Abound Solar
Mounting Application Note
AB1-Series
Page 1
Document #3106761 Rev A
Effective 18 May 2010
AB1-Series Photovoltaic
Modules
Mounting Application Note
Abound Solar, Inc.
www.abound.com
Overview
The purpose of this application note is to help
guide system designers by providing the
mechanical requirements for mounting Abound
Solar’s AB1-Series of Photovoltaic Modules and
suggesting possibilities for mounting techniques.
Abound Solar provides this information only as a
minimal starting point, and compliance with the
information contained herein is not a guarantee
of an approved photovoltaic system.
Contents
1.0 Safety ................................................... 1
2.0 The AB1 Module .................................. 1
3.0 Clips ..................................................... 3
3.1 Approved Clips ................................. 3
4.0 Racking ................................................ 4
1.0 Safety
All instructions should be read and understood
before attempting to install, wire, operate, and/or
maintain the AB1 photovoltaic modules. Be
aware that metal rails can have sharp edges.
Please make sure that your designs allow for the
safe installation of equipment.
DANGER: Risk of Electrical Shock
PV modules generate DC electrical
energy when exposed to sunlight or
other light sources.
Contact with electrically
active parts of the module such as terminals
can result in burns, sparks, and lethal shock
whether the module is connected or
disconnected.
Caution: Risk of Broken Glass. Since
the AB1 Module consists primarily of
glass, the possibility of broken glass
exists. Broken glass can be sharp and cause
injury if not handled with protective equipment
such as gloves and eyewear.
Specifications are subject to change; please
contact Abound Solar to ensure that you are
utilizing the most current information available.
2.0 The AB1 Module
Overview:
Abound Solar modules are
comprised of two sheets of glass that are
bonded together. There is a gap between these
two pieces of glass. The construction is such
that there are reinforcing beads within this area,
giving the module exceptional strength. The
interior of this assembly contains the
semiconductor film, which will produce electricity
when exposed to sunlight. Cables with industry
standard MC4 style connectors provide for the
electrical connections. A junction box is on the
rear of this module assembly to provide strain
relief to these cables. These are frameless
modules. Each module weighs about 12 kg,
which is about 26 pounds. This equates to a roof
loading of 3.125 #/SF (15.25 kg/m
2
).
Within Abound AB1 Photovoltaic Modules, the
active cells are oriented along the long axis.
This allows the maximum number of modules to
be stacked in series before hitting the voltage
limitation of the inverter, maximizing the
obtainable electrical energy from each string.
Because of this cell orientation,
‘portrait mode’
mounting orientation is desirable to minimize the
possibility of complete shading of any one cell.
Engineering CAD models of the AB1 modules
are available; please contact Abound Solar for
more details.
