October - November edition of SolarPro Magazine.
Zep Solar is featured in the October November edition of SolarPro Magazine, the industry's leading installer-focused journal.
Excerpted with permission from the October November edition of SolarPro Magazine.
If you are an industry professional, you can register as a SolarPro reader at www.solarprofessional.com.
"Reenvisioning the module frame. We recently traveled to San Rafael, California, to review a new, no-rail mounting system that was pitched as “the MC connector of PV racking development.” We were not disappointed. In Anaheim inventor Jack West and cofounder Daniel Flanigan will be launching their patented mounting system, designed and manufactured by the newly formed Zep Solar (zepsolar.com) in partnership with groSolar.
When you first see the system, your likely reaction will be “Really? No rails?” Zep Solar took a forward-looking approach: customize the module frames to directly accept the racking components and engineer the composite system to support the design loads – without increasing the dimensions of the frame. Initially, Zep Solar will be launching its product for use with modules constructed with Evergreen laminates.
The frames are designed with tapered channels (Zep Grooves) that accept the core components of the racking system—the Interlock and the Leveling foot, each containing the Zep, a device that locks into the groove and grounds the module frame (auto-grounding) using a specialty tool. With the first row of modules in place, each successive module drops in at a 15° angle, and lowers into position with a pivot-lock action.
So what are the advantages? Reduced materials, parts count and shipping costs (no rails); auto-grounding of all module frames; and extremely rapid installation. You can even straighten the plane of the array from the top with a drill-driven adjustment of the Leveling Foot. Zep Solar’s obvious challenge will be building relationships with module manufacturers that are willing to customize frames with Zep Grooves. However, this general degree of customization has been accomplished before and variants on module frames are becoming more common. Zep Solar plans on full commercialization of its innovative product in Q1 2010, but make sure to check it out at the groSolar booth at SPI 2009."
If you are an industry professional, you can register as a SolarPro reader at www.solarprofessional.com.
"Reenvisioning the module frame. We recently traveled to San Rafael, California, to review a new, no-rail mounting system that was pitched as “the MC connector of PV racking development.” We were not disappointed. In Anaheim inventor Jack West and cofounder Daniel Flanigan will be launching their patented mounting system, designed and manufactured by the newly formed Zep Solar (zepsolar.com) in partnership with groSolar.
When you first see the system, your likely reaction will be “Really? No rails?” Zep Solar took a forward-looking approach: customize the module frames to directly accept the racking components and engineer the composite system to support the design loads – without increasing the dimensions of the frame. Initially, Zep Solar will be launching its product for use with modules constructed with Evergreen laminates.
The frames are designed with tapered channels (Zep Grooves) that accept the core components of the racking system—the Interlock and the Leveling foot, each containing the Zep, a device that locks into the groove and grounds the module frame (auto-grounding) using a specialty tool. With the first row of modules in place, each successive module drops in at a 15° angle, and lowers into position with a pivot-lock action.
So what are the advantages? Reduced materials, parts count and shipping costs (no rails); auto-grounding of all module frames; and extremely rapid installation. You can even straighten the plane of the array from the top with a drill-driven adjustment of the Leveling Foot. Zep Solar’s obvious challenge will be building relationships with module manufacturers that are willing to customize frames with Zep Grooves. However, this general degree of customization has been accomplished before and variants on module frames are becoming more common. Zep Solar plans on full commercialization of its innovative product in Q1 2010, but make sure to check it out at the groSolar booth at SPI 2009."