Motors & Transmissions

Options for mounting solar panels on your house

There are four basic types of mount structures: roof / ground, top of pole, side poles and media tracking, each with their advantages and disadvantages. For example roof mount structures typically keep the path distances cables between the solar panels and batteries or UPS network to a minimum, which is good. But they may also require roof penetrations in several locations, and they require a device to protect against ground faults costly to comply with Section 690-5 of the National Electrical Code-NEC.

The other hand, ground mounted solar arrays require fairly precise foundation setup, are more susceptible to theft and vandalism and excessive accumulation Snow on the bottom of the table.

Next are top of the pole supports that are relatively easy to install (you sink a 2-6 inch diameter SCH40 steel mast up to 4-6 feet in the ground with concrete). Make sure the pole is plumb and mount the solar modules and rack on top of the pole. High-pole mounts reduce the risk of theft or vandalism (with respect to a ground mount). They’re also a better choice for cold climates because snow slides easily.

Side of the pole supports are easy to install, but are generally used for small numbers of target = “_blank”> solar panels (1-4) for remote lighting systems where there is already an existing pole to attach them.

Last but not least include solar trackers, which increase the daily number of hours of full sun and are generally used for pumping applications Sun. Trackers are extremely effective in summer when water is most needed. In the northern U.S., typical home consumption peaks energy in winter when a tracker mount makes very little difference to any type of fixed support (roof, floor or top of post). In this situation, having more solar panels on a fixed price comparison will serve you better in winter than fewer modules on a tracker. However, if you’re in the southern United States and your energy usage peaks in the summer, then a tracker may be beneficial to match the time of your consumption highest energy output with an array of tracking solar energy maximum.

Proper Ultrasonic Sensor Mounting