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Live Greener, Better, and Cheaper with Solar Panels


Understand Solar Panel Mounting Hardware for a DIY Project

© 2012 by Cristian Eli Alvarez Hernandez; All rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without author’s written permission.

Solar Panel

I am sure that tons of people heard these pitches regarding the benefits of generating energy using solar panels, but I think that saying most of you never paid that much attention to them, is also not an understatement.

The big reason for this is that most people understand the benefits, however solar panel systems are quite the investment. Not only is there the basic price of photovoltaic panels to consider, but there is also the installation of these systems.

Consider the Solar Panel Mounting Hardware

There are companies that take care of this aspect, but why not do it yourself and save some money? The solar panel mounting hardware is divided into a couple of big categories.

Solar panel fasteners, image courtesy Cristian Eli Alvarez Hernandez To see the big picture, you can begin by narrowing down your search. One of the biggest names in the business is EJOT, a fastener and fixing manufacturer based in the UK. They manufacture the EJOT JA3 and the JZ3 solar fastening system for photovoltaic panel installation as well as exposed fastener metal panel roofs.

The difference between JA3 and JZ3, is the structure that they will be used on. If you have a home or a structure with wood as the big part of your construction, then you will want to go for the JA3 thread for wood substructure.

For the steel substructure I recommend the JZ3 thread. Roof coverings are another element that you will have to take into account and choose between three large types.

You can go for the trapezoidal metal profiles, insulated metal panels, or the corrugated metal profiles. Each of them has their own unique way of approaching the solar panel mounting business, so you should consult with a specialist in this regard to get the best solution for your own home.

Tapcon® Screws, Leader in the Fastening Industry

For screws I recommend using Tapcon® screws since the company has been active in this business for quite some time and they offer a wide array of solutions.

These will easily adapt to any housing configuration and offer you plenty of maneuverability in this field.

You can go for the flat head Phillips UltraCon with blue stalgard finish, the hex head slotted UltraCon, or the flat head trim fit UltraCon with the white stalgard finish.

This depends largely on what you will plan fastening to. Note that Tapcon also provides installation tools and UltraCon drill bits as well as 5/16-inch masonry tools.

High Quality Fasteners Resist Corrosion

For those who are new to this sector, the Ultra branding used in the name reflects the higher quality of the screws employed. To differentiate them, the blue stalgard corrosion-resistant finish will give these items a 1000-hour salt spray exposure resistance.

The non-ultra variants use climaseal as the corrosion resistant finish, giving them a 720 hour resistance.

Of course, this does not mean that you need to go for the Ultra models, especially if you are not living in an area that can present a huge number of corrosive elements.

Talk to an expert in this field to be informed first and foremost, and once that is taken care of, go ahead on that shopping spree and start living greener, better, and cheaper with solar panels!


About the Author:

Cristian Eli Alvarez Hernandez Cristian has been a contractor for a few years, working on a number of home improvement projects. When it comes to adding those small touches to make your home a welcoming place, you can count on his opinion.

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Article © 2012 Cristian Eli Alvarez Hernandez; All rights reserved; content may not be copied, rewritten, or republished without author’s written permission.