[RE-wrenches] Spot welding PV's to rails for theft prevention: bad idea?

[Bob-O Schultze]

The sad truth is that if a determined, competent thief wants your stuff, it's likely gone. Fortunately, MOST thieves are neither.
I use 1/4" stainless steel pop rivets in a situation like this. It takes a grinder to remove them and steal the PV. With a little luck someone will see the sparks from the grinding.
Bob-O

On Mar 4, 2011, at 4:46 PM, Nick Soleil wrote:

The BP oil company installed a ton of solar arrays for cathodic protection in the desert near Bakerfield in the 80s and 90s.  They used Arco and Kyocera modules at ~50 watts each.  They had a terrible time with theft, so they began welding the modules to the racks and the racks to the steel structures.  However, the thieves persisted, by cutting the steel substructures with torches to get the modules.  
    Eventually, BP brought in the utility power.  Too bad.  The good thing was that I got to buy the remaining 600 used modules for a good price. 
 
Nick Soleil
Project Manager
Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC
PO Box 657
Petaluma, CA 94953
Cell: 707-321-2937
Office: 707-789-9537
Fax: 707-769-9037
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