From more than two decades working as a solar installer in Northern California, I’ve learned that ground-array jobsites can become congested, compromising timelines. Construction requires a series of tasks to be completed as quickly as possible, including:
- Augering foundation holes
- Building sub-structures
- Pouring concrete
- Installing the racking and modules
… the list goes on.
The problem is most jobsites have minimal extra workspace. Having to wait until one task is completed before starting the next slows down overall construction.
The solution
I’ve found that performing tasks off-site in a controlled environment greatly reduces the workload once on site. And the data backs this up—“prefabricating” in construction projects has been shown to increase efficiency, save on materials and improve worker safety. In a study by McGraw-Hill Construction:
- 66% of respondents reported that prefabrication decreased project schedules.
- 65% of respondents reported that prefabrication decreased costs, with 41% saying that budgets went down by 6% or more.
- 77% of respondents reported that prefabrication decreased site waste.
In this “installer tip,” I’ll use components from the IronRidge ground-mount system to show how easy it is to assemble the modules and microinverters onto rails and complete some wiring before getting to the jobsite. This minimizes congestion on the site and lets teams work even when weather conditions aren’t ideal.
The following steps will let you take your prefabricated assemblies to the jobsite and quickly install up to five modules at a time.
Steps
- Use 2×4 and 2×6 lumber to build a jig that will accommodate your rail and modules. Cut out locations where the rails will be placed and make sure they’re square.
- Based on the tilt angle for your system, measure between the horizontal cross members of your sub-structures. The IronRidge Ground Mount Design Assistant will calculate the distance between the north and south piers. You can then use this number to mark the rail connector locations in your jig.
- Mark locations for microinverters or power optimizers.
- Now that the jig is set up, begin assembling the rail connectors, microinverters and modules onto the rails. Wiring can also be completed at this time.
- Take the first prefabricated assembly and install it onto the sub-structure to ensure rail connector locations are set properly.
- If there are any issues, make adjustments to your jig before moving on.
- Once you’ve completed building the assemblies, stack them for transport. We recommend using the cardboard from the module packaging in between each assembly to prevent damage. Use a flatbed trailer or truck for transporting the assemblies to the jobsite.
- Once on site, a team can mount the assemblies on the sub-structures by installing the U-bolts into the rail connectors before moving onto final wiring.
This tip was contribtued by Dan Felix, training manager at IronRidge.