SnapNrack makes a snap on channel for the REC module as part of their rail-less system. I expect it would be a little pricey to buy full lengths of it, assuming they'd sell it that way. One can ask.
Brad AEE Solar On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 7:10 PM, William Miller <will...@millersolar.com> wrote: > Ray: > > > > Great thread. Thanks for starting it. > > > > An idea crossed my mind (and there was plenty of room in there): If one > could find a sturdy aluminum channel that happened to fit firmly over your > module frame, one could use it along the long access, or maybe even the > short access, of the module frame to reinforce it. Bottom mounted, the > fasteners would go through a hole in the module frame and the aluminum > channel. The outside channel could stiffen up a module pretty > significantly. > > > > Now the above idea may not be practical, especially if you can’t find the > right channel, but I would not be surprised if this idea maybe someone else > on the list come up with a related idea that might be better. > > > > William > > > > > > > > > > [image: Gradient Cap_mini] > Lic 773985 > millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/> > 805-438-5600 <(805)%20438-5600> > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On > Behalf Of *Ray Walters > *Sent:* Thursday, January 12, 2017 6:40 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar World Wind Damage > > > > Yep, the old modules were heavier, had a thicker frame, and most > importantly: much less total surface area. The old 75 w modules were less > than 7 sq ft, compared to almost 18 sq ft of a new 60 cell module. 2-1/2 > times the forces on even thinner metal. > Not that I want to go back to the good ol' days, but I think the industry > got a little too thin on the frame, or at the least, we need a beefier > hardware solution for bottom mounted arrays on open frames in high wind > locations. I'll send a pic of our fix, once we try it. > > > R.Ray Walters > > CTO, Solarray, Inc > > Nabcep Certified PV Installer, > > Licensed Master Electrician > > Solar Design Engineer > > 303 505-8760 <(303)%20505-8760> > > On 1/12/2017 6:01 PM, Dana wrote: > > Bottom side bolt up. But they were 1995 Solarex remember the weight of > those frames! > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > ---------------- > > Dana Orzel - Great Solar Works, Inc - C - *208.721.7003 > <(208)%20721-7003>* > > NABCEP # 051112-136 : Idaho PV Licence # 028374 > > E - *d...@solarwork.com <d...@solarwork.com>* - Web - www.solarwork.biz > > "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988" > > *P* Please consider the environment before printing this email. > > > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *Ray Walters > *Sent:* Thursday, January 12, 2017 5:22 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar World Wind Damage > > > > Chris & Dana; > > Our site is a mountain in Wyoming and does have some focusing effects, so > maybe 170 mph is possible. Are your arrays using top down clamps? I think > that is apparently stronger, also possibly the 2011 Sanyos look to have > beefier frames. However, I looked at their spec sheet and they're only > rated at 60 PSF (less than the SWs). From my measurements here of Solar > World 4.0 frames, I'm seeing a flange thickness of approx 1.3 mm, while an > old Siemens SP 75 has 1.8 mm thick metal. > I'm coming up with a fix for the Solar Worlds: 3/4 x 3/4 Stainless steel > Angle fits just inside the lip of the module, and will distribute the > forces more evenly. The question then is, are we just going to lose the > glass next? Anyone have a currently available module that is beefier? I > may recommend we swap the whole array out, if we are indeed exceeding the > design of the Solar Worlds. > > Thanks, > > > R.Ray Walters > > CTO, Solarray, Inc > > Nabcep Certified PV Installer, > > Licensed Master Electrician > > Solar Design Engineer > > 303 505-8760 <(303)%20505-8760> > > On 1/12/2017 2:39 PM, Chris @ The Oasis wrote: > > Wrenches: We have a ~70KW ground mounted array on the Rocky Mountain > front near Choteau, MT. Springs winds are not unusual with 150 to 175 MPH > gusts. The system was installed in 2011 (with Sanyo 215W modules). No > problems yet; we certainly over-engineered the racks, knowing what high > winds there are! > > > > Chris Daum > Oasis Montana Inc. > 406-777-4309 <(406)%20777-4309> > 406-777-0830 <(406)%20777-0830> fax > www.oasismontana.com > > > > ------------------------------ > > *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org > <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *Ray Walters > *Sent:* Thursday, January 12, 2017 2:16 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches > *Cc:* Sefchick, Steve > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar World Wind Damage > > Hi Bill; > > Solar World customer support did come through yesterday with flying > colors. They got hit by a big storm in the North West. Right now though, > they are saying that we exceeded the 64 PSF rated loading to the back of > the module. I've pointed out that that would correspond to over 170 mph > winds, so I'm not quite ready to concede the warranty. Their engineering > team is reviewing my information. > As always, the Wrench list experience is invaluable. Are 170 mph winds > possible, outside of a tornado or hurricane? > > *Whether or not Solar World stands by their product in this extreme > situation, I definitely stand by my installations.* I'm taking a snow cat > up to replace and reinforce the modules next week, then hopefully get a > little help from my supply chain after. My repair costs will be many times > the cost of one replacement module anyway. > > Yes, the 33 mm vs 31 mm refers to the module thickness. I don't have a > version 2.5 frame to check the flange metal thickness, and it is > conspicuously absent from the specs. I have a good micrometer, and I will > compare metal thicknesses of several module brands, because with all the > cost cutting, many module manus seems to be using thinner metal lately. As > Jay pointed out, we're bolting much bigger modules down with much weaker > flanges, and the same hardware we used on a 75 w module, so its not > entirely surprising to start seeing high wind failures. > > > R.Ray Walters > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > > > Change listserver email address & settings: > > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > > > List rules & etiquette: > > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > > > Check out or update participant bios: > > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches. > org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > >
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