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M

MickF

We're building a new bike store at the bottom of the garden (complies with permitted development) and have deiced to make it a solar powered roof, has anyone used the panels just as the main roofing material? I can;t see any point in putting a corrugated material beneath them if I can find a way of closing the gaps - saw the thread about CT1 (Solar Limpets) and wondered if that would work.

Not nescesarily worried about the FIT side of things so doesn't have to be MCS compliant mounting system.

Any idea how to seal the gaps between the panels, or mount the panels with no gaps perhaps using the frame holes they come with?

Interestingly I see unistrut have launched a PV mounting system, so could use some of that, I've used it on oil rigs in North Sea, and 25 years on it's still holding satellite dishes in place through the worst gales!

I also see schletter do a wooden framed solar car port.. wonder how they seal the gap?

Innovative solutions welcome..
 
For something "off the shelf" you could maybe use the Renusol in roof system, which has a plastic tray that sits under the panels for waterproofing. It may not look so great from underneath however, but one assumes that is not a deal breaker for a bike shed? You could go for BIPV panels, but this would be expensive for what you are doing.

If you can find a mounting system that will bolt the panels flush together (most systems have a 20mm or so gap between panels), the CT1 sounds like it should work to bond & seal the panels together, but would be a nightmare if you ever needed to move or swap one for any reason.
 
Just clip them from underneath using holes , put some self adhesive EDPM rubber glassing strips(two parallel rows top and bottom of side frame) between panels for expansion and weather seal .Key is in simplicity. Pending on angle of your bike port fitted even with small gap between panels without seal on steep enough roof would not leak due to cohesive forces between water molecule and frame been stronger then gravity on angles over 50`degrees. (optional clip top and bottom of panels)
 
I think you're right having seen the spec on the CT1 - it may be too good!

So the idead of the EDPM Glazing strips sounds good expecially if I could get them about 3mm wide - any idea where to source them from?

Roof faces due south and will be at 20-25 degrees so water won't quite run off on it's own and would need sealing, but doesn't have to be 100% perfect.

Clamping at the top and bottom of the frame may void the panel warranty, though it may be an option. So I would like to clamp from underneath if I could - any one seen any fittings for this, all I've seen on houses is a clamp from the top.

Perhaps the 6mm version of this would do: Unistrut U.K. they look just like the K2 ones :)
 
Only problem with the unistrut clamp is you have to install from underneath, and get the unistrut rails in EXACTLY the right position (well within 5mm tolerance on the slotted hole)

Any other ideas?
 
If you are going to use unistrut then they do a 'Zed' clamp that would bolt to the underside of the unistrut and then bolt to the fixing holes on the panel (the unistrut would be 'upside down', you would need a large penny washer, as I think unistrut Zed clamps are usually 10mm holes, and you would probably use a 6mm bolt through the panel fixing. would certainly be sucure for uplift so long as the unistrut is held down. Here it is Unistrut U.K. (just imagine that picture upside down) or try this: Unirac Solar Panel Mounting Feet (set of 4)
 
I looked into this recently and the upshot was it was cheaper to put a roof on then mount panels on top than to get a roof replacement system
 
I looked into this recently and the upshot was it was cheaper to put a roof on then mount panels on top than to get a roof replacement system

It shouldn't be, I don't need whole roof replacement system, it doens't have to be 100% waterproof, it's only a bike shed, so imagine it as a roof with rafters, but no felt, battens or tiles (which is what it is at the moment:) ), so I can fix unistrut direct to the rafters with L brackets bolted through the rafters, so no uplift problems, I can then fix the panels to the unsitrut using Zed brackets or the unirac bracket (I like that one it will do two panels with one bracket with a bit of movement /placement adjustment), and then put the T shaped glazing edpm strip and an additional strip at the bottom edge of the frame between the panels should seal it - Unistrut costs me £16 for a 6m 42mm (deep) channel 6 of those, a few Zebs, 9 of those sets of Unirac clamps a 24 L brackets, a 24 coach bolts to go through the rafters, 50 m of EDPm

Saved on felt, battens and tiles ..

Jobs a goodun I reckon...

UNISTRUT METAL CHANNEL DETAILS
UNISTRUT METAL CHANNEL DETAILS

Or else what have I got totally wrong?
 

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