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Hey everyone, this is my 1st post here - very cool forum! I'm a solar installer up on the New Hampshire/Vermont boarder. I have quite a few systems under my belt but one thing I struggle with is getting straight rails in an efficient amount of time. We are very particular about our installs and often quibble over a 1/4" discrepancy. My question: what method do you guys use for fast, efficient rail installation? Are any of you using a daylight laser for your roof lines? If so, which brands should I look at or avoid? Thanks in advance!!
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they are real expensive. Way too expensive to carry up to a sloped roof!!
Maybe a laser boresight for a gun ?Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
|| Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
|| VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A
solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister -
Whatever laser you use, tinted goggles that are matched to the laser output frequency (color) can make a very large difference in the visibility of the laser spot in daylight. Providing whatever shade you can also helps a lot.
Spots are much easier to see than lines, so using a method based on spots, even if you have to offset a target above or below the rail or whatever you have to level, helps too.SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.Comment
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I did mine by eye-ball relative to the roof's edge, then sighting along from one end to straighten the rail.
But now I wonder if I should have used a water level - probably would have been easier.Comment
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Thanks for the responses. We set our rails by sighting along the length as well foo1bar. We also set a string to butt our L Feet up to and lag down. I'm trying to find more time efficient and accurate ways for this process so we can get these done faster. We have about 30 residential installs this summer and setting our rails is the bottleneck in our process......Comment
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Have you tried a water hose?MSEE, PEComment
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Don't know what the top is, but the laser I use cost me $16 from Harb*r Fright. It has saved
me huge amounts of time compared to using a level, works when you are not level, not bothered
by wind & gravity. I don't think it would function in bright sunlight, but I have used it 70' in
somewhat subdued sun or days indoors. Bruce RoeComment
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We use a masons string, a couple T bolts and a 1" mid clamp for leveling. Works very well and quickly. And it's not really leveling, but just making sure everything will line up, be flat and look good.
I'm an installer out of Williston, VT.
BenComment
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