pv module clearances from roof edge

[6rick4]

Anybody know the minimum clearance required between pv module & edge of roof. MCS say 600mm, building regs is grey, one report that it is 300mm, & another company that thinks its 400mm.

 

[SolarCity]

Does the MCS really say 600mm? Where did you read that?

I haven't found any information out about it anywhere - just hearsay.

On the NICEIC course, we worked out some designs based on leaving a 300mm gap around the array. When I asked the lecturer if the 300mm was required or was just relevant to this particular exercise, he didn't seem to know.

I know one thing for sure: I've seen PLENTY of systems which have nothing like a 300mm gap between array and edge of roof.

 

[goodwilld]

300mm from any roof boundary, that's what i was trained on the C&G course.

 

[dansk]

have a read http://www.electriciansforums.net/p...s-green-energy-forum/27150-building-regs.html

 

[6rick4]

The MCS inspector told me on my assesment with the MCS last summer, 600mm, but since then I have struggled to find the answer. As you say, there are plenty of systems that go right up to the edge. The rules on flat roofs are clearer but ridiculous, I will start to work to 300 ish me thinks.

 

[yellowvanman]

Ideally 500m on the new Logic PV Installer course

 

[SRE]

One of my customers had rung BR and they said 200mm. We always fit to 300mm can't for the life of me remember where I saw it. We live in a windy area and the 300mm clearance stops wind load issues (maybe it was the BRE guide I read the 300mm ?)

 

[Steve Baillie]

Hi
Not sure if you found the answer but in the publication Planning And Installation Photovoltaic System 2nd edition, P276 7.2.1 it states

" in order to reduce the wind load, the array should be a sufficient distance from the edge of the roof (rule of thumb: five times the distance between the modules and the roof surface). The minimum distance from the chimney is 60cm.

Hope this helps

steve

 

[andyemms]

Common sense to be applied here.... or somewhere!

 

[VMan]

a course i have recently attended said it was 100mm from edge of roof / bottom of ridge tiles, which supprised me a little. it would be good to see some documentation on this to confirm.

 

[john999boy]

I've seen some installations where the bottom of the panels was visible past the edge of the gutter!
I pointed it out to the houseowner and the installers said they could to come back and adjust the guttering but that would have been a second bodge job.
They eventually came and moved the panels higher up to where they should have been.

 

[Dan]

Don't mind me while I bump some threads in the solar PV forum. If they're not current or applicable topics, just ignore the threads; they'll drop off the page. If they are, feel free to chip in and chat solar stuff in the solar panels forum.