Hi Folks,
I will be putting some solar panels on my flat roof. As it is not ideal to have them flat, I want to build a small AFrame for them. My question is how to mount this to the roof.
I cannot get in the cavity unless I rip the ceiling off. The roof is, I guess, rather think plywood. I can walk on it (all 16 stone of me) without any flexing underfoot.
Is there an easy way of finding the joists without exploratory drilling?
As for the AFrame, I intend having two 50mm angle iron secured to the roof, the aframe will thing bolt to this. This allows me to use many mounting points to spread the load.
As for load, as the panels will be at an angle, they could act like a giant wing and generate a considerable amount of lift. I suspect the roof sheets are simply nailed in which would not be strong enough. Or will it? I could put a deflector on the high (open) side which would negate this effect.
As for the details: It's a new extension (About 5 years old, not done by me) Roof is most definitely wood with felt on top. Is flat and basically horizontal. Structurally, I have no more information on it.
The panels are 1400cm long and will sit at about a 30 degree angle making the high side 750cm. The width of each panel 900 so with gap, call it 100. I plan on having 6 in the end. So each bottom bracket, 2 of them, will be 6M long. That's many many mounting points. Spread the load. Best way to water proof that? Douse with bitchimin?