[RE-wrenches] mixing aluminum and galvanized steel

[conrad geyser]

My experience on the Northeast coast(salty sometimes) is that the
galvanizing helps protect all the metals in the system.  The zinc in the
most anodic metal on the chart and will help protect anything.  On the
contrary, the stainless and the aluminum do react and in the case of
fasteners, often freeze. 

 

Don't use zinc plated of course, just hot dipped.

 

Conrad

Cotuit Solar

 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Kristopher
Schmid
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 12:45 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] mixing aluminum and galvanized steel

 

This is an amazingly timely post for me!  I was just thinking of asking the
same question since i have a couple of ground mount installs coming up with
concrete pillars/galvanized anchor bolts/aluminum channel base.  I notice
that DPW for example specs galvanized pipes to be attached with u-bolts to
their aluminum racking in their LGM racks.  

Anxiously awaiting the collective wisdom...

On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 11:23 AM, Jeff Yago <jryago at dtisolar.com> wrote:

For years we have used standard mounting racks like UniRac rails bolted
together with stainless-steel hardware.  On larger arrays this usually means
bolting their extruded aluminum module rails to galvanized 3" pipe supports
for ground mounted arrays.

 

We have recently received several "flags" during the engineering review
process of our design documents on state funded projects stating all bolted
connections between aluminum and galvanized steel will require neoprene
washers to prevent corrosion.

 

Any of you run into this requirement or have had any problems?  The only
issues we ever see with corrosion is mixing copper and aluminum such as
where somebody used wrong type module frame ground connectors.

 

Jeff Yago


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-- 
Shine On!

Kris Schmid
Legacy Solar, LLC
864 Clam Falls Trail
Frederic, WI 54837
www.legacysolar.com <http://www.legacysolar.com/> 
715-653-4295
NABCEP Certified PV Installer
BSEE

 

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