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

[Philip Boutelle]

Just to clarify what is and isn't law in California:
the final draft guidelines developed and adopted by Cal
Fire<http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/pdf/reports/solarphotovoltaicguideline.pdf>are
guidelines, not law, unless the local fire/AHJ has adopted them or
parts
of them into local ordinances. I have heard that in Southern Cal, those
guidelines have been adopted all over the place already, but not so in the
rest of the state.... yet. I think the guideline was officially incorporated
into the next NEC/NFPA cycle, so it will be law pretty soon. Bill Brooks
could probably confirm here on future adoption.
Not that any of this helps your Atlanta install....

-Phil Boutelle
Real Goods Solar

On Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 12:38 PM, Max Balchowsky <max at seesolar.com> wrote:

> 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
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Options & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20100825/3507311b/attachment-0003.html>