Feedback on S-5 Corrubrackets

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fastbike

212 posts

Master Geek

#316177 22-Sep-2024 21:57

I'm looking for some feedback from people who have used S-5 Corrubrackets for frameless mounting onto ColorSteel roofing. In particular mounting that is not into purlins, but is just held via the 4 tek screws into the tin.

https://www.s-5.com/products/corrubracket-500t-pv/

Otautahi Christchurch

Bung

6477 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3285295 23-Sep-2024 06:55

I haven't use them but our roof collects wind blown dead leaves from a neighbour's tree. The bracket design bridging 2 corrugations while dipping down would trap debris that would otherwise wash into the gutters. Clearing the gutters is a pain but can be done. So it depends on your location.

djtOtago

1149 posts

Uber Geek

#3285356 23-Sep-2024 09:00

What are you going to screw them into if or not using purlins? They will need to be screwed into something. Just screwing them into them with short screws into the Corrugated iron will not be enough. It wouldn't take much of a lifting force to pull them out.

Measure the distance on your corrugations as well. Not all corrugated iron is made using the same profile.

fastbike

212 posts

Master Geek

#3285360 23-Sep-2024 09:12

djtOtago:

What are you going to screw them into if or not using purlins? They will need to be screwed into something. Just screwing them into them with short screws into the Corrugated iron will not be enough. It wouldn't take much of a lifting force to pull them out.

Have you actually used them ?

Otautahi Christchurch

wellygary

8312 posts

Uber Geek

#3285369 23-Sep-2024 09:32

djtOtago:

What are you going to screw them into if or not using purlins? They will need to be screwed into something. Just screwing them into them with short screws into the Corrugated iron will not be enough. It wouldn't take much of a lifting force to pull them out.

They claim this is an accepted use, in fact they advertise it as such

"This bracket can be attached directly to the sheeting, accommodating attachment anywhere along the corrugation making
module layout a snap."

My Concerns would be potential wind loading, and as others have said debris collection due to the "V" section in the corrugations

fastbike

212 posts

Master Geek

#3285375 23-Sep-2024 09:55

wellygary:

My Concerns would be potential wind loading, and as others have said debris collection due to the "V" section in the corrugations

The local distributor has provided some documentation for Australian wind regions according to AS/NZS1170:2, but are unable to back that up with an assessment under the same standard for NZ wind zones.

Even though the standard covers both countries there is sufficient difference that a specific design/assessment will be required for the wind loading and the differences in sheet metal thickness.

Otautahi Christchurch

djtOtago

1149 posts

Uber Geek

#3285439 23-Sep-2024 13:25

fastbike:

djtOtago:

What are you going to screw them into if or not using purlins? They will need to be screwed into something. Just screwing them into them with short screws into the Corrugated iron will not be enough. It wouldn't take much of a lifting force to pull them out.

Have you actually used them ?

No, I haven't used them.
But general life experience has shown me a threaded screw just screwed into an iron sheet less than 1mm thick does not have much of a holding force.

If they have a toggle system that would work, but you would have to make sure the roofing material is well fixed down around the bracket area.

If the manufacture says they are ok, then I guess they are. But I would still be very dubious.

richms

28168 posts

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#3285445 23-Sep-2024 14:13

No way in hell I would be trusting that.

I actually have asked places to price up lifting and re-laying my shed roof inorder to get purlins in the right place to be able to get 2 rows of portrait panels but the price was too much to have someone come and do it and was about the price of a reroof, so would rather do that and get new materials.

Richard rich.ms

Equinox IT

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neb

11294 posts

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#3285471 23-Sep-2024 15:37

Bung:

I haven't use them but our roof collects wind blown dead leaves from a neighbour's tree. The bracket design bridging 2 corrugations while dipping down would trap debris that would otherwise wash into the gutters. Clearing the gutters is a pain but can be done. So it depends on your location.

That was my immediate reaction too, if you specifically designed something to catch and clog up with debris you couldn't to a better job than those.

fastbike

212 posts

Master Geek

#3285476 23-Sep-2024 16:07

Some more information as to why these are on my list of potential solutions :)

The installation is for solar panels onto a curved colorsteel roof. The preferred layout is 4 rows of panels in landscape orientation, panel size is 1722x1134. Purlin spacing is approx 850.

We could put 3 rows of panels, each row spanning two purlins and have two stubby little vertical rails underneath. But then we miss out on 1/4 of the capacity (19 vs 26), the layout looks weird with about 550mm of roof between each row, and the earthing is a nightmare as each rail needs a bonding lug and wire (38 rails).

The next alternative is for 4 rows using custom RHS rails. The rails can either be rolled to match the curvature of the roof (12.7m) or segmented/bonded to sit under the 4 rows. This looks better, has additional output and earthing becomes simpler with just the 12 long vertical rails to bond. I will mount the rails to the purlins.

I've got a price for the supply of the RHS and am waiting on a price for rolling to the correct radius. I will insert M8 rivnuts so the installer can use standard clamps when they fit the panels.

I had reservations about the pull out strength of the S-5 tek screws into what is very thin sheetmetal (0.4mm), and don't want to be nervous everytime we get a Canterbury norwester.

I've not been able to get anything sensible out of S-5 or their local importer regarding the setup we have in NZ.

Otautahi Christchurch

fastbike

212 posts

Master Geek

#3296854 13-Oct-2024 11:15

To close-off this thread, the local S-5! importer provided another engineering assessment. However it was done for Australia, and the thickness of the steel roofing was greater than the Colorsteel fitted to this house, so the assessment was not applicable.

I have been up on the roof and done a measurement of the actual as-built purlin spacing (approx 900mm) so I can sketch up a section in CAD.

The options have now been simplified to:

one reasonably straight forward (panels in portrait) but they don't follow the curve of the roof as well. However standard commodity mounting rails can be used to that match the clamping zones of the panels !
the other has the panels in landscape so follows the curve better. However this requires fabricating some custom rails so will make installation tricky.

I will mount some full size timber mock-ups onto the roof so we can decide if the simpler option is aesthetically acceptable.

Otautahi Christchurch

elpenguino

3419 posts

Uber Geek

#3296883 13-Oct-2024 13:23

The web site doesn't state what material the brackets are made of. They look like Aluminium in the photos and if that's true, you should be concerned about galvanic corrosion on a steel roof. You would have to ensure every bracket and fastener is electrically isolated to avoid corrosion.

It appears there is a washer under each fastener and an EPDM isolator under each side of the bracket too and these must remain undamaged during installation.

Most of the posters in this thread are just like chimpanzees on MDMA, full of feelings of bonhomie, joy, and optimism. Fred99 8/4/21

Bung

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#3296890 13-Oct-2024 13:49

AFAIK aluminium is ok. Colorsteel zincalume coating is 55% aluminium, 45% zinc. Aluminium is the recommended material for rivets.