cross rail advantages?

[woko]

Hi all, when doing barns etc I always run hanger bolts up the purlins and fit the rails vertically and the panels in landscape.
Quoted a job and the other installer says he always cross rails. I'm happy to do that but I can't see the point.

Any advantages of cross railing?

 

[SolarCity]

Cross rails can mean less brackets required.

 

[Gavin A]

cross railing can aid with the loading on the purlins slightly - essentially you're creating a latice of aluminium rails on top of the roof that's tied in to the purlins, helping to tie everything in together.

I think it's probably fairly marginal benefit, but then on some barns, marginal benefit is probably worth it.

We'll always do it on more fragile roofs as we tend to do roped access, and clipping on to the rails is far safer once it's got a grid of rails on it, plus the horizontal rails are good for stopping you going for a flyer if the roof gets a bit wet and slippy, whereas vertical rails you've got no chance.

also, certain client spec it.... and yes, it can mean slightly less brackets, but still costs significantly more and takes longer, so that's not really a reason. Far more reason for it when doing it in portrait as you need the vertical rails to enable you to get the horizontal rails in the right place.

 

[woko]

Thanks very much for your replies.

 

[SpitfireW'sale]

cross railing can aid with the loading on the purlins slightly - essentially you're creating a latice of aluminium rails on top of the roof that's tied in to the purlins, helping to tie everything in together.

I think it's probably fairly marginal benefit, but then on some barns, marginal benefit is probably worth it.

Agree with this - it can help create a cruxiform effect on the rail system to stop any lateral movement in high wind conditions by binding different rows of modules together. I am not sure it is worth the extra cost unless in a very exposed position but it is worth bringing up with customers to show it has been considered. Renusol do a cross rail bracket which allows normal rail to be used which we stock if anyone wants a system pricing to this spec.

 

[Worcester]

Renusol do a cross rail bracket which allows normal rail to be used

And for balance , so do K2 So you have plenty of choice.

 

[AidyB]

Or you can just mount on horizontal rails with a panel that can mount on the short side.

 

[SpitfireW'sale]

You can't mount rails horizontally when the purlins are horizontal. Even if you could, why would you then mount the modules on the short side?