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Revlac

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Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1147

Posted: 02:29am 29 Jun 2025

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Quote In hindsight I should have made the corner mounts the same as the rest ... would have been so much easier.

I have learned to do this sort of thing without having to line up bolt holes, while suspending the large solar mount frames (done 4 of them now) the last one was 12m long, always use angle or channel and U-Bolts or welded studs, just some method (the frame can sit in) that doesn't require lining up holes, I lifted the frames with the Excavator and bolted the frames to the mounts, had to do the last one with no help from anyone and I had it bolted and secure faster than I could undo the 4 chains that I lifted it with.

The other Bonus is the Excavator didn't drift out of place like the old one did back in those days of fun.

Good luck with your install, be nice to see it up there working for you.

Cheers Aaron
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rogerdw
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Joined: 22/10/2019
Location: Australia
Posts: 904

Posted: 04:38am 29 Jun 2025

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Revlac said just some method (the frame can sit in) that doesn't require lining up holes,

That there is wisdom! Wish I had realised that before.

I have actually marked it all out and drilled the holes now ... and am pretty comfortable that they are correct ... though I'll have egg on my face if they are wrong. But it has taken a lot of time getting them correct.

I took a long length of timber up on the roof and pressed marks into it from the heads of the studs.

Then I drilled my first hole in the frame and worked from there, triangulating all the distances and transfering them over. Was especially nice to see a third angle cross over the centrepoint of another two marks ... gives me a lot more confidence.

Revlac said The other Bonus is the Excavator didn't drift out of place like the old one did back in those days of fun.

Haha, that could be tricky and dangerous too I imagine. I had enough trouble this morning with the trolley jack sagging as I was trying to level the frame out. I had to support the frame from the ends so my timber would fit across underneath to transcribe these holes ... so the frame was drooping in the middle pretty badly. Would have been easier with some help ... but it's less drama by myself. I had my young fellow up on the roof yesterday holding the tape measure but he isn't fond of heights and I didn't fancy dragging him out again to help.

He did spend a couple hours up in the ceiling with me yesterday and hopefully learned a bit ... and was helpful passing me tools and bolts etc.

Thanks for the well wishes ... and yes it will be nice to see it working after all these years.
Edited 2025-06-29 14:47 by rogerdw

Cheers, Roger

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