Filling gap between panels to stop birds

[MarkSolar]

I've got these panels on our barn wall, gap between top and bottom panels is 1-1/8".


The birds sit in that gap and if their tail is facing out, their poop falls on the bottom panels. I'm looking for a cheap way to fill that gap. I used the square air conditioner foam sealer that I had left over and it works fine, but it's over a buck a foot so kind of expensive to do 60'. Anyone have any ideas on how to do this cheap and easy. I've thought about gorilla tape but not sure that would hold up more than a year or so

 

[timselectric]

Pool noodles, cut to fit.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Hmmm.

Throwing out ideas.

Armacell 2 in. x 30 ft. R-1 Foam Insulation Tape TAP18230 - The Home Depot

Armacell Foam Insulation Tape provides a fast and easy way to insulate pipes, valves and fittings. Mold resistant product.

www.homedepot.com

M-D Building Products 1.125 in. x 81 in. Brown Kerf/Channel Top and Sides Door Weatherstripping Kit 87767 - The Home Depot

MD Building Products - 1 in. x 6 ft. 8 in. Vinyl-Clad Replacement Weather Strip - Get all-season protection against drafts, moisture and insects with this weather strip, designed to conform to the door

www.homedepot.com

Rubber tubing?

Electric fence wire?

 

[MarkSolar]

Pool noodles, cut to fit.

Damn, I just threw out dozens of those a year or so ago. That's a good idea.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Maybe stretch something like these between the mounting clamps.

36 in. Adjustable EPDM Straps, 5 Pack

Amazing deals on this 5Pc 36In Adjustable Epdm Straps at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Should be enough to piss them off.

 

[MarkSolar]

Electric fence wire?

Now that's interesting. I've already got miles of fence wire and I can stretch it from clamp to clamp so it will be taught enough.

 

[rodrick]

Population reduction (shotgun)

 

[SparkyJJO]

Population reduction (shotgun)

Might crack a panel or two that way.

 

[Kornbread]

Maybe something like this?

 

[doing it different]

I've got these panels on our barn wall, gap between top and bottom panels is 1-1/8".
View attachment 287008

The birds sit in that gap and if their tail is facing out, their poop falls on the bottom panels. I'm looking for a cheap way to fill that gap. I used the square air conditioner foam sealer that I had left over and it works fine, but it's over a buck a foot so kind of expensive to do 60'. Anyone have any ideas on how to do this cheap and easy. I've thought about gorilla tape but not sure that would hold up more than a year or so

You could try the shiny aluminum tape, for ducting....

I assume those Panels make a wall. And you have nothing else behind it?
How much light gets through the panels? Thinking to do something similar, on the south side on a hay/barn shed... any backside pictures. Thanks

 

[wheelman55]

Birds can destroy foam, so can sunlight.

If 1” or 3/4” pvc fits I would use that. If you paint the pvc with a couple of coats of Rust-o-leum plastic paint it’ll last as long as your panels.

 

[Brett V]

Gutter screen.

Amazon.com

Carligo Gutter Guard, Leaf Guards for Gutters, Aluminum 5 Inch x 21 Feet Leaf Filter Gutter Protection Roll, Gutter Covers Screen, Rain Gutter Leaf Guards, Gutter Mesh https://a.co/d/6ucDN0p

 

[onrbikes]

Gutter screen or shade cloth.

Any kind of foam will start to deteriorate in the sunlight.

 

[kommando]

Nylon fishing wire strung out in middle of gap, birds can't see it but once they hit it a couple of times they then avoid.

 

[Flunkyboi]

Holy Solar wall, Batman!
Looks awesome.
As to your problem...maybe strips of rabbit wire, wide enough to teks screw to adjoining frames from the inside.

 

[Fisherguy66]

Hang some dvd's/cds on a string let em flop around in the wind. I heard its very effective. Wear your sunglasses when its windy though.

 

[donb108]

These might work.

Post in thread 'Filling in gaps between ground mounted solar panels to prevent water'

Apr 19, 2024

If you moved them closer, there are gaskets meant for the purpose.
Not that I would trust them completely.

SunModo offers rubber gasket to install between its solar awning panels

SunModo is now offering an easy to install rubber gasket that fits snuggly between your solar panels. The company says eliminating these gaps protects the space below your outdoor living space from sunlight and rain by weather stripping between your PV Modules. If you are installing SunModo’s...

solarbuildermag.com

What we need are PV panels with a frame designed to overlap and serve as roofing tiles.

Most that I see are small specialized panels:

PV panel roofing tile at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

But a few come close. Still special shapes, not an alternate frame for typical PV laminate:

Solar PV Roof Tiles Installed on Three New Build Homes

Redland solar PV roof tiles were used for these new build homes in Shirehampton. Integrated with the roof, they look fantastic.

www.ecocetera.com

• Hedges

• 

 

[MarkSolar]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I tried using the fence wire I already have but even the lightweight aluminum stuff was too stiff to easily wrap around the midmounts and get tensioned. I tried polyester rope and that works good, it's UV resistant so should hold up over the long haul. I only had a short piece so I had to order a spool of black color, but it's cheap.
I had some air conditioner foam stuffed in there and it was already starting to break down from the UV so I agree that's not a good long term solution and it's too expensive.

 

[MarkSolar]

I assume those Panels make a wall. And you have nothing else behind it?
How much light gets through the panels? Thinking to do something similar, on the south side on a hay/barn shed... any backside pictures. Thanks

They're mounted against the barn wall, here's a photo of how it's constructed. No light gets through, they aren't bifacial. Bifacials don't offer any advantage when they're right up close to something like mine are.

 

[doing it different]

They're mounted against the barn wall, here's a photo of how it's constructed. No light gets through, they aren't bifacial. Bifacials don't offer any advantage when they're right up close to something like mine are.

View attachment 287110

won't you get a bunch of critters living in between?

 

[Flunkyboi]

They're mounted against the barn wall, here's a photo of how it's constructed. No light gets through, they aren't bifacial. Bifacials don't offer any advantage when they're right up close to something like mine are.

View attachment 287110

Man, if you had white gravel laid at the feet of those, you'd likely max out on power.

 

[MarkSolar]

won't you get a bunch of critters living in between?

They'll have to fight the birds.
The hay bags for the horses hang on the other side of that wall. When they eat it sounds like a war is breaking and those planks rattle. Unless the critters are wearing ear plugs I don't think they'll like it.

 

[MarkSolar]

Man, if you had white gravel laid at the feet of those, you'd likely max out on power.

I have to run the snowblower through there, a lot of snow comes off that roof right in front of the panels. Gravel will end up everywhere and horses don't like rocks in their feet, which means my wife won't be happy, which means I won't be happy.
It's just out of view but I've got a ground mount full of panels in front of that wall mount system. Things are sized to cover all our requirements so I've tried to stop myself from neurotically continuing to squeeze more power out of things because it just ends up benefiting the POCO.

 

[Fisherguy66]

I've got these panels on our barn wall, gap between top and bottom panels is 1-1/8".
View attachment 287008

The birds sit in that gap and if their tail is facing out, their poop falls on the bottom panels. I'm looking for a cheap way to fill that gap. I used the square air conditioner foam sealer that I had left over and it works fine, but it's over a buck a foot so kind of expensive to do 60'. Anyone have any ideas on how to do this cheap and easy. I've thought about gorilla tape but not sure that would hold up more than a year or so

Are you talking about the gap up at the top of barn roof or the gap where the panels join? If its the gap where the panels join what kind of birds squeeze into that gap? Some chikadee's?