Made the trip back to the bunker this past weekend to begin removing the trash and assess the damage a little more thoroughly. The damage was deeper than we had thought. The solar panels were intact but the wires and connectors were burned off and the grid tie inverter was cooked. The water panels front glass was gone and the solder had melted from the copper pipes inside. The air conditioner has an undetermined problem that wasn't a problem because the temp was COLD. So, I'll be out of the solar business if I can find someone to take them off my hands(37 high voltage panels).
As you can see from the pictures two of the trailers were destroyed and the third with no bed became a trailer sand witch for a trip to the junk yard. The small crane that I have was perfect for the job of lifting the 16'flatbed into the 20 footer and then lifting the Wells cargo into the flatbed. I had to cut the axles off so the width would work out but they fit like a glove. Next trip I will have a bed and side boards on the 20' and haul the axles and other steel off. They only pay $100 a ton but something is better than nothing. Maybe I'll make enough to pay for the four new tires I had to buy.
The trip back to Austin was an adventure. After creeping down the road about 20 MPH under the speed limit to take the trailers into Fort Stockton. They had a much harder time unloading than I had loading and managed to bend the frame and snap a weld at the tail gate. The magnetic tail light wires were too short and fell off with any bump. A DPS trooper pulled me over because I looked so suspicious and we had a nice chat. No ticket. The XO and I pulled back on the hi way and in a mile or so one of the lights fell off. I got out and re-attached the lens-less tail light. Two miles further what was left of the tail gate fell off and while I walked back to pick it up the trooper stopped and gave me a ride back to the truck with the tail gate balanced on his trunk lid. Made it almost to Junction before both tail lights fell off. Well it was still daylight and I said we could make it home before dark and as long as the truck lights could be seen over the trailer we should be O.K. Well, we made it. Now all I have to do is rewire and put a new bed on the 20'er.
