A Bowen

Its not a good idea to have loose solar panels, the wind or an animal can easily bump it and once a tiny crack starts that module is on its way to being trash ( or a recycling burden).
In the US you need to hardwired to a breaker, did you verify the wire feeding that outlet can handle the amperage your inverter puts out? What else is on the circuit?
As the landlady pointed out - dont run wires through a window or screen, its a bad idea for everyone.
Also the wires are in no way guarded from anything. What happens if someone trips and falls and lands on the wire? If the inverter works as it should it would turn off but you'll still get shocked by the DC which never turns off from dawn to dusk.

As for metering most meters are programmed (in the US) to count, the option to read inwards and outwards is an extra feature that the utility doesn't buy or install unless you tell them. The main reason to tell them is they safety check the system.

Ryan
Make the 450' run with whatever will have the higher voltage. If this is for off grid (12, 24, or 48V DC) then put the inverter at the modules and run the 120 or 240V AC line to the house.

If this was grid ties and your solar array is running 400+ Volts DC then put the inverter at the house.loads.

You will want to size the wires for voltage drop either way but at higher voltages (and lower amperage) the wire is less expensive.

No modules are priced consistently at $0.50/W that I have seen as an installer. So at this price you may be getting at best something being fire sale-d or at worse something with very poor quality and no warranty.

With any solar panel you want a company that has been around a minimum of 3-5 years and that you'll trust to stay in business. Trina and Canadian Solar are quality at budget prices and you can look into Hanwha.

Something you may look into are modules that are older and can not be competitively priced. If everyone is making 250W modules then 240 and 235 modules if you can find them will be a deal.

You want to get some Tyco or Multi Contact (MC 3 or MC4) connectors. However this assumes you are using 8AWG and small wires.

After re-reading your comment if the city inspector would not approve a rubble trench then what would they approve? Are you just looking for alternatives to a traditional concrete slab?

I cant say I have much home building or earthbag building experience but Ive been around construction for a long time and its probably worth a few calls to the AHJ and some builders/concrete companies. They should have a 'home built on a sand dune' example in the past. All the sand in NW Ohio is flat sand so maybe its more of an issue with shifting and moving.

Roman
Are you worried the rubble in the trench wont stay under the walls? I dont see why the sand wouldnt be supportive as packed sand doesnt have much give.

Im just about the start a shed project and have almost all sand but am forgoing the foundation as its just a shed.

Thanks, I had only seen the 'regular' flashing that didn't seem to be able to be worked like that.

Here are pictures of the barn (hopefully). Do you think that kind of flashing would really bend into all the grooves?

Was / Is the 60" horizontal run really horizontal or did it have a slight angle to it?

Hello
I have been reading up on rocket stoves, RMH's and wood stoves but my first question is can anyone help me with a chimney route? I have a quonset hut style barn that is galvanized steel and has ridges in the sides/roof after about 4' high. It looks like this http://www.americansteelspan.us/SModels.html
I was thinking a RMH would be great because I could vent out the 4' and lower wall but with its limited use a pocket rocket or traditional wood stove would most likely provide better fast and now heat. However do I go vertical and just caulk the heck out of my roof or go through the side then up (wasting all my heat?

The barn is about 25' x 40' with a 15' ceiling in the middle. I'm looking to take the chill out of a NW Ohio winter not hang out in shorts and t-shirts away from the house. Unfortuantly the building runs north/south and my end walls are plastic sided and have garage and walk doors.

Any suggestions?