How To Install Flexible Solar Panels On An Rv Roof
We dont have flexible panels on our roof, but if we did, we would use the below video as our guide.
Flexible solar panels often suffer damage from excess heat because these panels cannot easily dissipate the heat beneath them, unlike rigid panels.
But RV With Tito seems to have found a solution to this problem while simultaneously not drilling ANY holes on his RV roof. Enjoy!
Replace Roof With Solar Panels
It is possible to replace your roof with solar panel tiles or solar shingles, though they are relatively new in the solar world. The solar panels can replace particular tiles on your roof, or they can completely replace your existing roof.
They are designed to blend in with the original roofing material, and you wont have to worry about them being an eyesore. Best of all, these solar panels will help lower your monthly electricity bill!
These solar roof tiles generate power in the same way as a normal solar system, as they are made up of photovoltaic cells. Solar panel tiles are specially designed to be power efficient and durable, and will significantly reduce your electricity bill.
We Only Use Chemically And Mechanically Certified Raw Material
Certified quality begins with certified raw material, followed by certified manufacturing and certified testing for holding strength and other product characteristics.
Our roof clamps use non-corrosivematerials and are metallurgically compatible with all common roof materials including titanium-zinc, stainless steel, aluminum, zinc, galvanized steel, Bonderized steel, CorTen steel, and 55% AlZn coated steel .
Most clamps are made from high-tensile aluminum. All fasteners and mating hardware are A2-70 stainless steel. We also offer several stainless-steel clamp models and brass for copper roofing.
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Unirac Ground Fixed Tilt
Image source: Unirac
The Unirac Ground Fixed Tilt is another great choice – it is durable and lightweight and also has a 25-year warranty. Unirac ensures fast shipping times and ease of construction. You can work with a licensed solar installer to determine which ground mount system is best for your terrain and solar panels.
Can Your Roof Support The Additional Weight From Solar Panels
Solar panels arent exactly big heavy bricks, but they do weigh something – around 2.5 to 2.7 pounds per square feet. Before installing your system, its a good idea to make sure your roof can support the added weight. In the vast majority of cases – lets say about 95% – solar panels can be installed on roofs that dont need any additional support.
However, to ensure solar panels arent installed on any of the 5% of roofs that cant support the weight, a third-party structural engineer will evaluate the roof and give their stamp of approval. If needed, additional support can be added.
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How To Install Solar Panels On A Metal Roof: 5 Things To Consider
Did you know that your roof already comes with free rails? You can mount PV directly to the roof panels themselves – using the direct-attach method. Whether you are dealing with standing seam or ribbed, face-fastened panels, these metal roofs have one thing in common: They all have built-in rails.
built right in ready for direct attachment of solar panels.) This integrated feature makes solar mounting quick and convenient. The direct-attach method utilizes clamps or brackets and a grab system to marry the module to the clamp or bracket that is mounted directly to the built in rails.
Solar Panels On A Metal Roof: Is It Possible
Metal roofing is durable, lightweight, and capable of withstanding the worst of the elements.
Solar energy is a sustainable, reliable, clean form of renewable energy that’s growing in popularity exponentially.
You might have concerns whether solar panels can be installed on a metal roof. Worry not – thanks to bracketing systems, solar panels can be installed on most types of metal roofing.
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Solar Panel Clamps For Standing Seam Roofs
A standing seam metal roof is made of individual metal panels that are connected together with a crimped connection that stands vertical to the roof surface. This âstanding seamâ provides a handy mount point for solar racking.
Every manufacturer of solar racking will have a different design, but with a standing seam roof you can have a clamp that securely grips the seam without penetrating it. This is a great design because it means that you donât have to worry about permanently modifying the roof and creating entry points for moisture.
Hereâs an example of a clamp from the company S-5! . S-5! clamp for standing seam metal roofs
How To Install Solar Panels On A Metal Roof Without Leaks
This post comes courtesy of Trevor Berrill. Trevor is Principal of Solaris Sustainable Homes and is a 30 year veteran of both renewable energy and energy efficiency. It is a honour to have him contribute to this humble blog. Here Trevor describes how a good solar installer should install solar panels to a metal roof and how bad installers, in a hurry can do the wrong thing and leave you with a leaky roof!
Over to you Trevor.
Holier than thou? How to avoid leaks in the roof!
Nobody wants an unsealed hole in their roof as water damage can be very expensive to repair. This is particularly so if it is more than just water marks in the ceiling paint. So ensuring that roof penetrations are completed competently is essential when considering having a solar PV system installed on your roof.
Let me give an example, last year, on about the 30 June, one of my neighbours called me over to have a look at their new PV system that the contractors had just completed installing. It was just before one of many scrambles to get solar on the roof before yet another Federal Government imposed deadline as the STCs incentives scheme was changed again.
Figure 1 Use of rusty roof screws and poorly fitted screw leaving a potential roof leak and insufficient strength in gale force winds.
Figure 2 Poor bracket design Debris is already trapped around the bracket, leading to possible accelerated roof corrosion.
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If You Want To Go Solar But Have A Metal Roof You Might Wonder Whether A Solar Installation Is Even Possible For You
Metal roofs have a lot of benefits and while they make up just a small portion of residential roofs now, they are growing in popularity. If youre interested in solar, this naturally raises the issue of whether solar panels on metal roof is even possible.
When you think about it, metal roofs share many of the same benefits of solar and they are the perfect companions for each other. They are both long-term investments, environmentally friendly, and help you reduce your energy use.
Case in point: Metal roofs are composed of a high percentage of recycled materials and can also be recycled at the end of their life, unlike traditional shingles. They also reflect heat from the sun, instead of absorbing it like composition shingles, thereby reducing your cooling bill. Lastly, while they are more expensive upfront than composition shingles, they last 2 to 3 times longer if installed properly, so you save money in the long run.
If youre wondering if you can put solar panels on a metal roof, in short the answer is yes. How easy or difficult it is though depends on the type of metal roof you have. Find your roof below to see how you can safely install solar panels.
Z Brackets For Mounting Solar Panels
The typical solar panel is mounted with a Z Bracket which is simple and flat, but we elected to go with a Curved Z Bracket which is specifically made for a curved roof . The Curved Z brackets are two separate sliding pieces. The upper piece is bolted to the panels, while the lower piece adjusts to sit flush on the curved van roof.
If doing it over, we would NOT use Curved Z Brackets, and instead would just use a standard Z Brackets. The curvature of the Transit roof just isnt steep enough to necessitate the extra component. The downsides of the Curved version are:
- The panels are raised off the roof a few extra inches, increasing their visibility
- Since there are two components, the curved brackets are more cumbersome to work with
- The curved brackets are more expensive by $5-10
The cheaper website for the Renogy Z Brackets seems to alternate, so check the prices:
vs. eBay
Images from Renogys product manuals standard& curved
The Z Brackets from Renogy came with bolts, nuts, flat washers, and lock washers. The Z brackets also included screws to attach the brackets to the van, but those would need some sort of internal frame to screw into inside the frame . Screws are okay for attaching panels to a house roof, but not a moving vehicle! We used expansion nuts, see below
Also Check: How Much To Put Metal Roof On House
When Should You Not Install Solar Panels On Your Metal Roof:
Yes, we can install solar panels on a metal roof but when should we use our metal roof and when should we not.
You should not use your metal roof for installing solar panels in the following scenarios.
Solar Pv Tiles / Slates
There are some tile or slate shaped solar panels available on the market today. Tesla Solar Roof slates are still in early production stage and are expected to arrive in the UK sometime in 2020 / 21. Keep an eye on our newsletter for release dates. This is where you can mix your choice of roof fabric with solar PV slates or tiles. They fit to the roof in the same way as slates or tiles do. Keep an eye on this page too: Tesla Solar Roof
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Can Metal Roofs Handle The Weight Of Solar Panels
In general, yes, metal roofs can handle the weight of solar panels. However, each roof is different and will need to be evaluated before solar panels are installed.
A third-party structural engineer will visit your building to inspect the structure of your roof to make sure it can stand up to the additional weight of your solar panels. In most cases, the roof can handle the added weight, and the engineer will sign off on the project.
Additional support will be needed to safely install the system for the few roofs that dont pass inspection. The engineer will make the required recommendations for reinforcing the roof and the structure. If youd still like to move forward with the project, the alterations can commence. Then, the engineer will revisit the site and sign off on the project.
The Rise Of Metal Roofing & Solar
With the cost of solar decreasing significantly over the last decade, in addition to federal and local incentives as well as public policy mandates driving the popularity of solar, the breakeven and ROI improves every year evident even more with solar on metal roofs because of its lower installation costs, so it makes even greater financial sense.
Metal is the most solar-friendly roof available and the PV contractor should know about it.
Metal roofing is attractive, durable, non-flammable and requires almost no maintenance. The buy-it-cheap and fix-it-later mentality has steadily diminished over the last few decades and more building owners are choosing metal than ever before.
Generation X is leading the charge to more durable construction materials and methods that reduce maintenance and have longer service lives. These facts are borne out by statistics clearly indicating that metal has a much larger share of replacement roofing than it does in new roofing within the residential market.
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Instructions For Installing Solar Panels On Roofs
Here are the pro tips when mounting solar panel systems on shingle roofs:
Step 1: Lay out the installation materials you need.
Make sure that all the materials necessary for installation are nearby. You surely wouldnt want to go from the roof and back repeatedly.
Step 2: Determine where the stanchions go.
Find the roof rafters with the aid of a stud finder or your homes blueprint. These will help you figure out the correct placement of the stanchions. Position the stanchions at least 4 feet apart.
Step 3: Fasten the screws to the roof.
When fastening the screws to the roof, utilize a drill to create holes in the rafters.
Step 4: Tightly put the screws in the holes and secure them.
It would help if you tightly secured the lower and upper aluminum rails to the stanchions. Utilize bolts to do this. Since optimal tightness is required, utilize an impact driver to achieve this.
Afterward, make sure that you seal the screws tightly to maintain the thermal envelope of your home. Substantially, thermoseal roofing is the most excellent way to execute this.
This approach will help keep an incredibly tight lock on your roof and prevent any elements from getting inside. Leakage is less likely to emerge if the stanchions are correctly installed.
Step 5: Gauge the distance from the rails.
Gauge the distance from the rails when installing solar panels. Put a measuring tape diagonally from the top of one rail to the bottom of the rail situated directly across from it.
Metal Roofs Are Durable Low Maintenance And They Look Great But Can You Mount Solar Panels On Them
The most common roofing material in the United States is asphalt shingles, and for good reason: theyâre inexpensive, durable, and come in a wide variety of styles and colors. But while theyâre less popular, metal roofs have a lot of advantages. If youâre a homeowner with a metal roof, you might wonder: can you install solar panels on them?
The answer is: yes! While the majority of solar homes have asphalt shingle roofs, metal roofs are actually a better choice if youâre planning to go solar. This is because one of the main concerns with a rooftop solar installation is ensuring theres enough life left in the roof before putting panels on top of them. If a roof fails early, itâs an extra expense to remove the solar panels before the roof repair can proceed. But metal roofs last a really long time, making the age of the roof less of an issue.
How the solar panels are mounted will depend on the exact type of metal roof you have.
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What Happens If You Need A New Roof
If you need to replace your roof after you have solar panels installed, you will need to remove and reinstall the solar panels.
Your solar installer should take a look at your roof before beginning the project to ensure its in good shape. If you need a new roof, youll want to get that out of the way before installing the solar panels.
While a new roof is never something we get excited about buying, your future self will thank you. If you need a new roof or repairs to the roof that need to be made, your solar panels will have to be removed and reinstalled. This should cost less than the actual installation itself but is best to be avoided if possible.
Installing Solar Panels On A Flat Roof
A flat roof is one of the easiest to mount solar panels onto, including residential flat roofs. Take into consideration that the roof may not have been designed with these panels in mind, and could require some structural reinforcement before installation.
These PV panels should be self cleaning for rainy weather and for any debris that may collect on top, which would not be an issue for a standard sloping roof. Though thin film cells or automatic panels may be a better option for flat roof installations.
Solar panels installed on a flat roof also need to be extra sturdy for cases of high wind.
This type of installation is best with a roof that has no obstructions for solar radiation. The panels should be positioned accurately so they are not facing any nearby buildings in order to maximize the amount of sunlight absorbed, and their orientation will need to adjust as seasons change.
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Metal Panels Do Not Leakits The Holes
Another vital ingredient to success is the science of the waterproofing of any solar attachment. Appropriate waterproofing of any making of holes should be validated by testing in accordance with ASTM E2140 to ensure against leakage. Products that are promoted to fit all profiles are particularly subject to this scrutiny. Most will not pass it. Remember that this ASTM test is only valid for new material., so to be consistent with the expected life of the roof and solar system it should be time-proven material. We suggest high quality EPDM closed cell formulations in durometer of 40-45 when attaching somewhere in the high. And make sure it is black in color. This is because carbon black is the best know UV inhibitor.
Nevertheless, rubber of any chemistry is subject to age degradation so it should be protected from exposure to the greatest extent possible. Be assured that there are all kinds of alternatives, and many open-cell foams are being used in the marketplace currently that will disintegrate from heat in fewer than 10 years of service on a rooftop. Most of these formulations are heat degraded and will turn to powder. Read this information in the sealant technical and performance specifications. Request those from the mounting system supplier.
When attaching in the low, be sure it is a butyl copolymer tape, time-proven or approved by the metal roof manufacturer.
