Roof mounted modules are protected from damage in virtually all weather conditions, including extremes of wind, rain, ice, and snow. Mounting hardware designed and proven to withstand 50 psf (125 mph wind loads) - significantly higher than industry standards. The mounting hardware will last the life of the PV modules.

     Roof mount arrays are more prone to heat up which decreases the efficiency of the panels. If you live in the city, a roof mount may be your only option. A south facing roof and the proper angle will produce the most energy in most cases. It is best to mount the array several inches off the roof to allow air to move under the panel. When mounting on a tile roof special hardware is necessary to complete the installation. In regions that get snow a roof mount may get covered until the snow melts off the array. This would limit the production for several days or even weeks, until the snow melts or is removed.

Standard Top-of-Pole Mounts have six tilt-angle settings. These positions are positive locking to avoid the possibility of slippage. The racks are balanced about the pivot bolt to make adjustment easy. Standard models are designed and warranteed to withstand wind loads of 30 lbs. /ft2 (approximately 90 mph). All racks have sleeves sized to slip over readily available standard sizes of installer-supplied SCH40 steel pipe. The mounting sleeves have set bolts spaced 90 apart to firmly secure the rack to the pole.

     A top-of-pole rack has a definite nitch in the market place. Cost and reliability is what these rack have to offer. In the mountains, high wind areas or where cloud cover is an issue these racks shine. Up to eighteen panels can fit on a larger rack. It is highly recommend not to ground mount panels. A top-of-pole rack offers cooler operation than a roof mount and a safe and reliable way to get the panels up off the ground.

Incorporating over two decades of experience with traker design and more than three decades of innovatio of new products, Zomeworks has introduced the F-Series Track Rack Passive Solar Tracker to their line of UTR Universal Trackers. This tracker is our most popular design. It features an integral early morning rapid return system. The sun's heat moves liquid from side to side, allowing gravity to turn the Track Rack and follow the sun - no motors, no gears and no controls to fail.

     In southern Utah, the entire investment is enhanced by 26% over the average of a year. A 12-module tracking system delivers the same electric output as 15.12 modules mounted on a fixed rack. The greatest benefit of passive trackers is you get more out of all of your equipment because of them; the inverters, pumps, wells, batteries, - whatever you are using in your system. A passive tracker rack being 26% more efficient means either you get 26% more power out of the panels or you have to buy 26% more panels for your system to receive the same amount of power had you chosen fixed racks. The actual saving in dollars could be as high as a $1000.00 dollars. In the right situation, a passive tracker is a good buy.

Watsun Solar Trackers actively follow the sun across the sky with low speed motors or linear actuators guided by an electronic light sensor. This guarantees that the plane of your array is always perpendicular to the sun's rays, giving you the maximum power your modules can produce at all times. These highly efficient mechanisms consume minimal amounts of electricity. Unlike passive trackers that depend on the delicate balance between the shifting weights of freon canisters, Watsun's active trackers are not affected by wind and cold. In cold conditions, the freon in passive trackers has trouble reaching its boiling point, making the basic tracking function itself sluggish at best. Watsun s actively driven trackers are solid in turbulent winds and remain firmly pointed at the sun in any temperature.

     In Southern Utah, the entire investment is enhanced by 29% over the average of a year. An active tracker can cost 28% more than a passive tracker. If sparing no expense is no problem then indulge. Active trackers also require maintenance periodically; motors and the electric eye will need replacing from time to time.

Photovoltaic Module

    In the field of photovoltaics, a photovoltaic module is a packaged interconnected assembly of photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells. An installation of photovoltaic modules or panels is known as a photovoltaic array .

     Most PV modules on the market today are of a high quality. Look for a good heavy frame to support the module. Check for the power ratings and make sure the module is compatible with the application. There are PV modules that do fail, watch out for a deal that sounds to good. A couple of the PV modules that are recommended by us are Sharp & Evergreen.

    Click on the names under the pictures of the modules to get the Specification Sheets.