Beginner DIY Roof Top Installation

[BlueMarblePA]

I am new here, and I am going to start with a shed build, but as I start to plan a larger system in my mind for the house, I am scouring the forums here. I do see lots of discussion about the inverters, batteries, etc. However, I don't see a lot of people discussing the actual installation of the racks up on the roof.

My house is a ranch with dormer windows. The roof pitch is reasonable as it is not as steep as other roofs, but as I try to imagine drilling holes into the roof and then trying to hit the rafters (no attic access), I imagine I can make some mistakes as a beginner. Have others outsourced this part?

 

[Bvillebob]

That's why my 60 panels are all ground mount. Between difficult installation, chances of leaking roofs, difficulty of re-roofing, etc. it's not worth the hassle if you can avoid it.

 

[cs1234]

Don't forget the permitting process and your insurance company not covering you if it isn't permitted and there is a fire.

 

[BlueMarblePA]

That's why my 60 panels are all ground mount. Between difficult installation, chances of leaking roofs, difficulty of re-roofing, etc. it's not worth the hassle if you can avoid it.

Wow. So why do all these solar companies offer roof mount?

 

[cs1234]

Wow. So why do all these solar companies offer roof mount?

Because the roof is a good place for it if you don't mind dealing with all the nonsense required to put them there, which they don't, because they're getting $paid$ ! Plus, their business insurance will cover them if there is a fire because of a faulty product and you die / lose everything, that's what insurance is for after all.

Seriously though, roof mounts don't use up your small urban/suburban backyard and once you've done a few hundred of them, they are probably pretty easy to do at a good profit.

 

[foggysail]

Very few grid tie installations are done by home owners and handy men. I suggest reading posts in various forums especially this one to gain a better understanding of what is involved.

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Because the roof is a good place for it if you don't mind dealing with all the nonsense required to put them there, which they don't, because their getting $paid$ ! Plus, their business insurance will cover them if there is a fire because of a faulty product and you die / lose everything, that's what insurance is for after all.

Seriously though, roof mounts don't use up your small urban/suburban backyard and once you've done a few hundred of them, they are probably pretty easy to do at a good profit.

Yeah. If I had a farm with many many acres, a ground mount would make sense. My suburban backyard doesn't really work for ground mount.

I guess the enphase mini inverter helps minimize fire because it converts to AC up at the roof?

 

[BlueMarblePA]

Very few grid tie installations are done by home owners and handy men. I suggest reading posts in various forums especially this one to gain a better understanding of what is involved.

I agree with this. Grid tie seems to be a quantum leap in risk

 

[cs1234]

Yeah. If I had a farm with many many acres, a ground mount would make sense. My suburban backyard doesn't really work for ground mount.

I guess the enphase mini inverter helps minimize fire because it converts to AC up at the roof?

Enphase microinverters do generally prevent dc arc faults, yes. They also have a slick website and good marketing material to make for an easier sell.

 

[foggysail]

Because the roof is a good place for it if you don't mind dealing with all the nonsense required to put them there, which they don't, because they're getting $paid$ ! Plus, their business insurance will cover them if there is a fire because of a faulty product and you die / lose everything, that's what insurance is for after all.

Seriously though, roof mounts don't use up your small urban/suburban backyard and once you've done a few hundred of them, they are probably pretty easy to do at a good profit.

Weeell, sure! But there are other considerations that cause people including self here to job out installations to professionals. I will start with having to lug 50 pound panels sized 76.4'' X 41'' two stories up a ladder to a roof of various pitches. And I suggest doing it on a windless day. That is just a small piece of an installation's hardship.

 

[cs1234]

Don't look at me, I don't want to put panels on a two story roof by myself.

 

[400bird]

I put 20 60 cell panels omy roof in 2018, I did this as part of/following the reroof.

This fall I'll be adding more. Same reasons as pointed out already, I don't want to give up backyard space to a ground mount. Plus, it's not like I was doing anything with the roof space anyways. Now the backyard is still available for the kids to run around and be kids.

I used Solar Edge, optimizers on the roof and built-in arc fault detection.

The panels are heavy, sure. But work carefully and safety, save $20,000
If you fall off the roof with no harness that $20,000 in savings isn't worth it.

 

[cs1234]

Question is whether it's worth the $20,000 gamble at all. Spread out over a long low interest loan period, I think I'd rather let somebody else take the risk. Don't see many old roofers with the spring in their step that I've got!

 

[blammo585]

I wouldn't tackle a roof job. If you have to re-shingle the roof it would be a nightmare to take the panels up to do it, depending on how many panels you had on there.

 

[Supervstech]

Well, not a nightmare, but certainly more work than without solar up there.

 

[OffGridForGood]

A straight gable roof, pointing the right direction, low pitch (5:12 or less) is a simple installation, unless the roofing itself makes installation difficult.
My main array is on a metal building, 50-year standing seam so I don't need to worry about needing to change the roofing before the PV.
I did the install myself onto tilting racks. Build the racks first, attach temporary stop blocks along the bottom edge, lift the panels up and rest against the stop blocks, bolt it all down, remove the stop blocks. Wire it up.
My next array will be going up this spring, on a new car port we put up last fall. The car port is straight gable, one side facing south for the PV and we went 4:12 pitch and 35 year shingles. If the car port roof leaked it would not be then end of the world really. Again I am pretty sure the PV will be ready for changing before the shingles, although by then, do the two together would make sense. The PV panels can be stacked on the north side of the gable while the south side gets reshingled, easy enough. I have to think the PV will prolong the life of the shingles at least where these are protected from direct weathering.
I think the bigger issues surrounding roof-mount for most folks are insurance and rapid shut-down requirments on a dwelling.

 

[foggysail]

I have a general comment for those considering microinverters.......which I believe is the only way to go. Yes, I understand many prefer DC installations and I have no argument about that approach...it works!

I highly (make that strongly) recommend to those doing AC setups to pay extra for micro-inverters having output power ratings close to the panel's PTC rating and not the NMOT rating. You will be painfully sorry later when you learn how much solar power is being thrown away with clipping otherwise.

Yeah, sometimes hard to find the PTC rating, just take the time to find it.

 

[ImAnIdiotPleaseBePatient]

Weeell, sure! But there are other considerations that cause people including self here to job out installations to professionals. I will start with having to lug 50 pound panels sized 76.4'' X 41'' two stories up a ladder to a roof of various pitches. And I suggest doing it on a windless day. That is just a small piece of an installation's hardship.

I am planning on a diy rooftop install and I plan on renting a cherry picker to help out. Just an idea

 

[Supervstech]

I am planning on a diy rooftop install and I plan on renting a cherry picker to help out. Just an idea

A roofers escalator works well.

roofers escalator - Google Search

 

[Supervstech]

On our farm we had a conveyer to load bales up in the barn loft.

I’ve seen roofing escalators built from a ladder some plywood and a small winch. Most extension ladders have a pulley built in to raise up the ladder, works great with a synthetic rope winch…