High Winds and Solar Panels

[LowGear]

I guess it's my turn.  Rather unprepared and a hurricane scheduled for 8 PM tomorrow.  So I've got these 30 panels up on the roof and winds of 70+ MPH coming down the pike.  Is there anything I can do to help them stay in place.  They're to code but between them and the jealousy windows I'm just a touch nervous.  This crap is not suppose to happen on my side of the island.

Casey

[BruceM]

Hi Casey,
Your panels are very low profile (low tilt and very close to the roof) and seem to be well mounted.  I would not worry about such modest winds, except for glass damage from nearby trees shedding limbs, or where you are, cocoanuts.     I'd be checking the upwind trees for dead branches.

Best Wishes,
Bruce

[Carlb]

Here code is that they must be rated for 110 mph winds, I suspect your codes are similar. I assume you needed to pull permits to get the install approved and to get it grid tied and the building inspector found the installation acceptable.  As mentioned above yours are mounted close to the roof and do not present a large area to the wind.  if there is any way to prevent wind from getting under the side of the array that would be helpful.

Both our roof arrays and ground array have withstood 60+ mph winds with no damage.  On our ground array the bottom of the array is 5' off the ground and presents a huge surface to the wind.  

Good luck with the storm and batten down the hatches.

Carl

[LowGear]

Telling the client what he wants to hear.  I love good therapist.  Your checks will be in the mail.

Actually this is the first year building permits / drawings are required for the racking systems.  Some of us need to worry to know we're feeling anything.

Casey

[Ronmar]

Painters drop cloth under a heavy tarp and a few tie-down straps. Remember to twist any straps that span open air to keep them from oscillating/howling in heavy air. The tarp will help keep air from getting underneath, and the dropcloth will help protect from wind driven forigne object damage...

[Mad_Labs]

Musta hit by now. How did it go, Casey?

Of course, he may be out of communications...

Jonathan

[LowGear]

5:30 AM:

It's been raining about 30 minutes.  It's sorta like Zsa Zsa Gabor's eight wedding night.  25 person hours of putting crap away and so far something like last weeks rain.  Or was that week before lasts. 

Da mountain kicked Iselles ass.  That's as far as the West side of the big island is concerned.  Madam Pele Kicks Iselle's Ass will be the headlines in Sundays paper.

Casey

Pele is the goddess of the mountains and lava.  Think about the symbology of the red hot lava streaming down the mountains into the valleys.  Gives real meaning to the old saying: "It been one of those days; bad headache and I'm flowing heavily.  Oops, the UPS just stumbled.

1:00  Finally got back from town.

[BruceM]

Glad you're doing OK Casey and - knock on wood- didn't get clobbered.

[XYZER]

Remember to twist any straps that span open air to keep them from oscillating/howling in heavy air.

My way of spotting an experienced truck driver!

[AdeV]

Remember to twist any straps that span open air to keep them from oscillating/howling in heavy air.

My way of spotting an experienced truck driver!

And to think, all these years I've been making sure my straps are straight, mainly because I have OCD & can't stand to see a twisted strap!

Now I know better & will be adopting the twisted strap strategy!

[LowGear]

Hmmmmm; so twisted straps wasn't some sort of metaphor concerning guarders?

We most all learned something.

Aloha