A few items are not included with the Practical Solar Heliostat System because they are common products that can be purchased locally at stores like Home Depot or Lowes Home Improvement for less money than the shipping alone would cost if ordered through Practical Solar. If customers have trouble finding any of these items, they should contact Practical Solar. Please note that the prices included are approximate.
For all installations
- 12 In. x 12 In. plain edge mirror tiles (8) ≈ $10 per pack of 6
- Stranded 2-conductor cable with overall jacket (length determined by customer; see chart below for help with
wire gauges) = < $0.18 per foot for 20 or 22 AWG.
Note: stranded (not solid) cable must be used where the cable attaches to the heliostat.
- General purpose RTV silicone sealant & caulking gun (Practical Solar recommends a thick translucent sealant, such as GE Silicone II Window & Door Sealant clear [10.1 oz], Momentive RTV108 [10.1 oz], or Dow Corning 733 clear [300ml]) ≈ $6 -$13 for sealant; $3-$5 for caulk gun
For ground installations
- 2-3/8" x 6 ft. galvanized steel pole (also called a “terminal” or “end” post for chain link fence) ≈ $14.
Note: This is a standard pole in the U.S. Elsewhere, it would measure 60 mm diameter.
- 2-3/8" aluminum post cap (domed, not acorn-shaped) ≈ $1.50
- 60-80 lb. bag concrete mix ≈ $2.50-$5
Maximum recommended cable lengths (in feet) between driver box and heliostat array
| # of Heliostats | 24 AWG | 22 AWG | 20 AWG | 18 AWG | 16 AWG | 14 AWG | 12 AWG |
| 1 | 125 | 200 | 300 | 500 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2 | 75 | 100 | 150 | 250 | 400 | -- | -- |
| 4 | 40 | 50 | 80 | 130 | 200 | 300 | 500 |
| 8 | -- | 30 | 40 | 60 | 100 | 150 | 250 |
| 16 | -- | -- | 20 | 30 | 50 | 80 | 130 |
| 32 | -- | -- | -- | 20 | 30 | 40 | 60 |