solar panel bracket fixings

[Foggy66]

I will shortly be mounting solar panels on my roof using tilting brackets and I want to be able to easily remove the brackets for future painting.

I have 3 methods of fixing in mind.

1- bolts screwed directly into the roof

2- grub screws/studs screwed into the roof and brackets secured with nuts

3- rivnuts fixed into the roof and brackets bolted into those.

I’m leaning towards rivnuts as it would give a deeper thread and removal would be simple. What are people’s thoughts/experiences?

 

[robtheplod]

I think people tend to tap holes and bolt into those. Have you considered magnets?

[Loddon]

Mine were tapped into the roof and fixed using security torx, easily removable with the right tool.

[Bod]

3 hours ago, Foggy66 said:

I will shortly be mounting solar panels on my roof using tilting brackets and I want to be able to easily remove the brackets for future painting.

I have 3 methods of fixing in mind.

1- bolts screwed directly into the roof

2- grub screws/studs screwed into the roof and brackets secured with nuts

3- rivnuts fixed into the roof and brackets bolted into those.

I’m leaning towards rivnuts as it would give a deeper thread and removal would be simple. What are people’s thoughts/experiences?

 

Blind rivnuts.

Deeper threads, no hole to let water in.

 

Bod.

[Briss]

The "Cruising the Cut" guy has just mounted some more solar panels using Riv-nuts... it's here if you're interested.

[Tony1]

 

I drilled and tapped for my panel mounts. 

I'd tried tapping previously when I mounted the number plate on the hull side, but it was a thinner tap, and it snapped off in the hole, which I think was partly because I'd forgotten you are meant to twist it backwards a bit when you're part way through, in order to break off any metal shards.

 

So I was pretty anxious about whether it would all go ok on the roof, but I got away with it.  

 

If I were doing it again I'd think about using rivnuts, as it seems less risky if you're rubbish at DIY like me. 

 

[Alistair1357]

I used Aluminium Rivnuts - polymer sealant on drilled hole and on bolt threads - I thought aluminium won't rust and the threads would not bind when I can to remove them - bolts are stainless too. I may have over thought this but I hate seeing these cheap galvanised bolts from the hardware stores that rust a bright orange in a few months.

[jonathanA]

6mm tap into 5mm holes and brass or stainless bolts 

 

Personally I wouldn't us crappy Chinese aluminium rivnuts which need a much bigger hole of exactly the right size.....

[BEngo]

Rivnuts are great  till they start to slip, which they do very easily if they are not perfectly installed. Then you can't drill them out because they just spin.

Drill and tap the metal roof.  If it is not thick enough Araldite or weld on some thicker pads where you need the holes.

 

N

[Richard10002]

I tapped the holes for my brackets. Not convinced by rivnuts.

[Loddon]

Rivnuts are a bodge, they will spin especially if you don't get it exactly right.😄

Rivnuts are generally used in thin sheet metal where you can't tap not 4mm thick steel.

Drill, tap and 6mm stainless dome head security Torx is the way to go.

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2021 by Loddon

[adrianh]

Steel, Aluminium and stainless Steel with the addition of water will suffer electrolytic corrosion fairly quickly so by far not a good combination.

Far better to drill and tap roof M6 and fit short m6 stainless steel studs with loctite high strength retainer.

Use nyloc stainless Steel nuts to hold panels. 

Studs remain In place and thread sealed when working on roof 

Torz and security screw tools are widely available so not much to be gained in using these