DenkiJidousha Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Most panels are about 1m by 1.6m, so like a letter or a photo, to me it makes sense to refer to the possible orientations as portrait and landscape. Are there standard terms for this in the trade? Anyway, I've noticed that unless the roof space is constrained, most installations are two rows of "portrait" orientation solar panels. Sometimes you see a few squeezed in as "landscape". I wondered why. Two reasons have occurred to me. First with traditional inverters expecting two matching strings of panels, two rows is a simple way to set this up on a typical UK house roof. Second, with the portrait mounting you'd need about 2m of rail per panel, versus landscape needing 3.2m of railing per panel - so that's a simple materials cost difference. Other than that, is there any other reason? Is one way round more secure/stronger? With a modern micro-inverter or similar design if it just down to a nicely filling the available space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 I used to work out the most efficient way to fit modules. Really comes down to the roof shape and the number of modules that you want fitted. If space is no object, then portrait as it, as you say, reduce the amount of rail an makes the wiring easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
le-cerveau Posted January 29, 2018 Share Posted January 29, 2018 I suspect it is down to a simple install under G83 max 16A per phase on a domestic (single phase) gives 3.68kW, gives 16 panels for most standard panels. This ends up as two rows of 8 panels and as @SteamyTea says it is the most efficient install to put them portrait. To go beyond this requires more effort (normally) and in the past the installers were only interested in the simple installs. Doing it yourself then anything goes, I have 37 x 250w panels on my roof 9.2kW, however this is split across 3-phases so stays within G83 limits. My panels are portrait as it was the most efficient, 3 x rows of 9 on the SW face, staggered and 10 the SE hip, one row of 2 and one row of 8. These are on GSE in roof mounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenkiJidousha Posted January 29, 2018 Author Share Posted January 29, 2018 Thanks both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredd Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 (edited) fixing. the rails that hold them run horizontal across roof joists. to do it other way you would need more rails and the load would not be spread over the roof. on new build they are inset into the roof and go into the same tray as a velux window uses between the joists. No room to do them the other way. Edited February 7, 2018 by Fredd typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 21 minutes ago, Fredd said: on new build they are inset into the roof and go into the same tray as a velux window uses between the joists. No room to do them the other way. No they don’t. None of the “in roof” systems work in the way you describe as far as I’m aware. Plenty of correct information on this forum, search GSE as a starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredd Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 7 minutes ago, Barney12 said: No they don’t. None of the “in roof” systems work in the way you describe as far as I’m aware. Plenty of correct information on this forum, search GSE as a starter. the ones we fit do! and they look good as well as they follow the profile of the tile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 23 minutes ago, Fredd said: the ones we fit do! and they look good as well as they follow the profile of the tile. OK, sorry. Could you post a link to the system you use as that’s good information for all the forum readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredd Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 this isnt the same supplier but they look the same, the trays are exactly the same ones velux windows use. Really easy to fit and flash. more importantly they dont look like an afterthought. https://www.energymyway.co.uk/products/roof-integrated-solar-panels/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 11 hours ago, Fredd said: this isnt the same supplier but they look the same... https://www.energymyway.co.uk/products/roof-integrated-solar-panels/ They look like a standard roof-integrated system. Could you post a link to the system you use, that fits in-between the joists, I've not seen that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 7, 2018 Share Posted February 7, 2018 12 hours ago, Fredd said: fixing. the rails that hold them run horizontal across roof joists. to do it other way you would need more rails and the load would not be spread over the roof. on new build they are inset into the roof and go into the same tray as a velux window uses between the joists. No room to do them the other way. Not true. All the in roof systems we looked at allowed either portrait or landscape fitting, you just choose which you want. Mixing a matching isn't easy, so best to stick to one orientation, IMHO. We used the GSE integration system, in portrait mode: A house in the next village to me has just had the same in-roof GSE system fitted to a barn with the panels all in landscape orientation. From what I recall when we were looking, the other major in-roof manufacturer, Easy Roof (near identical to the GSE system) also allowed landscape orientation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
le-cerveau Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 I was walking around today and noticed this roof: Panels in both orientations, even mixed on one face! Obviously trying to maximise the number of panels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 1 hour ago, le-cerveau said: Panels in both orientations, even mixed on one face! Obviously trying to maximise the number of panels. Get lots like that down here, they have the same stupid roof shape. Someone used to make triangular modules, but they were not cost effective at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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