Yes, the IronRidge slide in bolt on the top of the rail is a design flaw. They should use drop in T-bolts, like Unirac. What happens when you break one, after installing enphase micro's, and grounding lugs, etc. I've had to cut the bolt off, and install an extra Unirac t-bolt. IronRidge needs to seriously rethink that one. Other than that, I really like their products, especially the dark bronze anodized rail. Looks great under dark framed modules.
Mike Nelson MD Electric & Solar Gualala, Ca. On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 7:34 AM, <d...@foxfire-energy.com> wrote: > Yup.. I'm on board with the bolted vs clamp notion for this app.. I also > agree with a wider spacing for panel attachments... > > As for racking manufacturers and design oopsies, anyone have anything nice > to say about Iron Ridge roof mounts? Personally, I kinda like the rail > design, but the slide in bolt set up seriously sucks.. or Am I missing > something.. again? db > > > Dan Brown > Foxfire Energy Corp. > Renewable Energy Systems > (802)-483-2564 > www.Foxfire-Energy.com <http://www.foxfire-energy.com/> > NABCEP #092907-44 > > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Rail concerns (was: Top of POST mount) > From: August Goers <aug...@luminalt.com> > Date: Wed, March 23, 2011 10:09 am > To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > > You definitely have a point from a basic engineering point of view that > bolts through the module bottom holes is technically the most robust option. > However, the main racking companies have been selling top down clamps for a > very long time and the two big ones, Unirac and Pro Solar, haven't changed > their design for a long long time as far as I can tell. I tend to like Pro > Solar's clamps, especially the end clamps, a bit better than Unirac's but I > have to believe that if there was a problem that these companies would be > the first to change their design. Modules flying off the rack or roof is a > very bad thing. Some of you may recall the modified hex bolts that Unirac > was shipping for a little while a couple of years ago. They definitely > weren't good but Unirac got right on it and we had to switch out each and > every one that we had installed... That said, if you're talking about pole > mounts and other types of racking where you can get underneath easily then > why not just use the bottom holes. > > -August > > *From:* re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto: > re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *Jason Szumlanski > *Sent:* Wednesday, March 23, 2011 4:40 AM > *To:* RE-wrenches > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Rail concerns (was: Top of POST mount) > I tend to agree about the clamps, and in a case like this where there is > little risk of an expensive mistake with a voided warranty, I would actually > drill holes in the frame and use bottom clamps in addition to top clamping. > > Jason Szumlanski > Fafco Solar > > > *From:* re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto: > re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *William Miller > *Sent:* Tuesday, March 22, 2011 5:48 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches > *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] Rail concerns (was: Top of POST mount) > Friends: > > When installing modules on extruded rail systems, I worry that any > vibration or motion could loosen top-down clamps. Unlike bottom-up systems > that install with tried-and-true bolts and lock washers through captive > holes, clamp systems seem less "positive" in holding capability. If one > rail in the proposed design moves in relation to the other, the clamps could > loosen and the modules could eventually slide right off the rail. It > appears that wind turbulence could rock the modules in the proposed design, > there is a lot of leverage for that. This might loosen clamps. > > I hesitate to design my own racking. Small business management is all > about controlling risk. I do not want to be responsible for damaged modules > if my design fails. > > At least one local AHJ forbids home-brew racks for a permitted system. I'm > not sure I support that restrictive approach. I might suggest allowing them > for owner-builder systems where the home owner assumes the liability. For > myself, the remaining tasks associated with installing a system properly > have enough pitfalls without me playing structural engineer. > > And lastly, it is my understanding that Solar World had temporarily > abandoned mounting holes in the back rails of their new "Plus" modules (my > quotes) and even abandoned the flanges altogether. According to what I > heard, industry pressure forced them to add them back in, but as an option. > This is third-hand knowledge, but I do know that removing the option to > mount panels with through bolts would be a big mistake. > > William Miller > > > > > Here is my “cobulated” idea, admittedly done this way to take advantage of > parts in stock: > > http://www.fafcosolar.com/download/402/Cobulate.pdf > > ------------------------------ > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > >
_______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org