Most solar panels do not have mounting holes in the back; they rely on a smooth, sealed surface for protection. Pre-drilled holes are typically found in the aluminum frames, allowing for secure attachment to mounting systems.
Can solar panels be bolted into place?
Solar panels can be directly bolted into place and panels will generally come with either four or eight mounting holes for bolts to be placed through. This method is often used in solar farms to attach panels to ground mounted racks or to solar trackers that follow the sun through the day.
Australian standards require a gap of at least 5 cm between roofs and solar panels. However, in urban areas, panels are generally not allowed to extend more than 10 cm from the surface. As a typical solar panel is around 4 cm thick, this only leaves a 5 to 6 cm space in which to work.
This can cause the panel to flex in the wind, which is bad as it can cause microfractures to form in the solar cells and degrade their performance. Given enough time, or just one really bad storm, it could result in clamps failing and the panel being blown off the roof.
How far can solar panels be installed?
However, in urban areas, panels are generally not allowed to extend more than 10 cm from the surface. As a typical solar panel is around 4 cm thick, this only leaves a 5 to 6 cm space in which to work. So directly bolting panels on would require either fancy tools or magic hands to get the job done.
If you've got panels, they are almost certainly fastened to your roof with clamps and held tight in the loving embrace of metal brackets. When solar is installed on a typical roof, whether it is tin or tile, rails, also known as racks, are securely fastened to roof rafters. Panels are laid on top of these rails and held firmly in place with clamps.
Can you use bolts on solar panels?
It is possible to use bolts because on a ground mount or a tracker there is plenty of room to get behind the panels and attach them. But on a roof where panels are laid flat this is not at all easy. Australian standards require a gap of at least 5 cm between roofs and solar panels.