Mini Excavator for Construction: Building Ground PV Power Stations Made Easy

If you are in need of a mini excavator for construction to finish a project, for example, to build a solar farm, but don’t know what kind of eacavators you need and the necessary accessories, this blog is for you. In this blog we’ll take Yufan’s successful case of providing an excellent solution to a PV System Integrator as example.

What are the Key Challenges in the Construction of Ground PV Power Station?

Our EPC customer mentioned the following problems they care during the construction process.

Photovoltaic power generation is mainly divided into two types: ground-mounted PV system and rooftop PV system. What we are talking about here is ground-mounted PV system.

1. The construction area is limited. We know that solar farms are full of panels and stands. We have to be careful not to collide with surrounding objects. Every step must be completed within a small area.

2. The ground is uneven, which affects the installation of mounting structures. When it rains, water might accumulate and bring some risks to construction.

3. The efficiency and precision of cable trenching is hard to control. the most common excavator applications in solar farm construction. Solar PV Plants have strict requirements for the length and width of trenches. We have to make sure the size does not deviate from the standard and reduce backfilling volume.

4. Rock and hard soil. Rock layers affect the process of construction. This will slow the excavation speed and delay the project.

5. Thousands of foundation points are required. We need fast hole drilling of the same size.

6. Equipment and material handling. With so many equipment and so much material to be transported, we have to improve our working efficiency.

How to Solve the Problems?

Don’t worry — high-quality mini excavators with some helpful accessories can solve all the problems above.

In order to be more flexible in operation, our equipment should be compact in size. So, large type excavators are out.

Mini excavators are able to work in confined spaces. They are usually less than 2 tons, so it’s convenient to drag them just with a trailer. No need to use heavy trucks. This saves you a lot of money.

What’s more, mini excavators consume less oil in operation, which also reduces cost. They are also user-friendly. They are less demanding on the operators than regular excavators. Since they are smaller in size, they are easier to learn and be proficient in operating. And light weight causes less damage to the roads.

The “zero tail swing” of our excavator also helps a lot. Zero tail swing means the upper structure of the excavator does not extend beyond the tracks when rotating. It allows safe operation in narrow spaces without hitting surrounding obstacles.

Helpful accessories and components

Besides the mini excavator, we also have some requirements for the accessories and components in building solar farms.

1. Auger

The first one is the high-precision auger. I guess this is also what you are most concerned about. Ground solar PV structures generally use screw piles or cast-in-place concrete piles. The hydraulic system of the excavator should be rather stable to ensure vertical drilling and consistent depth. It can easily and efficiently handle hundreds and thousands of drilling operations without any pressure.

2. Grading Beams, Tilting Buckets or Grapples

To grade and clear the land before installation, we need grading beams, tilting buckets or grapples. They are installed at the end of the arm and connected to the boom cylinder of the excavator. Grading beam is used to make smooth and even construction surface. Tilting bucket is deal for trenching, slope shaping and land grading. Grapple is suitable for handling logs, branches, stones, scrap and other bulky materials.

3. Narrow Bucket

As to the efficiency and precision of cable trenching, this can be ensured by equipping the mini excavators with a stable hydraulic system and 300mm narrow bucket. We dig trenches to lay DC/AC cables between PV arrays. A 300mm narrow bucket reduces soil excavation volume.

4. Swing Boom ＆ Retractable Track

In addition, the swing boom function enables close-edge operation along existing brackets or wall bases. The retractable track allows the excavator move through dense bracket arrays without damaging PV modules.

5. High‑Flow Hydraulic Pump

When facing rock and hard soil, a high-flow hydraulic pump is necessary. Our H-series mini excavator is equipped with a high-flow hydraulic pump. It provides steady torque for the auger, even in hard ground. The machine can keep running smoothly without stalling.

5. Pallet Fork

When it comes to the tasks of lifting and handling materials, the pallet fork comes in handy. In the construction process, many solar panels, inverters, and steel brackets are delivered to the site. The pallet fork is used to unload them. It can replace small forklifts to unload the material even on muddy construction sites.

Quick coupler attachment solution

After introducing all the accessories and components above, the solution is almost certain. On solar farms, we unload materials with pallet forks, trench with narrow buckets, and drill with augers. With a hydraulic quick coupler, the operator can switch attachments directly in the cab. This greatly improves work efficiency and speeds up the project.

This solution is also applicable to other industries

This solution can also be used across a wide range of other industries. They have a lot in common, we only need to make some adjustments to the solution. Here is a table comparing solar farm construction and other industries. See if it covers your industry.

Other possible solutions

1. Skid Steer Loader + Multiple Attachments

Skid steer loaders are compact and highly maneuverable. They are suitable for relatively flat construction sites.

Attachments:
Auger
Trencher
Grading blade / dozer blade
Standard bucket
Pallet forks

Applications:
Site leveling
Material handling
Trenching (with trencher attachment)
Post hole drilling (with auger)
Surface grading

2. Backhoe Loader + Multiple Attachments

Backhoe Loader has a front loader bucket and a rear backhoe arm. It combines the functions of digging and material handling.

Attachments:
Standard digging bucket
Narrow trench bucket
Hydraulic breaker
Auger
Pallet forks

Applications:
Foundation excavation
Cable trenching
Site cleanup and leveling
Material loading and unloading

Comparison Among Mini Excavator, Skid Steer Loader and Backhoe Loader.