Before installing solar panels, conducting a detailed site survey is a crucial step, as it directly affects the power generation efficiency, safety and service life of the panels. The following are the precautions for site investigation before the installation of solar panels:
First, collection of basic information
The year of building completion and property rights ownership:
Inquire about the completion year of the building to understand its service life and structural condition.
Confirm the property rights of the site, ensure that the installation process complies with relevant regulations, and avoid potential property rights disputes.
Red line, topographic map and surrounding environment:
Obtain on-site data such as red line maps and topographic maps to facilitate targeted on-site investigation during the survey.
Investigate the surrounding environment of the site, including traffic roads, sites that can be used for reasonable earthwork storage, and sites where temporary facilities can be erected, etc.
Understand the obstacles that must be removed or excavated during construction, as well as whether there are any sensitive objects in the site area, such as graves, reclaimed land, cattle and sheep pens, buildings and structures, lamp posts and wiring, military facilities, communication towers, etc.
Second, roof inspection
Roof orientation and azimuth:
Use a compass or a mobile phone compass APP to measure the orientation and azimuth of the roof.
In the Northern Hemisphere, solar panels should be installed as directly south as possible to receive the most sunlight.
Roof inclination Angle:
Measure the width of the roof and the width of the house, and calculate the inclination Angle of the roof.
Adjust the tilt Angle of the solar panels according to the local latitude, usually equal to or slightly higher than the local latitude, to maximize power generation.
Roof structure and load-bearing capacity
Lift off some of the tiles to inspect the roof structure and record the dimensions and spacings of the main beams and purlins.
Confirm the load-bearing capacity of the roof to ensure it can support the weight of the solar panels and brackets.
For concrete roofs, their bearing capacity should be greater than 3.6KN/m², and factors such as short-term wind load and snow load should be taken into consideration.
Roof occlusion situation:
Accurately measure the dimensions of the obstructions around the roof, such as trees and buildings.
Model using shadow analysis software to create a simplified map of the available area of the roof.
Make sure that the solar panels are not blocked after installation to avoid affecting the power generation efficiency.
Roof waterproofing condition:
Check whether the roof waterproof layer is intact to avoid damaging the waterproof structure during installation.
Give priority to choosing the self-weight (load-bearing) bracket installation method to reduce damage to the roof waterproof layer.
Third, electrical aspect investigation
Type of power supply entering the household:
Check whether the power supply entering the house is single-phase or three-phase. Civilian villas generally have three-phase power supply.
Photovoltaic power generation systems with single-phase output should be connected to the phase with the higher power consumption of the three-phase multi-purpose incoming line switch.
Monthly average electricity consumption and electricity cost:
Ask the user about their average monthly electricity consumption or electricity bill, as well as the main time periods for electricity usage.
This information will serve as a reference for the installed capacity of the photovoltaic system.
Main switch capacity of the incoming line:
Check the capacity of the user’s main incoming line switch.
Ensure that the output current of the photovoltaic power generation system does not exceed the capacity of the household switch to guarantee safety.
Fourth, other precautions
Land Stability and Environmental Protection
Assess the stability of the land to ensure that it can withstand the weight of solar panels and supports, as well as external forces such as wind.
During the installation process, efforts should be made to avoid damage to land resources and environmental pollution as much as possible.
Laws, regulations and policy requirements:
Understand the local laws, regulations and policy requirements to ensure that the installation process complies with relevant provisions.
Comply with the requirements of local planning, construction, environmental protection and other departments, and handle relevant procedures.
Security considerations:
Solar panels installed on rooftops or outdoors should have lightning protection measures, such as reliable connection to lightning protection and grounding devices on rooftops or the ground through metal conductors.
Ensure that the solar panels and brackets are installed firmly and reliably to prevent the influence of bad weather such as strong winds.
Spatial and Layout planning
Plan a reasonable layout based on the spatial limitations of the installation site.
Ensure that the intervals between solar panels are not affected and facilitate later maintenance at the same time.
PowerGlow focuses on helping Kiwi families and businesses harness solar energy for sustainable living. With extensive experience, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality products and exceptional service, making clean energy easy and accessible for everyone.Official website addresshttps://powerglow.co.nz/
