Daniel Redfern, Marketing Manager at Marley explains how easy it is to install Marley SolarTile.
Preparation and testing, is key so follow your normal process for preparing the roof ready for tiles. Our roofing kits come with brackets suitable for tile battens of 25mm thickness. Electrically test each solar panel prior to installation. We recommend that cables be passed though roofing membrane laps for connection inside the building or connected to adjacent panels in the batten space. Next, follow our simple step-by-step installation process.
Installing the first panel
‘Step 1 – Open the yellow box and start with the bottom left panel. Brackets rotate into the lower slot on the panel frame. Fix the batten brackets to the left side with two 25mm screws each. Fix bottom rafter brackets to each rafter the panel crosses with two 50mm screws each.
‘Step 2 – Fit the sill flashing then the lower side flashing to the panel, pushing into the rubber gasket seal. Secure the edge of the side flashing using fixing tabs and nails.
‘Step 3 – Open the green box and fix the combi brackets to each rafter panel with four 50mm screws each. Push the joining strip into the gasket on the top face of the lower solar panel.
Installing panel 2
‘Step 4 – Slide the upper solar panel down the roof to engage with the combi-bracket and the joining strip. Align the panels on the right corner and rotate the left corner downwards to ensure a smooth connection.
‘Fix the left side of the panel with batten brackets and 25mm screws. Push in the upper side flashing and fix the outside edge with the side fixing tabs. Fold the protruding end of the joining strip down over the side flashing.
Installing panel 3
‘Step 5 – Slide the first panel of the next column sideways to engage with the combi-batten brackets. Secure the new solar panel to each rafter with rafter brackets and two 50mm screws each.
‘Push the sill flashing into the gasket at the bottom of the solar panel. Slide the lower gutter between the two solar panels from the top and fold the tab at the bottom behind the sill flashing.
‘Step 6 – Nail the top fixing strip into a batten. Align the bottom corner of the lower gutter covers with the bottom edge of the solar panel and push the gutter covers into the gasket. Fold down the remaining tabs.
‘Step 7 – Open the orange box and fix three combi-batten brackets to the right-hand side of the top panel. Open the blue box and fit the upper gutter between the solar panels. Push the joining strip into the gasket in the top edge of the panel below.
Installing panel 4
‘Step 8 – Slide the new panel into position and fix with rafter brackets at the bottom and batten brackets to the right-hand side. Push the lower side flashing into the gasket on the right-hand side of the panel. Fit the side fixing tabs and fold over the tab on the sill flashing.
‘Fit the upper gutter between the solar panels and the nail gutter fixing strip to a batten. Push the upper gutter cover into the panel gasket. Fold the end of the joining strip into the gutter.
Installing top flashing
‘Step 9 – For each rafter it crosses, fix a rafter bracket to the top of the top left panel and secure with two 50mm screws each. Push the top flashing into the panel gasket and feed the two straps under the foam and secure the straps to a batten above.
Final touches
‘Step 10 – Remove the paper strip on the underside of the sill flashing and press down onto the tiles. Ensure that the bitumen strip is well bonded to the tiles. Two courses of tiles should be fitted around the perimeter of the solar panels. The final electrical connection and sign off must be completed by an MCS certified installer.’
For advice and further details on Marley’s SolarTile system visit www.marley.co.uk/solar
