycling. God job on the insulation saving.