RACK - RAIL for sloped roof

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System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I'm looking for a cheap price on a RACK - RAIL for sloped roof

I have 10 200 watt panels
10 EnPase Microsinverters

I will be installing a 2 row 5 per row
one row above the other

I see that rails cost so much and don't really know what to buy or where

thanks
for the help
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #2
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    Re: RACK - RAIL for sloped roof

    get some rectangular tubing from www.easternmetal.com with some z profiles to hold down the panels
    get a 10" aluminum saw blade off ebay
    get spiral taps off www.mcmastercarr.com
    and you can install it yourself for a fair price.
    8020 aluminum also sells a lot of stuff one ebay
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #3
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    Re: RACK - RAIL for sloped roof

    Great thanks for all the Info
    It wll help me a lot
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: RACK - RAIL for sloped roof

    The DIY racks/rails, likely won't meet building codes/insurance claims, but if done right, should be strong enough. I had to have engineer review the internal roof structure to see if it could hold the weight/windload
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • mr.radon
    mr.radon Solar Expert Posts: 158 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
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    Re: RACK - RAIL for sloped roof

    I went down the route of making my own racks. I'm an engineer and even had a few structural engineering friends help me. After doing all the calculations there is no way using stock extrusions that you will end up building it cheaper or lighter. And there are even more negatives...
    After talking to the county building engineer, he was pretty happy I didn't go that route either. He mentioned the same about all the insurance implications if something when wrong with your own design.

    I went with SolarMount I - it was a good system and ended up being the most cost effective for me. In truth, the racking was by far the cheapest part of my system.

    After I went back and calculated how many holes I would have had to drill (I own a mill) it would have taken forever. Plus without custom extrusions you are going to be using more Al. The system will weigh more.

    Also, most rack manufactures have stock loading formulas for their system, much easier to convince the County engineers to issue building permits with those calculations in hand.
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