Temporary roof mount HF 45 watt panels

[mixerman]

Picture taken at 7:45pm July 4th 2008, hope I got the right angle (guessed). I going to place a collar around the vent pipe then a bolt through it. Going to move the panels to the top of roof, and lay to the angle of the roof , a inch or 2 off the shingles.

http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/10775/DCP07670a.jpg

[valterra]

I see that you are using the original HF mounts.  Mine seemed too flimsy.  I was afraid of the wind catching them the right way and throwing them off the roof.  

Those mounts work great on a horizontal surface.

Your setup looks good!  Another option (the one I used) is to buy some shelving rails from the hardware store.  They are EXACTLY the right size for the panels to squeeze in to.  I tapped them on with a rubber mallet.  Once the rails are on, you can nail or screw the assembly into whatever you want.  

[ghurd]

Keep the panels off the roof more than an inch or 2.  6" would be better.

Angle.  5 or 10 degrees more than the latitude is good.

G-

[mixerman]

I want to mount the panels above the skylights toward the ridge of the house, its gets sun all day no shadows!

Your shelving stock sounds like it might make installing easier. What did you use as a standoff from the roof? Do you have any pictures?

thanks for the input

Denny

mixerman

[mixerman]

Glen:

I haven"t found much in the way of directions on how and where to mount panels.

If the panels are parell with the roof are you saying add additional 10-15 degrees skyward? The roof I have is 4 on 12" pitch,(i think).

I have just about finished the tempory mount today, I added some small feet to the bottom of the wood bracket , so the 2x4's don't make dams during rain waterrun off.

I still have to fab up some kind of fastener to the vent pipe.

[zeusmorg]

 The proper angle to mount your solar panels first depends on your latitude. If you wish to follow seasonal guidelines then use this:

    *  February 5th - Set to same angle as your latitude.

    * May 5th - Set at the same angle as your latitude minus 15 degrees.

    * August 5th - Set at the same angle as your latitude.

    * November 5th - Set at the angle of latitude plus 15 degrees.

 The best orientation is compass south.(in the northern hemisphere)

[dnix71]

Looks good to me. Using the sewer vent is genius. I can't put mine on the roof because of code and the fact I rent. We get too many hurricanes here is south Florida, anyway.

Harbor Freight's brackets are flimsy, even if you screw them into a 2x4.

I mounted some panels on 2x4's sitting on blocks. The HF brackets are deck screwed into the 2x4's.

The panels on the left are 28 watt Sun Electronics panels. They fit the slot slightly tighter than the HF panels, but don't have a slot for the tabs.

[ghurd]

Your area, about 12/12 or 45 degrees.

I usually use through-bolts, with a 6x6" 1/2" plywood backing plate inside. And fender washers, nylon insert lock nuts, and an extra jamb nut.  $3 in better parts for piece of mind.

G-

[mixerman]

Glen,

would you happen to have a picture of your 6x6 fastener? I cant picture it!

[mixerman]

A quick check on the net says I am 38.51N. Now I need a dictionary! LOL

Thanks for the input

Denny

mixerman

[mixerman]

Last nights news shows out in the Atlantic moving your direction.

The only panels Im famular whith are the HF kind, I don't care to much about how they mount into to their provided light weight brackets. When I relocate the HF panels in a perminet location at the top of the roof , I would like to do away with them completly.

Something that came to mind was to somehow attchet the panels to a alum sliding door (with the glass removed), just brain storming here though!

The HF panels mayby could use some help with staying put in there slot provided for mounting, for that Im going to try useing a rubber gasket from the inside of a lid that go's on a plastic bucket. The gaskets are hollow and you could thred a string through it, after the gasket is installed in the panel slot it could easly be removed if need be. I havent tryed this yet.

http://www.otherpower.com/images/scimages/10775/DCP07673a.jpg

[ghurd]

It's a 6x6" piece of 1/2 or 3/4" thick plywood.

Like a "Giant Fender Washer" made of 1/2 to 3/4" plywood.

Just adds some strength to the roof, maybe keep the metal fender washers from pulling through.

Have to bend over a few roofing nails to get it to lay flat, or nails may pop up.

And I use a lot of good silicone, about eveywhere water could get in, from under the bolt head, between the brackets and shingles, even a squirt around the bolt body as it is sliding into the shingles.

It's not fun up there this time of year.

G-

[mixerman]

OK, now I get it!

The piece of plywood fits to the underside of the plywood sub-roof, then pulled together with the through bolt. This would provide a stronger foundation for the bracket mounted on the shingles, the bracket supports any frame work 6" above the roof.

I could do that on either end of the house where there is a attic, the center of the roof where the skylights are has no attic. It would be a better choice for me to place the panels at the ridge above where the temporary setup is now. It will make wire routing easier to.

Thanks

Denny

mixerman

[pvale]

I have my panels on the ground, with the mounts screwed into the ground with ground anchors. I pop-riveted the HF mount together, and added a 3/4 x 3/4 aluminum angle across the back at the bottom. Stiffens up that mounting considerably. I set the panels in it, then drilled the mount at the center and bottom bar and installed 10-32 bolts through with fender washers holding the panels in place. Check my diary, there's a picture on there that shows them. I'm using the default angle the HF mount provides, I haven't checked the angle. I've always heard that just fis mounting them at your latitude angle is a good default angle to use. I've been mulling in my mind some kind of tracking mount, probably a "traxle". I'm intending to get 4 sets to a traxle, and use a Redrok driver, probably driving a dish mount linear actuator. I'm in a rented house, so nothing too permanent allowed.