News & Blog

FAQ of the Month

A common question our engineering team has received this month is, "How long can an array be in the east-west direction?" The answer to this question relies on a few different factors:

• SFUSA has installed arrays over 100 ft. long in the east-west direction. This was due to the ground slope being completely flat over the entire width of the structure.
• If the site contour is varying, Solar Foundations USA will typically break up large arrays and space them as close as 6 in. apart. By doing this, they look as if they are one.
• There have been times when crews arrived on-site to install, and the arrays needed to be reconfigured on the fly to due variable grade elevations. Solar Foundations’ Design & Engineering Team can usually plan for these scenarios by including additional material into the project load.
  
  • We do ask our clients to give us as much information as possible upfront to ensure a smooth and professional installation while at the same time preventing unnecessary costs. A good time to take elevation shots is when the array stake-out occurs.

Please note anytime the site slopes more than 10 in. over the east-west length of the array, SFUSA will slope the array to follow the site contour. If there is ever a reason you need the array held level, you must provide actual grade elevations of the four corners of the array. Without grade elevations, we cannot design the system level and will not have the correct product on the equipment trailer when Solar Foundations arrives for the installation.

Carports, Canopies, and Pavilions

Solar Foundations USA is constantly developing new designs, engineering new racking solutions and patenting our product lines. We work hard to continuously provide you with the most advanced options for your solar system.

With canopy, pavilion, and carport solutions now available, SFUSA encourages our clients to explore different options for each homeowner or business. We’ve seen an influx in design requests for poolside pavilions, utility canopies for farming equipment, and small-scale carports for doctor’s offices. Explore Solar Foundations’ Solutions page for more details on each available structure. Our Engineering & Design Team has the capability to customize each solution to fit your project needs.

Explore Solutions

SFUSA Scheduling Guide

Solar Foundations USA has been mobilizing crews from all across the US to assist where needed for installations. With new clients coming on board and existing clients receiving permits for numerous jobs, we created a guide for all of the information required to reserve a slot on Solar Foundations’ installation schedule.

SFUSA Scheduling Guide

Specific items such as the stake-out photo and the access path help resolve any questions or last-minute concerns from both you as our client and the project homeowner or business.

Solar Foundations’ Scheduling Process in a Nutshell

1. All required information is sent to the SFUSA Operations Team: OPS@solarfoundationsusa.com
2. An anticipated week of installation is given. Please note this will be a general timeframe, such as the week of 7/19-7/23.
3. A miss utility or dig safe ticket is called in from Solar Foundations’ end as soon as a schedule request is submitted. Please note this ticket will only encompass the specific array area, not the trenching path. We highly recommend you call in your own ticket for that portion of the work.
4. SFUSA begins analyzing the weather forecast for the week ahead and organizing the installation order for multiple jobs. Once the weather has been checked, and the order has been established, the SFUSA Ops Team will contact you (not the homeowner) the week prior with an approximate date such as Tuesday 7/20.
   
   • SFUSA is usually good about holding schedule, but soil conditions are always unknown, and weather delays can cause the schedule to shift. If the install date is going to slip a day or so, the SFUSA Ops Team will give you as much advanced notice as possible.
   • Please note the homeowner does not need to be home for our portion of the installation.

Solar Foundations USA Exhibiting at the 2021 NABCEP CE Conference

Visit us at Booth #2
August 9-12, 2021
Knoxville, TN

SFUSA will be attending the 2021 NABCEP CE Conference from August 9th through the 12th in Knoxville, TN. Solar Foundations USA provides a full range of services including consultation, engineering and design, permit-ready plans, custom component manufacturing, and installation services. With your company’s new structure in place, you simply install the solar panels and remaining infrastructure, and the project is complete.

This is a great opportunity for those working on their continuing education credits to speak to our team directly regarding any technical field questions, product inquires, or service requests. Solar Foundations’ President, Mike Zuritis, and Sales Director, Devin Paris, will be attending the conference and look forward to discussing your project needs.

Interested in booking an individual meeting with Mike Zuritis and Devin Paris? Follow the link below to reserve a time that works for you.