Solar tracker foundations
A method for installing one or more solar module A-frame supports includes: creating a bore extending a depth below a ground surface, placing a temporary support jig adjacent the bore, inserting a leg of a solar module A-frame support into the bore such that a portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support is within the bore and a portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support contacts the temporary support jig, when the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support is within the bore and the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support contacts the temporary support jig, pouring concrete into the bore, and, after pouring concrete into the bore, removing the temporary support jig from contact with the leg of the solar module A-frame support.
1 . A method for installing one or more solar module A-frame supports comprising:
creating a bore extending a depth below a ground surface;
placing a temporary support jig adjacent the bore, the temporary support jig comprising a first jig leg, a second jig leg, and a leg receiving opening that intersects a longitudinal axis of the first jig leg and a longitudinal axis of the second jig leg, wherein the temporary support jig is placed adjacent the bore such that the leg receiving opening is axially aligned with the bore;
inserting a leg of a solar module A-frame support into the bore such that a portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support is within the bore and a portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support directly contacts the temporary support jig;
when the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support is within the bore and the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support directly contacts the temporary support jig, pouring concrete into the bore; and
after pouring concrete into the bore, removing the temporary support jig from direct contact with the leg of the solar module A-frame support.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporary support jig is placed at the ground surface and above the bore.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first jig leg is placed at the ground surface above the bore at a first side of the bore and the second jig leg is placed at the ground surface above the bore at a second side of the bore different than the first side of the bore.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the leg of the solar module A-frame support is inserted into the bore such that the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support directly contacts the temporary support jig at the leg receiving opening between the first jig leg and the second jig leg.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein, when the temporary support jig is placed at the ground surface and above the bore, the first jig leg and the second jig leg contact the ground surface and the leg receiving opening, defined between the first jig leg and the second jig leg, is above the ground surface and axially aligned with the bore such that a vertical axis, relative to ground, extends through the leg of the solar module A-frame support and through the leg receiving opening.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporary support jig is removed from direct contact with the leg of the solar module A-frame support after the concrete poured into the bore has cured.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the leg of the solar module A-frame support is inserted into the bore such that the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support within the bore extends within the bore along an axis perpendicular to the ground surface.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support within the bore is integral with the portion of the leg of the solar module A-frame support that contacts the temporary support jig.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bore is created to extend the depth below the ground surface such that a first portion of the bore at a first depth below the ground surface has a first bore width and a second portion of the bore at a second depth, different than the first depth, below the ground surface has a second bore width different than the first bore width.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second depth is further below the ground surface than the first depth, and wherein the second bore width is greater than the first bore width.
11 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the bore is a first bore, the temporary support jig is a first temporary support jig, and the leg of the solar module A-frame support is a first leg of the solar module A-frame support, and further comprising:
creating a second bore extending a depth below the ground surface;
placing a second temporary support jig adjacent the second bore;
inserting a second leg of the solar module A-frame support into the second bore such that a portion of the second leg of the solar module A-frame support is within the second bore and a portion of the second leg of the solar module A-frame support contacts the second temporary support jig;
when the portion of the second leg of the solar module A-frame support is within the second bore and the portion of the second leg of the solar module A-frame support contacts the second temporary support jig, pouring concrete into the second bore; and
after pouring concrete into the second bore, removing the second temporary support jig from contact with the second leg of the solar module A-frame support.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first bore and the second bore are created simultaneously.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bore created to extend the depth below the ground surface has a volume equal to or less than 0.15 cubic meters, and wherein a volume of the concrete poured into the bore is equal to or less than 0.15 cubic meters.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporary support jig comprises a first jig leg and a second jig leg, and wherein the first jig leg and the second leg are a same length.