What’s Wrong With This Picture?

I’d have done this a little differently.

Take a good look at the photo. These guys are going to lose space for an entire panel because of a vent pipe poking up through the roof. Why are there vent pipes? Because when you use a sink or any other water source in the house, it needs to be vented to drain properly. The vents stick out the roof because clean water is not the only thing that goes down the drain. You don’t want the aroma of your septic tank or sewer line in your attic.

Why is it on the roof? Plumbers put a vent for every drain cluster because it is easier and cheaper for them. I don’t like holes in my roof, so I went to the expense and effort of plumbing them all into one vent. My roofer dude tells be there is a gadget available so you don’t have to have ANY vents poking through the roof. It is basically a check valve that lets air into the line when you pull the plug on the bathtub, but does not let the stinky fumes out. These guys (or the homeowner) could have eliminated that vent, gaining a few more watts and a better looking installation.

Next, put your modules up in order. That saves having to walk on the glass. Glass is slippery, (more so when dusty) which is a danger to the installer. Most panels are not made to support a lot of weight, either. At least where this guy’s foot is, the frame is taking most of the load. Oh, and a suction cup would have made it easier to get the bottom end of that module brought up even without risking a finger.

Finally, why not give the panels a wipe down before installing them? Rain won’t necessarily wash all of that off.

Otherwise, things look pretty good. Two rows, mounting on good hardware and walkways for future access.

–Neal