panels on a bowed roof [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Clearwater]

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Hi Kirk,

Again, why not follow the arc?  It would look so much better, be so 
much easier to rack, have less uplift and support problems???  Your 
facet lengths would be your panel width.  You simply use standoffs to 
each panel.  Clean follows the architecture and elegant.

Best,

Jeff C.


>
>William,
>Thanks for your good advice.
>To be clear, this is not to compensate for an old sagging or warped
>roof.
>>From a side view, the roof is not a straight slope but rather a long,
>sweeping arc, the slope of which varies depending on the height of the
>roof you're at. Call it a bell curve, sort of. It has a name
>architecturally, but I forget it. The challenge is to create an
>evenly-sloped rack to mount panels which is "tangent" to the arc and at
>proper tilt angle at point of mounting.
>After looking through some catalogs, I found that unistrut makes a 6"
>strut welded to a 2 hole mounting plate. They also make a hinge. So the
>tangent can be made by bolting one end of the hinge to the top of the 6"
>unistrut mount, then bolt unistrut rail to the top end of the hinge (2
>feet per rail). The rail is the tangent line running up/down the roof.
>Several of these rail assemblies across the roof form the base to bolt
>on horizontal unistrut rails and problem solved. I hope.
>
>Kirk Herander
>Vermont Solar Engineering
>802.863.1202
>fax 802.863-7908
>NABCEP(tm) Certified Solar PV Installer
>Xantrex Certified Dealer Charter Member
>NYSERDA-eligible installer
>VT Solar and Wind Partner
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: William Miller [mailto:wrmiller at charter.net]
>Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 3:34 PM
>To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>Subject: Re: panels on a bowed roof [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>Kirk:
>
>Direct Power and Water Power Posts can be ordered in various lengths.
>We
>have dealt with un-flat roofs by installing posts of various lengths to
>create a straight line at the tops of the posts.  The height can be
>micro
>adjusted with shims (usually stainless washers).  Across the tops of the
>
>posts we install unistrut.  The strut gives us an infinite adjustability
>of
>where the rack feet can land.
>
>If this doesn't make sense I can probably dig out a photograph or
>two.  Hope this helps!
>
>William Miller
>
>
>
>At 12:16 PM 2/28/2006, you wrote:
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>I'm installing both pv and DHW on a bowed roof. This is a new house
>>where the builder/owner got fancy.  As for racking, I can only think of
>>using KEE Klamp floor flanges that swivel, and lock them at the proper
>>angle to create a "flat" surface with unistrut or galv. pipe as short
>>legs and crossrails. Any experience or other ideas out there? Thanks.
>>
>>Kirk Herander
>>Vermont Solar Engineering
>>802.863.1202
>>fax 802.863-7908
>>NABCEP(tm) Certified Solar PV Installer
>>Xantrex Certified Dealer Charter Member
>>NYSERDA-eligible installer
>>VT Solar and Wind Partner
>>
>
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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Village Power Design Associates
Sustainable Energy & Water Solutions for Home & Village
http://www.villagepower.com
gosolar at villagepower.com
NABCEP (tm) Certified Solar PV Installer

530-470-9166
877-SOLARVillage
877-765-2784
72 Baker Rd.
Shutesbury, MA 01072
425 Nimrod St.
Nevada City, CA 95959
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`~

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