Designing a photovoltaic installation requires focusing on many aspects. It is important to match its power to our needs, dimensions to the available space on the roof, but also weight, which not everyone remembers.
This is an important issue because it may determine whether it is even possible to install panels on the roof.
Typically, the weight of panels ranges between 18 kg and 25 kg, which depends primarily on their dimensions, so it is natural that a panel with 72 cells will weigh more (approximately 22.5 kg).
Of course, the material from which the panels are made also influences the weight, so, for example, batteries covered with tempered glass on the top and a protective foil on the bottom will weigh 18-20 kg, while versions of panels made only of tempered glass will be much heavier. In this case, the weight, depending on the model and dimensions, will vary from 3 to even 6 kg on one panel.
The answer to this question is simple – it all depends on the load-bearing capacity of the roof on which we want to place the panels. In this case, the weight plays a key role in terms of safety, because overloading the structure may result in it collapsing, which is what we want to avoid.
For a panel weighing 20 kg, the roof load capacity should be approximately 250 kg/m2. So, if after conversion it turns out that this value is too small and we assumed the use of heavier panels when designing the installation, there are actually two possibilities. The first is, of course, to use lighter panels if they meet our performance expectations.
The second one, which requires dedicating a piece of land for the installation – mounting the panels on the ground, which is especially practiced in larger installations (over 10 KW). Installation on the ground brings many benefits, including great maneuverability with the angle of inclination and much easier maintenance.
Therefore, you should not be discouraged if the surface of your roof is too small, it does not meet the load-bearing standards, or its shape is simply so non-standard that it makes it impossible to install a sufficient number of panels on it. There is always an alternative in the form of mounting the panels on the ground or on another building (e.g. a garage), if the calculated values are favorable.
In order to design a photovoltaic installation perfectly suited to your needs, please contact our specialists.
