[RE-wrenches] Tight roof layout questions: edge walkway requirements & "small gap" hardware options

[Max Balchowsky]

Mick, here in California the fire department in the various agencies has the 
final say on clearances. There is a very clear cut standard in place for the 
state, but we have been successful a few times in getting allowances to vary due 
to various site conditions. A call to the local AHJ is the place to start. In 
the early days of our installations (mid 1990's) we used power strut and bolted 
panels directly to the rails. A lot slower but no gaps between panels. We went 
from there to designing our own "T" clamps. There wasn't as many choices then 
for mounting hardware. 


 Max Balchowsky
Design Engineer
SEE Systems
1048 Irvine Ave Suite 217
Newport Beach, Ca. 92660
760-403-6810




________________________________
From: Brian Teitelbaum <bteitelbaum at aeesolar.com>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 11:40:04 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Tight roof layout questions: edge walkway 
requirements & "small gap" hardware options

  
Hi Mick,
 
To answer part of your post, the DPW Power Rail mid-clamps give you a 3/8” gap 
between modules, and the SnapNrack mids give you a 1/2"  gap.
 
I doubt if that will give you much of a walkway though….
 
Brian Teitelbaum
AEE Solar
 
 
From:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org 
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Mick Abraham
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 11:09 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Tight roof layout questions: edge walkway requirements & 
"small gap" hardware options
 
Hello, Team~
 
I'm laying out some Sanyo modules on paper. Twelve of them fit the roof with 
almost too much perfection: this would be difficult to install as it would fill 
the roof "edge to edge" in both directions. Are there consistent guidelines 
about the amount of roof edge which must remain uncluttered or is this mainly 
driven by the amount of aggravation that the installer is willing to tolerate? 
Which organizations would want to influence such decisions in the Atlanta 
region? Details are: residential, new construction, wooden truss type roof 
framing, finish roofing yet to be decided.
 
I've seen fancy photos of rooftops which are covered edge to edge, but I suppose 
those are "building integrated" PV systems instead of discrete modules mounted 
above the roofing material. Who decides if those are "OK' for no walkways 
compared to a roof that is fully loaded with Sanyo type modules? How are such 
decisions made?
 
I like the "top clamp" style mounts but UniRac SolarMount rail systems need 
about a 1" gap from one module to the next. Is there anyone with similar 
hardware that can get a grip within a smaller gap?
 
Thanks in advance,

Mick Abraham, Proprietor
www.abrahamsolar.com

Voice: 970-731-4675
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