COC requirements for PV Array

I hope this is the appropriate section.

If all other boxes are ticked (fusing, cable size, breakers etc) Is there anything in the regulations that states your pv panels must be fixed/securely mounted?

Thinking of the guy that has his array on the ground or in any area that wind cannot get to.

Far as I know, yes. The wind is unpredictable (sometimes freak winds) … and kids climb on anything.

But for those not living in Cape Town?

We have better mannered wind and kids here.

Janee, I forgot that … not. :rofl:

COC is for electrical requirements.

Structural requirements would be under SANS-10160 and could potentially require the (re)issue of a Certificate of Occupancy - but I have no idea of the regulations around that.

This looks like quite a good practical analysis of wind loads for structural designs in SA:

http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/jsaice/v59n4/01.pdf

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My word … there is wind outside of Cpt

Thanks, @justinschoeman

. :rofl:

Thanks Justin.

Ideally I want to do this, eventually.

But I dread the thought of having to drill into my garage roof slab having had more than enough of my share with water ingress. Only way I can get around this without expensive mounting systems, is to cart a few lintels onto the roof and drilling into them.

Making brackets then is easy. Luckily the garage is very well protected from wind and hence this is not very high on the priority list right now.

We just get a little of your blowby. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:

There is this if your roof/slab can take the weight:

Get ones that you fill with water:

Or this:
main-qimg-ab103e44f8612b297ac47e98e725b24e-lq

Wow the things that manufacturers come up with!

But its going to be pricey at R11 760.00 for the 12 I’ll need. Not an option.

Drill and glue in bolts not mechanical bolts. That way they are sort of waterproofed already - then seal again before racking.

Not mechanical bolts? You get plastic ones or some other non metal material?

It seems this will be my best choice and the cheapest.

In starting to prep for this, this morning I shuffled some panels around again to see how they will be set, because its gonna be kinda permanent now and space is limited.

Of my 12 panels, 2 faced East and 2 West (rest all North) and all at a slight angle.

The East and West facing panels now also face North and immediately I gained about 450 watts of extra power by just realigning those 4.

The angles are not perfect, if I lift them too high they cast shadows on the other, but at least there was an immediate gain. Like an extra panel basically. :grin: