Screw pile with an anti-tip panel

An anti-tip ground pile for a solar tracking system, comprising:

• an elongate tube extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end, the tube having an outer surface and a central longitudinal axis;
• one or more grooves formed in the tube;
• one or more helical blades formed along the tube, the one or more blades for engaging with ground in which the ground pile is implanted;
• and
• a stabilizing panel connected to a sleeve, the sleeve formed with one or more grooves, each of the one or more grooves of the sleeve rotatably engaged with and configured to ride within a corresponding one of the one or more grooves of the tube such that the stabilizing panel is continuously rotatable around the entire tube, the stabilizing panel providing support to the tube to help prevent the tube from tipping over in soil in which the tube is implanted.

A method of placing an anti-tip ground pile, the method comprising:

• positioning the anti-tip ground pile adjacent to a ground in which the anti-tip ground pile is to be implanted, the anti-tip ground pile comprising:
• an elongate tube extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end, the tube having an outer surface and having a central longitudinal axis;
• one or more blades formed along the tube, the one or more blades for engaging with ground in which the ground pile is implanted;
• and
• a stabilizing panel rotatably engaged with the tube such that the stabilizing panel is continuously rotatable around the entire tube, the stabilizing panel being positioned along the central longitudinal axis at a longitudinal position closer to the first end than a longitudinal position of the one or more blades;
• engaging the ground with the anti-tip ground pile;
• rotating the tube relative to the ground causing the one or more blades to rotate, the rotation of the one or more blades pulling the anti-tip ground pile underground;
• engaging the stabilizing panel with the ground, wherein the stabilizing panel does not rotate while the tube continues rotation, the continuing rotation providing a force towards pulling the stabilizing panel underground, the stabilizing panel helping prevent the anti-tip ground pile from tipping over when in the ground.