Page 15 - North American Clean Energy July/August 2020 Issue

Kevin Kervick is the solar products business manager for OMG Roofing Products of Agawam, Mass. He is responsible for strategic planning for the solar business, as well as for managing solar sales and product development.
OMG Roofing /// omgroofing.com
3465 Heyco_NA 3.5x10_Layout 1 8/1/19 2:50 PM Page 1
HEYCO®
Wire Management Solutions for Solar Installers & Integrators...
Heyco® Solar Products Warranty
Visit www.heyco.com for information about Heyco’s
20 Year Limited Warranty on our solar products. NEW &
IMPROVED
NEW
NEW
Heyco® HEYClipTM SunRunner® NEW 4-2 & 4-2U
SunRunner 4-2 & 4-2U clips are the ideal
wire management solution for top racking manufacturers such as Unirac, IronRidge,
Everest, SnapNRack, and similar rack profiles.
Heyco® HEYClipTM SunRunner®
Double-compression design holds from (1) 12 gauge USE-2 to (2) 8 AWG cables up to 8,3 mm OD.
Heyco® SunBundler®
Stainless Steel Wire Cable Ties Aircraft grade 302/304 stainless wire w/UV protected vinyl jacket and stainless steel crimp sleeve, 8˝ (203 mm) to 20˝ (508 mm) lengths.
For FREE samples or product literature, call toll free 1-800-526-4182, or visit heyco.com
www.heyco.com
“Stay Connected with Heyco” Power Components Box 517 • Toms River, NJ 08754 • P: 732-286-4336 • F: 732-244-8843
Heyco Edge Clips
Heyco Edge Clips provide high panel retention forces while requiring low insertion forces. Ideal solution for applications where holes are not available or temperatures are too extreme for adhesive solutions.
Helios UVX Clip
The Helios UVX clip installs into a
.260˝ (6,6 mm) mounting hole and
holds up to 2 cables between .230-.315˝ (5,8-8,0 mm) each.
Heyco®-Tite Cordgrips for
Enphase Q Cable
Heyco now offers 1/2˝ NPT and 3/4˝ NPT cordgrips compatible with the Enphase Q Cable. Use the 1/2˝ NPT for just 1 Enphase Q Cable or the 3/4˝ NPT for 2 Enphase Q Cables PLUS a #8 solid Grounding cable.
Figure 3.
periods, which can result in the array being lifted off the roof and sent on an undulating ride. Solar arrays on these roofs should be at least partially anchored to the roof deck, and never exclusively ballasted. (Figure 2).
FM also mandates that related equipment be anchored to the structural deck or members. (Figure 3).
“2.1.1.9 Anchor all related equipment, such as combiner/junction boxes and conduits, to the roof deck or roof structural members (or inverters to concrete foundations) as required to provide proper anchorage against expected loads. Use mechanical anchors that can be connected to the equipment and to the roof
deck or roof framing. The dead weight and resulting frictional resistance for most equipment is not sufficient to resist wind uplift and lateral wind loads.”
Translation: No how much ballast you use, solar arrays can still move around on the roof. This movement – particularly if there is any debris on the roof under the array – can damage roof covers over time, leading to leaks in the roofing assembly. To minimize movement, all commercial rooftop solar systems should include at least some roof-mount anchors that are secured to the structural deck
or members, not merely to the roof cover. (Figure
4). Roof covers are meant to keep water out of the building envelope, not hold structural equipment in place against wind loads.
Roofing Warranties
Either system may violate the warranty. Fully 100 percent ballasted systems don’t get an automatic pass in preserving warranty protection.
Always check the manufacturers website for a sample warranty. The language below is typical of the solar warranties in the industry.
Photovoltaic Overburden Additions on XYZ’s Warranted Roof System. This warranty expressly requires that any alterations to the roof during the warranty period must be approved by XYZ and performed by an approved/authorized roofing contractor. Therefore, the warranty will be suspended during the installation of any photovoltaic (“PV”) system. To reinstate the warranty coverage, the building owner must provide the following information and abide by the process outlined herein:
Additional Required Items to be submitted with this form:
• Detailed Roof Plan Indicating Scope of Work and PV Location on Roof
• Installation and/or Flashing Details
• Photovoltaic Overburden Waiver Signed
by Building Owner
Figure 4.
On an existing XYZ warranted roof system, a post-inspection is required after the photovoltaic installation has been completed. The review and inspection are subject to fees for the project of $XX/ ft2 with a minimum charge of $XX per project.
The term ‘overburden’ pertains to any equipment (PV panels, HVAC, process piping, etc.) installed on
a rooftop. Adding a ballasted or anchored PV system qualifies as ‘overburden’, which means the roof system manufacturer must be informed of the proposed installation. In the sample language above, the roof system manufacturer recognizes that solar installation will most likely not be performed by one of their authorized roofing contractors. As such, they suspend the warranty during installation. In this case, the warranty can only be restored after an inspection. In other words, if a PV system (ballasted or anchored) is installed without first notifying the roof manufacturer, they are no longer obligated to honor the warranty.
All commercial roofing system manufacturers require a post-installation inspection on warranted work. Some may also require a pre-installation inspection. Although layering additional costs on
a solar installation makes it harder to attain an attractive ROI, solar installers should insist on a pre- installation roof inspection, even when not required. Any roof repairs should be completed before panels are installed; if a system is installed over existing roof damage, the installer may be blamed for causing the damage. A pre-installation inspection by the warranty issuer is good protection for both the building owner and the solar installer.
Double Check
If pre-installation notice is not filed with the roof manufacturer, even a 100 percent ballasted system
will void the warranty. Many roof warranties have been endangered because the building owner was unaware of the warranty requirements, and the PV installer decided to not raise the issue. If a building owner is concerned about preserving the roof warranty, be sure to get a copy of it to review. Most roof system manufacturers offer several levels of warranty coverage, and the language varies from manufacturer- to-manufacturer. The only way to preserve a warranty is to review it carefully in advance and make sure to follow the steps outlined.
Using ballast to secure commercial solar systems can be beneficial, but it is critical for the specifier
and installer to first understand the existing roof system and how it was installed. Choosing the correct attachment method based on this information
can save considerable time, money, and potential headaches down the road.
North American Clean Energy
15