Rail-Less Solar on Metal Roofs: Wire Management & Best Practices

Presenter:

S-5!’s Director of Solar Business, Mark Gies

Course Description:

As solar mounting technologies evolve to improve installation efficiencies and reduce material and labor costs, some developers and installers on the job site often find it daunting to keep abreast of changing technologies and adapt their operating procedures accordingly.

This seems evident by phobias some people have about rail-less PV mounting for metal roofs, while many others claim it is a piece of cake and saves a fortune. A few small shifts in thinking can produce huge savings in labor, material, and logistics, so it is worth a look. The shifts pertain to the mechanics of installation and a couple of other aspects of a project, such as wire management.

This course unpacks metal roof installations with a brief overview of the various types of metal roofs and their advantages for PV. Wire management techniques are presented in detail, along with other best practices and “how-to’s” for installing rail-less solar systems on metal roofs. Finally, methods for installing various accessories from microinverters to home runs are discussed.

Credit: NABCEP-Approved – Earn 1.5 JTA hrs

Learning Objectives:

1. How/why a metal roof is a perfect solar platform
2. Advantages of rail-less PV mounting systems
3. Best practices for design and deployment of wire management
4. Best practices for installation techniques and other balance of system (BOS) components