[RE-wrenches] Attaching PV with VELCRO

[Daniel Young]

“I would also question the adhesive if it will take years of heat, water and the material it's adhered too.  “

That is the issue I found wit this.

I installed hundreds of kW of a “not to be named” roofing manufacturers solar system that used Velcro years back. Lets just say we spent more hours carrying solar modules back on the roof after they blew off over the next 4 years than we did installing the original system (at least it felt like it). The Velcro to roof glue connection is what gave up every time. Biological growth under the hot modules I think really deteriorated the glue joint quickly. In case anyone is wondering, we used the roofers provided adhesive primer, rolled on adhesive, and did so under their direct supervision and sign off.

That array has since been removed at the roofers expense.

Every system is different, and materials science is changing all the time, maybe this is better?

I would approach this with caution.

--

Danny Young
NABCEP PV Installation Professional #031508-90
Engineering Team Lead
Solar Energy Solutions
Lexington | Louisville | Bloomington | Cincinnati | Evansville | Indianapolis
513-448-5176 (mobile)
877-312-7456 (Main Office)
danny at sesre.com<mailto:danny at sesre.com>

From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> On Behalf Of Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 5:50 PM
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Cc: Jerry Shafer <jerrysgarage01 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Attaching PV with VELCRO

Wrenches, Corey
Yes it was a thing in California but soon fell off the radar, They were based or had a shop in Sacramento CA. It was mainly designed for BIPV but was adopted to framed panels, grounding is an issue, mounting of the electrical another. l have had bolted modules rip out of unirac in Hawaii during a hurricane so no velcro for me. I would also question the adhesive if it will take years of heat, water and the material it's adhered too.
Fun times

On Tue, Apr 11, 2023, 2:41 PM Corey Shalanski via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>> wrote:
Wrenches,

As far out as the subject line might seem, a company in Italy has apparently developed a system for attaching PV arrays to flat roofs using strips of VELCRO<https://www.generalmembrane.it/sites/default/files/Brochure-General%20FIX-ENG.pdf>.

The potential advantages of this system seem hard to ignore:
   - lightweight
   - no ballast required (also, no mechanical attachments)
   - quick installation and easy assembly

Has anyone ever encountered anything similar here in the states? Any opinions about the feasibility of this approach?

Corey Shalanski
Portland, Jamaica
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