Two Homes, One Array, No Good Roof
Rural properties often have more land than usable roof. Here, one property had two homes and an open yard with full sun. A ground mount made more sense than splitting panels across two roofs.
The catch: two homes means two electrical services, two permits and two battery systems. The single array had to be engineered as two independent systems that just happen to share a structure.
Foundations were the other half of the job. The structure sits on driven ground screws and drilled, poured concrete piers, with a footing inspection before the steel went up and stamped structural addenda issued during construction.
The Build, Photographed
Job-site photos from the finished installation. Click any photo to enlarge.
Scope Delivered
Engineered Ground Mount
An 8 x 4 module layout on IronRidge rail and 3-inch steel pipe beams and columns, anchored by ground screws and concrete piers.
Two Solar + Battery Systems
The array splits into two permitted systems, each feeding its own Tesla Powerwall 3 and Backup Switch, so each home keeps power when the grid goes down.
Trenching + Underground
Trenched and ran underground conduit from the array to both homes, with combiner and junction boxes at the array.
How We Built It Right
Foundations built for the long haul
Ground screws and drilled concrete piers carry the structure, inspected at the footing stage. A ground mount is only as good as what holds it in the dirt, and this one is built to sit square for decades.
Panels at the right tilt, not the roof's
A ground mount sets its own angle and azimuth, so the array faces the sun the way the engineer wants instead of the way the roof happens to face. It is also easy to reach for cleaning and service.
Backup on both homes
Each home has a Powerwall 3 and a Tesla Backup Switch, so either house can ride through an outage independently. That matters on a rural property, where restoration can take longer.
What This Project Proves for Your Property
If you have land and a roof that is shaded, small or in poor shape, a ground mount can outperform rooftop solar and keep the roof out of it entirely. Keen designs, engineers, permits and builds them, foundations included.
See our residential solar page for how we approach homes, from single rooftops to multi-structure properties.
Questions About Projects Like This
Is a ground mount better than rooftop solar? +
Can one array serve two houses? +
Want This Quality on Your Property?
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