BRING THE SOLAR PANELS TO THE ROOF AND SECURE THEM

With planning and proper equipment, it is possible to do this work without stepping on the
roof.
It is best to build a secure scaffold. If a sign crane is used, consider making a sling out of wire
cable and cable clamps, even if it is only used once. The materials are cheap and a proper sling
will save a lot of time and aggravation on the job. If you use a heavy rope, it will be difficult to
retrieve from behind the solar panel. If you use a lighter rope, sharp metal edges may cause it
to fail at a bad time. If it is windy, use anchor lines on either side of the collectors.
When the panel arrives at the roof, the workman first assembles what plumbing connections
need to be made. He does not solder the connections at this time. He will drill a pilot hole for
the mount with reference to the earlier made chalk line.
He may then insert a screwdriver through the hole in the mount and then into the pilot hole.
This will temporarily secure the panel in place and prevent the plumbing connection from
becoming undone.

When he is ready, the workman will apply a silicone-based sealant to the pilot hole and
put a lag bolt in, but not tighten it all the way. When the lag bolts are inserted, the silicone
sealant will be squeezed under the pressure and fill any cracks or voids that water might
leak.
Only when the lag bolts are in the bottom mounts is it safe to undo the sling from the
crane and the solar panel.
It may be necessary to lift the solar panels a little bit in order to retrieve the sling or to
make the plumbing connection. Tighten the lag bolts completely when this work is done.
Do not choose the drill bit for the pilot hole haphazardly. This detail is important for both
structural strength and water tightness.Guess at the size and then drill a pilot hole in a
piece of scrap wood. Drive a lag bolt in. If you hear cracking noises and the bolt seems to
be splitting the wood, the pilot hole is too small. If the bolt goes in very easily and strips
easily, the pilot hole is too large. Each workman should drive a lag bolt into a piece of
scrap wood until it strips the hole. Then he will know how much force can be applied to
the bolt. The attachment will be both strong and watertight if made properly, and might
be something less if it is not.
The copper connections, top and bottom, may be done at this time, or they can all be
done at the same time if the work will not be delayed too long (not overnight).
Solder the connections using standard, no lead solder. Do not use 95/5, or silver solder
and do not braise it. It is not necessary and the excess heat will damage seals and insulation
within the panel. The person who does this work should be good at it.
If high quality solar collec tors are used with tempered glass, it is possible to set a ladder
directly on the collectors.