Roof ladders

[DomB]

Hi all,

Just looking at buying a couple of roof ladders to install PV from.

I've measured our vehicle length and we're limited to a closed length of around 3.50m; a quick look around t'Interweb and a 3.5m one would extend to around 5.6m - I'm hoping that's long enough..?

Has anyone any thoughts on minimum lengths, single-section v's double-section or useful functionality etc?

Thanks in advance for any thoughts

 

[Markc]

We bought this

Sectional ladder that can we can get in the van. We are also going to buy a couple of further add on's to cater for the extra long roof's.

Midland ladders also provided a service second to none. Ordered online and was delivered in two days. Certainly can recommend.

 

[DomB]

Thanks very much - The fact that you can buy extensions looks good. & just saw the Accessories section there too which converts any ladder into a roof ladder. Hm.

Cheers

 

[Markc]

We do have a ridge ladder accessory add on but its a hassle to put it on and off it also means you don't have stand off bars all the way down the ladder so it's closer to the roof meaning your feet can't go all the way through the rung. Working off this all day would make your feet ache as your be working off your toes all day. The converter is handy as a second ladder for access over a Velux window for example but I wouldn't want to work off it all day. I looked about before going for what we got and for the money I'm very happy.

 

[DomB]

Glorious, thanks for that info. I was pondering whether to just buy the converter but that nails it.

 

[solgen]

Hi guys,

Just thought I'd ask the question as to whether you're still happy with your roof ladders?

I used to contract out the roof work but it's proved to difficult so am now keeping the work in-house.

I've got a roof which is about 7M deep, the van isn't that big so, so this solutions looks good for me!

Have you found any other equipment particularly useful for roof work?

Thanks

 

[DomB]

The ladders MarkC suggested have been excellent; our roofer even asked where I got them. I bought two ladders - they all plug togethor to form one g'normous ladder which has been useful too.

We're also doing more and more roof stuff in-house and have found a flat pry-bar to be really useful. And a bricky's line. And a 115mm grinder (altho wishing now I'd bought a bigger one). Oh, and I use my kid's pavement play-chalk to mark it all out, I can highly recommend the Princess Pink!

One thing I am looking for is a means of getting that first panel on dead-straight. Wondering if anyone has used tripod and levelling laser or if everyone goes by eye..?

 

[dansk]

I use a 3m long straight edge, proper aluminium one, and line up using that, and adjust it the panels as we move along - lot is rack of eye.

 

[DomB]

Thanks Dansk. Thinking I'd best go and start another thread - I'm on the verge of hijacking this one (if you can hijack your own thread?!)

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Not a bad ladder, I looked into the one from the esi-dec crowd, and was blown away when he said £1300+VAT!!!

Definately a ladder Ill be looking at soon, with a few simple modifications........4 roller blade wheels on the roof hook for starters..........

 

[Ramjam]

We have two of the Easi-dec ladders and they are brilliant, they are the only ladder which can span over an array so you can safely fit panels without touching the roof. Take a wet day and an artificial slate roof at 40degrees or a clay tile roof where everything breaks when it sees a fitters foot and you'll need a ladder like this. We have two so that we can take each end of a panel for fitting without standing on the roof.

Expensive but it is your trade and you won't regret it trust me its a brilliant tool.

 

[solgen]

I'm convinced enough to get these now - so thanks for all input!

 

[Graeme Harrold]

We have two of the Easi-dec ladders and they are brilliant, they are the only ladder which can span over an array so you can safely fit panels without touching the roof. Take a wet day and an artificial slate roof at 40degrees or a clay tile roof where everything breaks when it sees a fitters foot and you'll need a ladder like this. We have two so that we can take each end of a panel for fitting without standing on the roof.

Expensive but it is your trade and you won't regret it trust me its a brilliant tool.

Which ones do you have, the old or new version?

Its a very nice concept, but as with everthing solar way over priced. Having seen the video, I had a figure in my head based on what Id seen, and it was almost 3 times the price.

 

[LightGEN]

I had a figure in my head based on what Id seen, and it was almost 3 times the price.

I had exactly the same thought. I'm thinking of making my own instead.

 

[Graeme Harrold]

If you need a nice pad for spreading the load under the ladders, Im contemplating using these......

AFV432 Trackpads

2x rollerblade wheels on the roof hook to ease lateral movement, and for a few quid I can knock up a nice pad for sitting on, with tool storage rather than the £180 for the one offered on the site!!!

 

[Ramjam]

We have the new version which is a little cheaper. The old version rolled up the roof flat and then you wound a handle to bring down the roof hook, not so clever. The new one rolls up the roof on it's edge with big golf trolley wheels that can roll up and over a PV array without getting caught or causing damage. You then lay the ladder down and a series of little rollerblade style wheels enable you to move it sideways on the roof.

The clever thing is the fact that the roof hook can be attached anywhere along the ladder meaning that you can have the surplus ladder protruding over the ridge rather than sitting on the scaffold at the eaves.

The super tall standoff means you have room underneath to manouvre panels and it's so stiff that we've had 3 people working on one ladder over an array without it flexing.

This ladder is engineering simplicity and a worthwhile investment, you need to remove the hook and bottom standoff and keep them in the van rather than leave them on while on the roof rack, it's big so you'll need space.

 

[solgen]

Hi Mark C,

I've got this roof, approx 7M deep, where I'm going to be putting 6 rows of panels in 4 columns. Left to right column 1 has 6 panels, column2 has 5 panels, column3 has 3 panels, and column4 has 1 panel.

I can see the benefit of the sectional roof ladders for putting the roof hooks on, but then what do you do about putting rails on and then the panels.

My work order would be hooks, rails and then panels. How do you get ladder to span the rails or don't you?

Do you have a different work sequence allowing you to put equipment up? At the moment I can only see Easi-dek providing the solution.

Appreciate your thoughts

Thanks

 

[Graeme Harrold]

The one thing Ill gice easy-dec is its a well thought out bit of kit and has the rigidity and design to bridge the paneled area. It still remains way over priced for what it is, and just cashing in on the Solar Market.

With most roofing ladders the problem you will have is the stand-off distance from the roof, and unsupported strength (span between supports). Once the roof hooks are in place, these will give you a place to stand while fitting the rails, start at the bottom and work your way up. Once rails are fitted, use the ladder to place the panels, as the rails will now also act as a ladder support.

 

[Markc]

The ladders MarkC suggested have been excellent; our roofer even asked where I got them. I bought two ladders - they all plug togethor to form one g'normous ladder which has been useful too.

We're also doing more and more roof stuff in-house and have found a flat pry-bar to be really useful. And a bricky's line. And a 115mm grinder (altho wishing now I'd bought a bigger one). Oh, and I use my kid's pavement play-chalk to mark it all out, I can highly recommend the Princess Pink!

One thing I am looking for is a means of getting that first panel on dead-straight. Wondering if anyone has used tripod and levelling laser or if everyone goes by eye..?

Eye it up. I've yet to find a square roof. We've tried string, level, lines, measure etc. Best thing is to lay a few panels and stand back and see what they look like to the tile line etc.

 

[Markc]

Hi Mark C,

I've got this roof, approx 7M deep, where I'm going to be putting 6 rows of panels in 4 columns. Left to right column 1 has 6 panels, column2 has 5 panels, column3 has 3 panels, and column4 has 1 panel.

I can see the benefit of the sectional roof ladders for putting the roof hooks on, but then what do you do about putting rails on and then the panels.

My work order would be hooks, rails and then panels. How do you get ladder to span the rails or don't you?

Do you have a different work sequence allowing you to put equipment up? At the moment I can only see Easi-dek providing the solution.

Appreciate your thoughts

Thanks

Ridge ladder works very well even on the rail. The order is the same. Where the rails sit high we secure off cuts of rail to the spanning bars of the ridge ladder and use some pipe lagging to softener it. Make the ladder a bit heavier but gives a bigger distance off the roof. Amazing what can be done with rail off cuts and one turns?

I still cant justify the price of Easi-Dek.