Mounting Rail Reprise

For mounting the solar modules onto the roof I used Ironridge Solar Mount rails.  These are heavy-duty aluminum rails with channels into which bolts are inserted for the L-shaped mounts and the module clips, one channel for each:

Ironridge Solar Roof Mount System Rail Cross-section

The channel on the top is used for inserting bolts for:

• solar module mounting clips
• grounding straps straddling joints in the rails
• grounding wire clips for running the grounding wire from rail to rail and to groung

The channel on the side at the bottom is used for attaching to the L-mount which is then lagged into the roof.

Since this is aluminum it is very important to use stainless hardware.  If galvanized (zinc-plated steel) bolts, washers, etc. are used then a galvanic reaction will occur and the aluminum will be weakened.

So far so good.

Attaching the rails to the roof was straightforward:

• locate the trusses
• lay down chalk lines
• pre-drill holes for the lag screws
• goop up the lag screws and the bottom of an L-mount
• screw the L-mount into the truss
• slide the mounting bolts into the lower channel of a rail
• line up mounting bolts with the L-mount and insert
• apply the washer, if required, and attach the nut
• tighten with a torque wrench according to specifications

This part of the mounting was pretty much trouble-free.  Placing the panels was an 'experience'.