Flat roof mounting system

[solgen]

Hi folks,

On flat roofs I've used proprietry mounting frames and usually had one row of panels spaced an appropriate distance apart from another.

On a smaller roof, the spacing of rows uses up a lot space, therefore, I was thinking of having one large 'sail' of 3x3 185W panels mounted onto a frame. The advantage is a larger system but at what cost? The method of fixing becomes non-standard (?) and ballast or fixing cost goes up! Has anyone one faced this situation and what have you done? Has anyone used Uni-strut to build a framework, or any other type structure.

I'd appreciate any comments, even from Mark W ;-)

Thank you
Solgen

 

[Markc]

I see what you are trying to achieve but I think you may come up against a lot of issues.

Planning, wind load, aesthetics etc.

I have not seen it done for flat roof but have seen two panels high by six as a tracker. £40K job!

Have you seen the Ubbink Console system. Spacing between rows is the lowest I have found to date. I have been looking in to these for a ground mount we have in January so will be in a better position to advice on them after that. They are designed for flat roof installations, in fact that's what they are meant for!

 

[futurewired]

Hi Solgen

You can build your own but be sure to design it with all factors mark explained above, we are designing a system for our unit roof, for maximum exposure for passing trade, this is only 5 large panels sitting tall, we are lucky we have steel fixers and welders in the next unit and my dad is a Technical designer, we are looking into costings and designs for other sizes soon as people are showing interest on our estate.

 

[Idium]

I have used the console mounts and they are OK but a bit cheap and nasty - you wouldn't want to put them were they can be seen.

For reducing spacing, look at solion. You lose some efficiency due to angle, but can make a good array on small areas or where weight might be a problem

 

[solgen]

Hi,

I've looked at most of the proprietry mounting systems: Ubbink, K2, Unirac, Schueco, (Solar centurys flat mount system - Looked like a good product with great instructions unfortunately, dealing with them was impossible).

Lowest fixed angle system I found was 10 degrees which makes row distance minimal, however, still a bit of a problem with large panels in portrait, and won't work with solion unfortunately for 2 reasons, the size of panels and the orientation.

Constructing bespoke frames for a small job will be to costly and eat into kW/£ revenue so I think I'll just have to offer a smaller system.

Incidently, has has anyone used solion? What surface did you put them on and did you use the silicon seal?

Thanks for comments so far.

 

[abcd56566]

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[pvman]

@solgen. We have used the solion mounting system a few times. The advantages are that it looks neat, low balast and no roof penertration. The disadvantage is that you can only fit Sharp or Romag 185wp modules in, a fairly major disadvantage, but we have had some customer who are ready to sacrifice some out put for the advantages. I have heard that Solion have a new system in development for 90% of panels.

We have fixed them to different surfaces with sealant but on some roofs you have to put down a barrier solution first.

The main problem I can see with the Ubbink consoles is the amount of balast required, I don't think many roof will take the weight without additonal structural work, the work great on the ground though.

Tom