What is this insulator for

[MarkSolar]

My ground mount sysem came with an insulator for the clamps that hold the rails to the East West mounting pipes. I'm guessing it's a galvanic insulator, the clamp is cast aluminum, the pipe is galvanized, the bolts are stainless, and the rail is anodized aluminum. Is it just to prevent the point of contact between the aluminum rail and the galvanized pipe? Seems like overkill...

 

[Alphabavo]

Might just be intended to keep the steel from chafing against the aluminum.

 

[schmism]

what mounting system are you useing?

 

[perpetual]

Allows the continuous edge of the solar panel's weight to be transferred to the U-bolt mounting bracket & pipe cross member
Prevents mounting bolt tear out / bent aluminum on solar panel frame

 

[MarkSolar]

what mounting system are you useing?

Sunmodo

 

[MarkSolar]

Allows the continuous edge of the solar panel's weight to be transferred to the U-bolt mounting bracket & pipe cross member
Prevents mounting bolt tear out / bent aluminum on solar panel frame

The Uclamp in the photo doesn't make contact with the solar panel, it's used to connect the rail to the pipe. There's a different clamp used on top of the rail to mount the panel.

 

[perpetual]

Hard to tell from the picture, but looked like the head of the bolts for the Uclamp went through the solar panel frame