MrPablo wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:07 pm
I'm glad I've seen the horror story posts before I ordered more panels and clambered up a ladder!
I might have to see if I can rig up some internal structure to distribute loading, luckily there's good access in my loft.
Has anyone any good tips on how to get a panel up to that height without scaffolding?
Most people just carry the panel up a ladder. This can seem intimidating at first if you’re not that confident up a ladder.
You can usually hire work platforms cheap enough, look for local independent hire companies. I like the “easi-dec” branded lean-to platforms but a tower style platform will work just as well.
12x 340W JA Solar panels (4.08kWp)
3x 380W JA Solar panels (1.14kWp)
5x 2.4kWh Pylontech batteries (12kWh)
LuxPower inverter/charger
(Artist formally known as ******, well it should be obvious enough to those for whom such things are important.)
I have found 1 supplier for mountings designed for vertical walls, which includes a triangular frame to optimise the solar gain, but would fall foul of the 200 mm maximum protrusion before planning permission is required.
They do state the slope angle can be 90 degrees though.
The install guide makes no mention of fixing points having to reach the internal block of a cavity wall though, so probably have to contact them to find out the recommended fixing methods.
As others have said before in this thread, it is not worth the risk of a collapsing gable wall.
Oliver90owner wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 2:58 pm
I would not even consider carrying your panels up a ladder. 400W panels are likely to weigh around 20kg?
I did this with my 400W Trina's. There is a knack to it no doubt. Up the ladder was easy enough, getting them onto then picking them up on the bungalow lower roof tiles and getting up to the top was a bit of a pig. Had serious non slip steelies on for it. Do-able but at 53 I felt it. If I was going up to do vertical face work like a gable end I'd do them with a ladder stand off to reduce the face angle.
19.7kW PV SE, VI, HM, EN & DW
Ripple 7kW WT & Gen to date 19MWh
42kWh LFPO4 storage
95kWh Heater storage
12kWh 210ltr HWT.
73kWh HI5
Deep insulation, air leak ct'd home
Zoned GCH & Hive 2
WBSx2
Low energy bulbs
Veg patches & fruit trees
I used an electric hoist tied onto the top of the ladder and a solar panel lifting bag with SWMBO loading up the bag from the ground. It was still very hard manhandling the dangling bag onto the roof, but if I dropped it whilst getting to the top of the roof it was still tied onto the hoist.
A tip which I found my first installer using was putting a couple of stainless steel bolts through the frames (they usually have pre drilled holes). Once on the rails, if the panel slipped whilst moving them around, the bolt catches on the rails and falls no further.
18.7kW PV > 109MWh generated
Ripple 6.6kW Wind + 4.5kW PV > 26MWh generated
5 Other RE Coop's
105kWh EV storage
60kWh Home battery storage
40kWh Thermal storage
GSHP + A2A HP's
Rain water use > 510 m3
With over 20 years on you, and a quad bypass, I am careful what I attempt these days.
My ‘lectric hoist will likely be more trouble than good (it has its safety features to comply with), so I shall use a handraulic hoist fixed to/from the top rail/bracket (for anchorage) for a steady heave-ho. They will go up.
Oliver90owner wrote: ↑Sun Oct 23, 2022 4:15 pm… but at 53 I felt it. …
With over 20 years on you, and a quad bypass, I am careful what I attempt these days.
My ‘lectric hoist will likely be more trouble than good (it has its safety features to comply with), so I shall use a handraulic hoist fixed to/from the top rail/bracket (for anchorage) for a steady heave-ho. They will go up.
I have the frames up for the solar panel covered walkway, but getting the panels up is proving to be the sticking point at the moment. I'm 70 in a couple of weeks time, and have discovered that walking up a ladder trying to carry a panel weighing about 18kg was more than I can safely manage. The plan is to fix a hoist of some sort to the wall and use that to haul the panels up. I've sorted a fail safe to stop them sliding off, by temporarily adding some tall angle brackets that stick up and support the lower edge of the panels before the clamps are on. This should also help ensure all the panels are aligned. Once the panels are up I will replace the angle brackets with ones to fix the facia to, as I plan to fit a gutter along the lower edge, to catch the drips, that would otherwise land just about where the wheelie bin storage area is.
25 off 250W Perlight solar panels, installed 2014, with a 6kW PowerOne inverter, about 6,000kWh/year generated
6 off Pylontech US3000C batteries, with a Sofar ME3000SP inverter
Not sure why one needs special mounting. Just through bolt the rails to the wall ? I would be more concerned about the panels sliping out of the brackets long term, perhaps thats what the bolt holes in the panels are about. I think i would use a u channel etc to sit the bottom of the panels on and a normal rail higher up.
