Photo voltaic racking producer SunModo will quickly debut its newest pitched rooftop mount, NanoRack, to the residential market. On this episode of Photo voltaic Highlight, CEO Steve Mumma discusses the system options and set up concerns constructed into NanoRack.
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SPW: You guys are saying that NanoRack “isn’t rail-less”. Because it doesn’t have rail, what do you imply by that?
Steve Mumma: It’s form of semantics. Sure, it doesn’t have rail. By definition, which means it’s rail-less, and that does give the entire advantages of a “conventional rail-less system.” I feel the explanation we’re saying it’s not likely rail-less is that, to a sure extent, rail-less, I feel, form of has a foul title within the business. Loads of installers have tried it, and never appreciated it due to the complexity and the extent of coaching concerned. Traditionally, many of the rail-less installers have been the bigger nationwide installers that basically see the advantage of the logistics benefits of not transport rail round. However smaller installers, that doesn’t profit them as a lot, so what’s the purpose in them going rail-less? NanoRack addresses the problems which have made lots of people which have tried rail-less hate it. So we’re saying it’s not rail-less, as a result of it’s not rail-less like folks typically consider rail-less as being.
What are the problems with typical rail-less programs and the way does NanoRack tackle them?
As we began growing a rail-less system, we talked to lots of installers each, those who have finished rail-less and adore it, and those who have finished rail-less and hated it. And the 2 most important issues that maintain folks saved coming again to, one is wire administration. Rail offers only a good, very best place to handle your wires. Then the second is the extent of precision required to put in rail-less system. Rail may be very forgiving. You’re principally going to have two rails per row of modules, and people rails will be off by a pretty big quantity — inches — and the system will nonetheless be fantastic. Nevertheless, with rail-less, because you’re attaching modules to the mounts, these mounts must be on the roof fairly exactly positioned.
How does the design of NanoRack cut back alternatives for installer error?
In order that was a serious focus with our design of NanoRack, is what can we do to make it very, very troublesome for an installer to make an error whereas putting in it? And it’s not as a result of we don’t belief the installers. It’s as a result of we all know they’re going quick, and so they have so much to get finished on the market. With NanoRack, there’s a few issues we’ve finished. One is that it’s a deck mount system. So, we’ve eradicated the method of looking for a rafter and drill pilot holes and that saves lots of time, however it is also a serious supply of potential installer error anytime there’s a missed pilot gap that must be stuffed with sealant. One other large a part of it with NanoRack is that we’ve taken the overwhelming majority of the work of putting in the system off of the roof and onto the bottom. The entire brackets and clamps and roof attachments are hooked up to the modules earlier than they go up on the roof.
You’ve stated that NanoRack is designed for installers who’ve sworn they’d by no means go rail-less. Why ought to these installers change to NanoRack?
What I’m actually enthusiastic about is the potential that NanoRack gives for those that have historically been doing rail programs. As we mentioned earlier, lots of these folks have tried rail-less and rejected it as a result of whereas it’s good to not must take care of the logistics of shifting rail round, rail programs are simply easier, they’re simpler, and for crews that don’t do them repeatedly, on a regular basis, rail-less is simply not going to save lots of these guys time. So, with NanoRack being a system that’s truly easier to put in than rail, and considerably sooner to put in than rail, we are able to convey these rail-less advantages to principally all people.
This podcast is sponsored by SunModo
