How the Panels are Attached

Somebody somewhere was asking about the hardware that actually attaches the panels to the roof. At the time I wasn't really certain about it but now I know more from snooping around on the job site.

A series of brackets is screwed into the roof (right through the shingle) using a washer and 3/8" bolt that's 2 1/2 " long. Here is a set uninstalled:

And here is a set installed:


I just went up in the attic to confirm that each of these bolts are screwed into a rafter, not just through the roof plywood.

Each bracket/bolt is gooped up with what E.F. called "thirty year sealer." It looks like tar -- you can see some of it on the brackets in both of the previous pictures.


The rails that the panels will be attached to are screwed onto a row of these brackets:


It ends up looking like this:


That makes this a rather permanent installation. If we decided for some reason to remove the panels and rails from the roof we'd have hundreds of 3/8" holes that go right through the shingle and plywood and into the rafter. That's not going to happen, but yes, theoretically it would be a problem (just answering the question).

Building the System: Day 4

No work done today. The weather looked iffy this morning and E.F. had to drive to Carteret to pick up some copper wiring.

Building the System: Day 3

E.F. and M. were onsite by 8:45 this morning. Had they not had to wait for a supply shop in Trenton to open they would have arrived even earlier. They took a few minutes to get organized and then started installing the rails on which panels would be mounted.

Before lunchtime they'd carried a few panels up and begun installing them.

Once they found their rhythm the panels were locked down one after another. Their goal was to get the twelve panels mounted on the garage roof today (before tackling the thirty-six that will go on the main roof).

Five down, seven to go.

Just a couple more after this one.

Twelve panels installed -- day 3 mission accomplished.

Building the System: Day 2

Still too wet with the morning showers. Since the forty-eight panels are worth more than our PT Cruiser we pulled that onto the driveway and I spent two hours moving and stacking them in the garage.

Maybe tomorrow we'll get something done.

Building the System: Day 1

The materials for building the system arrived today.

Unfortunately, it was too wet and rainy for E.F., M. and B. to do anything but unload the 48 solar panels, mounting hardware and electrical gizmos (inverters, safety switches, pass-through boxes and a couple other gadgets).

We'll try again tomorrow. E.F. is going to let me help out as much as possible whenever I can. Maybe I'll learn something. I'm at least going to carry a few panels onto the roof, and maybe even install one if he doesn't change his mind...

New Installation Date

The local permit process is nearly complete and V.D. of groSolar is confident that all permits will be in hand by the end of the week. Installation of our system is now on the schedule beginning Tuesday morning (May 26).

Net Metering Interconnection Approved

Today we received in the mail a Section H, Utility Application Acceptance from the New Jersey Interconnnection Application for Net Metering Systems Interconnection Application for Net Metering Systems via our electricity provider, PSE&G (Public Service Electric and Gas Company).

What a mouthful. It means that the state has approved the adjustment of our electric meter to allow electricity to flow both ways. Any excess power that our solar electric system produces will go out onto the power grid. When this happens our meter will actually spin backwards, reducing the amount we will owe for power we take from the grid when our system can't produce power (nighttime, for example).

The letter indicates that we can't connect to the grid and/or generate power until a PSE&G technician has inspected the modified hookup. As far as we're concerned, that's good news -- an extra set of eyes checking things over is rarely a bad thing.