Position of rails/clamps

[wstevew]

Spoke to installer again today and they say they will sort it without cross rails.

They said something about moving it up, which I don't think possible on the front as it will be too close.to the chimney.

Maybe they want to move it up so they can remove only one rail and refit it higher up.

Excuse my ignorance but if they just move the top and bottom rails.one course up/down how will they sort out the tiles they have ground/cut for the brackets.

Iassume any cuts etc.will be in the wrong place as they are a moving a single course.

What happens if the joists lie between tiles, use the next one or is it not a problem?

 

[moggy1968]

just swap the tiles over. Brackets will fit no bother, joists run vertically.

 

[wstevew]

Wont the cuts be in the wrong place as each course is offset 1/2 tile.

 

[Earthstore]

Spoke to installer again today and they say they will sort it without cross rails.

They said something about moving it up, which I don't think possible on the front as it will be too close.to the chimney.

Maybe they want to move it up so they can remove only one rail and refit it higher up.



Excuse my ignorance but if they just move the top and bottom rails.one course up/down how will they sort out the tiles they have ground/cut for the brackets.

Iassume any cuts etc.will be in the wrong place as they are a moving a single course.

What happens if the joists lie between tiles, use the next one or is it not a problem?

Wsteview please stop worrying, I am sure they will do whatever they need to to put your job right, if the cuts come in the wrong place they may have to replace a couple of tiles, they have acknowledged that it is wrong and are coming to put it right, so maybe some credit is due to them.

 

[moggy1968]

as above, it's not a problem, at least they cut the tiles, thats a start!!

 

[wstevew]

OK, so the scaffold is back up and they are here to move the rails.

They said the only thing is that I will now see the brackets because the edge of the panels are level with the top of the first course of tiles, at the moment the brackets where they go under the tiles are under the panels, after they will be at around the same level. Anyone see any problems with this?

Also to have an expansion gap between the two rows, should there be anything between the two rows?

Thanks

 

[Earthstore]

Sometimes, you have to do what is right to secure the panels, I think looking at the pics, you will see it if you look up, but I do not think it will be sticking out though, if you see what I mean.
Personally I would not have used that mounting system in the first place, but that is what you have, and all credit to them, they are there to put it right.

Make them plenty of tea, is my opinion...

 

[wstevew]

Spoke to the installer about the possibility of bonding the array due to the 601 events (DC detected in grid). SMA suggested bonding the array.

He says that bonding the array will stop the system working!

 

[SolarCity]

He says that bonding the array will stop the system working!

Did you ask him why?

 

[wstevew]

Erm, Yes

"Because they are designed to work that way, and it wont work if it is bonded"

I spoke to the office, they say he is a trained electrician and knows his stuff. They say they can bond it but wont be responsible if it stops it working.

I asked them to go speak with their technical manager.

 

[SolarCity]

Stops working? Surely if this happened (for reasons that escape me) then it could simply be disconnected again?

 

[Earthstore]

Hmmm, Bonding any array will not stop it working, however in certain circumstances it is a requirement.

If SMA say it requires bonding, then I would say it requires bonding.

 

[wstevew]

Exactly,
Nothing that a pair of wire cutters wouldn't fix.

What puzzles me is, their Techinical guy and SMA suggested bonding the array may solve the problem. I know bonding the array is a subjective thing.

How could bonding the array frame stop a 4000TL and Suntech panels from working?

 

[wstevew]

When I originally emailed SMA about the 601 errors they responded with

This can be caused by a number of things. certainly in the first instance. I would suggest that you check with your installers to check that your array has been correctly bonded to earth. they should be able to source the correct bonding information from the manufacturer of the frame.

 

[Earthstore]

Bonding and earthing are two separate things, something that appears to cause confusion,
Bonding is when you join two conductive materials together, like the copper pipes under your sink.
Earthing is when you take a wire back to an earthing point, and with most (not all) PV systems, this would be to a metal rod in the ground.

So it sounds like your system needs bonding and earthing, not really too difficult or expensive if they are already up there.

I hope this helps.