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Rail vs. Railless Solar Mounting: Which Is Best?

Rail vs. Railless Solar Mounting: Which Is Best? Artículo del blog
Publicado por Kelli Fields el Jul 7, 2021 1:30:38 PM

Si está pensando en colocar energía solar fotovoltaica en su tejado metálico para generar energía renovable y ahorrar dinero con el tiempo, ha hecho una gran elección. Los tejados metálicos son una plataforma ideal para montar módulos solares gracias a su larga vida útil y durabilidad. Las instalaciones solares tienen una vida útil de más de 35 años, y las cubiertas metálicas han demostrado una vida útil de 60 años. Aparte del metal, no hay ningún otro tipo de tejado que alcance esa cifra sin necesidad de sustituirlo. Tanto los tejados metálicos de junta alzada como los metálicos a la vista soportan los paneles solares con gran eficacia.

gráfico de burbujas de conversación para preguntas y respuestasExisten dos enfoques principales para fijar los módulos solares: se utiliza raíles; el otro es sin raíles. En las instalaciones con raíles, los raíles metálicos se fijan al tejado y los módulos solares se sujetan a los raíles para mantenerlos en su sitio. Los sistemas sin raíles fijan los componentes directamente al tejado para sujetar los módulos solares. Cada uno tiene sus propias características.

Veamos algunos pros y contras en relación con el tejado, los aspectos de la distribución y el coste.


Roof Considerations for Solar Modules


blog question graphic ¿cómo se fijan los módulos solares en tejados de chapa vista?

Question: How Are Solar Modules Secured in Place on Standing Seam or Exposed-Fastened (EF) Metal Roof Types?

Answer: With Rail: Rails mount to standing seam metal roofs via non-penetrating clamps. EF has two options: brackets can attach to the roof panel’s rib only, or brackets may attach in the roof panel’s valley and into the structure when preferred.

Answer: With Rail-less: Rail-less solutions use the roof’s structural seams or ribs as the rails. The seams on standing seam roofs become the rails. EF trapezoidal ribs or corrugations are also structural elements of the roof design and can be used as rails. This offers greater flexibility in module placement because they completely cover the roof from end to end on 6- to 12-inch spacings.

Close-up of a black PVKIT® clamp securing a solar panel directly to a standing seam metal roof in a railless solar mounting system.

Ejemplo de módulos montados en un tejado de chapa con montaje solar sin raíles

(Product shown: S-5! PVKIT® railless solar mount) 

Graphic with the question “Does the Weight of Your Solar PV Mounting System Matter?” in bold white text on a black striped background with a large yellow "Q".

Question: Does the Weight of Your Solar PV Mounting System Matter?

Answer: With Rail: The weight of the system can make a difference. Clamps and rails are ~ 19 lbs./kilowatt peak (kWp). Most new metal roofs can support the weight.

Answer: With Rail-less: Rail-less is <3 lbs./kWp, which equates to approximately 85% lower added dead load. Lower added load is extremely helpful as an existing building may not have been designed to carry much additional weight. Rail-less also offers 25% better load distribution onto the roof and into the structure.

Aerial view of a modern home with multiple standing seam metal roofs equipped with solar panels mounted using a railless PVKIT® system.

Residential project with a rail-less solar mounting system

Graphic with the question “Are There Obstacles on Your Roof (Skylights, HVAC Equipment, Vents, Hips, Valleys or Dormers)?” in bold white text on a black striped background with a large yellow "Q".

Question: Are There Obstacles on Your Roof (Skylights, HVAC Equipment, Vents, Hips, Valleys or Dormers)?

Answer: With Rail: Rails will likely need to be field-cut to work around obstructions and architectural elements.

Answer: With Rail-less: Rail-less solutions easily adjust to avoid obstacles and can be used in smaller areas where cutting rails to fit properly is time-consuming and unsightly.


Solar Module Layout


Graphic with the question “Is There a Difference in How the Solar Modules Are Oriented?” in bold white text on a black striped background with a large yellow "Q".

Question: Is There a Difference In How the Solar Modules Are Oriented?

Answer: With Rail: Rails are laid out across the ribs or seams (East-West), resulting in a portrait module orientation – 90 degrees to the rails.

Railed solar mounting system installed on a standing seam metal roof overlooking a coastal residential area, with wiring and attachments in place before panel installation.

Sistema solar sobre raíles

Answer: With Rail-less: Because standing seams or exposed-fastened ribs are the rails and run in a North-South direction, modules are installed in landscape orientation – still 90 degrees to the roof’s inherent “rails.”

The standing seams or exposed-fastened ribs of a metal roof serve as built-in rails for attaching solar modules, eliminating the need for traditional rail systems.

Las juntas alzadas o las nervaduras a la vista de un tejado metálico ofrecen raíles integrados para la fijación de módulos solares.

Side-by-side comparison of solar panel orientations on a metal roof: Portrait orientation using PV rail attachment on the left, and landscape orientation using railless PV Direct-Attach™ system on the right, with each layout installed perpendicular to rails or seams.

Ya que hablamos de la disposición de la instalación fotovoltaica, también es importante planificar la gestión de los cables. Vea nuestro último vídeo sobre Prácticas recomendadas para la gestión de cables en instalaciones fotovoltaicas con y sin raíles.

Graphic with the question "Do You Need to Tilt Your Panels?" in bold white text on a black diagonal striped background, highlighting a key consideration when choosing between rail and railless solar mounting systems.

Question: Do You Need to Tilt Your Panels?

Answer: With Rail: If you have a relatively flat roof and want to tilt the array to capture the sun’s best angle, tilting is possible.

Answer: With Rail-less: Tilting is not possible.

Tilted solar panel mounting system installed with Protea brackets on a metal roof for a large-scale solar project in LATAM, demonstrating rail-based installation with elevated angles for optimal sun exposure.

Ejemplo de instalación fotovoltaica sobre raíles inclinados

(Producto mostrado: S-5! ProteaBracket™)

¿Necesita ayuda para encontrar el soporte adecuado para su próximo proyecto de montaje solar?

Háblenos de su proyecto y le orientaremos sobre el producto más adecuado para su panel de techo específico.


Solar Installation Costs


Graphic with a large yellow "Q" and the question "How Much Do You Want to Spend on Installation?" displayed on a black background with diagonal gray stripes, highlighting cost considerations for solar mounting systems.

Question: How Much Do You Want to Spend on Installation?

Answer: With Rail: Los raíles y componentes requieren tiempo para su trazado, montaje, mano de obra e instalación. Illustration of a stopwatch with black casing, yellow buttons, and hands pointing to approximately 2:12, symbolizing time efficiency. Paired with the question "How Much Do You Want to Spend on Installation?" to emphasize time-related installation costs for solar mounting systems.

Answer: With Rail-less: Pre-assembled rail-less systems require only about 90 seconds per module to install once you get the hang of it.

 

Graphic showing a stopwatch icon next to the bold text "Less Time = Less Money" on a yellow background, emphasizing the cost-saving benefits of faster solar mounting system installations.

 

Graphic with a large yellow "Q" followed by the question "How Many Parts Are Required?" on a black background with diagonal gray stripes, highlighting considerations for component count in solar mounting systems.

Question: How Many Parts Are Required?

Answer: With Rail: Traditional rail systems generally require nine to 12 components for a solar PV array.

Answer: With Rail-less: State-of-the-art, rail-less systems can consist of no more than three components and save up to 35% or more on material costs.

Graphic with a large yellow "Q" followed by the question "Will You Need to Ship Materials?" on a black background with diagonal gray stripes, highlighting considerations around solar mounting system logistics and transportation costs.

Question: Will You Need to Ship Materials?

Answer: With Rail: Rail systems require heavy components – and many more of them than rail-less. Using the example of a 50-kilowatt (kW) system, rail mounting would clock in at about 970 pounds, which means you pay the weight-calculated commercial freight charges.

Answer: With Rail-less: Fewer materials and much lighter components average 149 pounds for the same 50 kW system as above—15% the weight of rail mounting.

Modern home with a dark standing seam metal roof featuring a sleek railless solar panel array installed using direct-attach mounting. Surrounded by a wooded landscape, the system blends cleanly with the roof aesthetic.

Sistema solar sobre raíles

Ideas a las que aferrarse

Las soluciones de montaje de paneles fotovoltaicos sobre raíles y sin raíles tienen ventajas e inconvenientes. Hoy hemos tratado solo algunas ideas sobre consideraciones relativas al tejado, aspectos de la disposición y costes para que te hagas una idea de las diferencias.

Independientemente del método de fijación que elija, tenemos soluciones probadas para satisfacer sus necesidades.

Split black and yellow graphic with bold "VS" text in the center, representing a comparison or showdown—used to visually emphasize the contrast between rail and railless solar mounting systems.

¿Todavía está sopesando si utilizar raíles o no? Obtenga la lista de comprobación que le guiará a través de los múltiples factores y le ayudará a tomar una decisión informada.

Si tiene preguntas concretas, siempre estamos aquí para ayudarle. Simplemente coméntelo a continuación o póngase en contacto con nosotros en support@s-5.com.


Etiquetas: techo de metal, abrazaderas de techo de metal, montaje solar, abrazaderas metálicas para tejados, tejado metálico de junta alzada, paneles solares montados sobre raíles, equipos en el tejado, fijados a la vista, coste, instalación

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