Solar Panel Mounting Systems

Solar Mounting Systems are designed to protect your array from the environment while positioning it for maximum sunlight, so it makes sense that choosing the best system for your application is important. Multiple factors go into the selection of a mounting system including panel location, available space, roof type, and environment.

With an ever-growing variety of mounting options in the market, choosing and sizing the right system for you can feel overwhelming. For further assistance, call us at (888) 814-0808.

 

Roof Mounts

Like the roofs they are mounted on, solar panel roof mount systems come in many shapes and sizes. Some are designed specially for metal roofs, some focus on aesthetic. Their height means less risk of shading and discourages theft, and they don’t take up valuable living space that could be better used elsewhere.

Flush mounts use a system of clamps, rails, L-feet, and standoffs to attach your solar panels to your roof. These systems can be very simple or very complex, depending on the manufacturer chosen and options available. While flush mounts are not flexible like some of the other roof mount options, they have greater aesthetic appeal and are very affordable. There are also plenty of mounting systems to choose from, allowing the most custom system possible.

When installing a flush mount system, it is important to ensure that an appropriate distance is left between the panels and your roof, since flush mount systems are cooled by air flowing underneath their panels.

Ballasted mounts are designed specifically for flat roofs. Instead of requiring the installer to drill holes in the roof, a heavy ballast (such as bricks) is placed in a specially designed plate to hold the mount in place.

 

Ground Mounts

Ground Mounts are a simpler version of flush mounts, but are mounted anywhere from one to ten feet above the ground.  Ground Mounts are probably the easiest way to mount solar panels. This mount resembles an A-frame. It safest to attach this structure to a cement slab so that it may be secured in place. Ground mounts are designed to handle a multitude of solar modules. Ground mounts can be used to attach solar panels to the ground, to a roof and or to a vertical surface. Some ground mounts have tilt-able, or adjustable legs; others are fixed. Optional adjustable tilt legs are available for several of the styles of panels.

 

Pole Mounts

Pole mounts can be used for single panels or small arrays to provide power in remote locations. They come in many different sizes, from small pole mounts designed to hold a single panel to massive solar mounts that can hold 18 or more. Many pole mounts are custom made, so you will need the spec sheet for the panel you are mounting to pick the best fit. There can also be lead times of 2 to 4 weeks, so plan ahead!

Pole mounted solar panels can be stationary non-moving structures or the solar panels can be dual axis tracking in that the solar panel will move through-out the day tracking the sun’s movement across the horizon.