BIPV, looking for seals that may go between panels to build a carport.

I am building a carport. I am looking for affordable and effective seals to go between the panels to prevent water from leaking through. Some use the term BIPV, building integrated photovoltaics. I want to be able to see the panels from beneath, open air.
Any references on materials and methods would be greatly appreciated. Thanks george

If you manipulate the brackets so that the panel edges are flush with each other, you could just use clear window silicone in a caulking tube to seal all the joints. Silicone is flexible and you can fill a pretty big gap.  Keep in mind that solar panels need cleaned a few times a year to keep production up, so your going to want to build a structure that can not only support the weight of the panels, but also you up there wiping them down with windex.  You need space to work around, so I don't know that you'll be able to pull off using the panels "as" the roof. You can't stand on the panels.

I intend to try sealing between closely mounted panels using eternabond tape. I've had some over lines of rivets atop a bus for about 6 years and it still looks good..


I intend to hit the panels with a hose as convenient, and scrub with a long handled brush is absolutely necessary. I guess if I really had to get close I would use a railed pallet on the tractor forks... but the panels I have been running for 2 years seem fine without scrubbing.

Hello, bumping this up to see if anyone has come across some sort of  really good quality seal for between panels to make an array water tight?  The BIPV, building integrated pv market has some but the information is hard to find an actual product that I can buy. Thanks to anyone with input, george

My first thought when I saw this was, That is a very hard ask. Second thought was buy solar shingles. The problem is thermal expansion.  A large panel (3x5) needs almost a half inch between them to move into on those hot summer days.  

Solutions:
1 solar roof shingles.  https://solarmagazine.com/solar-roofs/solar-shingles/
2 my cars are water proof why does a car port have to be sealed?  Mount them close and let it leaks little.  This is my solution but I'm lazy and cheap.
3 mount them on up facing c channel.  https://www.mcmaster.com/c-channels/strut-channel-5/

Hope that helps.   Tom

thanks tom, some great thoughts. I have done slate roofs and gave some thought in overlapping them in both directions, kinda complicated but thought it might work. Great point about the expansion, thanks for that, george

You can NOT shade them, at all.   Try it, set a panel up in the sun with a current meter on it.  Cover the bottom 1 inch with tape.  The current will drop 90%.   Tom

I've often walked past a display for liquid sidewalk expansion joint filler at the local hardware store.  If the mock-up can be believed, that stuff supposedly can bridge almost an inch gap.

I've never tried it, so who knows how much of it is hype vs me being easily impressed, but...  Maybe an option?

I have solar panels currently hanging in an angle from a utility building, out and over the cars, and hope to extend them with more panels angled into a full carport shape one day; columns at one side, attached to utility building at other, room for one car underneath.

The panels have a 2x4 frame surrounding the exterior, and designed to support each panel from sides and underneath; between each panel & between panel & frame, I used a thin, high-density foam insulation piece. The panels are machined so perfectly that they already make a tight fit when next to each other. These 2x4 frames are exterior, so entire 2x4 was sealed w/ Thompson's before use. These have lasted a few years so far, thru brutal winter seasons & heavy snows, and the wood hasn't degraded yet.

This insulation sheet, which normally goes under the sill plate for a foundation, and comes in an 8" pink roll, is perfect to cut & fit between the panels and 2x4 frame. You can't see it, if cut right. This blocks most any water that I care about, which is just getting the worst of it away from what's underneath. Most water/snow runs off the down-sloped shape; if a few drops make it through and hits the car underneath, I won't lose any sleep, but I rarely see any water underneath it, anywhere.

Hope this helps ...