Solar panel installation guide

High quality solar panel installation is crucial for your solar PV system to last long and to endure all weather conditions. That is why we recommend that you do your research before selecting a solar installer. We only work with the best solar installers in the industry to ensure your satisfaction when it comes to solar panel installation. Read our reviews and select the best solar panel installer when you get a solar PV system.

For those of you who experience extreme weather conditions such as cyclones or strong winds, high-quality solar panel installation is key to protecting your investment. There are a few important components used for solar panel installation to the roof.

This is normally called the mounting kit and it consists of the following:

• Feet
• Rails
• Mid-clamps

• End-clamps
• Splice kit
• WEEBs

Solar Panel Feet

The feet

• The feet of the solar mounting kit are used to fix the solar panels to the roof
• They are made to fix to tin, tiled or slate roofs
• The feet are made from aluminium
• To prevent rust from reacting metals, rubber is fitted between the feet and the tin.

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Tin roof feet

Tin roof feet are quite simple to install. The installer will remove a screw from your roof and replace it with a longer screw, fixing the aluminium L shaped bracket to the roof. It is pretty standard for the kits to come with rubber to separate the aluminium and the tin or colorbond. Make sure your installer uses rubber to separate the roof from the bracket otherwise your roof may rust.

Tiled roof feet

Tiled roof feet are a little more difficult to install. The brackets are attached underneath the tiles and are screwed down onto the battens or trusses.  In most applications, the installers will need to remove tiles to screw down the feet and then slot the tile back into place. Don’t be surprised if you get stung with a tiled roof fee. It does take longer for solar panel installation and the brackets are a little more expensive. It is also a good idea to have a few tiles on hand in case the installer breaks one.

Slate roof feet

Slate roof feet are the same feet as the tin roof feet. To attach them to the roof, the installers need to drill a hole into the slate using a special drill bit so that the slate tile does not crack or break. Like standard tile roofs, there will normally be an extra fee as it takes longer to install than a standard tin roof solar panel installation. Again, it is a good idea to have a few spare tiles on hand in case the installer breaks one.

Rails

For every row of solar panels, there will be two rows of aluminium rails. They are designed to have a special module to slot into the grooves and slide into place. Don’t worry, when they are tightened, they’re not sliding anywhere. The rails are normally around 3 metres long and can be easily cut to size when the installers are on site.

Mid-clamps

Mid-clamps are T-shaped modules which sit in between the solar panels, clamping them down to the rails. There should be two mid clamps installed between every solar panel. One at the top and one on the bottom. Mid-clamps come with a special washer designed to lock the bolt in place when tightened.

End-clamps

End-clamps are modules which are designed to clamp the end of the row of solar panels to the rails. Like the Mid-clamps, they slide into place on the rail and are tightened down using an Allen key. Like the mid-clamps, they have a special washer to lock the bolt in place when tightened.

Splice kit

The rails come in different lengths ranging from 2 – 4 metres long. Installers use splice kits to join the rails together so that they sit flush and tidy on your roof. Like the rails, there are a variety of different shapes and designs so don’t be surprised if they are not identical to the set displayed in the photo.

WEEBs

Washer, Electrical Equipment Bonds or WEEBs play a vital role in the safety of your PV system. They are little plates which sit in-between the solar panel’s, rails. They are held in place by the mid or end-clamps. When the mid or end clamps are tightened, the sharp points on the WEEBs bite into both the panel and rail create an ‘earth’.

Dektite

Dektites are the cone shaped flashings used to seal pipes or conduit on a metal roof. This is where the wires from the solar panels travel into your roof cavity.  The installer should install the Dektite underneath the panel so that the sun doesn’t damage the conduit over time.  (The photo has the Dektite on the side so that you can see it clearly)