solar panel mounting

49 Posts
Feb 18, 2011 07:16 pm
solar panel mounting

  I want to mount 3 sharp 240w solar panels on my south wall of an off grid log cabin.I have 3 on garage roof facing south on an angle and 3 on house facing more west on a bigger angle.
 All 6 produce enough for the summer but are covered with deep snow in winter.Mounting 3 more vertical on the wall will be plenty to keep the fridge and furnace going while I'm not up there.The wall is in the sun from 7 am to 3:00pm in Jan.
We watched this and in summer it will contribute also. Where is a panel mount or screw brackets that i can just screw them straight into the logs this would be plenty strong and no snow could ever stay on them.
 
97 Posts
Feb 19, 2011 09:45 am
Re: solar panel mounting

James, If you use a horizontal or "landscape" mount for the solar panels, then the Ironridge Uni mounting kits should work for you. They are listed on the store solar panel mounts tab.
 
462 Posts
Feb 19, 2011 11:31 am
Re: solar panel mounting

Jon, any type bracket would work, or even wood, if your not afraid to screw or bolt into the frame on the panel itself. The frame is just a piece of metal, nothing special.
  Fancy clips sold for money and warranty worries are just more hidden costs that keep prices up.
 
49 Posts
Feb 19, 2011 01:50 pm
Re: solar panel mounting

Thanks that is what I was hoping also the logs create an air gap anyway for cooling. I have learned I will pick up power also from the reflection of the snow on the ground. Thanks guys
 
97 Posts
Feb 19, 2011 03:18 pm
Re: solar panel mounting

Tom, the Ironridge kit does bolt directly into the frame of the solar panel, and is not a fancy clip.  Sometimes convenience is worth more than the frustration of trying to scrounge around for a suitable piece of hardware that fits the bill.
 
99 Posts
Feb 19, 2011 07:41 pm
Re: solar panel mounting

Completely vertical mounting seems extreme to me.  I keep mine at 60 degrees from horizontal (30 degrees from vertical), and the snow has a very hard time sticking for any length of time.  If it's a heavy snow,the weight forces it to slide off.  If it's a light snow, the sun melts it off quickly.  A vertical mounting seems like quite a waste of resources.  Even if you put it at 75 or 80 degrees, that would collect a lot more energy than 90 degrees.

Also, if you're mounting them on the side of your house, have you considered giving them double-duty as awnings?  I see that in Europe a lot.  Helps keep the sun out in the summer.
 
49 Posts
Feb 20, 2011 07:32 pm
Re: solar panel mounting

thanks it may seem extreme but at 60 on the 1 roof it still is
2ft of snow and under snow the ice forms from melting a little.Also birds wont land on them, I will see in the summer how many watts I lose compared to the 30 degrees on the roof.
 I only need a little anyway in the winter to keep my fridge and furnace going without the generator turning on. But thanks for your input.
 
462 Posts
Feb 22, 2011 10:32 pm
Re: solar panel mounting

....as long as they are not permanently fixed then you can move them and adjust them year round.....
 

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