Wire Mesh Clip for Flush-Cut Rail Ends
Over the past year, many of our customers have shared an interesting challenge with us. They appreciate the durability and sleek look of the Rail Mount Method for attaching wire mesh to PV arrays. However, a common issue arises when installing critter guards on arrays where the rail ends have been flush-cut. This means the rail doesn’t extend beyond the edge of the PV modules, making it difficult to attach the wire mesh.
Flush-cutting rail ends is controversial among solar installers because while it looks nice and clean, it can be a real pain in the butt for anyone who has to perform service on the PV array down the road. Imagine doing a “de-re” (de- and reinstallation of the solar array to re-roof the home), where you must position rails within a couple millimeters accuracy so that the PV modules don’t run off the ends of the rails. At least one of our customers refuses to flush-cut rails for this reason; but others have learned to make it work. Our new product is aimed at the latter group.
Our new specialty clip provides an extremely secure connection between the wire mesh and the rail end. The clip eliminates the need for complex cutting of the wire mesh, streamlining the installation process.
Field Testing!
We’re excited to announce that we’re entering the field testing phase for this innovative product! We’re looking for experienced installers who frequently work with wire mesh on PV arrays featuring flush-cut rail ends. Specifically, we’re seeking installers who use the following rails.
- IronRidge XR100
- Unirac SolarMount (Standard-Duty) Rail
- SnapNrack Ultra Rail UR-45
If you’re interested in helping us refine and perfect this cool new product, we’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to Marshall at marshall@slicktoolsllc.com to express your interest and learn more about the field testing opportunity. We value your expertise and insights and look forward to collaborating with you!