Construction of solar arch?

[Graham376]

I think >30mm is typically 2mm wall as standard. Without wanting to speak for Paul, I’m not personally convinced by beefing up the wall thickness beyond the ‘standard’ for the chosen/given diameter.

I have some very thick wall but smallish diameter tube I was generously given by a boatyard neighbour. It’s ‘nice and thick’ - but weighs a tonne for what it is and looks a fiend to bend. It gives the sense it was made for something else. Thus I haven’t yet found a use for it!

Ours is made mainly from 40mm x 1.5mm, had someone local to bend it for me. Because of the weight it carries (100kg dinghy and outboard plus 320w solar), it's deck and sugar scoop mounted. Don't underestimate the accelerated load when rolling, our panels are about 4m above c of g.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Regarding bending stainless tube, you won't bend it with a plumbers hand bender.

25mm stainless can be bent by hand though, no need for a hydraulic bender. You will need proper formers though, to get decent bends. I used to bend 1" stainless and T45 with a bender like this: pipe bender Hilmor | eBay

You need the cast steel former, like this, which includes the essential former guide: Record conduit bending former and guide bar 25mm also fits hilmor bender | eBay

I have also bent 1 1/4" T45 aircraft tube using the same bender. We used to slip a 6ft length of scaffold tube over the handle and bolted the bender to the floor.

 

[8242karen]

Span just over 3m and fully welded and polished, it was made by a mate who had a fabrication company working mostly making food factory equipment, the angles are welded long radius bends cut back to fit required angle, tig welded and polished. Any good stainless welder could do this, the hard bit is getting the angles and dimensions to be made away from the boat. Materials cost me £300 and labour £500 at mates rates. The 25mm tube was chosen to match the push pit rail is was to fit off for the back rail. You will note the side rails are not quite right as the measurements were a bit off but was not worth redoing it

Hi could you tell me where you got your solar arch made please ? I am in Whitehaven and really struggling even to get quotes!

 

[Daverw]

It was made by a friend who had a fabrication company, he has retired now so no longer works.

 

[[194497]]

1.5mm should be fine but in my limited experience framework design is at least if not more important than materials. Triangles are what you want, in all three dimensions.

 

[Daverw]

If you cannot find someone who will come a do a design and quote, find a normally fabricator, ask them if make a pattern will they make one in stainless, then make one from 22mm copper tube, solder fittings etc get it how you want it then ask them to copy. I did mine in plastic tube and it just about worked but would have been far easier in copper tube