Question for Brightmount owners

[Tripplett]

I’m new to solar but have been reading a lot for a year now. I just bought eight of the higher power 44.6” panels and wanted to use the Brightmount rack. However I don’t want to connect the two sections together. Instead I want two 2 panel mounts. Actually I want to buy two kits and leave both separate. That will give me four 2 panel racks.
First question is can the rack be left separate like that?

Second I want to use flush end clamps like this picture. These, if I understand their use right, will let me slide the panels right up to (or maybe even a little over) the ends of the rails.
Am I understanding this right?

Lastly, for current owners, what is the width between the panels when using the supplied mid clamps?
Looks like I’ll only have 1/2” of room with the panels flush with the ends of the rails. Maybe a little more if I can extend them over a little.
Thanks.

Edit: actually I just realized I could either
1) use a nut/bolt with appropriately sized fender washers for the middle and get a 1/2” gap
or
2) just use 2 flush end clamps per panel and have the panels touching in the middle.

 

[millsan1]

Can't speak to the end thing, but yes, you can easily set up one brightmount as two, smaller birghtmounts.

 

[DVD]

By separating a single kit into 2 half kits, you will be short a couple pieces, like the rail grounding clip (two per kit, one for each connected double rail). Maybe not important to you.
Structurally, the final mini mounts will not have as high a wind load limit per panel as the 4 panel assembly. Again may not be important to your application.

Mine is a 12 panel (3x kits) using 39.5” panels. Ample room for the supplied hardware. Your panels appear to be on the bleeding edge. Have you thought about a DIY mount using Unistrut or similar?

 

[Tripplett]

Thanks for the reply DVD. Yes, I have thought about DIY, but whatever I do I really want it to look good. It’s in an area that will be easily seen. I don’t want to do any wood construction. HOA said they can’t stop me from putting in Solar - except for on the front of the house. This is the back yard, but I still want it to look good, I can replace the horizontal struts wit’s unistrut if need be.

it’s also down at a low spot of my yard and backs up to woods on 2 sides so wind should be less there.
I can easily drill and tap some spots for grounding.

 

[DVD]

Panels usually have grounding points marked and frankly are better grounds than the BRIGHTMOUNT brackets IMO.

If you are insistent on using BRIGHTMOUNT you can contact them and order additional rails, etc. I had a shipping issue and got replacements and ordered separate components. The latter were included in the free warranty shipping - probably wouldn’t be offered for new parts orders. They were very responsive.

 

[einatree]

Panels usually have grounding points marked and frankly are better grounds than the BRIGHTMOUNT brackets IMO.

If you are insistent on using BRIGHTMOUNT you can contact them and order additional rails, etc. I had a shipping issue and got replacements and ordered separate components. The latter were included in the free warranty shipping - probably wouldn’t be offered for new parts orders. They were very responsive.

I am wanting to connect three brightmounts together using additional rail connectors. Do I contact EG4 or Signature solar to purchase the separate components?

 

[Tripplett]

I am wanting to connect three brightmounts together using additional rail connectors. Do I contact EG4 or Signature solar to purchase the separate components?

I chatted with Signature Solar this week and they don’t sell any extra or spare parts for this mount. So you’ll have to reach out to EG4.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

Let us know if anyone has luck. There are some common splices on Alibaba (and I actually bought them off Walmart.com lol). They don't quite fit, although for what I need I can get some aluminum bar stock and use the serrated profile side to cosmetically join two racks. They are mounted solidly separately, and I can fit 9 39" wide panels across 2 racks.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

By the way Mr. Tripplett, I dug up a post where I physically measured everything on my rack (As you probably know it's also in the current EG4 manual). This suggests if you have panels over 43.9" wide you'll need to improvise a bit. SS says 44" panels so they already have you fudge a tiny bit.

Post in thread 'EG4 BrightMount with 4 x 44.6inch wide panels?' https://diysolarforum.com/threads/eg4-brightmount-with-4-x-44-6inch-wide-panels.68133/post-860624

 

[Tripplett]

Yea I saw that. I plan on contacting EG4 directly and asking them if a new version is coming. I find it really hard to believe they aren’t considering a V3 of this rack given how popular these higher power 44.6” panels are getting.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

100% agree a V3 rack with slightly longer rails seems the best option. I also don't know that that K2 clamp will work on the EG4 rails as is??

 

[Tripplett]

Not sure, but I’m willing to try one

 

[DVD]

I purchased extra rail connectors through SS. You might want to try them again. I’m still finding SS support to be irregular, so another contact may result in a different response.
BTW I think they were around $12 but don’t take that to the bank.

 

[Tripplett]

Thanks, will do. So you purchased the connectors that tie the rail sections together? Did you also buy an extra rail?

 

[SignatureSolarJess]

I purchased extra rail connectors through SS. You might want to try them again. I’m still finding SS support to be irregular, so another contact may result in a different response.
BTW I think they were around $12 but don’t take that to the bank.

Thanks, will do. So you purchased the connectors that tie the rail sections together? Did you also buy an extra rail?

If you'd like to shoot me a message with your contact info, I can get you in touch with a Sales associate.

@DVD Do you remember who you spoke to?

 

[Tripplett]

If you'd like to shoot me a message with your contact info, I can get you in touch with a Sales associate.

@DVD Do you remember who you spoke to?

Thanks Jess. Message sent. I really need to get this order in.

 

[DVD]

Thanks, will do. So you purchased the connectors that tie the rail sections together? Did you also buy an extra rail?

Just the connectors.
As my earlier reply indicated, these were added to a shipping damage replacement shipment. Not an independent order, if that helps explain anything.

 

[Tripplett]

I want to update this thread to say that Signature Solar is now carrying two new items for Brightmount racking. I have some 5” extension kits on order and will do a review when they arrive.

First is the Brightmount Extension Rail Kit to allow for 45” wide panels. This kit comes with everything you need to extend one 4 panel rack by 5” total length.

BrightMount Extension Rail Kit

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

Second is a larger 13.75” Splice Connector kit. This kit allows you to bond two Brightmount kits together giving you one large 8 panel rack.

BrightMount 13.75 in. Splice Connector/Bonding Jumper Kit

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

 

[Tripplett]

I am wanting to connect three brightmounts together using additional rail connectors.

You can now do this with these new 13.75 splice kits.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

You can now do this with these new 13.75 splice kits

Ordered mine, thanks!