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From East To West |
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Solar Collect Limited © 2014 Registered in England and Wales, Company no. 6234018 Preston, PR2 8WB. |
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Universal Corner Mounts - Fitting Instructions Fixing the Panel to the Mounts You can attach the solar panel frame to the mounts with adhesive or by using the stainless steel M4 machine screws, nuts, and washers provided. Clearance holes (4.5mm, 11/64”, or imperial #16) can be drilled in the recessed ports of the mounts, and through into the frame. (Don’t forget to clean the burr from the back of the panel frame.) A hole centred 7 mm up from the bottom of the port will exit at the centre of the flange in which the panel frame sits. You may prefer to use stainless steel self-tapping screws, in which case we would recommend using no. 8 x 25 mm. The same clearance holes can be used but be careful to use the correct tap drill size for the Aluminium frame (usually imperial tap drill #29 or 3.5mm).
Bonding the Mounts to the Substrate Bonding the mounts and gland casing to a variety of surfaces, e.g. metals, timber, plastics (and FRP*), can be achieved using Sikaflex 512 -Caravan, (or Sikaflex 252). These are high quality, polyurethane based, weather resistant sealants and adhesives. To obtain a reliable and permanent bond the manufacturer’s instructions must be followed carefully. The surfaces must be clean, dry and free from all traces of grease, oil, and dust.
THE SUBSTRATE SHOULD BE SANDED, FINISHED WITH THE FINE ABRASIVE PAPER, BRUSHED, AND THEN CLEANED WITH A SUITABLE SOLVENT. (Do not apply solvents such as acetone, carbon tetrachloride, or aromatic hydrocarbons to ABS. Use only alcohol based solvents.)
For best results with Sikaflex512 use Sika Cleaner/Aktivator-205 on FRP* and ABS. (For the highest strength, absolutely permanent bond use Sikaflex 252 Structural Adhesive, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for pre-treatment, as before.)
Attach the mounts to the solar panel first, position the panel and then mark out the areas on the mounting surface for pre-treatment. Allow sufficient time for any pre-treatments to dry before applying the bonding adhesive. After applying the adhesive, leave the panel under cover for 2 days for the bond to cure before proceeding further.
Bonding the Gland Casing to the Substrate Mark out the area for attaching the gland casing, drill the cable holes, and then clean and pre-treat the surfaces as described in the Sika Pre-Treatment Chart. Slide the gland components loosely along the cables and then feed the cables through the threaded holes in the casing and through the roof holes before bonding the gland casing to the surface. Do not move the cables or tighten up the glands until the bond has cured (allow at least 24 h, preferably 2 days for a 3mm thick layer).
*Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastics, usually unsaturated polyesters on caravans. |
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Z Bracket Mounting Kit Fitting Instructions One leg of each bracket has four 8 mm clearance holes on 16.0 mm centres and the other has an 8 mm clearance slot. Fixing the Panel to the Brackets Four M6 x 20mm stainless steel bolts, with locking nuts and washers are provided to attach the PV panel to the brackets. Many PV panels are pre-drilled with 6 mm clearance holes in the back of the frame. However, if it is required, use a 6.5 mm or ¼”diameter drill bit to create fixing holes at the appropriate spacing. Clean off the burr and insert the bolt from behind the frame and through the slot in the Z Bracket. Then apply the wide washer and locking nut on the other side of the bracket. Securing the Brackets to a Flat or Sloping Roof Bolt –Through Fixing For those situations when a waterproof bolt-through fixing is required, four M6 x 60 mm stainless bolts, nuts, and washers are provided, with Neoprene Sealing Washers that fit both above and below the Brackets. (For maximum flexibility of application 4 fixing holes are provided, normally use one of the 2 inside holes.) Drill M6 clearance holes (6.5 mm or 1/4”) in the roof surface at the appropriate spacing and insert the bolts. The thicker washer sits above the bracket and the larger, thinner washer sits between the bracket and the roof, as shown in the image above. (The seal will be effective in most circumstances, but if the roof surface is very rough, a thin ring of silicone sealant may first be applied to the surface around the holes. It will be squeezed into any crevices by the larger Neoprene washer.) Apply the 25 mm load spreading washers, spring washers, and nuts from underneath and tighten until the spring is compressed. Screwing into Solid Timber If this is required, use no. 12, corrosion resistant wood screws at least 40 mm long (not included) and screw-cup washers. Drill a full depth pilot hole of 1/8” or 3.5 mm in the timber surface. You can employ the Neoprene washers provided to obtain a waterproof seal.
Securing the Brackets to a Brick, Concrete, or Stone Surface Four 8 mm diameter masonry sleeve anchors (not included in this kit) can be used for this purpose. Drill holes in the masonry surface, at the appropriate spacing, to a depth of 65 mm, using an 8 mm masonry drill. With the bracket in place, fully insert the through-fitting anchor without unscrewing the bolt. The anchor will expand and grip the hole as the bolt head is tightened. |
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Adjustable Mounting Kit - Including Waterproof Bolt–Through Fixings Fitting Instructions One leg of each bracket has two 8 mm clearance holes on 51.0 cm centres and the other has 8 mm clearance holes on 33.3 cm centres. Either leg may be used to attach the PV panel, as is convenient, depending on its dimensions. Fixing the Panel to the Brackets Four M6 x 16mm stainless steel bolts, with nuts, washers and locking washers, are provided to attach the PV panel to the brackets. Drill holes of 6.5 mm or ¼”diameter in the panel frame at the appropriate spacing. Clean off the burr and insert the bolt from the back of the frame, using the washer supplied at the front of the bracket over the 8 mm clearance hole. Securing the Brackets to a Brick, Concrete, or Stone Surface Four 8 mm diameter masonry sleeve anchors (with M6 threaded bolts) are provided for this purpose. Drill holes in the surface, at the appropriate spacing, to a depth of 65 mm, using an 8 mm masonry drill. With the bracket in place, fully insert the through-fitting anchor without unscrewing the bolt. The anchor will expand and grip the hole as the bolt head is tightened. For permanent installations we recommend attaching the struts using the four M8 x 20 mm stainless bolts, nuts, and locking washers that are also included. Securing the Brackets to a Flat or Sloping Roof For those situations when a waterproof bolt-through fixing is required, four M8 x 60 mm stainless bolts, nuts, and washers are provided, with Neoprene Sealing Washers that fit both above and below the Brackets. Drill M8 clearance holes (8.4 mm or 21/64”) in the roof surface at the appropriate spacing and insert the bolts. The thicker washer sits above the bracket and the larger, thinner washer sits between the bracket and the roof, as shown in the image above. (The seal will be effective in most circumstances, but if the roof surface is very rough, a thin ring of silicone sealant may first be applied to the surface around the holes. It will be squeezed into any crevices by the larger Neoprene washer.) Apply the 30 mm load spreading washers, spring washers, and nuts from underneath and tighten by hand initially. Attach the panel to the brackets, align and tighten before finally tightening the nuts underneath the roof. Screwing into Solid Timber If it is required, use M8 stainless Coach Screws at least 50 mm long (not included) and drill a full depth pilot hole of 4.8 mm or 3/16” into solid timber. You can employ the Neoprene washers provided to obtain a water seal. |