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diy solar

Simplest brackets for 250w flat to wood patio cover

Thorium

New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
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69
I’ve struggled on this simple topic after several hours of research… All the Z brackets I’m finding seem to be for 100w or smaller panels.

Panels: Twelve 250w, 5.5 x 3.5 ft, 42 lb solar panels (santan solar used panels)
Structure: existing wood patio cover (~8x8 structural beams and ~2x2 lattice style on top) — see photo, which spins not my patio cover, but mine is substantially similar.
Flat vs Angled: I’m open to mounting 4 of the 12 panels angled, if it’s easy enough. But 8 will need to be flat anyways, and I’m ok with all being flat.
System: 3s4p 250w panels for 3,000w into one Victron 150/35 to charge a 280ah 48v battery pack (16 x 280ah prismatic lifepo4 cells).
Location: dallas TX


Please help direct me to the simplest sturdy enough mounts!
 
By some 50 x 50 aluminum angle and cut off 100mm lengths. Tech screw the angle to the edge of the panel and then to the roof. Sorry if the metric measurements confuse you but here in N.Z imperial isn’t a thing.
 
By some 50 x 50 aluminum angle and cut off 100mm lengths. Tech screw the angle to the edge of the panel and then to the roof. Sorry if the metric measurements confuse you but here in N.Z imperial isn’t a thing.

Sorry if I’m thick, but to use right angle aluminum you’d have to drill extra holes through the side of the panel frame, perpendicular to the panel face right? Otherwise with the factory holes in the frame the holes will be parallel with the mounting surface. am I missing something?
 
These look like the same ones I used; mine were off eBay and re-branded. I used them on 10 of the same panels mounted on an angled pump/shop metal roof. I did use longer bolts with large washers and went clear through the roofing and 3/4 in plywood sheeting.


Thanks for confirming these are holding up with larger/heavier panels. Looks like a good simple option. How long have they been installed?

Only thing that makes me nervous is a lot of similar products (eg renogys Z brackets) say something like “only for use with 100 watt and smaller panels” so just want to make sure they won’t fail when there’s super high winds or something.

If you’re using them with large panels on a vehicle they get high wind every time you drive on a highway!
 
By some 50 x 50 aluminum angle and cut off 100mm lengths. Tech screw the angle to the edge of the panel and then to the roof. Sorry if the metric measurements confuse you but here in N.Z imperial isn’t a thing.
how in the world can you accomplish anything in a country without critical measurement units such as a furlong, perch, or gill!!! its just mind boggling... that metric business makes no sense ;)
 
Thanks for confirming these are holding up with larger/heavier panels. Looks like a good simple option. How long have they been installed?

Only thing that makes me nervous is a lot of similar products (eg renogys Z brackets) say something like “only for use with 100 watt and smaller panels” so just want to make sure they won’t fail when there’s super high winds or something.

If you’re using them with large panels on a vehicle they get high wind every time you drive on a highway!
Not long unfortunately but they seem secure enough. I used a little lock tight so the bolts would stay tight.
 
I have some 375W panels ground mounted on a 2x4 frame with those Z brackets for about a year now.

I’ve been ashamed to post pictures of this cheap setup ?.
 
A z bracket is a z bracket. They'll work on almost any panel. For my larger panels I used six brackets instead of four.

I did drill new holes in the solar panel frame. No big deal.
 
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