Solar Stu has come to run a health check on Steve. After three years of trying and failing, our teens have now produced a solid structure that anyone would be happy to let their baby sleep under. However, we need to find out whether the roof is facing the right way and slanted at a helpful angle to maximise our solar harvest. Stu says yes: it faces South/South-West –ish and the angle is acceptable, about 25 degrees. There are no trees or other buildings shading it.
Is the roof strong enough though? The Mentors say hopefully: “It’s very strong: the kids are always climbing about on there.” (We do realise all that larking atop Steve will have to stop once the panel is up there. It’s the only downside of the project, having to make Steve not climbable.)
Solar Stu goes up to have a look. He doesn’t fall through the roof. The Mentors celebrate internally.
“Hmm… OK. But it’s made out of lots of different materials and that will make it hard to fix the panel on securely. Tell me… does it leak?”
“A little bit…”
“Well, as part of this project, we could just make it – not leak? Why don’t you just put some corrugated metal roofing sheets up there and then you’ll have a dry shelter and securely fixed panels.”
We set about measuring and ordering sheets. Sun goes down on Day 1.
