[RE-wrenches] Touching Up Anodized Al Rails

[Darryl Thayer]

Hi Peter
I had a similar experiance, and I took the material to Valmount (local coatings outfit) they tested and gave me solution, which I had them apply.  the finish is about 1.5 years old and still looks good. 
Darryl


--- On Wed, 7/30/08, Peter Parrish <peter.parrish at calsolareng.com> wrote:

> From: Peter Parrish <peter.parrish at calsolareng.com>
> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Touching Up Anodized Al Rails
> To: "'RE-wrenches'" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008, 3:43 PM
> Wrenches,
> 
> [I don't think this got posted earlier or perhaps it is
> too prosaic a
> question for reply]
> 
> We have a high-end client for whom we are installing a 12
> kWp system on an
> essentially flat roof. The terrain slopes down from the
> street to the house
> (and there is an additional 2.5 deg slope on the roof in
> the same
> direction), hence making the array visible at some point
> away from the house
> going uphill to the street. The client has asked us to
> paint the back
> tilt-legs and rails of the array the same color as the PV
> module frames. The
> reason being the legs and rails are clear anodized
> (ProSolar) and the
> modules are black anodized (BP SX3200). We are talking
> about only the back
> of one row, as the front of the row is so low as to be
> truly out of sight.
> 
> The question: what do we need to do to prep and paint the
> clear anodized
> tilt legs and rails? I'm hoping that a quick TSP wash,
> rinse and dry,
> followed by a primer appropriate for Al, followed by a high
> quality exterior
> paint. Any suggestions on primer and finish coat products?
> We want this to
> look good and last a long time.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> - Peter
> 
> Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D., President
> California Solar Engineering, Inc. 
> 
> 
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