BACK40 SOLAR VC1-HR4 User manual

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BACK40-SOLAR.COM
UNIVERSAL SCALABLE
SOLAR PANEL
GROUND MOUNT KIT

MODELS & SIZES BACK 40
SOLAR
BACK 40
SOLAR
Vertical
Column (VC)
Horizontal
Rows (HR)
Vertical Columns
1x 2x 3x 4x Larger
4x Horizontal Rows
(Number of Larger
Solar Panels ex. 300w)
VC1-HR4
(4 Panels)
VC2-HR4
(8 Panels)
VC3-HR4
(12 Panels)
VC4-HR4
(16 Panels)
VC -HR4
8x Horizontal Rows
(Number of Smaller
Solar Panels ex.100w)
VC1-HR8
(8 Panels)
VC2-HR8
(16 Panels)
VC3-HR8
(24 Panels)
VC4-HR8
(32 Panels)
VC -HR8
Rough Array
Dimensions
7’ Wide
X
16’ Deep
10’ Wide
X
16’ Deep
15’ Wide
X
16’ Deep
20’ Wide
X
16’ Deep
Beams
Posts
* Exact Dimensions vary with angle and solar panel size

Panels-to-Rail
Fastening
Foundation
Cement Post Holes
Rail-to-Pipe
Fastening
MAIN COMPONENTS
Tee Cap &
Pipe Substructure
BACK 40
SOLAR

PARTS NEEDED BACK 40
SOLAR
Vertical Columns of Solar Panels
VC1 VC2 VC3 VC4
Rough Array
Dimensions
(Feet, Wide x D)
7x16 10x16 15x16 20x16
Post Holes 4 4 6 8
Bags of Cement
Needed*
8 8 12 16
Steel Pipe Required*
for Substructure (2”)
50’ 50’ 75’ 100’
* Customer Supplied 2in steel pipe (2-⅜” OD)
OTHER PARTS NEEDED
- Cement for Post Holes
- 2 Inch Steel Pipe
Schedule 40 (2” ID, 2 ⅜ ”OD)
Vertical Columns of Solar Panels
VC5 VC6 VC7 VC8
Rough Array
Dimensions
(Feet, Wide x D)
25x16 30x16 35x16 40x16
Post Holes 10 12 14 16
Bags of Cement
Needed*
20 24 28 32
Steel Pipe Required*
for Substructure (2”)
125’ 150’ 175 200’
* Customer Supplied 2in steel pipe (2-⅜” OD)

REQUIRED TO INSTALL BACK 40
SOLAR
A
LEVEL
GROUND LEVEL
LATITUDE
OF INSTALL
A
Fixed Full
Year Angle
27°
(Corpus Christi) 23°
30°
(Houston) 26°
35°
(Albuquerque) 30°
40°
(Denver) 34°
45°
(Yellowstone) 37°
TOOLS REQUIRED
- Auger or post hole digger
- Cement mixing equipment
- Measuring tape
- Compass (or App for True North)
- Level for aligning poles
- Sawsall or similar for cutting steel pipe
- Socket & Adjustable Wrenches
- Hex wrench set
South

SITE WORK
Front post holes and back
post holes should be lined
up true north and south
with the shorter front posts
towards true south.
Holes should be 6’ 8” apart
(80” on center). Ensure
square with tee or with
diagonal distances which
between posts should
measure 113 ⅛”.
30” - 48”
1. Locate and dig holes
2. Set Vertical Posts in Holes
Bury the pipe between 30
to 48 inches in the ground
based on your site’s frost
line and local code (30’’
minimum). It is
recommended to use at
least two bags of
concrete per hole for
secure mounting,
especially in areas with
high winds, soft ground or
high snow loads. If
concrete is not available,
bury pole deeper.
80”
More
posts at
same
spacing if
needed
80”
90
80”
80”
113 ⅛”
SITE WORK BACK 40
SOLAR
North
South

POST LAYOUT
80” Center to Center
(pole spacing
continues every 80”
for larger mounts)
80” Center to Center
Front View
Side View
POST LAYOUT BACK 40
SOLAR
South

Latitude Full Year
Fixed Angle
Front Post
Height
Above
Ground
Front Post
Total Length
A*
Rear Post
Height Above
Ground
B*
Rear Post
Total Length
25°
(Key West) 22.1° 24” 54” 56” 86”
30°
(Houston) 25.9° 24” 54” 63” 93”
35°
(Albuquerque) 29.7° 24” 54” 70” 100”
40°
(Denver) 33.5° 24” 54” 78” 108”
45°
(Minneapolis) 37.3° 24” 54” 84” 114”
50°
(Winnipeg) 41.1° 24” 54” 94” 124"
*24’’ standard front post height above ground with 30” depth in ground. To increase or
decrease overall array height, add or subtract the same amount from both front and rear
post. If installing deeper than 30” in ground, add additional length to each post
30in
24in
30in
54in
BA
POST LENGTHS (Method 1) BACK 40
SOLAR

POST LENGTHS (Method 2)
1. Cut 10 ft long 2” pipes in half for the front posts (5ft length) and
use full 10ft lengths for the back posts.
2. Set all posts at least 30’’ in the ground using concrete
3. Using a straight edge (lumber, panel rails or pipes all work) and
digital angle measurement (most smartphones have an app) lay
the lumber from 24’’ up the front post to the back post. Adjust the
back height in order to achieve the proper angle as shown on the
prior page.
a. Mark front and back post cut heights
b. Repeat for other pairs of front and back posts
4. Double check measurements by laying a straight edge between
marks on back posts and then marks on front post to make sure
marks are level
5. After double checking measurements, cut posts to the proper
marked height
24in
Adjust height to
achieve proper
angle. Mark all
posts, double check
and cut to height
BACK 40
SOLAR

3. Attach Tee Caps to Tops of Posts
Place a Tee Cap over the top of
each of your posts, aligning the
indentation for the Cross Beam
pipe to be East/West. The holes
in these parts will allow for the
U-Bolts to fasten the pipe down.
Tighten the set screws with the
included Hex wrench to 11 ft-lbs
of torque. Torque top screw
first, then bottom screw.
4. Fasten Cross Beam Pipes
Once all the Tee Caps are in
place on top of the posts, lay
the horizontal beam pipes in
the indentations. Place your
U-Bolts over the pipes and into
the slots in the Tee Cap. Do this
for the front beams and the
back beams. If needed, butt
ends of 2 horizontal beams
together on top of a tee so
each beam gets a U-Bolt and
the pipe union is centered on
the Tee Cap.
Add washers and nuts from
below to the thread of the
U-Bolts and tighten firmly.
PIPE SUBSTRUCTURE
PIPE SUBSTRUCTURE BACK 40
SOLAR

PIPE SUBSTRUCTURE
RAIL JOINING BACK 40
SOLAR
A. Create a long rail by joining two panel
rails end to end using the rail joining
L-plates.
Centerline F
B. Insert six 5/16” bolts into
the plate through the
bottom and side. Bolt heads
will slide into slots in rails as
you pull them towards the
Centerline.
C. The gap should be
minimized at the Centerline
of the joining plate before
tightening all the flange
nuts on the bottom and
side. Tightening one at a
time helps ensure the two
rails are even and flush.
Spec: 11 ft-lbs

6. Fastening Rails to Cross Beams
The Panel Rails will be attached
to the Horizontal Pipe Beams
using a U-Bolt assembly, the
remaining 5/16” bolts, and the
Rail-to-Pipe steel plates shown
at right.
Attach two plates to each long
rail loosely with the 5/16” bolts,
and flange nuts. Bolt heads
slide into the slot in the rail
from the end and go through
the holes in the side of the L
plate without the slots.
Position the rails evenly front to
back and side to side on the
beams and make sure the rails
are parallel.
Move the U-Bolts into position
from underneath and guide the
bolts through the holes. Fasten
the U-Bolts in place on the pipe
(at the same spacing as the rails
next to it) using the washers
and nuts.
Tighten all the nuts of the
carriage bolts and U-Bolts to
secure the rails to the beams.
Rails should not slide east/west
or north south.
PIPE SUBSTRUCTURE
RAILS-TO-PIPE BACK 40
SOLAR

PANELS-TO-RAILS BACK 40
SOLAR
We will be using END clamps (G) to
secure the ends of the panels and
MID clamps (H) to secure and attach
adjoining panels. Both types consists
of the clamp, a bolt, and a T-nut.
These can be loosely assembled, and
the nuts can be inserted into the
channel lengthwise of the Panel Rails
from the ends or in the middle. The
T-nut locks in place perpendicularly
to the channel as tightened.
END Clamp
MID Clamp
G
H
Start with setting
one panel on the
rails and using
two END clamps
and secure the
first panel near
the end of the
rails by tightening
the bolts with a
hex wrench.
Add the second panel and secure
it with the first panel using a MID
clamp.
Continue adding one panel at a
time until all panels are secured.
Finish by adding the last two END
clamps. Tighten all bolts.
Spec: 4 ft-lbs

HR4
Models
HR8
Models
Mount in
Horizontal
Landscape
Orientation
4 Panels per
Vertical Column
PIPE SUBSTRUCTURE
PANELS-TO-RAILS BACK 40
SOLAR
Mount in
Horizontal
Landscape
Orientation
8 Panels per
Vertical Column
G H H H G
G H H H H H H H G

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- The Back 40 Team

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FOR FARMS,
RANCHES &
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