[RE-wrenches] Awkward Mid-clamps & jigs for installing or, removing modules?

[William Dorsett]

Sorry folks...didn't finish that thought..."Even a couple sliding Z-shaped
spring hooks that can support the bottoms might work one module at a time as
long as the rail is string-lined."

Hilton, that's the kind of jig I'm looking for. I've thought about adapting
a bottom clamp to a similar jig and like Ray, I would appreciate a photo.
Thanks

Bill Dorsett
Sunwrights
Manhattan, KS

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Hilton Dier
III
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2013 4:41 PM
To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Awkward Mid-clamps & jigs for installing or, removing
modules?

I made a pair of jigs out of some two foot lengths of 20-80 (That 1" square
aluminum extrusion with bolt slots on each side) and some unequal-leg angle.
I cut some 1" long pieces of 3"x 6" and 2" x 3" aluminum angle, two each.
Then I drilled the short legs and bolted a long and a short angle to one
side of each piece of 80-20.

To suspend a module I adjust the distance between the two angles, tighten
them down, slide the jigs (short angle first) flat up under the bottom rail,
and tip them up 90 degrees. The short angles hook on the rail and the module
can rest on the long angles. I can adjust them for any module and it's a lot
easier to get the array aligned.


Message: 4
Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:35:56 -0600
From: "William Dorsett"<wmdorsett at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'RE-wrenches'"<re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Awkward Mid-clamps & jigs for installing or
	removing	modules?
Message-ID: <004101cdf5a2$460a7550$d21f5ff0$@net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Single-handed mounting for replacing or installing modules on racks. My
helper installing an array on an Iron Ridge rack commented (like so many of
you have surely thought) that the mid-clamps are really clumsy. His
suggestion was that on his, he would lengthen the rail and only use end
clamps so each module would be independently mounted, removed or the Enphase
replaced. Of course this would apply to UniRack and other mid-clamps too.
Can anyone recommend a jig for supporting the line of modules, while they
are individually being clamped or unclamped? Perhaps a long length of Al
angle braced back to the rail, so the bottoms of the modules can sit in a
straight line while they are being clamped. Even a couple sliding Z-shaped
spring hooks that can support the bottoms might work one module at a time as
long as the rail is string-lined.

--
Hilton Dier III
Renewable Energy Design
Partner, Solar Gain LLC
453 East Hill Rd.
Middlesex, VT 05602
Tel: 802-223-6652

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