Robust mounting solutions for residential PV systems :
The uptake of residential PV systems has shot up in the last decade, with global warming moving higher up the global agenda and the sentiment of sustainability trickling down to populations...

Robust mounting solutions for residential PV systems

The uptake of residential PV systems has shot up in the last decade, with global warming moving higher up the global agenda and the sentiment of sustainability trickling down to populations everywhere.

But now that economies across the world have been shocked by the effects of ongoing global conflicts, causing record-breaking energy price spikes, more homeowners are turning to solar power than ever before.

If we are to cater to rising demand, help people escape unaffordable traditional energy resources and foster the growth of the renewable energy sector, we need easy to use, cost-effective and reliable PV products that can cope with the demands of residential application.

So, what considerations are there when installing PV systems on household roofs and how is Renusol helping attend to them?

Securing panels on pitched roofs 

The most popular roof type in South Africa, and the standard roof type for homes, is pitched.

Durable and resilient against tough weather conditions, pitched roofs are, in many ways, an ideal foundation for PV systems. For example, their elevated height means that potential sunlight obstructions such as buildings and trees are less likely to interfere with solar power generation — allowing homeowners to get the most out of their investment.

However, anything installed on top of these kinds of surfaces will automatically sit at the same angle as the roof, rather than the ideal angle of irradiation for solar panels.

Installers also have less space to work with than they do on other types of PV projects, such as ground-mounted systems or commercial-scale installations on large, flat roofs. If you try to save room by situating panels too close together, shading can occur — something else that can interfere with power generation.

As such, to ensure optimum exposure to sunlight, installers working on pitched roof PV systems must use the right mounting solutions to elevate the panels at the correct angle — and ensure these solutions are compact enough to optimise limited space. This is where Renusol comes in…

Expert mounting products

Renusol supplies some of the world’s most trusted mounting solutions in the VS+ range — all of which are specially designed to cater to the widest variety of pitched roof applications.

This range comprises two different-sized mounting rails allowing installers to select the most appropriate component for any given project, and extra-durable, set pre-assembled stainless steel hanger bolts and galvanised steel roof hooks for maximum reliability and ease of installation.

Also included in the VS+ range is the RS1 roof clamp, designed for middle and end clamping on all framed modules with heights from 30 mm to 50 mm. Because these clamps are universal, they can be used on any installation — resulting in a simple, space-conserving installation.

But the real star of the show is our latest universal mounting solution: the RH Flat roof hook.

This hook has an optimised base plate, which is just 23.5 mm tall and 58 mm wide, allowing the system to fit seamlessly onto surfaces with limited space. Moreover, its adjustable arm, which can be easily set to 5 or 11 degrees and 25.6 mm, 31.9 mm or 38.2 mm tall, allows installers to position the panels at their chosen angle and reduces the need for spacers — the perfect feature for pitched roofs.

What’s more, the RH Flat minimises the number of tiles that need to be cut during installation, protecting the integrity of the roof surface, and reduces the number of roof hooks needed per project by up to 41%

Rensuol has more than 25 years of experience in the PV industry — experience which informs our exceptional pitched roof mounting solutions. Discover these products today!