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EG4 BrightMount increasing wind load rating.

J

Jim in Florida

My Hero is still J. B. Goodenough
Joined
Mar 5, 2023
Messages
118
Location
Florida
I live I Florida and need to increase wind loading.
Best I can tell they are up to 105 mph wind rated. I think my local code will require closer to 150mph winds. My county planning office is not sure and the one guy who keeps that info was not at work today.
The 10mmx100mm anchors that come with it look a little weak.
Would a different anchor or something interacting with rebar work better?
signature Solar say they can help with engineering plans, I haven’t got that far yet.
Anyone out there crack this nut yet or have I waisted my money on 4 racking systems?
 
Unfortunately if you are in that bad wind zone along the coasts like I am they are never going to allow that kind of racking, it is going to have to be fully listed and certified like Ironridge and it's various mounting options. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but they are very sharp on that around the coasts of Florida.
 
Quattrohead said:
Unfortunately if you are in that bad wind zone along the coasts like I am they are never going to allow that kind of racking, it is going to have to be fully listed and certified like Ironridge and it's various mounting options. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but they are very sharp on that around the coasts of Florida.
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Absolutely right. There is no way that little rack can withstand 150 mph winds. I used it on plans for one client and his plans were rejected in SC. He went with an APA Ready Rack kit and got it approved in SC, but it wasn't 150 mph there. I know the engineer at Sinclair racking, and I'm sure they have designs approved for that speed, but their shipping is outrageous.
 
Quattrohead said:
Unfortunately if you are in that bad wind zone along the coasts like I am they are never going to allow that kind of racking, it is going to have to be fully listed and certified like Ironridge and it's various mounting options. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but they are very sharp on that around the coasts of Florida.
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Florida has gone nuts on some of this, I live closer to Alabama then the beach. The folks down around Miami-Dade are looking and 195mph rating. That’s more than what my brick home will stand up to. Reality is if a hurricane is heading my way it’s worth my time and effort to put my panels in a shipping container and then remount them when the storm is over.
Our last major storm was Ivan and I was out of power for 3 weeks. I have a well and my pressure tanks hold enough water for a couple of days regular use. I am building a large solar generator for that type of issue that hits this area every 20-25 years. Ivan was 20 years ago, we are about due for our turn.
 
The guy that ultimately inspects it for you needs to give you the answer if he will. Is ground mount an alternative option for you? Might be a bit easier to get by them.
Doh !!!! Didn't realize they are ground mount units, sorry.
 
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Jim in Florida said:
Florida has gone nuts on some of this, I live closer to Alabama then the beach. The folks down around Miami-Dade are looking and 195mph rating. That’s more than what my brick home will stand up to. Reality is if a hurricane is heading my way it’s worth my time and effort to put my panels in a shipping container and then remount them when the storm is over.
Our last major storm was Ivan and I was out of power for 3 weeks. I have a well and my pressure tanks hold enough water for a couple of days regular use. I am building a large solar generator for that type of issue that hits this area every 20-25 years. Ivan was 20 years ago, we are about due for our turn.
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Surely you have driven east on I-10 and seen what Michael did to Marianna. Every adult pine tree was broken off about 20 feet above the ground. The distance from Mexico Beach to Marianna is further than you are away from the beach.

If your inspector says 150 MPH will do, jump up and down and thank him!

I think the best thing for your wind load rating is a rack that allows you to turn the panels level before a storm. Much less uplift and side force when the panels aren't tilted.
 
justgary said:
Surely you have driven east on I-10 and seen what Michael did to Marianna. Every adult pine tree was broken off about 20 feet above the ground. The distance from Mexico Beach to Marianna is further than you are away from the beach.

If your inspector says 150 MPH will do, jump up and down and thank him!

I think the best thing for your wind load rating is a rack that allows you to turn the panels level before a storm. Much less uplift and side force when the panels aren't tilted.
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Not complaining about the code, the question was how to improve the strength of what I have on hand.
I did see the trees along I-10 very few things can stand up to a cat 5 storm. If a monster cat 5 comes through most things will be destroyed.
Most solar panels are rated at 2400 Pa that puts them holding up to around 130 mph before they start to come apart.
Without $1,000,000 insurance I will need to keep my array small, so if a major storm is heading this way the panels will be packed away.
 
If I had the EG4 Brightmount rack, I would put some screw anchors in the ground at the corners and use them to stabilize the panels in a storm. Rotate the panels to a level position (or parallel to the ground) and then use steel rope to anchor the corners to your ground screws. Perhaps your inspector will allow it.
 
I know the EG4 racking needs beefing up.
My problem is after 2 trips to the planning/permitting office I still don’t know the wind load requirements. The keeper of the knowledge is supposed to be at work tomorrow.
there are ways to improve the concrete piers and the anchor used to hold it down.
1/2” threaded bolt bent to an L or J and set under rebar when the cement is poured should help. Unless I can get an engineer to sign off on it I can’t get to the 1st step of permitting.
 
I'm amazed that the wind rating isn't posted on their web site. Is this Escambia or Santa Rosa?
 
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I have 5- Bright Mounts, they are very nice package for the price. The whole thing weight is less than 100 pounds of Aluminum. not at all a mount for any tornado size or inspector quality for stormy disasters. I don't think you will ever get a passable certification for this product as it is manufactured now. If you done away with grid tied and just be off grid with no inspections, it's a great way to cut cost.
 
You have to have a listed solution that a PE has signed off on. IronRidge is what you should work with, their online ( free ) tools do all the math for your PE to approve and will be part of the permit package you submit to your local building department.
 
Plum Crazy Rob said:
Should be 110 mph if Okaloosa COUNTY, per municodes on county website. Will be amazed as Quattrohead said if they don't require PE-certified racking.

https://library.municode.com/fl/okaloosa_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=11900

An "advertised" rating means nothing without engineering documentation/ PE-cert. They may just as well say its good for 325 mph.

View attachment 166353
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Thanks, I haven’t found that, I have visited the growth management/permit offices north and south end of the county and the folks I talked to acted like this was the first time they heard the questions for a home solar system. Both had to ask someone in the back and both came back with a similar answer that the person who knows the answer was not there today. They did give me a card for one of the inspectors.
My plan is off grid with no permits but I respect the code and do what I can to exceed the minimum safety requirements. There is usually a good reason for them.
Plan on powering external sheds and well pump connecting through a sub-panel with a generator interlock to have both house power and standby solar generator available.
 
As your plan is fully off grid with no permits then I would stop poking your finger into that bees nest.
Now I would say do whatever you feel comfortable doing and just bear in mind that if a hurricane is coming you are going to have to disassemble your system in some way, either pack them away in an enclosed building or possibly lay them flat on the ground (my current plan) or put plywood around the outside of your panels to make them an enclosed box so they don't sail away on you or extra bracing and support that you think will be enough.
 
Depending on which version of NEC and what the county inspector says, even fully off-grid systems require a permit if the panels are mounted to your house, or it affects the electrical system of your house, or if it has energy storage greater than 1kWh. Just because it's off-grid doesn't mean the county doesn't require permits.
 
Jim in Florida said:
Thanks, I haven’t found that, I have visited the growth management/permit offices north and south end of the county and the folks I talked to acted like this was the first time they heard the questions for a home solar system. Both had to ask someone in the back and both came back with a similar answer that the person who knows the answer was not there today. They did give me a card for one of the inspectors.
My plan is off grid with no permits but I respect the code and do what I can to exceed the minimum safety requirements. There is usually a good reason for them.
Plan on powering external sheds and well pump connecting through a sub-panel with a generator interlock to have both house power and standby solar generator available.
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I just read through most of that code link and didn't find the section he attached. On the other hand, I did find the section describing the wind lines, so I went looking for a wind map and found one from 2008. It looks like 120 MPH will do if you are north of Eglin AFB.

https://www.floridabuilding.org/fbc/WindMaps/okaloosa2008A.pdf
 
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