Solar Installation Series – Part 3

Introduction

In this post we will talk about how I managed to get my solar panels on the roof for installation. There is a simple, yet expensive solution, and there is a cheap, yet labor-intensive solution.

Please refer to the previous posts in this series, to make sure you are up to speed.
Part 1: Solar Power System – Design and Planning
Part 2: Unique Roof Mounts for Solar Panels

Safety First!

When installing solar panels it is important to consider safety. Roof mounted installations put the installer at a considerable distance from the ground and most roofs don’t come with safety rails. For my installation I purchased a roof harness and rope from the local hardware store. I ordered two roof anchors that would be permanently attached to my roof, so that I have an anchor any time I needed.

Roof Anchor

Since my roof is metal, but not the standing-seam type, I found it difficult to get a roof anchor that would work without putting permanent holes in the roof. I ended up with a King Products Permanent Roof Anchor. I bought two and mounted them on my roof. You do have to put holes in your roof with this product, but it has a very good sealant on the bottom that seals to the roof very well. Also, the bolts that hold the anchor to the roof are hidden under a cover, so there is no way water can get to them. I love the design.

Safety Tether

If I had to do this all over again, I would have spent the extra money for an auto-retracting fall protection line. I got the harness and a 50 ft rope for $99 plus tax. A retractable line is well over $200 for one that is only about 33 feet. Many are well over $200 for only 6 feet of line.

The only reason I would justify this expense is because 50 feet of rope can get in the way when moving heavy solar panels on a slippery metal roof. It is not easy to adjust when your hands are full and you need to move long distances across the roof. And I did have one fall during the installation, while carrying a solar panel, because I stepped on the excess rope and it caused me to slip. Luckily, I was at the peak of the roof so there was no danger of falling off and no solar panels were injured…just my pride.

Next point about safety. Solar panels are large flat surfaces that can be a little cumbersome to move. I would advise having a partner to help you lift and move the panels. The extra set of hands will also help when positioning the panels to be plugged in and anchored to the rails. I was lucky enough to have my cousin, Eric and his wife come help.

Liftoff Nearly Aborted

It is one thing to have your solar panels stacked neatly on a pallet, waiting for their installation. It is another thing entirely to get them up there! The simple solution is to rent a lift from your local rental place. It will cost quite a bit, especially including delivery, but it is simple.

When we were looking to install the panels, it was between weather systems, which is a common thing in middle Tennessee during the early spring. I had already priced a lift from my favorite rental place, but when it was “go time,” the lift was not available. So I had to come up with another solution and quick.

Unfortunately, my tractor would not lift that high. I briefly considered just putting some straps around the panel and using a rope to lift it vertically by hand, but that was just one slip from disaster. I could have used an electric winch that I had, but I would have had to rig up something to attach it to and then attach that to the roof. If you don’t understand why I don’t want to do that, then you haven’t been reading close enough. But then I had an idea!

The Solution

What did the ancient Egyptians do when they needed to get a large stone to the top of a pyramid? They built a ramp. So did I! I had the materials at hand to build a ramp that would be both functional and quick. I decided to make the ramp 30 feet long, in part because I knew that would get to the roof at a shallow enough angle, and I had 6, 10 foot long pieces of strut channel to use. The ramp would rest on the edge of the roof and the other end would rest on the ground.

A carriage would be made to hold the panel and that would be pulled up the ramp. To make the carriage roll up the ramp, I needed to make trolleys. Store-bought trolleys are expensive and only available online in my area. That meant 3D printing to the rescue!

Trolley Design

I started by designing my trolleys with wheels that would ride on the top ridge of the rails. These were made from 608 skateboard bearings that I keep around for various things. I went with four wheels per trolley because it provided the best stability and I had plenty of bearings. The bearings have an 8 mm shaft, but I didn’t have any 8 mm stock at the time, so i just used 5/16″ bolts (close enough) and put a double nut on one side to prevent them from coming loose with rotation. The trolley has a large flat part on top with holes printed into the design to screw to the underside of the carriage. Another protrusion on the bottom, underneath the lip of the rail, prevents the assembly from lifting off the track.

For the ramp, I lined up three pieces of strut channel together to make each rail, and used 1×4 boards to make spacers between the two rails. This would keep the rails at the correct distance apart so the carriage would travel smoothly down the track. To resist the track bowing, I supported the sides with two 2x4x16′ boards on each side.

The tractor was used to lift one end of the ramp up high enough that the rope could be used to pull it the rest of the way up onto the roof. After making sure the ramp was level between the two legs, we began installing the panels.

Thank You

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