Roof Installations - good stuff [RE-wrenches]

Allan Sindelar allan at positiveenergysolar.com
Sat May 14 10:26:27 PDT 2005


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Wrenches,
How different are the mounting issues we each face in different regions!
Here's a related question, but a completely different application: We have
many flat roofs, with parapets, hot-mop built-up roofing, and older,
quasi-traditional building methods. On an upcoming grid-tied installation,
the existing roof is ten years old and will be reroofed (under separate
contract with a roofing contractor) prior to our work. The roof membrane
covers a layer of pumice rock, set on wood roof decking laid over 6X12 beams
@29" (!) on center. The beams and decking form the exposed interior ceiling.

In order to install this 3kW fixed-angle low-pitch system, we will
coordinate carefully with the roofer. We will lay out the beam locations on
the roof deck and lay out the points where our east-west rack bases cross
these beams. We will then cut through the existing roofing membrane at each
junction, dig out the pumice, drill pilot holes into the beams for 1/2"
hanger bolts, thread 12" (+/-) pieces of 1/2" allthread rod into the hanger
bolts, and refill the pumice, adding roof jacks for flashing. The roofer
will come behind us to weather-seal the holes, and then shortly thereafter
complete re-roofing. When the roof is done, and after a month or so to allow
the tar and gravel to set up, we will mount UniStrut rails to the allthread
risers. The UniStrut will provide the base platform for our SolarMount rack
system. The Uni-Strut sits about 1-2" above the finished roof, allowing
rainwater to pass beneath as it drains to the canales (flashed troughs
through the wall parapets).

We did this successfully once before on a 3.6kW system, but that roof used
polyurethane sprayed foam as insulation, rather than pumice rock. The roofer
is comfortable with this solution and will guarantee the roof.

Is there a better material to use than UniStrut 1 5/8" slotted rails?
Has anyone else done a similar installation? Any lessons to share?

Thanks, as usual,
Allan at Positive Energy


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graham Owen" <graham at solarexpert.com>

When working on the roof with strut I prefer the cleaner smoother cleaner
finish of gold galv, no rough hard hanging drips of Zink to cut hands, hands
don't turn black, and more importantly, it doesn't chip off when cuts are
made, like thicker hot dipped rail coatings do.  When tightening panels down
onto hot dipped rails the thick Zink can crack and or chip away, leaving a
potential for rust stains....

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