I found this interesting video on Facebook: 

 

It's not mine, nor do I know this guy. And I don't entirely agree with this idea, but found it quite interesting nonetheless. 

In my experience damaging hail does not fall vertically. Panels are very robust things (in a hailstorm). We had a storm two years ago that broke 135 windowpanes here "oppie plaas" and caused no damage to 6 solar panels, powering a Lorenz submersible,  that were at a 15 degree tilt (summer) at the time.

I did the same thing on the side of my place for my secondary array but not for hail. just so they are adjustable, testing goes easier and panels can be swopped easily.

Basically commercial rails on mild steel arms. Didn't  even paint the steel. its rusting now

If anyone is looking for cheap mountings i found renusol has a metasole mount for ibr. no rails just blocks. you cant make something cheaper if you tried.

What i dont like about them though is they are quite flat on the sheet. i.e. very little clearance. i prefer to have some air flow underthe panels.

2 hours ago, Chris Hobson said:

In my experience damaging hail does not fall vertically. Panels are very robust things (in a hailstorm). We had a storm two years ago that broke 135 windowpanes here "oppie plaas" and caused no damage to 6 solar panels, powering a Lorenz submersible,  that were at a 15 degree tilt (summer) at the time.

panels mounted at an angle would generally not get broken by hail. My greenhouse plastic sheet doesn't even beak since it's mounted on a dome. But, house windows, installed at 90 degrees do get broken easily - again due to the angle. The problem I see with this particular installation, is that heavy winds could easily sheer that mounting structure off the roof / wall. Perhaps, if the pole being used to tilt the panels was fixed into another bracket, it would have been more secure and easier to handle / automate as well.

Here in the Strand/Gordon's Bay area, they would be flying into the mountain when the South Easter blows!

57 minutes ago, SOLARWIND said:

Strand/Gordon's Bay

Hey... I didn't know we're both Helderbergers... :-)

Was in your boys neck of the woods yesterday - flying visit. Next time I look you lads up.

9 hours ago, SOLARWIND said:

Here in the Strand/Gordon's Bay area, they would be flying into the mountain when the South Easter blows!

Ja nee, daai boer het seker geen wind op sy plaas nie.. I can actually picture the South Easter picking up that entire bracket the panels sit on together with the roof and scattering it all over the neighbors yard.