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Phoenix Solar: Types of Mounts and Why Solar Mounts Affect Solar Panel Performance

localwork | Aug 9, 2010 |

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For some homeowners, mounting systems might seem like a boring detail loosely associated with buying solar panels. However, doing your research on mounting systems is highly important. Arizona solar electric companies state that solar electric mounts can actually greatly affect how well your solar panels work.

Solar panels work best when they are receiving lots of sun. Phoenix solar authorities state that solar electric mounts can affect how much sun your panels receive. Therefore, they affect the efficiency and effectiveness of your solar panels.

Phoenix solar companies sell a vast number of mounting systems. While it can be strenuous to look through thousands of mounting systems after having looked through thousands of solar panel products, it is worth it to collect as much information about mounts as possible and to look at many different mount products. There are many mount brands and models, but there are only a few different "types" of mounts that you can use for residential purposes. The most common residential mounts are ground/roof mounts, flush mounts, and tracking mounts. Each is explained below in more detail.

Ground/Roof Mounts are a very commonly used solar panel mounting system. They can hold larger sized panels. Some are "fixed" which means that they can not be angled toward the sun in any way. Some have tilt-able legs that give you the freedom to adjust or angle your solar panels to a certain degree. Typically there is a limit to how much you can angle these mounts. Arizona solar electric companies state that these are popular mounts because they are easy to install and because they can be installed almost anywhere that has a flat surface.

Flush Mounts are metal bracket systems. They attach to the top and bottom of the solar panels and they elevate the panels off of the roof. Phoenix solar authorities say that these can only hold smaller sized panels. Think carefully about the placement of your solar panels when you purchase flush mounts. These mounts do not have the ability to allow you to adjust or angle your solar panels, so you must place them in a spot where you think they will receive maximum sunlight without being tilted. On the plus side, these are the least expensive mounts you can buy.

Tracking Mounts are the most "intelligent" of the solar panel mounting systems. They are built to follow the sun. Some models will rotate on a single-axis and follow the sun east to west. There are also models that can follow the sun in any direction. Because they can always position themselves perfectly with the sun, they will always receive the maximum amount of sunlight available. These "smart" systems are however quite expensive.