Lock washer, nylon nut, locktite - how to keep the panels from flying yet keep the ability to tilt?

[Gould]

Wondering what the best approach is to keep the panels secure through travel and vibration yet allow for easy removal to tilt panels when in a location for a few days. I’ve always used lock washers due to the single use nylon nuts but wondering what other folks are doing.

 

[Boondock Saint]

Locking and tilting don't have to be the same function and HW.

You can lock down one side to the well mounted frame with hinges or something with a barrel, and on he other use a spring-loaded arm or something with a cotter pin.

 

[Gould]

Argh, of course, just when I think I have it all planned out you give me something else to think about!

I hadn’t even considered. I have no idea where to even begin looking for solutions but will get on it. I’m using strut channel so my options are wide open. This would actually be a much preferred approach as the panels will only be a couple of inches off the roof - not a lot of room to be removing screws on a regular basis.

 

[NPhil]

I haven't gotten to that stage yet, but, my tentative plan is to have a couple of padlock holes that match up when the frame is un-tilted for travel.

 

[Gould]

I thought about something similar but couldn’t think of an effective way clasping the holes together for travel. If the pin used isn’t precise there will be a lot of shaking going down the road. The other unsolved portion of the equation for me is the pivot. Thought about a simple hinge bolted to the strut channel but the mounting holes in my panel are on the bottom, not the side. I’d have to drill into the frame and I’m not too keen on that.

 

[Pitownpi]

I purchased the 41" Ecoworthy setup for tilting. In fact, Two sets (4 total jigs) for one 80"x40" Trina 400w panel. I'm mounting 3 such panels but only one will be able to tilt.
They come with M8 Thumbwheel- headed bolts. Using regular M8 bolts at the two hinge points with nyloc bolts tight enough, but not too tight to allow deployment, and back-up nut tightened down against the nyloc nut. (one for panel hinge side, one for vertical support hinge when deployed in tilt mode). The thumb wheel M8 bolt will lock panel down flat, or be used to lock in tilt mode.

 

[eXodus]

I thought about something similar but couldn’t think of an effective way clasping the holes together for travel. If the pin used isn’t precise there will be a lot of shaking going down the road. The other unsolved portion of the equation for me is the pivot. Thought about a simple hinge bolted to the strut channel but the mounting holes in my panel are on the bottom, not the side. I’d have to drill into the frame and I’m not too keen on that.

why not? I've drilled a dozen panels without any ill effects.

Just take you time - put a piece of wood inside the panel frame to press against metal when you a drilling to avoid deformation.
The aluminum of the panels is super thin - takes like 3 seconds with a good drill

 

[Boondock Saint]

Hi Gould, have a look at the mounts for this tilt video, the brackets and pins etc, see of anything looks doable for you.

 

[Gould]

Thanks! Wow, that's elaborate. Love the use of the two smaller panels to assess where the sun is.