I'm looking to set up a temporary solar mount this year that I'll be taking down by next spring. Instead of investing in unistrut for the mounting rails, I'm wondering about the potential risks or downsides of using pressure treated wood. I'm aware that I'd need to run a ground wire to each panel, but I have plenty of wire available at no extra cost. I also have a surplus of 2x4s. For reference, I'm planning to create a simple adjustable ground mount similar to this video: [link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYMU3PK2Bd0). The only change would be swapping metal rails with wood. The panels will be grounded with the rest of my home's grounding system, but I'm aware that using metal rails would require a lot of drilling.
4 Answers
With prices for ground mounts skyrocketing lately, wood might be your best bet! It might not last forever, but it gets the job done at a low cost. I had a similar situation where I needed something affordable, and I went for the wood option.
One major concern is that wood can warp over time, especially under weather stress. Spending time drilling might be a pain, but investing in a good drill bit like M35 cobalt will make it easier, trust me!
I actually built my solar racks from wood too! I used 2x6 perlins, and added ground screws with concrete blocks for stability. Instead of the standard mounting bolts, I replaced them with lag screws for a more secure fit. I also coated everything with deck sealer to help it endure. It should hold up pretty well!
When you mentioned ballast, do the panels sit directly on the ground, or do you attach ballast to the mounts?
Awesome clamping method you shared! Did you ground all the panels with self-drilling screws?
If you can swing it, consider spending a little more on steel angle iron instead. It’s a choice you definitely won’t regret in the long run.
I was originally leaning towards plain metal channels, but angle iron is even cheaper for me. Could you share a pic of how you set that up?
I get that! The effort seems daunting since you’ll dismantle it in just a year. I also considered using pallet rack beams but wood seems to be the cheaper choice.