News & Blog

FAQ of the Month

As Solar Foundations continues to gain new clients across the U.S., a popular question this month has been, “Does SFUSA install in portrait orientation?”

Solar Foundations USA can orientate panels in portrait, but we prefer landscape for the following reasons:

1. In landscape orientation, we can support up to six panels on two rails. In portrait orientation, the most could be three panels on two rails. As the rails are one of the more expensive components, doubling the quantity required and associated cost is a prominent reason portrait orientation does not get pursued.
2. While just about every panel manufacturer allows in-board clamps on the long side of the panels for landscape orientation, panel manufacturers seem to have varying restrictions for mounting to the short side with portrait orientation. Some allow rails to be in-board similar to landscape, others want continuous edge support, and some have varying other restrictions or special clamps.
   • As our clients tend to change panels based upon last-minute availability, the landscape orientation is much more forgiving from a design perspective. Portrait orientation requires researching what is allowed for each panel model and the maximum uplift and downward pressures that may not be the same for another last-minute substitute panel manufacturer.
3. If a panel manufacturer requires continuous long-side edge support for using portrait orientation, then we would likely need to increase the space between each panel column to fit the rails for two adjacent panel columns being side by side. We would need to go from our standard 1/4” to 3/8” gap to probably something closer to 2” depending on the particular panel frame and bolt holes.
   • In that event, the array does get slightly larger, which results in adding more beam support length or even potentially an additional pile pair depending on the array size, thus adding cost.

If your company is interested in comparable pricing options for a specific project, please submit a design request to our Projects team.

Winter Installations

Calling this a snowy month is an understatement, to say the least. With unprecedented conditions all across the United States, it’s no secret the weather has caused some conflict with scheduling installations.

While we understand trenching and installing panels are not ideal tasks to complete during the winter months, Solar Foundations’ portion of the project is sometimes favorable during this season.

• SFUSA crews can install our custom ground screws in any soil condition and the frost layer by pre-drilling pile locations with a rock auger or pre-drilling into solid rock or frozen ground with a custom down-the-hole hammer.
• The frozen ground often makes driving on the grass with both the truck, trailer, and machine smooth. If you have a homeowner or business owner who is sensitive to potential lawn damage with our equipment, installing while the ground is frozen may be a favorable option worth pursuing. Please consider this option as the snow begins to melt in the spring and the ground becomes very soft and wet.
• If your company is interested in having SFUSA install during the winter months, assuming the homeowner does not want to wait for the snow to melt, we have found that the best way to accomplish this is for the homeowner, business owner, or solar company to line up a local contractor for snow removal.
  • The array location, including 15 feet around the array area, and the access route must be plowed to safely install the project.

Does your solar company or client have questions regarding site preparation requirements to install during the winter season? Contact our Operations Team today for details.

Component Highlight

Solar Foundations USA provides different add-ons or optional equipment to include in your ground mount, canopy, or carport project. With more black panel models on the rise from module manufacturers, SFUSA found it fitting to highlight our optional black panel hardware this month. This small upgrade can help protect the components against corrosion and give your system a sleek and uniform appearance.

Solar Foundations’ aluminum End Clamps and Mid Clamps are available with a Black Anodized finish, along with SFUSA’s stainless steel K-Lock Nuts available with a Black Oxide finish.

VALUE

While there are cheaper options available, SFUSA chose the most advanced processes in the industry to provide you with the highest valued product on the market. We pride ourselves on the quality of our product offerings and ensure a 10 YEAR FADE RESISTANCE WARRANTY on all of our black panel hardware.

COLOR STABILITY

Solar Foundations' black anodized End Clamps and Mid Clamps are exceptionally resistant to fading and will last in very high UV environments. The color stability of the electrolytic two-step and black oxide processes are unmatched by any other similar available processes.

DURABILITY

The anodizing process creates a durable coating that offers long-lasting resistance to abrasion and does not chip or peel. Black oxide can only be removed by mechanically or chemically removing the finish itself, so the finish will not chip, peel or flake.

Please specify in the Project Data Sheet, the description in the request email, or in your company’s plan sets that you would like the black panel hardware for installation. Solar Foundations USA will include the price of the black hardware in the initial quote.

Meet the Team

Beginning this month, SFUSA will highlight a different team member in each of our newsletters. We will put a face to a name and throw in a fun fact or two. Hey, you may even have a few things in common with us! Without further ado, we are pleased to introduce our Communications Director and Project Coordinator, Meghan Matrazzo.

You may recognize her name as she is usually involved in your project in one way or another. Meghan's career with SFUSA began in the machine shop while she was in college, where she learned the ins-and-outs of the manufacturing process and gained hands-on experience with the product. After graduating with a B.S. in Business Administration and an emphasis on Marketing and Management, she took over marketing tasks and administrative duties for Solar Foundations USA. Fast-forward three years later, and Meghan now works with the engineering department to design your projects along with managing media relations and developing content for clients.

Meghan enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, and everything outdoors with her husband and pup, Ranger. She has hiked 12 of the 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks and plans on finishing them all in the next year or two.